Gregory Stock,aae
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August 14, 2017
City of Meridian
Planning and Zoning Commission
33 E. Broadway Ave.
Meridian, Idaho 83642
Ref: Proposed COSTCO Wholesale Warehouse, Meridian
Dear Commissioners:
I most strongly request that your body reject any proposal by Brighton Corporation to amend the
Meridian Comprehensive Plan to accommodate the development of a Costco Wholesale Warehouse at
Ten Mile and Chinden Roads.
Clearly this is a development that is not compatible with the existing residential development or
Brighton would not have needed to purpose such an amendment,
If the City really feels the need to accommodate a third Costco within ten miles of the two already
existing there is plenty of available land which would allow for a comprehensive planning process to
achieve a development that is compatible with existing and proposed residential developments.
Such planning would allow for graduated development of lighter commercial use surrounding the Costco
which then would blend in and protect the quality of life of the citizens of the City. Frankly, parachuting
a Costco Warehouse into an existing neighborhood with the attendant noise, traffic and pollution is not
much of a plan, in spite of Brighton Corporations desires.
Please do not allow the members of your commission to be so blinded by the potential revenue Costco
may generate for the City, as to ignore the permanent damage such a development will cause the
members of your community.
Attached please find my letters to Mr. Bruce Chatterton of Community Development laying out the
reasons for my objections as well as my letters to the Mayor and Council.
Further I specifically request that I be advised of any upcoming hearings on this matter so I may attend
and offer input.
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August 14, 2017
Mayor Tammy de Weerd
Meridian City Hall
33 East Broadway Avenue, Suite 300
Meridian, ID 83642
Ref: Proposed COSTCO Wholesale Warehouse, Meridian
Dear Madam Mayor:
While 1 have been informed that you cannot accept input on pending matters before they are officially
put before the Mayor and Council, I wish to make this a matter of record to be held until that time.
Frankly the issue of a Costco development at Ten Mile and Chinden Roads should never come before
Council and should be quashed at the level of Community Development or Planning and Zoning.
I have written both as well as the City Council, copies of those letters are included.
While I have no objection to Costco per se, it is not compatible in a residential area.
Simply put the placement of a Costco Wholesale Warehouse adjacent to any residential development
within or adjacent to the City of Meridian is inappropriate. This is clearly acknowledged by Brighton
Corporations petition to change the current Meridian Comprehensive Plan land use designations.
Madam Mayor, in the strongest possible language I urge you and members of the City Council to not be
blinded by potential tax dollars and instead continue to protect the quality of life for all residents of the
City of Meridian.
Please understand that your position on this matter must impact any future voting decision I may make
as a resident.
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August 14, 2017
Keith Bird — President
City of Meridian Council
33 E. Broadway Ave.
Suite 300
Meridian, Idaho 83642
Ref: Proposed COSTCO Wholesale Warehouse, Meridian
Dear Councilman Bird and Members of the Council:
While I expect that you may be prohibited from taking input on a matter before it is officially placed
before you, I hope to make this a matter of record for that time.
Quite often, these matter progress so rapidly when pushed by huge corporations that voice of mere
citizens get lost in the press for approval. Such is clearly the case with Brighton Corporation and the
purposed Costco development. As an example as you can see from the attached, shortly after my April
27 letter I was told by Mr. Chatterton of Community Development that Costco had expressed no interest
in am Meridian location. Now, barely three months later we are told they have a site identified, a
proposal drawn and a request to amend the City of Meridian Comprehensive plan.
It is clear Brighton knows their proposed land use is incompatible, simply evidenced by their request to
change the Comprehensive Plan.
Hopefully this matter will never come before the Mayor and Council is appropriately handled at the
proper level of Community Development and Zoning and planning. However as I suspect it will not be
and thus I urge you and council members to vote no to any Brighton purposed change to the
Comprehensive plan and Costco Wholesale Warehouse in the City of Meridian so situated as to
adversely impact the citizens of Meridian.
For the record, I am not opposed to Costco per se, but such a development adjacent to residential areas
is incompatible. I sincerely hope that you and members with vote to protect the quality of life of the
residents of Meridian and not be blinded by specter of potential tax income.
