Spurwing Greens Master Association Board 02-20February 19, 2018
Honorable Mayor and City Council of Meridian
Planning and Zoning Commission of Meridian
33 East Broadway Avenue, Suite 300
Meridian, ID 83642
RE: Application #H-2018-0004 GFI-Meridian Investments II, LLC & Brighton Investments
Subject: Growth and the City of Meridian Comprehensive Plan proposed zoning changes at Ten Mile
and Chinden (Hwy 20/26)
The Spurwing Greens Master Association board and residents have spent many hours studying and
discussing the City of Meridian Comprehensive Plan (CMCP) for facilitating reasoned growth. The City of
Meridian has spent many hours and taxpayer dollars designing a City Council approved "Comprehensive
Plan" that was intended to be a guideline for future developments in Meridian. We are led to question
the value of this effort if the City does not abide by its recommendations following the studies
performed nor conform to the plan accordingly.
We appreciate those who began this journey and put their voices of opposition on record in instances
where zoning changes were previously proposed. However, several years have passed and we again find
ourselves trying to accommodate this reasoned business and residential growth.
As residents of Meridian, we are living with this growth on a daily basis and are experiencing first hand
some obvious and severe growing pains. Most notably are concerns relating to lack of infrastructure
(i.e. roads, schools, and public safety services) to support such growth. As our children face larger class
sizes, our neighbors face longer commutes, and congestion hinders delivery of public safety services, we
cannot help wonder what balance is necessary to keep Meridian as a city on the "cutting" edge of
growth while maintaining the quality of life that has made this city such a desirable location to live,
work, and raise a family.
As the Spurwing Greens Master Association Board of Directors, we are on the front line of many
homeowner queries and concerns as to this development push for large scale industrial and commercial
growth along with the natural consequences and side effects. A survey of our homeowners (conducted
Summer 2017 through our association board*) showed 85% of respondents were in opposition to the
planned commercial and industrial development of the Ten Mile and Chinden site. Nearly all
respondents indicated the ensuing traffic from this development would adversely affect travel and
commute times. Additionally, there are concerns about decreased home values for owners near or
adjacent to the industrial buildings. There was some empirical proof of this from traffic studies
completed for the intersection at Chinden and Tree Farm. ACHD's study in 2015 determined that the
Tree Farm/Chinden intersection was at or exceeded traffic loads. Regardless of the impact, 2 additional
developments have been approved, adding to the congestion. So it is easy to see why residents would
be skeptical of new developments which, even with road improvements, would impact traffic by more
than twice the number that ACHD considers acceptable.
*Survey conducted by Sentry Management Company. Results available upon request Page 1
The original homeowner survey was completed prior to the two neighborhood meetings held by the
applicant and potential developer. In an effort to appropriately represent the desires of our
constituents, the homeowners in Spurwing Greens, the board of directors commissioned another
survey. The opinions were virtually unchanged. A change in the zoning to allow large industrial and
commercial buildings is something to which they are adamantly opposed. Traffic is still the number one
concern, followed by noise and safety concerns. Again, these come even after the developers explained
the proposed improvements to Chinden and Ten Mile.
So we as a board, in representing the homeowners of Spurwing Greens Master Association will not
support any changes to the Comprehensive Growth Plan regarding the rezoning of the parcel at the
corner of Chinden/HWY 20 and Ten Mile to allow large scale commercial or industrial usage.
Our hope is that elected and appointed officials see the merit of encouraging a more farsighted
development and are willing to align themselves with those of us that will be adversely affected by this
zoning change to the City of Meridian Comprehensive Plan.
Communication with the Board of Directors of Spurwing Greens Master Association can be facilitated
through our Community Manager Joye Jones 208 323-1080 ext. 59511; jjones@sentrymRt.com
Respectively Su itted,
SPURWING G ENS MASTER ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS ON BEHALF OF OUR RESIDENTS
*Survey conducted by Sentry Management Company. Results available upon request Page 2