PZ - Letter to Planning Department
September 15, 2017
Caleb Hood and Sonya Allen
Planning Department - City of Meridian
33 East Broadway Avenue, Suite 102
Meridian, Idaho 83646
Re: Linder Village
Annexation & Zoning, Preliminary Plat and Access Modification Approval/Variance
(to Ordinance UDC 11-3H-4B.2 regarding Hwy 20/26)
1225 West Chinden Boulevard
Meridian, Idaho 83642
File No. H-2017-0088
Dear Caleb and Sonja:
On behalf of Lynx Investments, LP, CCPD Inc., and DMG Real Estate Partners, LLC, please accept
applications for Annexation and Zoning, Preliminary Plat, and Access Modification Approval (Variance) to
Ordinance UDC 11-3H-4B.2 for the above referenced project. These applications are for the following
parcels: S0425223010, S0425212480 and S0425212420 for a total of 79.07 acres. The overall annexation
area to the centerline of the adjacent roadways is 81.02 acres.
The properties are located on the southeast corner of Linder Road and Chinden Boulevard and are
currently zoned RUT in Ada County. The properties are in the Meridian Impact Area and have a Future
Land Use designation of Mixed Use Community (MU-C) and Medium Density Residential (MDR).
Overall Project
The attached development application proposes Annexation of the three (3) parcels into the City of
Meridian and to establish the zoning of 64.146 acres as CC and 16.873 acres as R-8. These zoning
designations are appropriate and consistent with existing Comprehensive Plan future land use
designations. No amendment to the Comprehensive Plan Map is proposed. Further, no change is
proposed to the Comprehensive Plan Mixed Use Community (MU-C) or Medium Density Residential
(MDR) designations. The Preliminary Plat includes sixteen (16) commercial lots, one (1) residential lot,
one (1) common lot and three (3) lots to be dedicated for right of way. The proposed development plan
includes a community grocery use, retail shops and a mid-size retail use at the southwest portion of the
property (which abuts future neighboring MU-C designated use), mixed-use (office, retail and live/work
areas) at the corner of Linder Road and Chinden Boulevard, pad sites adjacent to Chinden Boulevard and
other mid-size retail and entertainment users, shops and restaurants in the middle of the property with
all areas buffered by berms, screen walls & heavy landscaping (reference the Use Area Plan). A specific
development plan for both the East portion of the property and the residential portion of the property
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September 15, 2017
will be processed separately at a later date. Pedestrian connectivity from the residential areas will be
provided as shown (reference the Circulation Plan).
The properties are bordered to the North by Chinden Boulevard, a public arterial and State Highway. The
properties are bordered to the West by Linder Road, a public arterial. The properties are bordered to the
East and South by Paramount Subdivision. Paramount Subdivision is developed as single-family residential
homes except for certain areas along the Chinden Boulevard frontage.
The proposed development is in conformance with the goals and objectives of the City’s Comprehensive
Plan. The proposed development particularly supports the following:
• 2.01.01C Plan for and encourage services like health care, daycare, grocery stores and
recreational areas to be built within walking distance of residential dwellings.
• 2.01.02C Coordinate with appropriate agencies on interstate and gateway beautification
(landscaping, signage).
• 2.01.03J Provide landscaping, pedestrian friendly areas, and appropriate signage at gateways,
and new development sites throughout town as appropriate, with upscale attractive construction.
• 3.01.01F Permit new development only where urban services can be reasonably provided at
the time of final approval and development is contiguous to the City.
• 3.01.01J Work with transportation agencies and private property owners to preserve
transportation corridors, future transit routes and infrastructure, road and highway extensions,
and to facilitate access management planning.
• 3.03.02L Encourage and promote the preservation and expansion of Chinden Boulevard (US
20/26) by ITD.
• 3.03.03B Require pedestrian access connectors in all new development to link subdivisions
together to promote neighborhood connectivity as part of a community pathway system.
• 3.04.01G Protect citizen investments in existing public facilities (water, sewer, streets, fire,
police, etc.) by encouraging controlled growth through development application reviews and
development agreements.
• 3.04.01H Coordinate with public works, police, and fire departments on proposed annexation
and development requests, and the impacts on services.
• 3.05.01J Plan for a variety of commercial and retail opportunities within the Area of City
Impact.
