HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-04-19Meridian City Council April 19, 2016
A meeting of the Meridian City Council was called to order at 6:00 p.m., Tuesday,
April 19, 2016, by Mayor Tammy de Weerd.
Members Present: Mayor Tammy de Weerd, Keith Bird, Genesis Milam, Joe
Borton, Anne Little Roberts and Luke Cavener.
Members Absent: Ty Palmer.
Others Present: Bill Nary, Jaycee Holman, Caleb Hood, Josh Beach, Kyle
Radek, Jamie Leslie, David Jones, Todd Lavoie, David Tiede and Dean Willis.
Item 1: Roll-call Attendance:
Roll call.
X_ Anne Little Roberts X _ Joe Borton
___ Ty Palmer X_ Keith Bird
__X__ Genesis Milam __X__ Lucas Cavener
_X Mayor Tammy de Weerd
De Weerd: I'd like to welcome you to the City Council meeting. We always like
to have faces of our citizens in the audience. So, thank you for joining us. For
the record it is Tuesday, April 19th. It's 6:00 p.m. We will start will roll call
attendance, Ms. Holman.
Item 2: Pledge of Allegiance
De Weerd: Item No. 2 is the Pledge of Allegiance. If you will all rise and join us
in the pledge to our flag.
(Pledge of Allegiance recited.)
Item 3: Community Invocation by Fr. Mike DiTaranto with Holy Trinity
Charismatic Episcopal
De Weerd: Item No. 3 is our community invocation. Tonight we have Father
Mike with us. He's going to lead us in the community invocation. Please join us
or take this as an opportunity for a moment of reflection. Father Mike, thank you
for being here.
DiTaranto: You're welcome. This is a privilege, an honor. I never got to do this
in San Francisco, Mayor. All those years there they never -- in fact, no pastor
ever got to do this in San Francisco, so this is great.
De Weerd: Welcome to Idaho.
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 2 of 45
DiTaranto: Thank you so much. Great to be here. Let me read something to
you. Let me quote -- let me quote Teddy Roosevelt for you. It says -- sorry. I
lost it for a second. It's coming back. Here we go. It says Teddy Roosevelt was
a man who had a reputation for being frank and direct. In 1900, a year before he
entered the White House, he wrote these words: No commu nity is healthy where
it's ever necessary to distinguish between one politician from his fellows because
he is honest. Moreover, it is not enough that a public official should be honest.
No amount of honesty will avail if he's not also brave and wise. The weakling
and the coward cannot be saved by honesty alone. L eadership requires two
virtues that seem very simple and so they become very inconvenient. Honesty
and courage. All of you have earned the right to be here today by winning the
trust of the people of Meridian. But along with your honor comes a duty of
humility, integrity, and public service. So, let's settle our hearts for just a moment
in prayer. Let's bow our heads. God of justice and mercy, thank you for the gift
of life and the opportunity to serve the people of our city. Help us to act with
character and conviction. Help us to listen with understanding and good will.
Help us to speak with charity and restraint. Give us a spirit of service. Remind
us that we are stewards of your authority. Guide us to be the leaders your
people need. Help us to see the humanity and dignity of those who disagree with
us and treat all persons, no matter how weak or poor, with a reverence your
creation deserves. And, finally, Father, renew us with the strength of your
presence and the joy of helping to build a community worthy of a human person.
We ask this now in the name of your Son Jesus Christ, amen and amen.
De Weerd: Father Mike, I would like to offer you a City of Meridian pin for joining
us and leading us in prayer. Thank you.
DiTaranto: You're very welcome.
Item 4: Adoption of the Agenda
De Weerd: Okay. Item No. 4 is adoption of the agenda.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Under the Consent Agenda we have a couple of resolutions. K is 16-1133
and L is 16-1134. Item 8-C has been requested by applicant to continue to May
3rd and with that I move we adopt the agenda as noted.
Borton: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to adopt the agenda as read. All those
in favor say aye. All ayes. Motion carried.
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 3 of 45
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
Item 5: Proclamation for Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Week
De Weerd: I will move down to the podium. We have had a lot of discussion at
Council and during our Council meetings about an exciting development that is
rolling out right now as we speak and that is the Idaho College of Osteopathic
Medicine. We are very excited for not only our community, but for the entire
state of Idaho and it certainly gives me privilege and honor to read this
proclamation. Whereas there are currently more than 123,000 osteopathic
physicians, DOs, and osteopathic medical students in the United States and
whereas DOs have made tremendous accomplishments to the American
healthcare system since it was founded by Andrew Taylor Steele, MD, DO, in
1874 and whereas the proposed Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine, to be
located in Meridian, will be the first medical school in Idaho -- that gives me the
chills -- helping to fill a critical shortage of doctors in Idaho and the region and
whereas DOs are trained to consider the health for the whole person and are
fully licensed to prescribe medicine and practice in all specialty areas of
medicine, including surgery, and whereas osteopathic physicians are dedicated
to improving the health of their communities through education and awareness
based efforts, as well as by delivering quality health services and whereas the
citizens of Meridian, Idaho, recognize the need for osteopathic physicians who
are committed to bringing attention to improving the health of our community
regardless of age, income, or ethnicity, therefore, I, Mayor Tammy de Weerd,
hereby do proclaim April 17th to the 2 3rd to be National Osteopathic Medicine
Week in the City of Meridian and I encourage all of our citizens and community
organizations to support the observance and the proposed Idaho College of
Osteopathic Medicine as we work to address the need for physicians in our state
and the intermountain west. I signed this today and I would like to ask Suzanne
if she would like to make some comments. Thank you so much for being here.
Frederick: Thank you so much, Mayor Tammy. This is awesome. I am Suzanne
Frederick. I'm the executive director of the Idaho Osteopathic Physicians
Association and, then, I have Dr. Debra Roman, a DO, with me this evening and
we are really excited. The Idaho Osteopathic Physicians has fully supported the
new school Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine. I think this is going to be a
great addition to our state. It's going to bring many more physicians besides just
osteopathic physicians. The graduate medical education that will be created
after the medical school will also open up to MDs and DOs and it's just going to
help our state keep physicians here in the state of Idaho. As you all know, we
have desperately needed physicians for a long time. It's been a challenge and
we are just real excited to be here. So, thank you, Mayor Tammy. Thank you
City of Meridian. We are excited to be here.
De Weerd: We are excited to have you.
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 4 of 45
Frederick: Thank you.
Item 6: Consent Agenda
A. Sanitary Sewer and Water Main Easement Between The
City Of Meridian And Twelve Oaks, LLC.
B. Sanitary Sewer Easement between The City Of Meridian
And Twelve Oaks, LLC
C. Water Main Easement Between The City Of Meridian and
Challenger Development, Inc.
D. Pedestrian Pathway Easement Between the City of
Meridian and Brighton Development, Inc. Regarding a
Public Pathway in Hill Century Farm Subdivision No.
E. Sanitary Sewer and Water Main Easement Between The
City Of Meridian And Century Farm Owners Association
Inc.
F. Final Order for Paramount Subdivision No. 31 (H-2016-
0021) by SCS Brighton, LLC Located North of W.
McMillan Road and East of N. Linder Road Request:
Final Plat Approval Consisting of Forty-Two (42) Single
Family Residential Lots and Three (3) Common Lots on
10.54 Acres in the R-8 Zoning District
G. Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law for Fall Creek
Meadows Subdivision (H-2016-0009) by Bear Creek West
Development, LLC Located South of W. Overland Road
on East Side of S. Linder Road Request: Annexation and
Zoning of 13.17 Acre of Land with an R-8 Zoning District
Request: Preliminary Plat Approval Consisting of
Ninety-Five (95) Building Lots and Ten (10) Common
Lots on 33.54 Acres of Land in a Proposed R-8 Zoning
District Request: Development Agreement Modification
to Incorporate the Surplus Property Purchased from the
School District (Parcel #S1224244410) into the Existing
DA for Bear Creek West Subdivision (Instrument
#106151232)
H. Final Order for Shops at Victory (H-2016-0029) by WL
Victory Crossing, LLC Located South Side of E. Victory
Road and East Side of S. Eagle Road Request: Final Plat
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 5 of 45
Consisting of Three (3) Commercial Lots on 3.68 Acres
in the C-C Zoning District
I. Final Order for Southern Highlands Subdivision No. 3
(H-2016-0032) by Boise Hunter Homes Located West of
S. Eagle Road and North of E. Taconic Drive Request:
Final Plat Approval Consisting of Forty-Seven (47)
Building Lots and Five (5) Common Lots on 19.3 Acres
of Land in an R-4 Zoning District
J. Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law and Decision
and Order of Denial for Copperbrook Subdivision (H-
2015-0029) by Hayden Homes of Idaho, LLC Located at
4725 N. McDermott Road, in the NE 1/4 of Section 32,
Township 4 North, Range 1 East, Ada County, Meridian,
Idaho. Request: Annexation and Zoning of 51.45 Acres
of Land with an R-8 Zoning District and a Preliminary
Plat of 199 Building Lots and 8 Common Lots on 51.45
Acres in the R-8 Zoning District.
K. Resolution No. 16-1133: A Resolution of the City Council
of the City of Meridian, Designating the City's
Designated Representatives for Negotiations with the
Meridian Firefighters I.A.F.F. Local 4627 for 2016; and
Providing an Effective Date
L. Resolution No. 16-1134: A Resolution of the City of
Meridian Authorizing the Destruction of Temporary and
Semi-Permanent Records of the Meridian Public Works
Department; and Providing an Effective Date.
M. Approval of Change Order No 1 to GRANITE
EXCAVATION, INC. for the “Ashford Greens Trunk
Sewer” Project for a Not-To-Exceed Amount of
$143,642.87 and Authorize the Purchasing Manager to
Sign
N. License Agreement from Retail West to Allow Parking of
Heavy Equipment Item and Promotional Sign at the 502
N. Main Street for Public Works Week
O. Sanitary Sewer And Water Main Easement Between The
City of Meridian And Brighton Investments LLC
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 6 of 45
P. Sanitary Sewer And Water Main Easement Between The
City Of Meridian And Cottonwood Development, LLC
De Weerd: Okay. Item No. 6 is our Consent Agenda.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I as stated before, Item 6 is Resolution No. 16-1133 and L is 16-1134 and
with that I move we approve the Consent Agenda, for the Mayor to sign and the
Clerk to attest.
Borton: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve the Consent Agenda. Ms.
Holman will you, please, call roll.
Roll Call: Bird, yea; Borton, yea; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, absent;
Little Roberts, yea.
De Weerd: All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
Item 7: Items Moved From the Consent Agenda None
De Weerd: There were no items moved from the Consent Agenda.
