HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-04-03Meridian City Council April 3, 2018.
A meeting of the Meridian City Council was called to order at 6:08 p.m., Tuesday, April
3, 2018, by Mayor Tammy de Weerd.
Members Present: Tammy De Weerd, Joe Borton, Genesis Milam, Luke Cavener, Ty
Palmer, Anne Little Roberts and Treg Bernt.
Others Present: Bill Nary, C.Jay Coles, Clint Dolsby, Caleb Hood, Sonya Allen, Scott
Colaianni, Kevin Fedrizzi, and Dean Willis.
Item 1: Roll -call Attendance:
Roll call.
X Anne Little Roberts X Joe Borton
X Ty Palmer X Keith Bird
X Genesis Milam X Lucas Cavener
X Mayor Tammy de Weerd
De Weerd: I just wanted to -- to note to those in attendance, we did have a meeting
prior to this over the purchase of property, which is why we adjourned into Executive
Session. No relationship to this meeting. So, with that said, I will go ahead and call our
regular meeting of City Council to order. For the record it is Tuesday, April 3rd. it's
eight minutes after 6:00. We will start with roll call attendance, Mr. Clerk.
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 Steve Moore with Ten Mile Christian
Church
De Weerd: Item No. 3 is our community invocation. Is Pastor Moore here? Okay. I'm
not seeing him.
Item 4: Adoption of Agenda
De Weerd: I will move to Item No. 4, which is adoption of the agenda.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
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Borton: There are no changes or edits to the agenda. I would move that we adopt the
agenda as published.
Cavener: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to adopt the agenda as published. All those
in favor say aye. All ayes.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Item 5: Future Meeting Topics - Public Forum (Up to 30 Minutes Maximum)
De Weerd: Item 5 under future meeting topics.
Coles: There were no sign-ups, Madam Mayor.
Item 6: Consent Agenda
A. Approve Minutes of the March 13, 2018 Joint Meridian
Development Corporation and City Council Special Meeting
B. Final Plat for Whiteacre No. 4 (H-2018-0020) by Whiteacre
Development Corp. located at the West Side of N. Meridian
Road between W. Ashton Drive and W. Lava Falls Drive
C. Final Order for Hill's Century Farm Subdivision No. 9 (H-2018-
0019) by Brighton Investments, LLC Located at 1/4 Mile South
of East Amity Road and 1/4 Mile East of South Eagle Road
D. Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law for Oaks West
Subdivision (H-2017-0170) by Hayden Homes Idaho, LLC,
Located at the Southeast Corner of North McDermott Road and
West McMillan Road
E. Development Agreement for Whistle Stop Subdivision (H-2017-
0167) with Biltmore Company Located at 1297 E Pine Avenue
F. Trilogy Subdivision No 1 Pedestrian Pathway Easement
G. Demeyer Warehouse Water Main Easement
H. Baraya Subdivision #2 Sanitary Sewer Easement #1
I. Baraya Subdivision #2 Sanitary Sewer and Water Main
Easement #1
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J. Baraya Subdivision #2 Sanitary Sewer and Water Main
Easement #2
K. Primary Health Ten Mile Road Water Main Easement
L. Brickyard Subdivision No. 3 and 4 Easement
M. Access and Indemnity Agreement with Insurance Auto
Auctions for Use of Facility for K9 Training
N. Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Meridian
and the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 4627
Amending Article 15 of the Current Collective Bargaining
Agreement Pertaining to Engineer Testing
O. Agreement for Fire Department Communication Dispatch
Services Between Ada County and City Of Meridian for Fiscal
Year 2018 for an amount not to exceed $87,122.21
P. Subrecipient Agreement Between City of Meridian and
Meridian Development Corporation for Program Year 2017
Community Development Block Grant Funds in an amount not
to exceed $182,195.11
Q. Approval of Task Order 10631.a for Professional Services for
"Water Main Extension W. Victory Rd. & S. Ten Mile Rd." to
Civil Survey Consultants for the Not -To -Exceed amount of
$103,397.00.
R. AP Invoices for Payment 4/4/18 - $487,421.35
De Weerd: Okay. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Six is our Consent Agenda.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: I move that we approve the Consent Agenda as published and 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. If there is
no discussion, Mr. Clerk, will you call roll.
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Roll call: Borton, yea; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, yea; Little Roberts, yea;
Bernt, yea.
