HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC - Public Testimony: David Turnbull - 1.111
C.Jay Coles
From:Brian McClure
Sent:Thursday, January 11, 2018 7:13 AM
To:C.Jay Coles
Subject:FW: North Rim / South Rim Comments
C.Jay,
Here are some comments for the Comp Plan amendment.
Thanks
Brian McClure
bmcclure@meridiancity.org
From: Brian McClure
Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2018 7:12 AM
To: 'David Turnbull'; Caleb Hood
Cc: Jon Wardle; Mike Wardle
Subject: RE: North Rim / South Rim Comments
Mr. Turnbull ,
Your comments have been received. Thank you for taking the time to provide them.
Brian McClure
bmcclure@meridiancity.org
From: David Turnbull [ mailto:dturnbull@brightoncorp.com ]
Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2018 5:32 AM
To: Caleb Hood; Brian McClure
Cc: Jon Wardle; Mike Wardle
Subject: North Rim / South Rim Comments
Caleb and Brian:
Thank you for hosting the meeting on the north rim and south rim proposal. My comments
are as follows:
Although I understand the sentiment and reasoning of some who are behind this proposal, I
do not believe this proposal is an appropriate reaction for the following reasons:
• One of a city’s prime functions is to provide urban services in an urban environment.
• The cost of those services, as stated by Warren, has a break-even density of
approximately 3 units / acre.
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• The market demand for ½ and 1 acre lots should be driven by the market and will be
heavily influenced by factors other than an arbitrary distance from a geographical
feature like a north and south rim.
• We base our land plans on a variety of factors, including topography, easements,
waterways, existing and future road systems, regional pathways, future school, park,
church and other public or quasi-public needs. Including an arbitrary requirement to
consider someone else’s view shed or similar provisions is impractical and burdensome.
• I do not believe it is appropriate for a city to place a special restriction on another
person’s property for the benefit of a third party. Why would the city place a burden on
some of our long-time property owners, the farmers of this community, for the benefit
of someone who more recently moved in the community.
• A mayor and city council should rarely, if ever, place constraints upon itself that would
take away discretion in land use matters. Such a rule will be broken more than it is kept
and the administrative burden on the city staff is surely not worth it. Mayors and city
councils are elected to make decisions that make sense for the city and all of its
stakeholders. It seems that this proposal was initiated with the denial of a particular
project. I don’t know all of the factors that went into that decision but it seems like the
mayor and council exercised their discretion
In more practical terms, the North Rim and South Rim areas provide two excellent case
studies:
North Rim:
About all that is left to develop of the North Rim area is the property below the rim and our
property, which is bounded by some estate properties on the rim to the north, Old Pollard
Road and an approved business park abutting Highway 16 to the west, Highway 20/26
(Chinden) to the south. The property to the east has or will soon submit its development
plan. Our property is already designated for higher intensity uses, as it should be. There are
no view corridors to consider on our property or the property below. In essence, the text
regarding the North Rim might as well be eliminated.
South Rim:
I’ll provide just one small example of the trouble or contradiction this blanket amendment
includes. We are currently submitting the preliminary plat for the Turf Farm property on the
NE corner of Eagle and Lake Hazel Roads, as part of our Century Farm community. This
amendment suggests that a large share of this property should be designated as ½ - 1 acre lots
and consider view sheds. However, staff is directing us, on our current application, to increase
the density of our original proposal as a goal of the comprehensive plan in this Lake Hazel
transportation corridor. We are complying with the latter because it makes more sense than
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the former. I seriously doubt that the Mayor, Council or Staff want to wrestle with these sorts
of conflicts all the way along the south rim area. Hence, I will be encouraging the Mayor and
Council to reject this proposal.
Thank you,
David
David Turnbull
Brighton Corporation | www.brightoncorp.com
12601 W. Explorer, Suite 200 | Boise, Idaho 83713
Office 208.378.4000