Item 8: Action Items
A. Public Hearing for Bach Subdivision (H-2015-0044) by
The Regency at River Valley, LLC Located 3400 E. River
Valley Street
1. Request: Combined Preliminary / Final Plat
Approval Consisting of Two (2) Building Lots on
Fourteen (14) Acres of Land in the R-40 and C-G
Zoning Districts
De Weerd: So, we will move into Item 8-A under Action Items. A public hearing
for Bach Subdivision, H-2015-0044. I will open this public hearing with staff
comments.
Beach: Good evening, Madam Mayor, Members of the Council. This is an
application for a preliminary and final plat. The -- the size of the property -- this is
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 7 of 45
14 acres of land that's zoned R-40 and C-G, located at 3400 East River Valley
Street. A little history on this specific property. Move to the next slide here. The
lot -- Lot 1 is this southern portion here. It has already been developed in
apartments and Lot 2, the northern portion was also approved for multi -family
development, but has not yet been constructed. The Comprehensive Plan future
land use map designation for the property is mixed use regional. A combined
preliminary and final plat is proposed consisting of two building lots on 14 acres
in the R-40 and Z-C zoning districts for Bach Subdivision. Both lots comply with
the dimensional standards of the district. One access exists to the site via East
River Valley Street. Move back to the aerial here. Better yet let me go to Google
here. As you can see there is one access existing to River Valley Street.
Another is proposed here off of North Records Avenue. The access here at
River Valley is proposed to shift to the north side of the South Slough with the
proposed plat. Interconnectivity is proposed in between Lots 1 and 2. A cross-
access easement should be depicted on the plat or via a separate recorded
easement. Local street access is not available to this property. Cross-access is
required to be provided to the property to the north with a conditional use permit.
A 20 foot wide landscape buffer is required along the future extension of Records
Avenue and common open space and site amenities were previously provided in
the first phase and are proposed in the second phase in accord with the UDC
standards. Staff did not receive any written testimony and staff is recommending
approval of the application. Stand for any questions you have.
De Weerd: Council, any questions for staff at this point?
Bird: I have none.
De Weerd: Okay. Is the applicant here? If you will -- good evening.
McLaughlin: Good evening.
De Weerd: Thank you for joining us. If you will, please, state your name and
address for the record.
McLaughlin: James McLaughlin. 11650 South State Street, Draper, Utah.
De Weerd: Thank you.
McLaughlin: I'm with Bach Homes, project manager for this development. We
ask for your approval of this subdivision. I would stand for any questions you
may have.
De Weerd: Okay. Council, any questions for the applicant? We have none at
this time.
McLaughlin: Fantastic.
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 8 of 45
De Weerd: Thank you.
McLaughlin: Thank you.
De Weerd: This is a public hearing. Is there anyone who would like to provide
testimony on this item? Yes, sir. Good evening. Thank you for joining us. If you
will, please, state your name and address for the record.
Smylie: Yes. My name is Steve Smylie. 3662 East Granger Drive, Meridian,
And Mayor, City Council, I am not standing in -- necessarily in opposition, but I
do have several questions. If you would look at the plat carefully, especially for
Building J, you will note that this is a four story building, which will be directly
across Records looking literally into the bedroom windows of the houses in
Redfeather Subdivision, including ours, and we have concerns -- as you can see
our home is -- there is a -- there is a group of six homes right there that are
directly in the picture and if you could superimpose a four story building there, I
think you can see our concerns quite readily is we want to make sure -- and I
would like the developer to specifically state what exactly that site and sound
barriers are. We would like significant -- because you will notice this is going to
be pretty close to the new Records Avenue. Now, I don't know when this -- that
street is going to be completed, but there will be a significant increase of traffic
there, as would be expected, and we don't necessarily have objections to that,
but we do have very specific concerns, you know, obviously, maintaining
reasonable privacy, maintaining reasonable site and sound barriers and making
sure that the noise and traffic is not excessive and undue and I would really like
to have those -- those conditions addressed if I could by the Council and by the
developer, to make sure that there is adequate, you know, landscaping, sound
barriers, whatever we need to do to make sure that we all are good neighbors
and we all live well together. Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you. Is there any other member who would like to provide
testimony on this item? Okay. Council, before I ask the applicant up to maybe
respond to the testimony we did have, do you have any questions for staff or Ada
County Highway District?
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes, Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: I have a question for Justin if he -- I thought I saw him. I think he's on
the agenda tonight. And this may even be a question for staff. I'm not sure. But,
Justin, just for clarification, when is Records scheduled to -- to be punched
through? Is that in conjunction with this development? Separate from? Any
insight on that would be most helpful.
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 9 of 45
Lucas: Yeah. Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, for the record, Justin
Lucas, representing the Ada County Highway District. Business address is 2775
Adams Street, Garden City, Idaho. Councilman Cavener, the Records Avenue
extension is wrapped up in the approvals with The Village at Meridian and so
through the Idaho STARS program, which is the Sales Tax Anticipated Revenue
-- it's very complicated. But it's going to work. So, ACHD doesn't actually control
the timing of that -- of that project. It has been through for review. They are
planning to move forward. So, it's -- it's not going to be five years away, I think
it's relatively in short order here. Probably within the next few years that that
extension will occur. But, once again, it's a developer driven project as part of
The Village at Meridian approvals.
De Weerd: Can staff maybe add anything to that? Any knowledge about that
moving ahead with The Village at Meridian and certainly with the other apartment
developments north of this, how are they getting out and on what road if Records
isn't being built right now?
Hood: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, I actually talked to Justin
probably two or three weeks ago about this and asked just for an update of
ACHD and, like he stated, the plans have been reviewed and approved by
ACHD, so I do think it's a matter of -- just a matter of time. My opinion there is a
little bit of a staredown going on here, because it is tied up with The Village
approvals. It's also tied up with the Bach Homes approvals for theirs. So, it's
kind of a staring contest as who can wait the longest to build that infrastructure,
because, as you can see, those apartments aren't there, because Records needs
to exist first and that's a condition of the conditional use permit that's already
been approved for this site. Before you tonight is just a two lot subdivision. The
details of how and how many units have already been discussed and approved --
this is just a two lot subdivision. So, them, as well as projects to their no rth are
all contingent upon Records existing. So, again, you have multiple parties here
that all have that condition and it's who hits their trigger first, who can't wait really
any longer. That's me paraphrasing. But, essentially, that condition is on all of
them saying -- for The Village it's tied to their occupancies , for Bach it's tied to
this phase, that that needs to be extended and I forget The Village apartments or
whatever the next phase -- the next one to the north is called, same deal, they
need to construct that and make that connection. So, I hope that's a little bit of
an update at least of what I know. I have not gotten a straight answer from any
of those parties about the exact timing of records, but if I had to guess I think it's
quicker than the two years that Justin guesses, but don't quote me on that. So,
sorry I'm not much help there, but they are being a little coy in some of those
conversations as well.
De Weerd: Okay. Anything else for Justin? Thank you, Justin. Would the
applicant like to wrap this up?
McLaughlin: I appreciate what staff has mentioned --
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 10 of 45
De Weerd: If you will just state your name again for the record.
McLaughlin: James McLaughlin, Bach Homes.
De Weerd: Thank you.
McLaughlin: 11650 South State Street, Draper, Utah. Just reiterating what staff
has communicated, it is a stare down at this point. We really don't have time to
move forward to address the neighbors' concerns. The CUP has been already
approved. This is more of just a plat modificat ion for our subdivision plat, so
that's all I have to say. Appreciate it.
De Weerd: Okay. Council, any questions? Mr. Borton.
Borton: Can you describe briefly the -- and maybe staff can if you can't, describe
the buffer between those houses just for reference, so he knows --
McLaughlin: Sure.
Borton: -- the width and the landscaping?
McLauglin: The drawing depicted on the screen is clearly what -- what we are
doing. We are basing our landscaping based off the CUP approvals. The
approved landscaping includes perennial shrubs, trees, and I believe -- and
maybe staff can correct me -- but there were some additional trees added to the
frontage of Records Road during that approval. Other than that we are meeting
the requirements. Thank you.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: I appreciate that you're meeting the requirements. I guess maybe to
follow up on Councilmember Borton's question, it would be great for -- for us and
for those here in the audience if you could articulate that a little bit about what
that is, recognizing that you're meeting the CUP, but could you perhaps maybe
articulate that and get that on the record?
McLaughlin: I wish I had the plan in front of me to really articulate exactly what
trees and shrubs we had. I don't have that information in front of me right now.
Hood: Madam Mayor, if I can, just to add, Josh and myself -- I mean this is
actually Sonya's project, but she's home with a ill child and so we are both kind of
pinch hitting a little bit here and don't have the details. We certainly can go and
get the landscape plan, the full size, and look at that, but I'm not overly familiar
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 11 of 45
with the details there. Again, the planner that is more familiar with that is,
unfortunately, unavailable this evening.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: If not available, at the very least -- unless you have it now.
Beach: I have the -- I'm not able to -- it's on a pdf. I'm unable to zoom in very
far, but this is the approved landscape plan from the conditional use permit. My
understanding is based on the comments in my earlier kind of schpeel there they
are meeting the 20 foot required landscape buffer. I was at the hearing for this
conditional use permit. I remember the discussio n about providing adequate
buffering. Planning and Zoning did not require that. They -- this application
meets that 20 foot required landscape buffer with the landscape materials that
are shown here on the landscape plan and they were not required to -- to add
any additional landscaping or to reduce the size of that building that fronts on
Records Avenue, so --
Borton: Thank you.
De Weerd: So, to your knowledge they are meeting the minimum?
Beach: Correct.
Borton: And, Madam Mayor, maybe for --
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: -- Mr. Smylie, if after this hearing at least the metrix from that -- the
setbacks, et cetera, can be provided, so he's got those objective measurements
of what the approved buffer already is.
Milam: He's raising his hand.
Bird: He's got a question.
De Weerd: It looks like -- once you addressed Mr. Smylie, he would -- he has an
additional question, so I might ask the applicant if you would like to take a seat
real quick and --
McLaughlin: Thank you.
De Weerd: -- we will let -- for a follow up comment by Mr. Smylie.
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 12 of 45
Smylie: Thank you, Madam Mayor. Steve Smylie. 3662 East Granger,
Meridian. I would point out to the Mayor and the Council we -- we are not
opposed to these apartments going in, but what I just heard and -- is, well, we
are going to do the minimum of what we are required to do. I'm asking what
seems common sense, please. These are four story buildings with single level
private homes with their back bedrooms and I don't think minimum will -- you
know, with all due respect and everything like that, I think that it just makes
common sense that we have some specifics of just exactly what that is. Are we
all going to have to grow junipers in our backyard just to protect ourselves? And
I really would like to have that -- that question of mine answered, if I could ask
that, and I really want to insist that minimum is not enough, I would like some
kind of an assurance that they are aware of the building that is being built and the
immediate surroundings. Twenty feet is not very long. That's here to there.
