HomeMy WebLinkAboutChris Beasley 12-5To: Mayor DeWeerd and Meridian City Council Members
From: Chris Beasley 2679 South Tristram Way Meridian, ID
Re: Opposition to Movado Subdivision
Date: 5 December 2017
Mayor DeWeerd and Council Members,
I am writing to express my opposition to the Movado Subdivision proposed by DevCo, LLC. Please let the
record show that I attended the City Council meeting on 28 November 2017 to oppose the Movado
Subdivision. Furthermore, let the record show that I asked to give testimony. Testimony on the East
Ridge Estates Subdivision, among other items, forced rescheduling of testimony on the Movado
Subdivision. Unfortunately, as a father of four children my schedule is quite hectic, and I cannot attend
the meeting scheduled for this evening.
I am confident that testimony from my neighbors in the Sutherland Farm and Muir Woods Subdivisions
will highlight the undeniable increase in traffic through our respective subdivisions accompanying the
construction of the Movado Subdivision. The lack of direct access to Cloverdale Road represents a
significant design oversite.
Rather than belabor that point, I would like to address an issue that was raised at the end of public
testimony regarding the East Ridge Estates Subdivision – namely the fact that our transportation
infrastructure South of I-84 in Meridian is currently insufficient. I had hoped to give testimony regarding
the fact that it is commonplace for traffic to back up on Eagle Road from the I-84 entrance ramp to Easy
Jet (the entrance from Eagle Road to Sutherland Farms Subdivision). Similarly, traffic on Cloverdale Road
commonly backs up from Overland Road to Muir Ridge (the main entrance from Cloverdale Road to the
Muir Woods Subdivision). I was appalled by testimony from community members at the last City Council
meeting pointing out that traffic backs up to Amity Road.
Rather than speaking solely against the Movado Subdivision, which I adamantly oppose, I feel that it is
necessary to speak more broadly about high-density developments South of I-84 in Meridian. Simply
stated, our transportation infrastructure is clearly insufficient to support the existing communities
South of I-84 in Meridian.
The representative from DevCo, LLC. repeatedly referenced a master development plan for Meridian,
dictating a plan to support development. I am left to question whether: 1) the plan underestimated the
rate and timing of growth and/or 2) overestimated the capacity of our transportation infrastructure
and/or 3) has suffered from a lack of implementation on the transportation infrastructure plan.
I do not wish to leave you with the impression that I oppose development in Meridian. I understand that
development generates revenue, and that revenue is necessary to support infrastructure improvement.
However, I have personally experienced the aftermath of development outpacing infrastructure – I have
lived in the Research Triangle Park of North Carolina, Portland, OR, Seattle, WA, Denver, CO. I have had
the unfortunate experience of employment in the field of environmental permitting to support
infrastructure improvement – I can say from experience that there is no “fast-forward” button to
expedite these actions.
Deficiencies in transportation infrastructure currently reduce the desirability of Meridian. High-
density developments such as Movado and East Ridge Estates simply expedite this existing issue. I
firmly support residential growth, and enjoy the accompanying improvements in amenities – but I can
only do so with the timely and concomitant growth in transportation infrastructure, which simply is
not occurring. Failing to improve infrastructure prior to supporting this growth is simply
unsustainable. In doing so, we sacrifice quality of life, and ultimately bankrupt future oppor tunity.
Until transportation infrastructure is capable of supporting high-density development, I urge you to
reject these proposals in favor of lower-density developments that will not further tax our already
overburdened infrastructure.
Respectfully,
Chris Beasley
2679 South Tristram Way (Sutherland Farm Subdivision)
Meridian, ID 83642