De Weerd: All ayes.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Item 7: Items Moved From The Consent Agenda
De Weerd: There were no items moved from the Consent Agenda.
Item 8: Action Items
A. Mayor's Youth Advisory Council Participatory Budgeting
Proposal and Request
De Weerd: So, we will move to Item 8-A, which is under the Mayor's Youth Advisory
Council. And we have a presentation tonight about participatory budgeting.
World: Good afternoon, Madam Mayor and Council Members. I am -- I am Brianna
World.
McBride: I'm Cortney McBride.
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World: And we are here from Meridian Youth Advisory Council to present our
proposition for the participatory budgeting this year.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Davis: So, first we wanted to start off with kind of the purpose of our project, which is to
increase public bike use around the City of Meridian. We are lacking in transportation --
public transportation options and we think a great way to improve our city is to improve
the public bike use around our city, especially in the youth and other people who feel
like they don't have options. A bike is definitely easier to use, repair, and fix, buy,
purchase, et cetera, than a car. They are also less impactful -- they have less negative
impacts on the environment, in production, and in use and they also reduce the wear on
streets, because cars have -- increase the wear that -- on streets, which causes us to
have to replace and improve our streets more often and more regularly. Bikes also
improve the wellbeing of the public by increasing the public health, because it is a
source of exercise and it's also enjoyment and so it will increase the overall happiness
of the public, which is also a very great thing. And so we just wanted to go into our
presentation with a huge question, which is how do we improve the public use of
bicycles in Meridian as a whole.
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McBride: So, at first our project started out as a station where there was just bicycles
that people could use throughout the city and we thought that wasn't really feasible and
it wouldn't be a one-time expense, because we would have to keep renewing and
repairing. So, we eventually landed on the idea of Fix It Stations and they include a
rack for you to hold your bike while you fix it, multiple tools that fix common bike
problems, and a pump, so that if you have a flat tire, whatever, that you can fix it and we
can install them anywhere. On bike pathways near schools and parks. They can pretty
much go anywhere and they are made with galvanized steel and a thermoplastic
coating, so that they can withstand the weather and we just want to install them
throughout Meridian.
Davis: So, places to install these bikes. We visited with Mike Barton of the Parks
Department and he is very open to installing them on parks, pathways, and other
places. We contacted the school district, but they don't want the responsibility of having
one on their property, but we can still put them near schools or on the library. We also
wanted -- we really wanted to focus on schools, though, especially the three schools
Meridian, Heritage and Lewis & Clark, because these schools have high volumes of
people who ride their bikes and these students are kind of in the age where they know
-- they are old enough to know how to fix their bike, but they usually don't always have
the option to be able to, like if they get stranded at school and not a lot of people have
cars to transport them just back home like they would at a high school and so we
wanted to just suggest these places as what we were thinking about thus far in our
project. And so for the cost for -- I submitted a quote to Dero, the company that makes
them for 12, just based on the 20,000 maxing it out if we wanted to and each net unit
cost 774 dollars for the actual fix it station and, then, an additional 634 for the pump
and, then, the tools come with it and aren't an additional cost and so for 12 of them
overall it would be about 17,000 dollars, but definitely we do not have to do that much or
we can if -- based on the cost that we want to do in the future.
World: So, these things have to be installed in concrete and they can't be installed in
asphalt and so if we wanted to put them on bike pathways we would probably have to
create cement pads, which are about 300 dollars each and that's not including labor,
which would cost about 65 dollars an hour and we would also need a concrete drill,
which can be rented for 40 dollars a day and the initial installation and hardware that is
for a simple installation is included when you buy it.
McBride: So, for the color and customization of these Fix It Stations we would be able
to put different art or stickers on it and another option would be for different companies
to sponsor the art that was put on them, so they could put their logo and get their
business recognized.
World: So, Dero warranties them for two years and the air kit is warrantied for
temperatures of 30 to a hundred -- I mean negative 30 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit and
so that's a really good warrantee.
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Davis: And, then, these are pictures right here of the tools that would be in place on the
different Fix It Stations.
McBride: So, people will be more comfortable with biking farther and parents will be
more comfortable with their kids biking farther if they know there is a way that they can
fix their bikes if something were to go wrong, so that the parents wouldn't have to go
and pick up their kids or if they weren't available to. These stations will also teach
teenagers especially important life skills that they might need later on in life if they are
older and they can't afford a car or if, you know, some of these things happen with, you
know, motorcycles if they happen to have one. So, it just really helps with life skills and
it will help people ride their bike safely, because some people don't realize that there is
something wrong until it's too late.