That's pretty -- that's pretty short and their houses literally back up against that
back fence and I would like to know exactly what is going to be done and if -- if
these people can't answer, could we find out the answer? Thank you. I do
appreciate it and I -- and thank you for your patience.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Hood: Madam Mayor, the details of the landscaping on Records are on the
screen. It is the minimum width of 20 feet. There is also going to be a road
there, which is approximately 54 feet wide and, then, that's when their lots will
start and they have probably 12 or 15 foot rear setbacks, so -- I mean those are
the dimensions. I don't know what species of trees are called out here. I can't
tell, because it's pixilated, but these are the details of the landscape plans and
those are the dimensions. So, I don't know what additional details you may want.
If you do want tree species, the exact spacing of them, I mean we could calculate
that out, but, again, you can't see it all the way it's kind of pixilated, but 20 feet on
the landscape plan from the back -- future back of curb and that's what the buffer
will look like on Records.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I think this application is for a preliminary and a final plat. It isn't for the
CUP.
Beach: That's correct.
Bird: This was all taken care of at the CUP. I don't know why we are discussing
it.
Hood: And, Madam Mayor, if I can, I think it is within your purview. I mean a
landscape plan is part of a plat. So, if you want to see additional trees placed in
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 13 of 45
there I do think that's appropriate. What I think may be in conflict -- if you're
going to say the building now needs to be set back 30 or 35 or 40 feet, that is
where now it's going to be inconsistent with the CUP as approved. So, if you
don't think that that's the right number of trees or the right species of trees, did
you want to see them grow taller, so they are columnar? I mean I do thi nk that is
within your purview, but I would just caution you against making a wider buffer
and those types of things. But certainly as part of a plat we talked about
landscaping. So, if that's something you want to see some additional
landscaping in there, I think that could be appropriate.
Bird: Madam Mayor, follow up?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I don't disagree that it isn't part of the plat, but in the same token if we are
going to -- if it's going to be in the application why isn't the landscap ing plan in
there with what trees and stuff there is, so we know what there is.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: I think a lot of Mr. Smylie's issue had to do with the building being four
stories tall. Is there anything we can do about that at this point?
Hood: So, Madam Mayor, I'm not the attorney, but, again, the conditional use
permit has been acted on. This is a two lot subdivision. It really has to do with
ownership. I'm just going to play the scenario out. If you require th at or deny this
subdivision, they still have their conditional use permit approval that they could
go forward with and build this project out. It's really for financing and ownership
purposes. So, I'm not advising you to do that, but I think that's -- that's really
what their intent is, is to -- the stuff that's completed so that they can get their
financing together on this other lot.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: The reason for the question as I saw it was not to debate what should or
shouldn't be included, it was merely to articulate those metrix to the public, so
they were aware of those components of the previously approved CUP and I
think we have done that now, which is helpful to Mr. Smylie and everybody else,
so --
Hood: And, Madam Mayor, I would just add that he can come to our office --
again, it's so pixilated here, the details -- we do have the details, I'm just unable
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 14 of 45
to make them out in the digital version of those, but we do have hard copies and
other better copies of his where we can again get into the details of what those
tree species are and the shrubs and all that. So, we don't have the details, I just
don't --
Beach: We can't read the details.
Hood: I can't read them to you right now.
De Weerd: Council, anything further that you need from either staff or the
applicant?
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Seeing that we are done, I move we close the public hearing on
H-2015-0044.
Borton: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to close the public hearing on this
item. All those in favor say aye. Did I hear all ayes?
Cavener: You did, but, Madam Mayor, I guess a point of clarification. Typically
we allow the applicant to have the last opportunity to speak. I know that Mr.
Smylie was the last person to speak on the record.
De Weerd: True. Did you have any further comment? When I mentioned it he
didn't jump up and down, but -- good point. Okay. So, motion does carry.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move that we approve H-2015-0044 and to include all staff, applicant, and
public testimony.
Borton: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve Item 8-A. Any discussion
from Council? Ms. Holman, will you call roll.
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 15 of 45
Roll Call: Bird, yea; Borton, yea; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, absent;
Little Roberts, yea.
De Weerd: All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
B. Public Hearing for Rolling Hills Subdivision (H-2016-
0037) by Clarence McLain Located Northwest Corner of
E. Overland Road and S. Rolling Hills Drive Approved
1. Request: Vacate a 10-Foot Wide Public Utility
Easement that was Created with Lot 1, Block 2 of
Rolling Hills Subdivision
De Weerd: Item 8-B is a public hearing on H-2016-0037. I will open this public
hearing with staff comments.
Beach: Good evening, Madam Mayor. This -- as you said, this is an application
for a -- a vacation for the Rolling Hills Subdivision. The site is located on the
northwest corner of East Overland Road and South Rolling Hill Drive. The
applicant is requesting approval to vacate a ten foot wide public utility and
drainage easement that was created with Rolling Hills Subdivision. The
easement runs north-south through the middle of Lot 1, Block 2 of Rolling Hills
Subdivision. In 2014 the subject property received approval for annexation and
zoning, as well as a Comprehensive Plan map amendment. The concept plan
was approved with the annexation of the property in 2014 and this concept plan
shows that a building pad site lies directly over the easement in question. These
are two different concept plans, just for clarification. The applicant is requesting
this vacation of the public utility easement for the purposes of constructing a
future commercial building on the site as depicted on these approved concept
plans. The applicant has received approval from all the applicable public utilities
to vacate the easement. Staff did not receive any written testimony on this
application and we are recommending approval. Staff stands for any questions
you may have.
De Weerd: Council, any questions?
Bird: I have none, Mayor.
De Weerd: Okay. Would the applicant like to make comment? Good evening.
If you will, please, state your name and address for the record.
McLain: Clarence McLain. 11810 Highlander, Boise.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 16 of 45
McLain: And I own this property. Over here I'm trying to put a shop on it. So,
the plan to the right is what I'm proposing to build right now for an office and a
shop, just to workout, and, then, the one to the left is something that I worked
with Bill Parsons on for a future conceptual in order to adopt the surrounding
area as it starts to all turn commercial along that frontage road on Overland.
That's why there is two different plans on this. But the one on the right is what I
hope to accomplish shortly. The vacation runs through the center. There is also
two more easements that are both on the east and west side of the property and
I have also coordinated with all the utilities. I mean part of my agreement is I'm
going to have to carry all the utilities to the end of my property boundary going
down Rolling Hills. That's where they have all been determined. So, there is
pretty much nothing left and no reason to have this. Throughout the
neighborhood there is several other buildings and stuff throughout the years that
have been built on top of this easement. There is one like this and there is one
identical to the east that runs north and south, just like this. It goes all the way
down through the back lots, but, you know, this was developed 50 plus years
ago. So, over the years people have put shops on there and most everybody's
leach field runs through their owner septics, so this is in my eye this easement is
pretty much null and void and so I would like to position my shop the way I can,
as long as I can get this thing pushed through. And that's it.
De Weerd: Thank you. Council, any questions? No? Thank you. Is there
anyone who would like to provide testimony on this item? Yes, sir. Good
evening. If you will, please, state your name and address for the record.
Burak: Steve Burak. I live at 1525 South Rolling Hill. I'm the property directly to
the north of Clarence.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Burak: My only concern is my irrigation comes in right in there at the front of this
easement on the Overland side and with that happening I'm really hoping to not
lose my irrigation water and that's really my only concern with this, because that's
my only source of water for my acre.
De Weerd: Well, I hope you will take comfort that it is a state requirement and a
legal requirement to provide -- to not restrict the access of irrigation water to
another property, so that will -- that is a condition in all of --
Burak: Okay. Yeah. And like I say, that's my only concern. Otherwise, good for
him and I hope it all works out. So, thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you. Is there any further testimony on this item? Okay.
Council, any additional information needed? Anything you would like to add? I'm
glad I asked.
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 17 of 45
McLain: The irrigation --
De Weerd: If you will just state your name --
McLain: Clarence McLain again.
De Weerd: Thank you.
McLain: 11810 West Highlander, Boise. The irrigation that he's referring to isn't
an irrigation that him, I, or any of the neighbors to my north have rights to, it's
actually a runoff for field that is across from Overland to the south. So, the water
that we have available is just a runoff, but he was -- he's been long enough to
where he was grandfathered in during this Overland expansion, that runoff would
continue to go that way, because typically the irrigation requires any farmers to
be responsible for their runoff water, but has been there a long time and he's
been doing the same thing and so they let him -- so this is going to be there. So,
we don't actually have any rights. All of our water is supposed to come two lots
to the north from the creek up there. That's where we get our irrigation from. So,
if he wanted to use the easement through his property on the east he could
always come from that direction from the north where we have our rights from
and, then, irrigate that direction. And, then, another point is is that that whole
southern portion has already been under review for housing. Boise -- I know
their de-annexing it and Meridian is going to take it on due to sewer issues. So,
it's -- that's going to be kind of a moot point anyways in about a year, because
that's all going to subdivision and they are going pressurized irrigation. So, that
runoff is not even going to be there for much longer. The runoff that he is taking
advantage of, you know. And, then, his neighbor to the east he likes to use that,
too, you know. It's water -- it's free water, it's available water, so I definitely
understand his concern on that, but I have tied it back into the original ditch in the
back, so I mean they don't -- nobody has rights to that and that's kind of been just
kind of a fight between neighbors on who can use it, because of rights, so the
irrigation -- every time I have called them to replot this out, they usually
specifically said we don't want to have nothing to do with it, because it's runoff
and we don't have rights and we don't -- we just want to stay out of it and make
sure it gets back to where -- whatever connection point it came into your
property, make sure it leaves on those and that's where they have left me on
that, so -- you know. But I'm more than willing to work with him if he wants to
actually, you know, start using it a little bit better. I mean I have equipment out
there as we start to push dirt and stuff like that. I mean if he wants to be cordial
about it and start working that way, I'm happy to help him when I can, you know,
just to appease him during this time while we still have that water, whether it be a
year or two or whatever, but -- that's it.
De Weerd: Well, you just made that murky.
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 18 of 45
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: So, just to clarify, you're not doing anything to block the runoff.
McLain: No.
Milam: You're willing to help him maintain his access to the runoff, but there is
no legal right to the water.
