Douglas Stewart 12-11-2017To: Meridian City Council and Mayor 12/4/2017
I am writing to plead that you approve the Linder Village Proposal.
Something Stinks! As a 41 year resident at 5960 N. Linder Rd I have these observations that
need some answers. Brighton Corp, seems to be able to do anything they want with the
blessing of P&Z and the City Counsel. Consider Ada County's original desire not to eat up all
this good farm land with endless housing projects. I purchased this Property based on that
thought and the zoning allowing only one cut of these 40 acre farms. Surrounding this section,
like so many other sections, are these smaller rural partials that were consistent with the entire
rural setting and the reason we lived here. When that changed, it's interesting that Brighton
Corp. was allowed to develop the largest project in Idaho, as far North from the core of
Meridian as possible. The only interaction they had with those of us on these small acreages
was to show us plans to develop 5 acre parcels! What did they build, large houses on small
lots, the highest single family zoning possible. Where's our buffer zones? Why were we simply
forgotten because the city wanted a bigger tax base? Now we have upper end households,
each owning at least 2 cars. Now a massive apartment complex where I'll bet each apartment
will have 2 cars. Where was the concern that this entire area has nothing but 2 lane farm roads.
Something Stinks! Obviously the roads will still be years away. Building sections of 4 lane
road in spurts does little when it's joined on both ends by 2 lanes. How did Brighton get a light,
not on the half mile but where they want it. A light that I understand they don't want to share
with Linder Village. I'm not going to waste time pointing out my many observations of how
easy it seems to be for Brighton to get whatever they want, I've lived it. My problem is
because they can do as they please and we now have these islands of rained rural lifestyle that
someone other than Brighton wants to develop. But others don't seem to have the clout of
Brighton.
Most galling are these newcomers, living in what was a corn field, that was part of my rural
lifestyle. They have the nerve to cry that their lifestyle will be ruined by any further
development. If you buy property on the fence line to open ground in the path of development,
WHAT SHOULD YOU EXPECT? I'm sick of these cry babies. If I could, I would block all
their access and deny them any shopping rights in Linder Village.
Lets look at Linder Village and the 10 year ordeal the developers of Linder Village have gone
through, Something Stinks! I saw all the plans for Fred Meyer to locate on that very piece of
land. I don't know how much they spent trying to develop it for Fred Meyer but I can see that
Eagle had no problem developing it across the street. It's on the same two streets so all the
same problems, or perceived problems, existed and obviously were overcome and look at
Eagle's growth along Chinden. In fact look at the development on all three of the other comers.
Then there was Costco, another potential occupant, who finally had enough and moved on.
Now we have WinCo left and still, NOTHING! 10 years, Something Stinks! Three corners
under development and a new Temple all while we can't move forward with Linder Village.
Something Stinks! They haven't asked me but my advice would be get the best lawyer money
can buy! If it's traffic, Brightons Paramount and Locsha Falls are the sources of the bulk of
local traffic and they continue to grow unfettered. Enough of the endless studies and
bureaucratic foot dragging? They should ask Eagle to annex the property and grow their tax
base.
It's obvious that P&Z Commissioners don't like the developer and if it's that obvious, there's a
problem. Lets have someone actually take a look at the larger picture. Linder Village keeps
showing only their property and not the surrounding properties while the well organized, Anti
Anything, groups from Paramount cry out about noise and other phantom problems they
imagine will surely happen. By now you should realize they simply don't want anything
developed now that they are here. They are in the corn field that I moved here for and I'm
frankly sick of them. Go to their internet sites and see how they gloat over having stopped
anything. Look at the overview I've supplied and you will see that the only property adjacent
to the WinCo is MINE! The closest Parimount homes are those butted up to my property.
From where these loading docks would be located it's approximately TWO FOOTBALL
FIELDS OR 600 feet from the closest home! My properly is 730 some feet long. So the
WinCo and it's loading docks are next to MY property and nowhere near the closest house in
Paramount. The houses across Linder are closer but the road noise will always be greater.
Paramount interlopers don't want development because "we like looking at your cows"! I live
here and I can tell you that the endless road noise will be louder than anything happening at
WinCo. In fact the fire station is directly across Linder and when the trucks leave and fire up
the sirens, there's your noise. Where were they protesting the fire station? In their back yards
is the Rocky Mountain High football and baseball fields. Marching band wailing, fans
screaming, announcers yelling Where's the complaining? These folks should be forced to
buy the properties that they continue to find fault with and they'll have their open space. Until
they do, lets move forward. As the ONLY neighbor impacted by this development, I want out,
my neighbor wants out and there's a developer who would buy our properties but he sees
what's going on with Linder Village and he's not going to waste time playing the same games.
In fact he worked with the staff at P&Z and put together a proposal for our properties that met
the requirements presented to him. The staff said as much and what did we get from P&Z. I
quote "I don't know what it is, can't put my finger on it, I just don't like it!" Not being
Brighton seems to be a detriment. Something Stinks! Our situation, like Linder Village, has
been created by what has been allowed to happen around us with little input from those
affected. So I'm asking you to stop the endless studies, the endless back and forth from one
bureaucratic entity to another. Just as Paramount and Locsha Falls have been allowed to
develop without roads or schools or fire stations, these things come as they are needed. I don't
see you widening the road through any areas that are to be developed, no you're doing it
afterwords. Just like the road in front of my house is now to be widened. It will destroy the
livability of our property as a residence with the road practically on our front porch, a road now
needed because of the development already allowed, where the complainers now reside. So
stopping further development would certainly have an appearance I wouldn't think you'd want
Something Stinks!
Thank Yo
Dou s ew
5960 N Linder Rd
Meridian, ID 83646