World: So, we want to install these because Meridian definitely needs a push for
transportation. We don't have that much and that's why we wanted to do this project.
So, cost per station is 1,408 and shipping is 344 dollars total if we were to do 12, so as
already stated it would be about 17,000. So, with all of this said this is why we want to
do this and we hope you would support us.
De Weerd: So, Britain or any of the three of you, could you maybe talk about the
process that you went through to -- to choose this one project -- and I know you were
one working group. What were some of the others that were considered and what was
the process that MYAC used to choose this bike project?
World: So, there -- so, there was three of the participatory budgeting ideas that we had
and one was the bicycle project, an art wall, and a community garden and so as a -- as
MYAC we went through and we each presented a PowerPoint stating what our project
was and why it was important to the community and what we were going to do with it
and, then, we went through a voting process and us and the art wall were actually tied
at the end, so we did a recount between the art wall and the bicycle project and the
bicycle project ended up winning.
Davis: And with the bicycle project -- when we were first considering how to push
bicycle use as a -- my fellow MYAC'er stated, we first started with kind of -- we wanted
to set up bike racks filled with bikes around the city, but we felt that that was
unreasonable to maintain and also we felt that it might be stolen and we knew that there
is better projects coming about, like Boise Bike Project and LimeBike coming to our city
and so, then, we moved on to trying to create a -- kind of creative bike rack through also
the Dero site. We were browsing there, since they are popular for many bicycle
solutions around the country and so we wanted to try to create an artistic bike rack,
maybe in the shape of the Meridian logo or some other feature, but, then, when we
found the Fix It Stations we really felt like this was the most impactful and useful and
actually going to make a difference in our city, the most out of any of the options, and
so, then, we progressed to choosing that and, then, we won the MYAC and so -- yeah.
De Weerd: Can you give a little bit more information about the QR code?
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Davis: Yeah. So, on each Fix It Station there is a QR code where you can scan it with
your phone and it will give you directions to fix most bike problems on a given day and
also it will give you a link to find YouTube videos and other resources, so you will never
feel like you have the tools, but don't know how to use it.
De Weerd: Very cool. Council, any questions at this point?
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Not a -- well, maybe a question. But first a comment. Great presentation. I
have background in putting these stations along the Boise Greenbelt in my previous
employment and my father runs the volunteers on the greenbelt in Boise and every
week updates me about the use of these bike repair stations. So, I think that this is
something that our community has needed for a long time, but I really appreciate you
guys bringing forth this project. My question for you all is -- is maybe a question and
part of the challenge, Madam Mayor. In my previous employment our company I
worked for we wrapped our brand around the stations. Our company got recognition for
sponsoring the stations and you shared that these repair stations have the ability to be
wrapped. Has there been any discussion amongst MYAC about going out and soliciting
for sponsorship of the stands, as opposed to asking for the city to cover the complete
cost?
Davis: Well, to address that we have talked about doing that, especially with the Boise
Green Bike representative, who we met with to install these on the greenbelt as well
and we decided that we would wait until you all approved this as city councilmen until
we would solicit businesses. We just first just went to the Parks Department as a
government organization to see how interested they were and they said that they would
cover the cost of maintenance anywhere on a park and pathways and so we thought
that that was the most useful information for you now, but we would definitely love to
solicit businesses for them to put them on their property and wrap them or to put them
elsewhere and have them wrapped and cover the cost as well.
Cavener: Madam Mayor, one additional question I guess. You're proposing 12
stations. To me it sounds like a lot. Have you guys had discussion about if 12 stations
are really needed in Meridian?
McBride: So, when we went and talked to the Parks Department they recommended
that we start with a fewer number and which we agreed with. When we were first
originally looking into the project we just put in a quote for 12 just to see how much it
would cost, so that we knew how much each one cost. So, we were thinking going
lower than 12, just so that we have a little cushion room if something, you know, came
up.
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De Weerd: And I -- I think you -- you mentioned that the total would be around 17,000,
so you would turn the 3,000 back to the budget?
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes, Mrs. Milam.