McLain: There is no legal rights to the water, no. No. No. We have legal rights
to water, but it comes from the creek to the north. The inlet comes in -- on my
side is on the southeast corner and, then, my neighbor to the west also has an
inlet on his side and him and I have tied those two together and we have actually
made that one ditch instead of one that used to run across mine and one that
used to run across his. We just tied them together, so there is only one now
there, but, yeah, it's just -- it's just that, you know, little runoff in that field across
the street is all it is.
Milam: Thank you.
De Weerd: So, you all are tracking this? Right? I'm sorry, I'm confused. Well,
who cares if I'm confused. If anyone else needs clarity maybe Kyle or planning
staff? Any -- where is the -- the water to be delivered? I don't know what a runoff
ditch is and we want to make sure that the water that the property that surround
this are entitled have access to that water.
Hood: And, Madam Mayor, I guess that was what I was going to comment on. I
do not know the specifics of this. So, the first part of your question I can't help
you with that. What I can let you know is that this application to vacate the public
utilities and drainage irrigation easement was transmitted to Nampa-Meridian and
they did not have any concerns with it. So, I don't know exactly, again, the
situation out here. I think you stated earlier -- and as well as the applicant did --
you know, where ever that ditch leaves your property an d enters someone else --
you can move that around, but it has to start and end at the same points. That's
part of the state code requirements. So, you know, I don't know the situation
here, but I do know, again, it was transmitted to the irrigation distr ict and they
commented that they are okay with the vacation of the subject easement. I don't
know if anyone else has anything else to add, but that's --
Radek: Madam Mayor, I would just chime in with a comment that I think what the
applicant is talking about is really a point of law that -- you know, I think it's best if
the two can work it out together, but if -- if not you're going to have attorneys
making money on the deal. So, I would advise them to try to work it out. One
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 19 of 45
man's dream can be another man's water right. But I don't know if that's true in
this case or not, I have no idea, and it's beyond my level of expertise.
De Weerd: Well, that was quotable, Kyle. One man's dream is another man's
water right.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Just I guess to the neighbor. Whatever is legally yours will be
assured that it is delivered without interruption. That's the state code. Mr. Bird.
Bird: I think that, as the applicant stated, this is -- this is a runoff ditch. This isn't
a delivery ditch; right?
McLain: Correct.
Bird: It's runoff from -- is the Benefield property across the --
McLain: Yes, sir.
Bird: -- the 103 acres over there?
McLain: Yes, sir.
Bird: And so this is -- this is a collection ditch. This isn't a water delivery ditch.
So, I --
McLain: Yes. This is a separate --
Bird: Their water in Rolling Hills comes out of -- isn't there a creek or something
that --
McLain: Yes.
Bird: -- runs up that way that comes down?
McLain: Yes.
Bird: You don't -- they don't get the water out of the Ridenbaugh, this is water
that's come out of the Ridenbaugh to irrigate Benefield's.
McLain: Yes.
Bird: Okay. So, is this actually -- this isn't a -- what they call a live ditch, this is
a --
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 20 of 45
McLain: Correct. Yes.
Bird: -- this is a drain ditch and I don't know what the law is on or anything, but I
-- he just stated that the guy was grandfathered in, he's not going to bother it, so I
don't -- I think it could be worked out and it's certainly not something that we
need to be making law on.
De Weerd: Okay. Any other questions for the applicant? Okay. Thank you.
McLain: Thank you.
Beach: I'm not sure this is helping or not. This is an aerial of -- this is the
property in question right here where my cursor is and the discussion relates to
water coming out of the Ridenbaugh and heading northwesterly and collecting in
the ditch and that's water that is in question being used to irrigate some of the
property here.
Bird: Go up to the north. I think there is a -- I think there is a ditch up to the north
that comes down Rolling Hill.
Beach: So, I guess it's my understanding that that's where the water -- irrigation
water for this property would, then, come from Five Mile Creek, based on
testimony from the applicant.
De Weerd: Okay. Anything further from Council?
Bird: I have none. Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move we close the public hearing on H-2016-0037.
Milam: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to close the public hearing on this
item. All those in favor say aye. All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move we approve H-2016-0037, include staff, applicant and public
testimony.
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 21 of 45
Milam: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve Item 8-B. Any discussion
from Council? Ma'am Clerk -- I'm sorry. Madam Ms. Holman, will you, please,
call roll.
Roll Call: Bird, yea; Borton, yea; Milam, yea; Cave ner, yea; Palmer, absent;
Little Roberts, yea.
De Weerd: All ayes. Motion carries.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
C. Public Hearing for Meridian Property Group (H-2016-
0004) by Darel T. Hardenbrook Located 1139 E. Fairview
Avenue Continued to May 3, 2016
1. Request: Annexation and Zoning of 0.63 Acres of
Land with a C-G Zoning District
2. Request: Modify the Existing Development
Agreement (Inst. #109134178) to Incorporate
Parcel #S1107120620 As Well As to Modify Certain
Other Provisions
De Weerd: Item 8-C is a public hearing on H-2016-0004. I will open this public
hearing with the understanding the applicant requested to continue this to May
3rd. Okay. My time is up.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move we continue the public hearing on H-2015-0004 until May 3rd, 2016.
Milam: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to continue this item to May 3rd. All
those in favor say aye. Did I hear all ayes? Okay. All ayes.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
Item 9: Department Reports
A. Support Service Department: Update on City Council
Chambers Technology Replacement
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 22 of 45
De Weerd: Item 9-A is a Department Report from our Support Service
Department. There you go. Dave, thanks for coming back.
Tiede: Absolutely, Madam Mayor. Happy to be here. Madam Mayor, Members
of the Council, I'm back here tonight to again discuss with you the City Council
Chambers technology refresh and to report on our findings regarding the capital
project funding. To start off, however, though, I want to give you guys a handout
as far as what some of the things could look like. This is just a -- not a
comprehensive list of all the different types of technologies that might be
addressed in this type of project, but at least give you an idea of where we are
coming from. So, to give a brief overview, we are talking about various
communication tools within this room from monitors, the microphones at your --
at the dais to -- and the monitor and mikes at this podium. The clerk's desk.
Some control systems for the audio visual system. Again more controls.
Streaming. The audio visual system back end that controls all the various
sounds and audio levels and makes the whole sys tem work together, those are
all things that would be covered in this. It would also potentially touch a couple
other rooms, the Council conference room. Part of this system and this closet
back here also feed that panel, so that has to be addressed, otherwise, that
system loses functionality. And, then, also conference room A and B, just
because we do have the option to show meetings in those rooms for overflow
needs. So, anyway, just to give you a brief idea of what types technology would
be addressed with this. Our Finance Department went back to their auditors and
also had more internal discussion and came up with these different funding
source options. Option A would be applicable for a complete overhaul. The
existing communications in this room and other various improvements in
conference room A and B and the Council conference room and that funding
source could either be -- can either be the General Fund or the Capital
Improvement Fund, which is the one that we discussed a week ago. Option B
would include a noncomprehensive view of the various items in this room. So, if
we decided to pick and choose and say we want to make some improvements,
but not all of them -- if we chose to go with that option we would have the
General Fund available to us. The Capital Improvement Fund would not be an
option in that case. Any questions or clarification on those points?
De Weerd: No. Just clarification that if we are going to replace and do the major
overhaul -- all of it at once, you can use the current capital account, which has
more than enough to cover the cost. If you choose to only do certain elements of
it, a budget amendment would have to come back and it would come solely from
the General Fund.
Tiede: That is correct, Madam Mayor. Thank you.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 23 of 45
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: So, what is the reason for that? Is that because it's a dollar amount?
This is probably a Todd question.
Tiede: It's probably a Todd question.
Milam: Is it a dollar amount that makes it a capital improvement or is it doing too
much all at once as a whole project?
Lavoie: So, Madam Mayor, Councilman Milam, the purpose of the ability to
capitalize everything at one time is -- use the concept of if we built this building
from scratch would we put all the infrastructure in at the same time. If we can we
can capitalize that. If you build or construct a building now and, then, kind of
piecemeal little pieces here and there over the next few years, then, you would
not be able to capitalize that. So, maybe that helps explain it. That since we are
doing it all at one time, we are replacing the infrastructure that you once put into
the building in 2008, we are going to replace it all at the same time, therefore, the
auditors and we feel that we can capitalize that and use Fund 55 for that
purpose.
Milam: Thank you.
De Weerd: Okay. Any other questions from Council?
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes, Mr. Borton.
Borton: What -- Todd, what was the -- the content of that capital improvement
fund, what was the fund for to replace that if we were to utilize those proceeds on
this the proceeds wouldn't be available for what was originally intended when that
was created. Does that make sense? It's a great question.
De Weerd: The original --
Borton: And so we funded -- Madam Mayor? We put X amount into that account
to replace certain capital assets, none of which are what we are talking about
now. So, if we were to use those funds to pay for this, what capital assets had
we intended on replacing from the fund that we can't replace?
De Weerd: The short answer is this is one of those qualifying replacements that
it was put in place for and there was nothing specific to it, it was what needs to
be replaced.
Borton: There wasn't a list of items that were --
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 24 of 45
De Weerd: There was nothing detailed and so when these issues started to
arise at the time, Stacy -- this is exactly what that capital fund was put in place for
to replace capital assets within the building.
Borton: Thank you.
De Weerd: And I think that Todd went through the various steps to verify and
make sure he felt comfortable with that as well.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: So, are you looking for --
De Weerd: Direction.
Milam: -- direction or --
Tiede: So, at this point, Madam Mayor and Council Member Milam, Members of
the Council, at this point our options are a complete overhaul or select
improvements and depending on which direction we go, timeline and whether or
not we do it now or come back later as an enhancement are all questions that we
can ask. But our recommendation at this point would be to proceed with doing a
complete overhaul of the chambers and other affected areas with this capital
fund that is currently available.
Milam: I agree.
De Weerd: And so your -- the next step would be getting direction from City
Council to move forward with preparing the documents and putting this out to an
RFP?
Tiede: Yes.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: David, one of the topics you touched on last week -- and, I apologize,
I'm just now getting this and I haven't had a chance to review each item, but we
had talked about improving the webcasting stream. I didn't see that reflected in
here. Is it in here? I just haven't had a chance to see it yet or is it not included in
this?
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 25 of 45
Tiede: Council Member Cavener, I do not know if that is actually reflected on
this, but this list is not comprehensive. This is just a quick -- you know, items that
we -- but we do intend to cover the streaming portion as well.
Cavener: Follow up, Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Uh-huh.
