Welcome to Warm Springs Mesa!

You have chosen a nice place to live!

The Boise River borders Warm Springs Mesa on the West and Table Rock borders it on the North.  Warm Springs Avenue runs along the base of the Mesa and takes you east to Spring Shores and Idaho City and west into downtown Boise.

Approximately some 30 million years ago the present town of Boise was deep under an inland sea.  Through shifting and slow uplifting of the earth’s masses, the mud, sands and other sediment consolidated into rock and were thrust upward.  Table Rock, standing some 800 feet above the floor of the Boise Valley is an erosion remnant of this action.  A number of natural hot springs are found at the front of Table Rock.  Herb Waite, a hydrologist and resident of the Mesa, supplied this geological information.

The United States Geological Survey identifies an isolated hill or mountain with a flat top as a butte.  If the flat top is rather large, the term mesa is applied.  The geological findings provide the reasons for Warm Springs Mesa’s name.

Herbert Bevington and Paul Wise purchased the Warm Springs Mesa property in 1954 for development.  Paul Wise’s background was that of a civil engineer.  Herbert Bevington developed the first property on Warm Springs Mesa in 1958.  In 1971 Paul Wise bought out Herb Bevington’s interest and continued to develop the Mesa.

During the 1970’s a number of “fun” Mesa street fairs, including barbeques, took place and much effort was put into making a cohesive friendly neighborhood. 

Prior to the formation of the Warm Springs Homeowners' Association in 1981, an informal board of interested persons had been meeting for approximately one year.  The officers of this informal organization were:  James Zemblica, President, Claudette France, Vice President, Susan Gibbons, and Secretary-Treasurer.  The Directors were:  Manuel Lopez, Earl Reynolds, Lynn Thomas and Paul Wise.

The Warm Springs Homeowners’ Association was incorporated as a non-profit corporation on February 11, 1983.  The first president of this newly incorporated organization was Manuel Lopez. His Board was as follows:  Lynn Thomas, Vice President, Arden E. McGinnis, Secretary-Treasurer.  Directors were:  Earl Reynolds, Jim White and Paul Wise.  Their first action was to complete a survey of the homeowners’ opinions on what the goals and objectives for the organization should be and to hold an open house.

By 1985 the Mesa Homeowners’ Association had become inactive due to lack of participation.  But by the beginning of 1989 the Mesa Homeowners’ Association was re-activated.    Another survey was sponsored for residents’ input and a clean-up day was set for March 18, 1989.  The new Board consisted of:  Richard Price, President, Charles Brokopp, Vice President, Gene McGinnis, and Secretary-Treasurer.  The Directors were:  Dave Bennion, Manuel Lopez, Lynn Thomas, Dennis Fischer and Earl Schneider.

During 1989 a number of Board Members departed.  When Gene McGinnis left the Board, Judy Abbott and Joyce Knox were added with Joyce Knox assuming the Secretary-Treasurer position.  When Manuel Lopez, Judy Abbott and Charles Brokopp left, Earl Reynolds, Mary Lou Cunningham and Verlene Kaiser took their place. 

The new Board was presented with a difficult task in 1990 of addressing the sewer issues of the Mesa.  The septic systems for the lower Mesa were at the end of their life expectancy and Paul Wise was facing a non-renewal certification for his upper Mesa sewer system. 

A lower Mesa task force chaired by Verlene Kaiser met with many community organizations regarding the placement of sewer lines and replacement of water lines for the lower Mesa.   After a long year of many meetings with City of Boise Public Works Commission, Mesa Water Company, Ada County Commissioners, Idaho Public Utility Commission and Ada County Highway District including much efforts of door-to-door communicating with lower Mesa residents, a needed fifty-one percent of the lower Mesa residents agreed signing a petition for city sewer.  At about   the same time Paul Wise reached a decision with the City of Boise for transfer of his sewer system to the city.

The residents of the lower Mesa paid for the installation of main sewer lines on the lower Mesa with the City of Boise underwriting the initial financing and paying for the cost of the main lines outside of the developed subdivision.  The Mesa Water Company also agreed to assist with a small amount of cost for the water lines replacement in the lower Mesa.  On August 18, 1994, the City of Boise Public Works was finally prepared to award the contract on the sewer line installment – nearly five years after starting the process!

Also in 1994 the Mesa Homeowners’ Association’s name was changed to Warm Springs Mesa Neighborhood Association to more accurately reflect the organization’s purpose and mission.

During 1996 –97 a “Mesa Trail” committee chaired by Verlene Kaiser met with Tim Breur, Ridges to River Trail System coordinator for the purpose of having a safer way for bikers and hikers to enter and exit the Mesa.  The final outcome of these meetings was that support would be given for an additional access road on the west side of the Mesa before any more development take place and that the road would include a sidewalk installation.