Milam: Great job you guys and I love this idea. So, it is definitely necessary. There are
a lot of young bike riders out there and not so young bike riders out there that will
definitely take advantage of this. I just -- my question for you is regarding finances. So,
the installation is not included in the 14,000 dollars or --
Davis: No. The insta -- the 1,400 dollars is just for the cost of the actual station. We
would need to either rent or borrow a concrete drill, but all of the other tools are
included, as long as we have a concrete pad to put it, since it can't be installed on
asphalt.
Milam: Madam Mayor, follow up? So, do you -- you mentioned it was 65 dollars an
hour to have somebody install them for you. Do you know how many hours it would
take to install each one?
McBride: Well, it would be 65 dollars an hour if we chose to put in concrete pads. That
would be like people who come in before and laid the concrete. But we could do the
installation ourselves as MYAC.
Davis: Yeah. The representative from Boise Green Bike, who installed these on the
greenbelt, said that he did it himself and it was not a difficult process. That all you
needed was a drill and, then, you just drilled it straight in and so it would be something
that we as MYAC, with assistance, would be able to do together.
Milam: Okay. So, you don't need a concrete pad? Because I was doing the math
including the concrete pads and you're way over budget.
Davis: We would only need a concrete pad if we wanted to install on asphalt. But it's
easily enough to find somewhere with concrete.
Milam: Okay. Thank you. Good job.
De Weerd: And I think once -- if Council approves the idea they can come back with
further detail after they have worked with the Parks Department, identified the places
that they would recommend to them being located. Britain is our commissioner on the
Transportation Commission, the youth representative, and so knowing that Council has
been interested in moving forward with the LimeBike program and the GPS capability of
detecting the -- the major routes of where bicycle use is, there has been, through their
conversations with the library and possibly ICOM and Idaho State University, those
would be entities that could also join in, sponsor their Fix It Station and be part of it.
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They also would be able to move forward with the nod of asking for sponsorships for
wrapping some of these stations. So, this just opens up the next phase of work; right?
This is where the rubber meets the road. No pun intended. Any other questions?
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: To that point I think it's important you guys hear feedback at least myself
about where I would like to see you guys go next and to your comments I think 12
stations is probably too many. I think that I'm more supportive of probably a number of
half of that, with the challenge that you guys are going to go out and find sponsors to
help cover the cost of -- of any additional stands that you need. I'm one that would be
supportive of these stands being in our parks and on our pathways. I'm not quite sure
that I would be on board for us purchasing these to place them in businesses or
universities, but I think that's an opportunity for you guys to really take ownership of this
program and really grow it by finding partners in our community to see the value and the
great work you're doing. Look forward seeing what you guys bring us next.
Davis: Thank you.
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: Madam Mayor. Are any of your parents here? No? You -- phenomenal job.
Excellent job. This participatory budgeting -- and for the folks here who get a chance to
see these amazing kids and what they have done, kind of the concept in a nutshell is
we provided funding last year for a project that the youth council explores and develops
and ultimately votes on and what we try to do is -- is empower a group to come up with
ideas that the seven of us might not think of and we might not come up with an idea and
we might not address a need that's in our community and so we empower the group to
come up with those ideas that might service -- serve the city that we haven't addressed
and you guys have done that exceptionally well and -- and when you present and
review, the Council and Mayor may say it's a great idea, we are supportive and we may
not. Your preparation is outstanding. You have done the homework for months and
you can answer all of these questions, even the details that matter and they matter to
us, because it's taxpayer money. Extremely supportive of this project. The fact that you
came up with it in your group, saw a need and saw this is the best way to address that
need and, then, researched it and talked to all the different individuals to come up with
all the information to support the request you're making now, exceptional job. That's the
kind of background homework -- kind of the grind that's necessary to get something
important done and you knocked it out of the park. So, I'm supportive of all -- of all 12
of them. I think where they go and how you get sponsors -- you're going to bring back
those details and, again, that's up to you to try and come up with those solutions. We
have addressed some of the opportunities, but come back with some solutions on those
sponsorship opportunities. Excellent job.
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Bernt: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bernt.
Bernt: You know, I echo the sentiments of my fellow Council Members. Phenomenal
job. I mean, honestly, it's so rewarding to see kiddos -- high school age kiddos stand
before us with such preparation and such detail, it's fantastic. It's these types of
experiences that will prepare you for after you graduate from high school. So, very well
done and I can't wait to see what you guys bring back. Good job.
Davis: Thank you.
McBride: Thank you.
De Weerd: So, we will need an official nod and, then, my office and the Parks
Department will work together with this team and -- and there are others that might be
interested in being involved and -- and we can put some information together and bring
that back. Probably in May. Later in May; right? Finals. Okay. So --
Borton: You need a vote?