Cavener: Can you talk -- regardless, it sounds like whichever way we go there is
going to involve some coordination maybe from other departments or other
people within City Hall. Can you talk to me a little bit about what that process will
look like, so that after it's all said and done we don't come back and say, oh, we
-- if we only would have known we would have also asked for X.
Tiede: Fair enough. At this point that we would be starting an RFP process and
we would be involving the Clerk's Office, Finance from an RFP standpoint, and
other departments as they request to be on there. We have spoken with facilities
as well, just because there is an electrical impact and things of that nature. They
would be involved. If there were other stakeholders that wished to be involved
we would definitely involve them. I think I would open that up for -- you know, for
them to say, hey, is this something that we want to be involved in and participate
with. But we want to make sure that we are getting a product in the end that's
going to meet all the needs and we, obviously, want to make sure that we have
adequate training and other things of that nature in place.
De Weerd: I think that they spent a lot of time getting it to this point, trying to
understand the uses, the needs, where the failures have been, where the
deficiencies are by the user groups of it. That's how you got to the point we are
in today. So, that participation has already led to what is in front of you. The
next step would be getting it out to bid, getting it built, and, then, as David said,
doing the training, so that the users know how to use it.
Holman: Madam Mayor?
Cavener: And Madam Mayor, if I may?
De Weerd: It's like tennis.
Cavener: Yeah. Specifically to that point, which is why when -- when items that
were covered last week aren't reflected in this sheet, I have these type of
questions on who is being involved in that discussion, because I -- if the plan
after this is to go out to bid, what are we going out to bid for? If we haven't
involved the people to say these are the -- the needs for this specific room, then,
we are going out to big for items that we may have to go out to bid at a later point
in time and that would not be part of a capitalized budget item at that point.
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 26 of 45
Tiede: Council Member Cavener, if I may, we have gathered those
requirements. This list does not include requirements, this was basically a p art
list of what a vendor could say, hey, look, here is some of the parts that we would
include in a project like this. I have those requirements and they are documented
and those are, again, gathered from our stakeholders that we met with and
prepared those and prioritized them. That's what we would be basing our RFP
on.
Holman: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Ms. Holman.
Holman: Madam Mayor, Council Members, Council Member Cavener, yes, that's
-- we did do that at the very beginning of the process before we met with any
vendors. We met with all departments that come in here and use this equipment
and Kristy Vigil, who is a business analyst in IT, put all of those things together.
It was a wish list of everything everybody could ever want to the moon and back
and, then, we kind of narrowed that down a little bit, but we have all of that data
that we have gathered and spent -- I don't remember how many separate
meetings we had, but it was quite a few. So, I hope that that answers your
question.
Cavener: Somewhat. Thank you.
De Weerd: Okay. Anything -- any other questions from Council? Okay. So, we
are looking for a motion to direct staff to move forward with the RFP and with that
process.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: I move that we go -- go out for an RFP for the complete overhaul
immediately and use the capital improvement funds.
Bird: Are you done?
Milam: I think so. Anything else we --
Bird: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Ms. Holman, will
you call roll.
Roll Call: Bird, yea; Borton, yea; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, absent;
Little Roberts, yea.
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 27 of 45
De Weerd: All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
B. Finance: 3% Property Tax and Transfer of Funds to the
Public Safety and Capital Improvement Funds for the
FY2017 Budget
De Weerd: Item 9-B is under our Finance Department. Am I reading that right?
There is a hundred slides?
Bird: A hundred slides?
Lavoie: Good evening, Madam Mayor, Members of the Council. Councilman
Bird, there is 142 slides for you. Small print.
De Weerd: All small print.
Lavoie: Yes. Well, again, thank you for giving us the opportunity to present to
you the continued discussions on our April I guess roadshow of the fiscal year
2017 budgetary items. Today what we will do is we will present to you what we
have explained or informed you about over the month so far. We will discuss the
authority that governs the city and on how we calculate property taxes. We will
actually get into how we calculate property tax, show you guys how we do this.
And, then, we will also discuss -- show you the estimated 2017 property taxes
that we are looking at right now. Then we will look at the considerations of why
we should take the three percent or not take the three percent and, then, we will
look at the financial impacts to the city if we do not maximize the ability of utilizing
the three percent level tax and, then, we will wrap up a presentation with wha t we
have discussed this month with the roadshow and discuss where we are going
next week. So, again, we have presented two presentations to you so far. So,
this is the third of the three roadshow events. We have one more to come, that's
next week, and that's going to be the wrap up session. Again, the -- the items
that we have presented to you so far this month are large budgetary impacts and,
again, we are trying to present to you information to allow us proper guidance, so
when the Mayor and the rest of the departments present to you a balanced
budget, we have the proper guidance and direction from you and we would like to
present this information to you so you could have some time to digest it. There is
a lot of information involved and, again, as we stated, we will come back to you
next week with the final day of the roadshow. So, again, this is a summary of
what we presented so far. April 5th we presented to you the compensation plan.
On April 12th we discussed the healthcare benefits outlook fo r us. And today we
are on the allowable three percent property tax discussions. Again, the three
presentations are all for informational purposes. We are not looking for direction.
But next week we will present to you the wrap up. We will be looking for
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 28 of 45
guidance and direction from you, Council, so that the Mayor can develop a
balanced budget with the proper guidance and direction. So, with that we will get
into some exciting reading here. So, if you guys are bored I highly recommend
going to the state statute and really diving into this exciting stuff. We are going to
talk about state statute 63-802. I know it sounds exciting, but what this is -- this
discusses the city's guidance to how we can calculate property taxes and within
63-802 it states that the city may increase the property tax funded portion of their
budgets by up to three percent and that's the primary focus of our discussion
here. Again, you can see we can talk about new construction and annexation,
but that's an automatic fee for our property calculation, so we are going to focus
on the three percent -- up to three percent allowable property tax calculation.
Again, if you really enjoyed that reading, this one is pretty suspenseful. It's Idaho
State Statute Code 63-301. This one discusses a new construction rule. What
this states is that Ada County has a responsibility of informing the cities by the
first Monday in June of the construction value that has been added to the city's
tax roll since last June. So, every June they give us a tax roll of our taxable
value. Then what we do is we have the ability to add the taxable value since the
report from last June into this calculation. We will dive into that a little bit more,
but, again, just more suspenseful reading if you're looking for some good reading
material tonight. So, with that we now know where to go for some exciting
reading. We are going to discuss how do we collect -- or how do we calculate
the property taxes. There are four components to the city's property tax
calculation. The first one is what we call base property taxes and base property
tax is all governed by those state statutes that we have discussed. It's the
highest approved certified amount of taxes levied in the past three years. So, the
last three years that we have had fiscal years for them we could take the highest
amount of property taxes that the county has approved and we make that our
current base. So, if the highest was last year, we will just make that our current
year base property tax. Then we have what we are discussing here -- or not
discussing -- informing you on, so we could discuss next week is what we call the
three percent allowable tax. Again, cities can take up to three percent of the
base property tax and increase their property tax f or this fiscal year. So, what we
mean by that is we know what our base property is. We have determined that.
We can multiply up to three percent against that number. So, if the number was
one hundred and we decided to take three percent, we can add thr ee dollars to
our property tax base to make it one hundred and three. Again, we will go
through some realistic numbers here in a second, but that's what that means.
They give us the opportunity to increase the base property taxes by up to three
percent by just doing a mathematical calculation of zero, one, two or three
percent. The next two items we discussed in the state codes, it's the new
construction increase and the annexation increase. Again, these are mandated
by the state. We can automatically adjust our property tax based on the laws
that are written. We are looking to informing more about the three percent
allowable tax, but just to give you an idea, the new construction, which we
discussed, that's the new construction value that has been added to the city
since the last June report. Again, as we know, we are a growing city, things are
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 29 of 45
being developed, so new items are being added to our tax roll every day, so we
have the ability to capture what has been added to our tax rolls since last June
and the same thing with annexation. As you annex new property they let us
know what value of property has been added to our tax rolls since last June, so
we can play catch up and add that to our property taxes as well. So, when you
add all four of those components, that is how we generate the City of Meridian's
annual property taxes to be levied.
De Weerd: Todd, before you move on, just a question for Ms. Holman. The
Clerk's Office is -- is -- kind of goes through a process to make sure that those
annexations that happen and as the DA's are signed, that those properties are
reflected on -- on the property rolls; right?
Holman: Madam Mayor, yes. We go through and I keep track of them -- or now
the Clerk's Office, we keep track of them on a spreadsheet throughout the year.
Do annexations and rezones for other purposes just to make sure the zoning is
correct. But now actually when I get the ordinances, we send them to one of our
GIS -- member of our GIS team up in IT and actually check the math and make
sure everything is correct and they will e-mail me back and say yes. So, we are
getting that at the beginning of the year once everything rolls over and is
correctly reflected in the map, then, yeah, they are checking them.
De Weerd: Okay. So, there is a process in place for that. Thank you.
Lavoie: Thank you. So, now we know how property taxes are calculated. We
can go ahead and take a look and see what the 2017 property taxes are
estimated at. Please note that all these figures on this slide are just estimates,
they are projections, they are not a hundred percent finalized, because we will
not get the report from Ada County until the first Monday in June. So, again,
these are just estimates. But as we have noted, we have a base property tax.
That number represents the highest levy amount that the city has -- City of
Meridian has represented and has been approved over the past three years. So,
that number is determined based on what we have done in the past three years.
So, we know that number is fixed. What we are presenting here is three percent.
If you take the 26 million and multiply it by three percent that's the value we can
add to our property taxes for fiscal '17. Again, we can go up to that amount and
those are -- this is the particular item we are going to try to inform you about, so
we can get guidance from you next week. New construction. This represents
the amount of property taxes that the city will be able to increase its property
taxes for fiscal '17. Again, these are estimates by Ada County -- I worked with
Ada County. They have provided me just estimates. So, not until June -- first
Monday in June we will be able to finalize that number. And the same thing with
this number. This is just an estimate, but this is the amount of property taxes we
would be able to increase based on annexation since last June. So, if you add
up all four components that we just discussed, this would be the proposed
estimated 2017 property taxes for the City of Meridian at the moment. Again all
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 30 of 45
estimates, all projections. So, I was hoping that Councilman Palmer was here,
but we will go ahead and move forward. He likes Joe, so the question is what
would Joe pay if we took the three percent tax.
De Weerd: I think you need another name than Joe. I keep looking at Joe and
saying what would Joe like.
