HomeMy WebLinkAboutPZ - Public Testimony - 10/9Regarding the Easy Jet Subdivision application # RZ 15-012 PP 15-016 CUP 15-017
The documentation for the conditional use permit and the drawn plans have conflicting information.
The drawn plans indicate two 3 story apartment buildings and one 2 story apartment building.
However, page 6 of the application indicates 3 three story apartment buildings.
We are very concerned about the proposed density and building heights for this project for several
reasons:
1) Because of the way the land is situated, it cannot have access to Eagle Rd, only to Easy Jet. This
fact makes it a poor location for higher density development as it will likely result in traffic
problems. The problem is this: All of the residents of the proposed high density development
will either have to wait to make a left onto Easy Jet, or will (more likely) make a free right which
will funnel that traffic through the Sutherland farms and Muir Woods subdivisions as well as to
the entrance to the Carmel Subdivision. These residential streets were not designed to handle
thoroughfare traffic.
2) Easy Jet itself is classified as a "local" road. A local road is meant to handle approx. 2000 trips
per day. Given 10 trips per day per household, it is already handling 254 households of
Sutherland Farms plus the 79 of Sutherland Downs. That is well over 2000 trips per day even
before you figure in existing traffic passing through to deliver kids to Pepper ridge Elementary
and traffic for the existing business park at the northeast corner of Eagle and Easy Jet.
3) The nearest bus stop is a mile away. That does not make it an ideal location for a high density
development.
4) Schools in the area are already beyond capacity, so adding more high density here is not
beneficial to the resident children schools or quality of education.
5) There will not be any school bus pickup available to get children from the planned development
to elementary school. This will increase the potential for traffic issues as parent will have to
drive those kids to school or expect those kids to walk a mile on the streets by themselves.
6) The Meridian area is potentially already oversaturated with other new, and or under
construction apartment complexes in the nearby area. There are already 854 completed rental
units within a 3 mile radius and a number of other new high density developments have recently
been permitted.
7) The proposed design does not meet the standards 11-4-3-27, A-3 "creating a building and site
design that is sensitive and well integrated with surrounding neighborhood. There is no buffer
between the abutting agricultural zone and existing developed R-4 zone and the requested zone
district of R-15. Three story buildings will not blend nicely with existing structures especially the
one story homes that line the opposite side of Easy Jet. It would change the entire feel of the
neighborhood in a negative way.
8) Per the Comprehensive Plan Documents, "Density can only be changed one step."
We propose that the plan should keep within mid-range R-15 or R-8 for population density. This means
43 residential units given the current planned designated residential area for the acreage being
developed. This could be accomplished by developing two story apartment complexes. Other
alternatives that would be a good fit include single family homes, patio homes, two story town homes,
two story condos, two story senior apartments or houses, two story duplexes or four-plexes. We
request that the building height be kept to a two story maximum (and 29'4" height), which would fit
better into the character of the community.
We would like to reiterate the points and suggestions made in the "Public Testimony by Bob Neilson on
Revised App — 9/29" We agree with Bob's points and he worded them very well.
Sincerely
Joanne St Charles and Bob Nelson
3482 E Yesternight St
Meridian, ID 83642