• 3.06.01B Minimize noise, odor, air pollution, and visual pollution in industrial and commercial
development adjacent to residential areas.
• 3.06.01F Protect existing residential properties from incompatible land use development on
adjacent parcels.
• 3.06.01H Support land uses that do not harm natural systems and resources.
• 3.06.02H Coordinate with ACHD, ITD, COMPASS, and other agencies to determine future
infrastructure plans, transportation corridors, highway alignments, etc. and allow only compatible
adjacent land uses, appropriate site designs and traffic patterns.
• 3.07.02C Require pedestrian access in all new development to link subdivisions together and
promote neighborhood connectivity.
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September 15, 2017
• 3.07.02D Provide housing options close to employment and shopping centers.
• 7.01.01F Integrate land use and transportation planning to ensure that they mutually support
the communities' goals and desires.
Open/Public space totaling over 150,000 square feet, excluding the required landscape buffers along
arterial streets and adjacent to residential zoned property, and outdoor seating areas at restaurants, has
been included in the Concept Site Plan and exceeds the MU-C requirement of 5%. In addition, the
applicant intends to provide a Community Meeting Space that may be used by the adjacent
neighborhoods, local schools and community in general.
The planned residential uses will comprise over 20% of the total development area at densities up to eight
(8) units per acre.
Zoning
The project proposes Annexation of 81.02 acres into the City of Meridian. The CC zoning (64.146 acres) is
proposed for a majority of the properties. R-8 zoning (16.873 acres) is proposed at the southeast portion
of the site which abuts existing residential.
The CC zoning designation is an appropriate zoning district in the MU-C Comprehensive Plan designation
and allows the proposed uses including a community grocer, clothing stores, garden centers, hardware
stores, restaurants, banks, drive-thru facilities, auto service stations, drug stores, coffee/sandwich/ice-
cream shops, live-work spaces, dry cleaners/laundromats, salons/spas, daycares, personal and
professional offices, medical/dental clinics, other retail uses, public and quasi-public uses, and other
community-serving uses.
The R-8 zoning designation is an appropriate zoning district in the Medium Density Residential (MDR)
designation and is consistent with the adjacent Paramount Subdivision. A development plan for the
residential zoned property is not included with this application, however, as it is applicant’s intent to build
a combination of single-family detached dwellings adjacent to the existing single-family homes and
detached or attached dwellings on the remainder of the property. The specific residential subdivision
layout, design and materials will be finalized with the specific development application and the design
review process.
Preliminary Plat
The preliminary plat includes sixteen (16) commercial lots, one (1) residential lot, one (1) common lot and
three (3) lots to be dedicated for right of way. The proposed development plan is for a community grocery
use, retail shops and a mid-size retail use at the southwest portion of the property, mixed-use (office,
retail and live/work areas) at the corner of Linder Road and Chinden Boulevard, pad sites adjacent to
Chinden Boulevard and mid-size retail users, shops and restaurants in the middle of the property. A
specific development plan for both the East portion of the property and the residential portion of the
property will be processed separately at a later date.
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September 15, 2017
There is potential for multiple businesses requiring drive-thru uses. It is applicant’s intent that Drive-thru
uses would not require a Conditional Use permit unless they are located within 300’ of another drive-thru
or residential property (none proposed).
A traffic impact study (TIS) had been conducted and submitted to Ada County Highway District (ACHD)
and Idaho Transportation Department (ITD). ITD’s access approval and recommendation letters, more
fully discussed below, are enclosed herewith. ACHD comments are anticipated after the City’s staff report
is finalized.
Access to the commercial portion of the site is planned via the following:
• Chinden Boulevard – 2 Access Points:
o Right in – Right out: approximately 450’ West of Bergman Way intersection.
o Full Access: a new signalized intersection aligning with Bergman Way on North.
• Linder Road – 3 Access Points as shown on the Concept Site Plan.
Buildings will be designed in a modern contemporary theme and will incorporate a variety of high quality
materials including stone brick, stucco and metal. These materials will be trimmed or accentuated
through the use of more finished material such as chrome, aluminum, or gloss painted trims. Buildings
will be designed with elevations that create visual interest through the use of broken planes, windows,
cornices and fenestrations that produce a rhythm of materials and patterns. Large flat walls or surfaces
will not be allowed. Building heights and elevations will be varied to reduce the appearance of large mass.