Lavoie: Well, Joe Citizen, then. So, if we were to take the three percent and if
these estimates were 99 percent accurate, this is what it would look like for every
100,000 dollars worth of valued property -- taxable property. So, if he happens to
have a home that's valued exactly at 100,000 dollars after any deductions and
adjustments, we would estimate that these payments would show up on his tax
roll. So, as you can see, the three percent allowable tax that we are kind of
focusing our attention to, he would pay $9.78 for every 100,000 dollars of taxable
value. But, again, if Ada County makes any adjustments to the assessments,
they will adjust accordingly. Again, just know that these are all just estimates
based on the numbers that we have today. So, now we are going to move on to
considerations, why we should take the three percent property tax. I could just
leave it here. The city has grown, because you guys all know that. Y ou guys
approve it, you see it, but there are some other considerations we want to take
into effect when we make the decision on what percentage we should take for
the allowable three percent. So, again, on April 4th -- sorry. I apologize. April
5th we presented to you the compensation plan, the financial impact that we
were facing in 2017. We presented on April 12 the compensation impacts from a
financial standpoint that the city is facing for fiscal 2017. We also have a capital
improvement plan. We have a five year and ten year capital improvement plan
and, unfortunately, right now it's fiscally not constrained and what I mean by that
is cannot pay for all the items on the CIP plan at the moment, so with that we
need more property taxes if we wish to satisfy the CIP plan as it stands today.
Another consideration for taking the three percent is the cost of doing business.
We see it every day. We have inflation. We have a level of service that the
citizens desire. For Joe citizen he expects to have so many police officers on the
field -- or out in the field. He expects to have a response time by the police
department. He expects to have so many acres per, you know, thousand
population. So, these are all cost of doing business considerations that we need
to take into consideration for our three percent allowable tax. Future growth of
the city. Again, property taxes pay for the future growth, i.e., the Home Court.
You know, we are going to add a new level of service, so property taxes will pay
for the Home Court. A new park. Property taxes pay for the maintenance of a
new park. Maybe there is a public safety training center shooting range. Again,
property taxes are going to have to pay for the maintenance and the ongoing
needs of the training -- of the shooting range or training facility. Again, more
considerations of why a three percent -- again, we are promoting a three percent
for fiscal '17. Intergovernmental cost burdens. Again, Ada County, state, other
transportation agencies that we partner with, they may decide to impose some
fees on us, so we will have to pay for that with property taxes. Again, federal and
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 31 of 45
state mandates, we hear it every day, healthcare changes, property tax changes,
urban renewal district changes, you know, these things all have an impact on
property taxes, be it -- have them gained or lost, they all impact property taxes
and, again, the very last sentence is we all know that the city is growing every
single day. So, again, those are all just considerations for us to take into thought
when we decide if we are going to take up to three percent. So, another question
is what happens if we don't take the three percent? As we showed you on a
couple slide ago, 781,000 is our projected maximum allowable three percent
increase to our property taxes. If -- once the city establishes a base line, which
we described, that base line is used for all future property taxes going forward.
Therefore, if the city were to forego the 781,000 dollars in fiscal '17, all future
base line property taxes would be less by 781,000 for all future years, because
we could not get that back. It's a one time increase and that's your new base
line. So, with that said, if we do not take the 781,000 in fiscal year 2017, it will be
781,000 dollars less. If we didn't take that and over in fiscal '17, in five years that
would accumulate to 3.9 million dollars in lost or foregone property taxes for the
City of Meridian, because every single year you would lose out on 791,000
dollars as your base line property tax calculation. It's a compounding effect. I
can answer any questions if that doesn't make sense or makes sense. So,
again, it has a compounding, ongoing effect. I just showed you five years. You
can do the math for ten, 15, it just keeps getting larger and larger. What I have
attached at the bottom is an Ada County report that they provide the city every
year. This represents fiscal year 2015 and just want you to focus the far right,
the circle. This represents what cities and the count y has foregone since -- I
would imagine over the last 15 years. As you can see not many cities forego the
property taxes. It's a vital part of the city to be able to continue to deliver the
level of service -- level of services that they have determined and cities do not
have many revenue streams to access -- increase revenues for. So, again, the --
just for informational purposes I think the City of Meridian is the highest on that
list, but, again, in this case we are not looking -- this is just for informational
purposes only. We are still promoting that we should take the three percent due
to all the considerations, but, again, I just wanted to show you it's not foregone
very much by many cities. So, as a wrap up, again, on April 5th we presented to
you city compensation, April 12th we presented to you healthcare, today we
presented to you the allowable three percent tax calculations. Next week we are
going to be presenting to you a wrap up of what we presented to you the last
three weeks and at that time we look for you as Council to provide us guidance,
direction on where the Mayor and the rest of the executive branch should go with
the proposal of this fiscal year 2017 budget and with that I stand for any
questions. Again, we are here all week for us to answer any questions before
the next meeting. HR is available as well to help you answer any questions that
you have before the April 26th meeting.
De Weerd Your slogan is so corny. Where everybody counts.
Lavoie: Corny, but it's great.
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 32 of 45
De Weerd: Yes.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: Todd, just to clarify, the 26 million is the highest of the last three years,
but we are getting a new number in June; is that correct?
Lavoie: Madam Mayor, Councilman Milam, that 26 million will represent the
highest amount of approved levied taxes that we have had over the last three
years. So, what happens in June does not impact that number. That number is
what's considered our base line. So, what's happened in the past, that is
considered our new base line. The June data represents your new annexation
and your new construction roll. So, those numbers will impact fiscal '18's
consideration. So, that number 26 represents the last three years cumulative.
Milam: So, that number is --
Lavoie: Is.
Milam: -- what it is.
Lavoie: Is. I agree.
Milam: Thank you.
De Weerd: Any other questions from Council? Thank you.
Lavoie: Thank you.
De Weerd: They are saving it for next week.
C. Community Development: Ada County Highway District
(ACHD) Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) Update and
Discussion About Fairview Avenue
De Weerd: Okay. Item No. 9-C is under our Community Development
Department.
Hood: So, Madam Mayor, I'm going to ask Justin Lucas to come up. If you all
may recall here three weeks ago or so when we were doing priorities for this year
to send to the Ada County Highway District, we had a discussion about Fairview
Avenue and the intersection at Locust Grove and Fairview and we talked about
having someone from ACHD -- I think Gary Inselman's name came up and I sent
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 33 of 45
an e-mail to Gary and Justin -- I think Justin drew the short straw. So, I kind of
gave him a little bit as a background on -- as Council was going through priorities
the question about seven lane Fairview come up. I have also asked him just to
give a -- just a pretty quick, brief update on ACHD's CIP, their 20 year plan. So,
I'm going to stop talking and focus on getting to his presentation up.
De Weerd: You don't have any jokes for us while you wait?
Lucas: Madam Mayor, Members of Council, at ACHD we are not funny. For the
record, Justin Lucas representing the Ada County Highway District and business
address is 3775 Adam Street in Garden City, Idaho. I appreciate the opportunity
to come and provide you with this update on our capital improvements plan and
discuss one of the key corridors that traverses the City of Meridian. I will go
through some slides here. There will be quite a bit of information as usual. If you
have questions just jump right in. I'm not trying to give a sermon here. I'm glad
to take questions as they arise. I find that's oftentimes the best way to address
them. So, please, feel free to interrupt me at anytime. So, what is the ACHD
capital improvement plan? This plan outlines ACHD's roadway and intersection
needs for the next 20 years. It is modified on a four year basis typically, in
conjunction with the Communities In Motion update that COMPASS does. So,
it's part of that Communities In Motion plan, which is the long range regional
transportation plan for the two county area. There are projections that are made
related to demographics and where the people -- we think the people and the
jobs are going to be over the next 20 years and so your Comprehensive Plan is a
grand vision, but it is not constrained by time, so it's kind of a build out scenario
of your area of impact. But when COMPASS does the -- the work on -- on the
demographics, we have to constrain it by time, because we are trying to make --
trying to figure out what improvements are needed in a certain time frame. In this
specific instance it's 20 years. That work is done in very close coordination with
city staff and is based on kind of the best guess of where the growth is going to
be. Is it a perfect process? No, it is not. But it is the process that we have and it
can be difficult to project where -- where growth is going to go.
De Weerd: Well, Justin, I can tell you that there was a lot of buzz in response to
the meeting you had on the widening between Cherry Lane and Ustick on
Meridian Road and I had a bunch of questions today at three different locations --
meetings I attended. Why it takes three years to -- because you're doing it now,
it won't be built until 2019 and I basically told them ACHD years are like a dog,
for every one of their years it equals seven; right? So --
Lucas: Not quite seven, but -- yeah. Thank you, Madam Mayor, for fielding
those questions. We get those questions all the time. On a project like that
specifically that -- there is the design year and it takes quite a bit of time to
design a project.
De Weerd: I did hear that, as well as the right of way.
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 34 of 45
Lucas: The right of way phase, which oftentimes there is legal issues associated
with purchasing right of way by a government from a private property owner and
that can be a lengthy process also that has to be complete prior to construction.
So, that three year window that we typically have is not atypical in the
transportation industry. Have we built projects faster? Absolutely. Have we built
projects slower? Absolutely. So, thank you.
De Weerd: I was just helping you with your joke for the evening.
Lucas: So, what I do want to highlight as part of that -- that -- what we do with
COMPASS is there is -- there is a model that's created that takes these jobs and
households, they are plugged into this model and it projects based on the
projected growth where the travel demand will be. Now, the current model is
pretty focused on the automobile and there is a lot of -- there can be criticism of
that, but that is the one area where there has been a lot of data, there is a lot of
information about how to project automobile trips. There are some emerging
models that we use for pedestrians and bicycles in transit, but those will be likely
incorporated into upcoming -- upcoming models that we have. But for the
purposes of the CIP it is primarily a document about roadways and intersections.