Please understand that your position on this matter must impact any future voting decision I may make
as a resident.
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August 14, 2017
Mr. Bruce Chatterton
Community Development Director
33 E. Broadway Avenue, Suite 102
Meridian, ID 83642
Ref: Proposed COSTCO Wholesale Warehouse, Meridian
Dear Mr. Chatterton:
On April 27, 2017, 1 wrote you and other City officials regarding the "proposed" Costco
development at Linder and Chinden Roads. You kindly called me back shortly thereafter and
told me that Costco had made a brief inquiry but showed no other interest in the site. Further,
you told me that Costco had demonstrated no other interest in any other Meridian location.
Now, we are told that Costco, in the form of Brighton Corporation has committed to a site one
mile away at the corner of Ten Mile and Chinden Roads. Quite frankly, this announcement
coming approximately 100 days after your comments to me is difficult to swallow.
The issues with this development are the same, this is not a development that is appropriate
adjacent to a residential area. This incompatibility is acknowledged by Brighton as evidenced by
their petition to change the existing Meridian Comprehensive Plan.
It is difficult to believe the negotiation for the site purchase and proposed development was
not in the works when we spoke, or that City Government especially Community Development
was not aware of it. If the City was in fact unaware, it is a shameful case of neglect of its duty
to the citizens of Meridian or at least willful blindness.
When we spoke you further told me that zoning regulations did not for allow consideration of
the impact on adjacent properties, zoned differently when permitting a project. According to
this explanation a project could be permitted without consideration as to its effect on adjacent
existing or planned projects. This would mean the City could allow a slaughterhouse next to a
residential neighborhood. In the law there is the concept of "coming to a nuisance" simply put
it means, if I build or buy near an existing nuisance, I cannot latter, complain about the
nuisance. Conversely, I am sure I am not allowed to bring a nuisance impacting an existing
property. The protection and insurance of compatible land use is the purpose of planning and
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zoning. The compatibility of adjacent development must be always considered before allowing
a project which will adversely affect existing properties. This incompatibility is exactly the
current situation of Costco in a residential area.
As I wrote in my April letter, just because an area has been zoned as commercial, it does not
automatically follow that it is appropriate for any type of commercial development. Any
proposed commercial development must be viewed in light of its impact on the existing
neighborhoods. A huge warehouse operation such as Costco is not an appropriate business in
an area surrounded by residential homes.
The impact of the noise and traffic pollution an operation such as a Costco Warehouse creates
causes an untenable situation for home owners nearby. Not only is there the increase in
customer traffic during the day but also that of the large trucks required to service such an
operation. Many of these same trucks arrive and unload, according to Mr. Katz, beginning as
early as four AM and continuing until ten PM. All of which creates a situation damaging to
property values and the quality of life of Meridian residents nearby.
The greater impact of this project is being ignored, while I do not profess to be a marketing
expert, common sense dictates, that when a new Costco is built this close to two existing
Costco stores, one of those, most likely the oldest will close and customer traffic will divert to
the new store. It's simple common sense to expect this. In spite of whatever Brighton
Corporation has assured the City. I can guarantee they are expecting and planning for this.
No community the size of ours, needs, nor can support three Costco stores ten miles apart!
Any request by Brighton Corp. to change the existing Meridian Comprehensive Plan land use
designation must be denied. Simply by making the request Brighton acknowledges the
incompatibility of this development at this location.
If the City of Meridian cannot end its love affair with Costco and continues its unbridled lust for
Costco generated tax dollars, there are numerous other locations for sale nearby which are not
in residential neighborhoods and which would allow the City to complete its planning function
by planning for Costco and lighter commercial enterprises around it, allowing for a proper
transition to existing and planned residential development. Examples, can be seen in the areas
surrounding the existing Costco's in Boise and Nampa. These locations minimize the impact on
residential development and are a proper fit.
If the City insists in dropping a Costco into a residential neighborhood, perhaps I may suggest
the Mayor or Council invite Brighton into their own backyard.
Rest assured that, decisions on Costco development in the City of Meridian will affect my voting
preferences in future elections and I will work to insure other voters are likewise informed.
Yoy, —
Grego ock