This will be accomplished through varying rooflines, canopies or arcades, designed with proper
proportions and complimentary materials. Conceptual building elevations and material pallets are
included in this application.
Mechanical equipment and utility areas will be properly screened through the use of dense landscaping
or walls that are complimentary to the architecture of the buildings. Roof mounted mechanical units will
be screened from view as required by the City’s design guidelines.
The project includes an abundance of site landscaping and increased landscaped buffer, berm and screen
walls adjacent to the residential use. Multiple walking paths, pedestrian access points to the site and
within the site, are proposed along with plazas, public open space and a community meeting space. A
North Meridian “Gateway” entry feature is also proposed at the intersection of Linder Road and Chinden
Boulevard.
Detailed Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions are currently being drafted to address items such as cross
access easements, signage, design guidelines and maintenance.
Public utilities are available and adequately sized to support the proposed project.
Access Modification/Variance
Following years of working closely with ITD and the City of Meridian to maintain mobility and provide for
increased capacity and safety on Chinden Boulevard, the applicant received approval from ITD for two (2)
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access points, per the enclosed ITD letters dated February 24, 2017, and July 28, 2017. Based on these
ITD letters, and for other good reasons set forth below, the applicant requests a modification/variance to
UDC 11-3H-4B.2 to allow access via Chinden Boulevard (SH 20/26).
Specifically, the applicant is proposing one (1) access relocation and one (1) new access point to Chinden
Boulevard (SH 20/26), as follows:
• Site Access A (right in-right-out only), a relocation to approximately 450 ft. west of Bergman
Way; and
• Site Access B (signalized), at the intersection at Bergman Way.
Pursuant to a meeting between ITD, the applicant, the City of Meridian, WinCo and Costco on February
13, 2017, and a follow up meeting between ITD and the applicant on July 12, 2017, ITD gave its approval
for both Site Access A and Site Access B, per the letters referenced above. ITD, in its July 28, 2017 letter,
specifically notes that the proposed access is (i) an “effective plan to maintain safety and mobility” to
Idaho’s motorists on US 20/26, and (ii) provides the project with “suitable access in the near and long
term”.
Further, a connection to Chinden Boulevard at the section or half mile is not practical due to (i) patterns
of development, (ii) the location of the existing signalized access aligned with Fox Run Way to the east
(which is non-shared and non-connecting), and (ii) the proposed location of Site Access B being better
located in an alignment with Bergman Way.
The requirements of UDC 11-5B-4 are met as follows:
• Section 11-3H-3 of the UDC authorizes the City Council to apply modifications to the
standards of Article H upon the recommendation of ITD. In the ITD letters enclosed, ITD
approved the proposed access points, subject to conditions set forth therein. Because the
ITD recommendation allows modification, and because of the fact that access points to state
highways (other than at the section or half mile) have been previously approved in the
district (for example, Hightower, Meridian Town Center and Paramount), the granting of the
variance will not grant a right or privilege that has not otherwise been allowed in the district.
• Because of the mix of uses proposed and the physical characteristics of the site which
require access points to be constructed in the proposed locations (the limiting physical
characteristics being that a connection to Chinden Boulevard at the sections or half mile is
not practical due to patterns of development; that there is already the close location of an
existing, non-shared signalized access aligned with Fox Run Way to the east; and that the
proposed location of the signalized access for Linder Village is better aligned with Bergman
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Way), granting the requested variance would relieve an undue hardship because of
characteristics of the site.
• The signalized access alignment with Bergman Way and the satisfaction of all of the other
conditions imposed by ITD (installation of deceleration lanes, access channelization, clear
site distance, specified lane configurations, interconnection of signals, additional and
dedicated turn lanes, and so forth, as more particularly set forth in the ITD approval letters)
will maintain and improve safety and efficiency of traffic movement along Chinden
Boulevard (US 20/26), and therefore will not be detrimental to the public health, safety and
welfare.
We appreciate the staff’s assistance and cooperation in processing these applications. We truly believe
our project embodies the city’s vision of providing a great place to “live, work and raise and family”. We
look forward to a mutually beneficial project of which we can all be proud.
Sincerely,
CSHQA
Craig A. Slocum, AIA
Principal
Enclosures