And worth noting, this is a key element of our impact fee program. One of the
reasons ACHD originally created the CIP was because we, back in the '90s,
wanted to have an impact fee and to have an impact fee you have to have a
capital improvements program for -- per Idaho Code. So, I think I hit most of the
basics there of how -- what the CIP is in general and if you have any questions I
can certainly take those. Whoa, went forward way too far. Let's see here. There
we go. So, then, a little bit more detail. That's kind of the creation of the plan
and what does it actually say? So, first it describes existing deficiencies. So, we
look at the system, how it's operating today, and if a roadway is operating at a
deficient level, we -- today, we can't charge impact fees for something that is not
up to our current level of service and you deal with this with parks and other
things. It's the same exact concept. So, after we do that we define the impact of
new development and it's all about trips and trip lengths and where people are
going and there is quite a few calculations that go into that, but we are able to
define those impacts. We also in the CIP list constrained road segments. Now,
those are some -- there are some road segments in our valley where for various
reasons there has been a decision not to expand them beyond their current
configuration and those are described in the CIP. We, then, use resource
allocation levels from the ACHD strategic plan, which helps us define long term
how much money we will be available to spend on all these projects and, then,
list the projects. There is a map and a list and it shows you what they are and
how much they are going to cost and typically there are more projects than we
have funding. That's just the fiscal reality that we are in, much like I just heard
that you guys find yourselves in often, there is more projects than funding. So,
those are, then, listed as funded and unfunded and we are going through this
process right now. There will be a new CIP adopted this year and your city staff
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 35 of 45
participates very closely in the process that goes through each of these steps as
we define this plan. So, that's kind of a general overview. I did talk a little bit
about constrained road segments and I wanted to get in -- I understand there is
some questions about Fairview Avenue and how it may fall into this picture and I
will certainly -- you can pause me at anytime, but Fairview Avenue, just to give a
general overview of what it is, it is identified as a mobility arterial. As you're very
aware, Fairview goes all the way across the county. It does change into Cherry
when you get to Meridian Road and I live on that side, so I live off Cherry, I don't
live off Fairview and so that -- that road goes all the way down and it's an
important corridor for our county. It carries a lot of traffic, that's one thing. It also
has a lot of business activity along it. It's probably one of the most active
business corridors that we have in our -- in our county and within the City of
Meridian also. So, on this corridor when we put all this stuff in, all these
demographics and jobs and we are looking out to 2040, 2035, what we are
seeing is that the demand on Fairview Avenue is for a seven lane facility and so
that's based on all of these traffic -- the traffic numbers that we -- that we use.
So, there is a model demand. You know, the current demand on Fairview is -- is
what it is, there are several intersections that don't function very well. Certain
times of the day Fairview Avenue is a very congested corridor. You could argue
some of the sections as you go further into the city of Boise around the Cole
intersection, you could maybe make a case that it needs to be seven lanes
today. As we travel down further into Meridian it's probably not as bad, but there
are times when it's pretty congested out there. So, the way we are kind of
looking at it today, there is the Meridian to Locust Grove section and the Locust
Grove to Eagle section. Those two sections have some different characteristics.
Both of them, though, show a need for seven lanes going out at the end of our
CIP. And, then, there is some key intersections in this corridor. The Meridian -
Main-Fairview project that was completed with the split corridor, that was
designed to receive seven lanes, so it was built in that configuration to receive
the seven lanes that are projected long term. Fairview and Eagle, I would say is
complete for now, because that, obviously, intersection received quite a bit of
enhancement through some coordination with Center Cal and that is a big
intersection, that's the busiest intersection in the state of Idaho and it is complete,
but I say for now, because I tell you in my lifetime here I'm sure there is going to
be further improvement to that intersection, whatever they may be , because of
the volumes that are projected. And, then, Fairview and Locust Grove, which
Caleb had mentioned, that is a project that is scheduled in our current integrated
five year work plan to begin design in the next few years in 2020. Construction
has not been identified. And so that's kind of the -- and when that intersection is
designed and expanded it would be typically designed and expanded to
accommodate those -- those through lanes -- the future through lanes that -- that
are expected on Fairview Avenue. So, as we do this, I mean there is questions
about, well, you know, why would we need, you know, seven lanes or three travel
lanes in each direction on Fairview Avenue and I think it's a really legitimate
question and I what talk about -- I give this -- similar speeches all the time like
this and what I say typically is it's hard to imagine what this valley is going to look
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 36 of 45
like when there is, you know, a million people living in it and what the traffic looks
like now versus what it could look like when you let's say double the size of the
City of Meridian, it's going to be a lot more -- even with enhancements to transit,
biking and pedestrian modes, even with those things there are still going to be a
lot of demand for drivers on the roadway. S o, my first point is consider the long
term needs. The CIP and these decisions we make are long term. They are not
short term. We are not actively going out and trying to build a seven lane
Fairview Avenue today. It's not within our integrated five year work plan and isn't
slated to go in. What we do have the opportunity to do, though, is potentially
through development preserve right of way and ACHD has been an advocate of
this for many years and will continue to be, because through the development
process we have a willing seller and I will tell you when you're buying right of way
and you have a willing seller, it's the best time to buy the right of way, because
they want to sell you the property. If you were trying to buy right of way and
there is not a willing seller, that can be a very difficult process. So, what happens
for the public is it saves money when you preserve right of way before the
improvement. It also provides options in the future. When you preserve right of
way for a seven lane facility potentially, I mean per our CIP it says we are going
to build those seven lanes and I don't -- I'm not going to back off that position, but
let's say ten years down the road there was some other idea that comes up, let's
say a transit opportunity or something else, all of those things require space
within the right of way and if you keep a constrained section, it can be difficult to
get that space. So, I can just say that. And I just highlighted that this is only
preserved through new development or major redevelopment. If you have
someone who is putting a business into an existing building on -- on Fairview
Avenue, we are not asking for right of way, even if there is redevelopment of a
property oftentimes we are not asking for right of way, it's only major projects
where right of way is -- where we are seeking that right of way. And just to
clarify, you know, per commission direction ACHD is not actively pursuing
corridor level widening or access management at this time along Fairview
Avenue and that's decisions that have been made recently and -- and that's kind
of the current status of Fairview. We are pursuing some pedestrian projects and
some other enhancements, but they are not focused on widening and the one
thing you will see is periodically we will bring forward an intersection like Fairview
and Locust Grove and when those are built they are big projects, they are
expensive, and they are built for the future, oftentimes after they are done people
go, wow, this is a huge intersection and it is, but these intersections are built for
the future. So, that was kind of my presentation today. I can certainly take any
questions. I will throw up a map of the sections of Fairview that we were talking
about today, but that's just -- hopefully I was able to answer some of the
questions, maybe not, maybe I made it worse.
De Weerd: Council, any questions?
Bird: I have none.
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 37 of 45
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Just one question, Justin. And I assume when you say access
management -- I remember very soon after I was sworn in ACHD had some
public hearings about right-ins, right-outs along Fairview. It was somewhat
contentious. I assume we are taking about access management -- you're
referring to that type of an issue?
Lucas: Madam Mayor, Councilman Cavener, yeah, I didn't write medians on this
slide, because anytime someone from ACHD says medians you got to watch
your back and so -- but, yes, there are many different forms of access
management, consolidating driveways is one of those things. Strategic u-turns,
medians, raised medians, actually restricting a left in to a business, absolutely.
Or a residence, whatever it may be. So, there is various things, but, yes, that is a
very contentious issue. It's not just contentious in Meridian, Idaho, or Boise, it's
contentious all over the country. But there are -- you know, there is a lot of
benefits to medians and if you go other places there are whole corridors where
you can't turn left and good luck. But it just depends on the -- the situation and
the different communities that they find themselves in.
Cavener: Thank you. Appreciate it, sir.
De Weerd: Justin, at a joint meeting with the Council and the ACHD
commission, it was -- we had a discussion about the rail corridor and how -- the
importance of that corridor addressing east-west movement and needs and if that
could relieve the pressure on Fairview, so seven lanes wouldn't be needed for,
you know, decades to come. Is that still an idea? Is that something that will be
pursued? Where are things at with that?
Lucas: So, Madam Mayor, Member of the Council, yeah, I think at that joint
meeting ACHD -- the commission -- and I was there -- you know, was very
supportive of any activity along the railroad corridor. I'm participating with City of
Meridian staff. I'm on the new work group that was created by COMPASS to dig
deeper into this railroad corridor and look at it as a regional transportation issue.
So, I think there is progress being made there. Absolutely. Now, how that will
affect Fairview Avenue -- could there be effects? Absolutely. Have we totally
calculated what those are and what those benefits could be? I don't -- I don't
think so. Because it really depends on what happens on the railroad cor ridor,
which is somewhat to be determined. I will be honest, if it's purely a bike and
pedestrian corridor, the -- the length of trips that people are taking, you know, in
the valley, you know, make it difficult for the cyclist or the pedestrian to ride that
far to work. If it's some kind of future transportation choice, such as some type of
high -- high level transit option, certainly those things can have an effect on
adjacent corridors and all of those things will be played out. Will we have those
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 38 of 45
answers by the time this CIP is adopted? Probably not. But, fortunately, we
adopt -- we revise this every four years and as new information comes in and is
input into those models, this directly reflects those changes.
De Weerd: Thank you. Anything further from Council? Thanks, Justin.
Lucas: Thank you.
De Weerd: Thanks, Caleb, for getting this on there.
D. Police Department: MADC (Mayor's Anti-Drug Coalition)
Update
De Weerd: Okay. Item 9-D is under our Police Department. Kendall is here with
the Mayor's -- or the Meridian Anti-Drug Coalition.
Nagy: Good evening, Madam Mayor, Council Members and community
members as well. I'm Kendall Nagy, I'm here with the Meridian Police
Department. I am the substance abuse prevention coordinator at the department
and I'm also the director of the Meridian Anti-Drug Coalition.
De Weerd: Kendall, can we make sure you have -- you speak into the
microphone.
Nagy: Yes. I'm a mover, so just remind me if I step away.
De Weerd: Okay.
Nagy: So, I requested to be put on the agenda tonight for two reasons. First and
foremost to say thank you to the Mayor, to Council for supporting the coalition
over the years. Very strong foundation has been put in place and has grown and
flourished over the years and in my first year in my position I have had the
opportunity to travel across the county and gain perspective on other coalitions
and what it takes to get them up and running and, then, sustain that and what we
have here in Meridian is very unique and very successful. We have a strong
collaboration, a strong foundation, and it couldn't be done first and foremost
without the support of Council and the Mayor. So, I want to say thank you on
behalf of myself and, more importantly, the coalition members and the
community members. The other thing that I wanted to do this evening, since I'm
here, is give you an update on the coalition and things that have been going on
over the past year, some new things and what we are looking for in the future
and I will go ahead and start with last year -- I have the website pulled up for you.