De Weerd: Yes.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: I would move that we approve the MYAC participatory budgeting proposal and
request as presented.
Milam: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second. Any discussion?
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: So, this means -- it allows them to move forward with the purchase of all 12?
Because it sounded like they were concerned about -- said they wanted some buffer
and I think that more -- that's a responsible thing to -- to consider is that they wanted
some buffer and they were only given a certain amount. So, are we saying go ahead
and drop your buffer or what are we saying here?
De Weerd: I think the approval is on the concept with numbers and approach to be
brought back. Okay. Mr. Clerk.
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Roll call: Borton, yea; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, yea; Little Roberts, yea;
Bernt, yea.
De Weerd: All ayes.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
De Weerd: Thank you. And I know one of you took the night off of work just to be here,
so thank you for being here.
Davis: Thank you.
B. SWAC: Trash or Treasure Program Presentation and Request
1. Resolution No. 18-2070: A Resolution Of The Mayor And
The City Council Of The City Of Meridian Approving The
Solid Waste Advisory Commission's "2018 Trash Or
Treasure Event" On May 5 And 6, 2018 And Annually
Thereafter; And Providing An Effective Date.
De Weerd: Congratulations. Okay. Item 8-B is through our Solid Waste Advisory
Commission. Andrea.
Pogue: Andrea Pogue, Deputy City Attorney and SWAC commissioner. Good evening,
Madam Mayor and City Council. The first item is our Trash Or Treasure program. This
residential recycling program embraces the motto one man's trash is another person's
treasure and it is unique to Meridian. It is a cost free opportunity for residents to sit on
their curb, quote, unquote, trash aka gently used possessions, the weekend before
spring cleanup to be claimed as, quote, unquote, treasure by others who can reuse,
repurpose or re -imagine possibilities for it, other than going to the landfill. Tonight
SWAC seeks permission to bring its second annual Trash Or Treasure program on May
5th and 6th to an expanded list of HOAs, both north and south of the freeway this year,
including subdivisions Burney Glen and Havasu Creek for their second year and first
year neighborhoods Hunters Point, Shepherd Creek and Bear Creek Subdivisions.
Additionally SWAC would like permission to run this program annually without seeking
yearly City Council approval to do so. SWAC would seek Council direction and
approval for any substantial changes, such as when we believe it's ready to go citywide
at some point in the future. Any questions?
De Weerd: Council, any questions?
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
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Cavener: Andrea, that last piece about SWAC moving forward without touching base
with Council, talk to me about why SWAC is recommending that. I, for one, am a huge
proponent of this and want to get us moving to a city-wide program very, very quickly
and I think having SWAC come before us at least on annual basis on this item helps get
us closer to a city-wide program. So, I'm just struggling to understand why SWAC
doesn't want to come with an annual update about this.
Pogue: Thank you, Councilman Cavener. SWAC will come back to give you a close out
report as to how the program fares this year. Last year we had a few bugs that we think
we have worked out, but we are still anticipating that there might be some kinks and,
you know, we do our post program survey, depending on what we get, you know, we
can report back to City Council. We want to grow this carefully. We don't want to rush
into a city-wide program before it's time. That is the goal. That is our desire. It's --
since there is no money involved we just feel -- it's up to Council. We just feel if we add
one or two more neighborhoods next year, if we don't encounter any significant issues
that we need direction on, we should just be able to go forward and -- and roll it out as
an annual program. But that is at your discretion. It was something we thought we
would suggest.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Just -- just a comment, then, is -- and recognize I'm just one voice and I know
that we want to grow this the right way, but I'm one that's very supportive of us working
to try and make this a city-wide event for next year. I think it's a great program. It's
something we should be really proud of and I know that our citizens that aren't in those
neighborhoods would like it to be in their neighborhoods and I guess just feedback is
that I appreciate that we want to come back next year with maybe adding a few more,
but I would -- I would love to hear next year that we are coming back to make this a city-
wide program.
Pogue: And in that case we would come back for -- and we appreciate your
enthusiasm.
Cavener: No problem.
De Weerd: Okay. Any other questions?
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: To Councilman Cavener -- I think a lot of it has to do with planning that's going
into it and the timing and the timing that it takes to get on an agenda -- it's coming out
pretty soon. In my opinion coming and giving a report after the event and explaining
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everything that went on and giving opportunity for Council to give input at that time is
sufficient if we are just adding a couple subdivisions. Having said that, I move that we
approve Resolution No. 18-2070.
