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Home My WebLink AboutPZ - Thomas Development Company - Public Testimony 5.4Y,AThomas DEVELOPMENT CO. THE LEADER IN SUSTAINABLE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT May 4, 2017 Via Email. swattersameridiancity.orQ Ms. Sonya Allen Associate City Planner City of Meridian 33 E Broadway Ave. Suite 102 Meridian, Idaho 83642 413. W. Idaho Street, Suite 200 Boise, Idaho 83702 (208) 343-8877 FAX (208) 343-8900 E-Mail: tdc@thomasdevelopment.com RE: Bob Hosac Staff Report - Hastings Subdivision No. 3 — PFP, MDA (H-2017-0032) Dear Ms. Allen: This letter is submitted in response to the application for preliminary and final plat, and modifications of certain conditions to develop the vacant ground directly east of the office park where my wife and I own an office building, and west of Challenger School. As presented, we do not support the application as it does not, as will be discussed in more detail below, adequately address existing conditions which will be exacerbated by the proposed development. These include: - Everest Lane: This private street lacks curbs, gutters, sidewalks, and sufficient width to safely handle the increased traffic proposed for this new development. - Parking: The parking availability for the existing office park is over capacity as demonstrated by pictures enclosed along with a letter from adjacent business owners, Dr. Sara and Josh Liddell. - The developer proposes elimination of any restrictions on the number of office buildings constructed. This with no provision relative to accommodating off -site parking. - There are no off -site mitigations proposed or required for dealing with the traffic carrying capacity of Everest Lane. We own the office building located at 2270 and 2280 Everest Lane in the business park to the west, we do not categorically oppose development on this adjacent parcel. In fact, my wife and I are in the apartment development business and veterans of many, many neighborhood and community meetings working in concert with neighbors to forge mutually acceptable conditions of approval for proposed new development. What follows are my comments specific to this Staff Report: TATom Dictation\2017\Idaho Fitness Factory -Allen -Hastings Subdivision No. 3-PFP, MDA-050217.docx Ms. Sonya Allen May 4, 2017 Page 2 of 4 VII. COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 1. The plan requires that urban services can be reasonably provided. The street which solely services the existing office park and provides access to the large single family subdivision to the south is constructed to private street standards. The developer's application does not address the carrying capacity of this street, nor does it provide for a traffic study to demonstrate the ability of this street to carry the additional traffic generated by the non -specified uses proposed in this preliminary and final plat. Analysis: Seek additional information regarding the property and what would appear to be a public safety issue. The owners of the office buildings in the Everest Commercial development have all provided information and photographs suggesting the existin street structure and parking is creating public safety issues. Please see aforementioned pictures submitted by Dr. Sara and Josh Liddell recently taken of Everest Lane showing vehicles parked on both sides of the road. This code section allows the director to require specific information relative to the proposed use of the development application, surrounding traffic, etc. Request: Defer action on this plat until the developer has complied with all sections of code section 4, produced a traffic study/parking plan consistent with this code section, provide to the City of Meridian in public format such that the neighbors can review and comment at the next public hearing. 2. "Protect existing residential properties from incompatible land use development on adjacent parcels." While we are not residents of this subdivision, as noted above, we demonstrated our ability to work with neighbors on land use actions with our apartment development activities. Analysis: The file contains no information regarding the homeowner's association consent to approve this development. Request: Require the developer to obtain written approval of this development from the neighboring homeowner's association. VIII. UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE B. Schedule of Use: While no uses are proposed, and as noted below, the developer is not suggesting any limitation on allowed uses other than those provided in the zoning code. Based on a lot size of 3.48 acres, and a customary coverage ratio of 25% of office development space being constructed, as much as 37,000 square feet of office building could be constructed on this proposed plat. This is a parking ratio of four (4) spaces per 1,000 square feet, or 152 parking spots needed for adequate parking. TATom Dietation\2017\Idaho Fitness Factory -Allen -Hastings Subdivision No. 3-PFP, MDA-050217.docx Ms. Sonya Allen May 4, 2017 Page 3 of 4 Analysis: The above analysis of hypothetically four (4) parking spaces per 1,000 square feet is based on our 27 years of experience developing over 4,000 apartment units, and over 200,000 square feet of office and retail space. As noted above, the Meridian code appears to have substantially less requirements for off-street parking than the above "rule of thumb" analysis. Suffice it to say, our view is that parking with even four (4) spaces per 1,000 square feet is insufficient. The code requirements apparently presented through the City of Meridian for required parking are to an even lesser degree. Request: Even though detail of this nature is not necessarily required for preliminary and final plat approval, the developer is also asking for a modification to the development agreement which eliminates the city overview of the subsequent development process. Please require the developer to provide both specific uses and parking counts. Our request for a traffic mitigation plan in response to "Comprehensive Plan," comment number 1, above is incorporated here. Traffic Summary: The original land use action in 2012 included a traffic study prepared by Pat Dobie, PE., a very well -respected civil engineer with experience in preparing traffic studies. The summary of the traffic study in the Ada County Highway District (ACHD) report concludes the development in question will generate an additional 22,970 vehicle trips per day. The study then summarizes the plethora of developments in front of the ACHD at that time. Since the date of this study, many of those developments have gone forward, including developments which do not appear to be listed including: - Fred Meyer Shopping Center - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Temple There is much cautionary language in the ACHD report relative to looking at traffic in this area on a global basis. Multiple other development opportunities and plans are outlined in the ACHD report. Request: Given the robust nature of development in this part of Meridian, and the cautionary language in the ACHD report incorporated by referencing this Staff Report, please require the developer to provide an updated traffic analysis consistent with all requirements of the ACHD and the City of Meridian. IX. ANALYSIS Development Agreement Modification (MDA): This Staff Report proposes to eliminate the modification on development magnitude as provided in the development agreement, solely relying on the zoning ordinance. The primary issues associated with our concern with this development is the lack of specificity regarding onsite parking and the inability of Everest Lane to provide any additional carrying capacity. TATom Dictation\2017\ldaho Fitness Factorv- All en-Hastincs Subdivision No 3-PFP_ MDA-050717 dncx Ms. Sonya Allen May 4, 2017 Page 4 of 4 Based on the enclosed Declarations of Restrictions for Lochsa Falls Office Park, it does not appear this developer is adhering to all or some of the requirements and/or restrictions of the Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&R's). Request: Do not modify the development agreement. In summary, we are anything but anti -development. With proper mitigation, and particularly off - site improvements to parking and traffic capacity, we will be able to support this development. Thank you. Sincerely, THOMAS DEVELOPMENT CO. TCM:mdl cc: Tyler Hess, Idaho Fitness Factory Dr. Sara and Josh Liddell Barbara Mannschreck, Thomas Development Co. Angie Ferguison, Thomas Development Co. T\Tom Dictatinn\2017\1daho Fitness Factorv-Allen-Hastings Subdivision No. 3-PFP. MDA-050217.docx