We redid the identity and branding of the coalition to more closely align with the
city and the community members within it. We -- the logo is -- obviously is similar
to the city's logo and we changed it to Meridian Anti-Drug Coalition to be more
encompassing of the entire community. In our marketing material that we have
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 39 of 45
created, the website -- we have a tri-fold brochure that has been distributed to
you. Our social media, we also have a promotional video. All of those items
emphasize our tips for parents, our events and programs, and our prevention and
support resources. So, that not only are we an identity and a group of people out
in the community, a coalition itself, but we are offering services to community
members and helping educate and prevent throughout the community. One of
the other emphasis -- emphasis in creating these marketing materials with
providing a platform for two way communication. So, we are sharing our
information and education throughout the community, but we also have
opportunity for community members and coalition members to provide feedback
to us, ideas and requests for other events or information. Some of the way that
we have done that is you can e-mail us directly through the website. We also
have -- you can subscribe to our blog, which is a new feature that we put into
place this year. One of our school resource officers writes a blog called The
Resource and he takes information from a colla boration of all the SROs and
officers at the police department on what the current trends are and what we are
seeing on a regular basis within the schools and the community and writes about
that in the blog, which is a good way for parents and community me mbers to be
up to date on what we are seeing and also to have tips on how to either have
discussions with their kids or kind of give them a heads up on what they should
be discussing with family members, especially, obviously, youth. Let me check
my notes. So, we have continued the majority of the events and programs that
were in place when I came into my position and we have also made
enhancement to some of those. An example for our upcoming spring clean
Meridian that is this weekend, we have put in place a mobile prescription drug
take back. We also have the drop off box at the police department and this will
be a way that we can get out in the community and go to community members
that are not mobile and so when people call in and request that we do pickups for
spring clean Meridian at their house, they can -- they will be asked whether or not
they have prescription meds that they would like to dispose of and we will go to
that house with an armed officer and properly -- take those for them so that we
can properly dispose of them and they are -- then, they are not around in the
house, reducing the availability. The kids that are abusing prescription meds say
that they are readily available throughout the community and this is one of our
efforts to reduce that availability. Another example of some of the enhancements
in the collaboration throughout the community -- I recently spoke at the Mayor's
senior advisory board -- I kind of took longer than I thought. I checked in with
Ken and was I doing good on my time and it produced lots of questions from the
senior advisory board, which was very good conversation and that's very hard for
me to step away from and I have had follow-up conversations -- multiple ones
with Larry Kelly and I will be speaking at the senior center about prescription drug
disposal and these are the kinds of things that I absolutely love in my position,
working throughout the community to understand how it is that I can help in
prevention education and fostering those community partner ships. Another
example of that -- I spent over an hour on the phone last week with a gal who
worked for West Ada School District and she actually wrote the original alcohol
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 40 of 45
and drug curriculum for the district and she will be working with us to see what
we can do to bring that more up to date and collaborate with the district. Very
early signs of that and that conversation. So, as we are looking ahead we use
our -- we have three models that are part of our strategic plan and we focus on
prescription drugs, marijuana, and alcohol and reducing the use of those and,
then, along with that in our models we are data driven, so we have a changed
community survey assessment that was done this last year. We also have a bi -
annual school survey and, then, police department data and, then, several others
that help guide us in the data and help us to understand if our efforts are being
successful or not and so we can tweak those as needed. We also do an
assessment of the coalition itself with the National Guard drug task force and
they come in and they assess -- do an assessment called the Kaizen or Kaizen --
I flip-flop back and forth on that one. And that lets us know what the coalition
members -- what their knowledge base and if they have been involved in part of
the process and where we can, then, turn around and increase our efforts to
make it a success coalition. So, the exciting part of what we have planned for
the next year is unleashing of our natural high campaign. Has anyone heard of it
yet? Okay. Well, you will. Besides right now. We are partnering with Drug Free
Idaho, which is the coalition in Boise and it is based out of California and it's an
activity, sport, or art form that makes you feel good inside and out and we will be
at the events throughout the community with a booth where we set up and we
have a white board, so that community members can write down what their
natural high is and, then, we take a picture of them and depending on the length
of the event -- if it's a long enough event and where you have equipment, we can
put together a short video and show it at the end of the event. If it's not, then, we
still take those pictures and we will put them on our social media and it starts the
discussion of -- even between generations sharing hob bies and things that are
fun to do together and puts a positive spin on having those discussions with
family members about making good choices and doing things that are healthy
and natural that can still make you feel good. An example of work -- we are
putting together a -- we are having a production company that we have hired that
are currently putting together a PSA that we will roll out in the fall, an example of
what we have done. We have over -- between 30 and 40 different activities that
youth within Boise and Meridian do. These youth have been selected based on
making good choices and we will have short little clips that we will put together in
a compilation showing these kids and the different things that they do throughout
the community. I'm very excited to have C.J. Stern as one of our natural high
ambassadors. She's just 15 -- she will be 16 here I think next week and she
races at the Meridian Speedway. Very impressive. Good head on her
shoulders. Well spoken. So, we are really excited to have her as a part of the
coalition, as well as we look to expand our youth involvement. Let's see. And,
then, as I wrap up, just growing our representation from the different sectors in
the community is one of our goals as we move into the next year. I t's always
great to expand that, so that when we go into our policy efforts and our new
programming, we can, then, have that representation throughout the community
and, then, also those sector representatives can communicate back to us what it
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 41 of 45
is that they would like to see or if there are any gaps in the prevention education
throughout the community. That's my summary. I wanted to keep it short and
sweet. The website just pulled up for you. I would love for you to share it. We
would love to have you at our once monthly coalition meetings. They are the
third Thursday of the month. We send out twice monthly e -mails. I won't do any
more and I will take you off if you decide that that's too much -- with our meeting
minutes, which is a great way to keep informed and read through and see what
we have covered and learn about new resources. I'd stand for any questions.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Great report, Kendall, and I -- we have got some great programs in
Meridian, but this is one program I think that has been as much for the
community as any program going and I'm so thankful that Tammy, when she was
elected, got this started and, then, our police officers bought into it and we have
had great leaders like yourself take it, it's -- it has been a blessing to this
community and I just appreciate all the hard work you guys do and I know the
time -- and I would encourage anybody that hasn't been to their Thursday
meetings -- I used to attend quite a bit, but I guess I have got lazy in the last year
or so, but I would encourage you to go and listen to them. It's a program that
benefits from one year old to 100 years old. I mean it's a program and these
people do a great job of getting the message out to the community and I can't
thank you enough and I think -- I think we see it in our community within our
teenagers that you have had a definite effect on it.
Nagy: Madam Mayor, Councilman Bird, I thank you very much for the
compliments and as you know it takes a large team to lead anything successfully
and I'm very appreciative to be serving in this position. I'm passionate about
prevention. It sounds kind of cheesy. My counter part is Hugs Not Drugs. So,
we make a good team within our hearts the prevention work that we do and not
to take for granted the collaboration that it takes to make it work and are very
appreciative of that, so thank you.
De Weerd: Any other questions or comments?
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: A question and, then, a comment. I would echo Councilman Bird's
comments. I know you weren't looking for feedback, but I love the branding. I
think it's fantastic and I was fortunate enough to attend the spring break event out
at The Village and just want to applaud you. I mean authentic youth engagement
is so important and you're really connecting with young people on the way that
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 42 of 45
they want to connect with and I think that's really one of the reasons why the
program has continued to be so successful. You touched on two surve y results,
a youth survey and I didn't hear what the -- I couldn't recall what the other one
was titled.
Nagy: The change community easement perhaps?
Cavener: Yes.
Nagy: Yes.
Cavener: It would be great if you wouldn't mind -- I know I would like it, I don't
know if anyone else would like it, I would love to see a copy of those results
and --
Nagy: Absolutely.
Cavener: -- be able to dive into that. I think there is some knowledge to be
gained there.
Nagy: Definitely.
Cavener: Thank you again for your report.
Nagy: Madam Mayor and Cavener, I would like to thank you for the compliments
and I will make sure that I follow up and get those -- the data that we have for
you.
Cavener: Great.
De Weerd: Well, I would like to thank you as well and certainly Lieutenant
Colaianni. When Mr. Bird referenced the support of the Police Department, it is a
critical piece. When we started the coalition we didn't necessarily have the buy-
in by the Police Department and it was just another Mayor's program and it -- the
goal was always to have it seen as a partner to what law enforcement did, to
build that community base and -- and the coins in the pot, you know, that -- that
really helps support our law enforcement, because without law enforcement, the
treatment and the prevention, they cannot do it just those two alone. So, it's that
three legged stool, so to speak, that has been critical to the success that MADC
has had in our community and as something that others have really used as a
model, a foundational piece to start their own efforts. It's been amazing to really
see how many other coalitions have launched because of the help and guidance
certainly under Lieutenant Overton as well and what he brought to being an
asset, a resource to the community. So, really, you're part of something that --
that has had ripple effects, not only in the community, but into the state and the
nation as a whole.
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 43 of 45
Nagy: Absolutely. As I finish up, I would like to -- oh, sorry. I was going to play
the video that we had produced working with C.J. There we go. Yes. Perfect.
Thank you so much.
(Video played.)
Nagy: There you have it. I'm working with the district to see how we can get little
snippets like this in -- either as part of their morning announcements at each
school, if they do video announcements. I'm working on it, so -- thank you for
your time.
Item 10: Future Meeting Topics
A. Joint City Council and Meridian Development
Corporation meeting regarding the results of the survey
performed on behalf of the Chamber Steering
Committee regarding establishing a multi-purpose
conference and performing arts facility in Meridian on
May 10th at 5:30 pm.
De Weerd: Okay. Item No. 10 under Future Meeting Topics. Council, I see that
there is a request to have a joint City Council-MDC meeting regarding the results
of the survey that is being performed by the Chamber steering committee
regarding the multi-purpose conference and performing arts facility. The request
is for May 10th at 5:30. Does that work for everyone?
Bird: That's our workshop.
De Weerd: Oh.
Bird: We could do it right afterwards.
De Weerd: That should work for everyone; right?
Bird: It should for me.
De Weerd: Okay. Good enough. We will get that set then for 5:30.
Item 11: Executive Session Per Idaho State Code 74-206 1(f): To
Consider and Advise Its Legal Representatives in Pending
Litigation
De Weerd: Item 11 is Executive Session.
Bird: Madam Mayor?
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 44 of 45
De Weerd: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Move we go into Executive Session as per Idaho State Code 74 -206(1)(f).
Borton: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to adjourn into Executive Session. Ms.
Holman, will you, please, call roll.
Roll Call: Bird, yea; Borton, yea; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, absent;
Little Roberts, yea.
De Weerd: All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
EXECUTIVE SESSION: (8:01 p.m. to p.m.)
Bird: I move we come out of Executive Session.
Milam: Second.
Borton: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to come out of Executive Session. All
those in favor say aye. All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
De Weerd: Do I have a motion to adjourn?
Bird: So moved.
Milam: Second.
Borton: Second.
De Weerd: All those in favor?
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT P.M.
(AUDIO RECORDING ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS)
Meridian City Council
April 19, 2016
Page 4
MAYOR T V Y DE WEERD DATE APPROVED
ATTEST:
1 1
JACY J S E �,r C,4 jD1AN .
L
SEA��/