Bernt: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve Resolution 18-2069.
Cavener: Madam Mayor? Sorry. Just one --
De Weerd: I'm sorry. 2070.
Cavener: I guess my request would be for our Council to make that decision about if we
want them to come back before next year maybe following the close-out report of this
year. I would like to hear how those bugs have been improved. If SWAC feels that they
are in a position that they can move forward without touching base with Council, I'm one
who would also just ask that I would like to be informed when this is happening,
because I like to promote it and rather than make a decision about should they come
back or not come back tonight, to hold that off until the close-out report, which will come
I assume sometime in either May or June.
De Weerd: And -- and the resolution doesn't contemplate that, so we can discuss
during close-out --
Pogue: It actually does.
De Weerd: Oh, it does?
Pogue: It does. Yes. So, the resolution I drafted -- and I can bring it back corrected --
is that SWAC is seeking additional approval to continue this event on a recurring annual
basis, whereas SWAC in its discretion will seek prior additional Mayor and City Council
direction and approval for any material and substantial changes to the event that might
develop in the future, meaning citywide when we feel ready to launch it. There is in this
program an unusual aspect, because it -- it butts up to spring cleanup week and spring
cleanup runs Monday through Friday. So, these initial neighborhoods that we have
selected that have agreed to participate fall on Monday -- Monday. Tuesday. We want
to kind of see how that works. We are beefing up our spring cleanup flier to get better
instruction as to what you can and can't put out there, when you have to call in advance
to have Republic pick up bulk items, et cetera, if they weren't picked up -- claimed
during Trash Or Treasure Week. So, if we -- we are not sure. You know, we might
want to roll out neighborhoods that go to Wednesday and, then, if we don't have any
problems, then, maybe we would be ready to come before City Council. So, that's the
main hang up is playing with that -- those logistics.
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De Weerd: Okay. So, does the -- the motion contemplate approving that without the
stipulation that it does not need to be brought back every year, that this could be
discussed when we have the close out?
Milam: Madam Mayor, the motion was made with the resolution the way that it's printed
and discussion on it is such that we should change that then -- then we can change it.
But so far we have heard from one councilman. Is there anybody else?
Palmer: Madam mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Madam Mayor. Mr. Nary, can we -- given the simplicity of the resolution can
we amend a resolution on the fly?
Nary: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, Councilman Palmer, yes, you can.
De Weerd: Okay. Any further discussion? Mr. Clerk.
Roll call: Borton, yea; Milam, yea; Cavener, nay; Palmer, yea; Little Roberts, yea;
Bernt, yea.
De Weerd: Okay. The motion passes. Thank you.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE NAY.
C. SWAC: Recycle a Bicycle Proposal and Request for Funding
1. Resolution No. 18-2069: A Resolution Of The Mayor And
The City Council Of The City Of Meridian Approving A
Community Recycling Fund Application For The Solid Waste
Advisory Commission To Hold Its "2018 Recycle A Bicycle
Event" On May 5, 2018 With Funding Authority Of $500; And
Providing An Effective Date.
De Weerd: I imagine you're doing this next item, too?
Pogue: I am, Madam Mayor.
De Weerd: Okay. Item C is our Recycle A Bicycle proposal and request for funding.
Pogue: So, Madam Mayor, this residential recycling program aspires to repurpose
bikes headed to the landfill by repairing and fitting them to Meridian residents. Tonight
SWAC would like approval of its community recycling fund application to hold its second
annual Recycle A Bicycle program on May 5th at Kleiner Park to be run in conjunction
with the Parks and Rec Department's opening day of its Outside and Unplugged event.
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Additionally SWAC would like funding authority for 500 dollars from the community
recycling fund to purchase needed parts and other accessories for the 32 bikes that will
be repaired and given away this year. Any questions?
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Little Roberts.
Cavener: Madam Mayor. Andrea. I know that there were some potential issues with
getting enough people to repair bikes. Has that been resolved?
Pogue: Yes, it has. And we are moving forward with all voluntary help for the bike
repair work, which is wonderful.
De Weerd: Any other questions?
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: Andrea, I guess just maybe for some clarification. I know that we had discussed
in -- at the SWAC meeting there was also a need from some -- some schools that had --
had reached out for some underprivileged kids that needed bikes as well and I -- my
question I guess is -- is the 500 dollars attached strictly to the recycle a bicycle or if
there is any remaining materials if those could be used for those bicycles for the
students?
Pogue: Council Woman, the 500 dollars is dedicated to the Recycle A Bicycle event on
May 5th. We anticipate needing close to that amount, if not all of it. If there is extra
funds available we would be purchasing bikes -- or bike locks for those bikes. So, it is
just for our recycled bicycle event.
Bernt: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bernt.
Bernt: Just -- just for my personal knowledge, just -- are all these funds that you -- that
you are requesting, are they coming from the Meridian community recycling fund
program that you have raised yourself; right?
Pogue: Correct. So, Councilman Bernt, the community recycling fund is created by
revenue return from the residential recycling program over the years. So, that it
represents a full site -- a full loop from when people recycle curbside, picked up, the
material is sold on the market. We get back 80 percent of any revenue that goes into
the fund for the purpose -- not to sit there, but to go back in the form of public projects
that benefit the community in ways that enhance recycling. In this case diversion from
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the landfill materials. All three of the programs we are talking about tonight that's a key
purpose of them.
Bernt: Thank you.
De Weerd: Okay. Any further questions?
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: And, sorry, I just am a little confused, because I thought both of those were
coming forward today or -- maybe I understood something at the SWAC meeting. Is
that going to come through in a different resolution and I'm just -- I guess that's why they
are not combined, because I have seen the e-mails from -- requesting these bicycles
that still as a community helping kids that need bikes and --
Pogue: Right. Council Women, Rachele Klein of Republic Services has developed
other interests for bikes in the community of Meridian. She also has a potential for
donorship of additional funds. SWAC decided for her to pursue those that -- those
options and if she gets money it can go to those other opportunities. This is strictly for
Recycle A Bicycle, the -- the 500 dollars requested tonight.
Milam: In that case, I move that we approve Resolution No. 18-2069.
Cavener: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve Item 8-C. Any discussion? Mr.
Clerk.
Roll call: Borton, yea; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, yea; Little Roberts, yea;
Bernt, yea.
De Weerd: All ayes. Thank you.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
D. SWAC: DOW Chemical "Orange Bag" Program Request for
Funding
1. Resolution No. 18-2071: A Resolution Of The Mayor And
The City Council Of The City Of Meridian Approving A
Community Recycling Fund Application For The Solid Waste
Advisory Commission To Pilot A One -Year "Orange Bag
Program" For 1,500 Households To Participate On A
Voluntary Basis And Funding Authority In An Amount Not To
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Exceed $12,000; And Providing An Effective Date.
De Weerd: And lastly.
Pogue: Lastly we have the proposed orange bag pilot program. SWAC has spent
considerable time researching the DOW Chemical's orange bag program, as it will be
implemented in Boise this spring and the Utah company's technology that will convert
the collected three through seven plastics through this program into diesel fuel. This is
a local opportunity to divert these materials from the landfill as three through seven
plastics were deemed trash earlier this year due to changes in global markets. SWAC
also looked into whether or not Meridian could participate in Boise's rollout of their
program this spring and how much the cost would be. SWAC just received confirmation
that Meridian can participate in Boise's program, but if the city wants to proceed Boise
needs the number of kits by this Friday. Kits cost approximately eight dollars for 26
bags, which represent a year's worth of bags and Boise is requiring that the amount
ordered needs to be paid prior to distribution. While SWAC considers there to be some
risk to the program, including potential for additional processing and cost due to
contamination or additional expense, it is still intrigued by the program and believes it
would be worthwhile to launch a limited pilot here to gauge first handed -- firsthand our
community's interest in the program, as well as the program conditions as they unfold,
whether good or bad. Just a minute. Considering a variety of possible options for
piloting a program, SWAC voted to recommend the one before you tonight. That being
tonight SWAC is seeking approval of its community recycling fund application to launch
a one year pilot orange bag program in Meridian to 1,500 households who would
participate on a voluntary first come, first serve basis with funding authority to spend up
to twelve thousand dollars from the community recycling fund to purchase the kits.
Public Works staff will assist SWAC in the pilot's launch and coordinating Boise and
DOW's needs to audit the program's performance throughout the upcoming year. In the
event additional money is needed to support the program, SWAC will seek additional
funding authority to cover the cost from the community recycling fund, provided it has
the amount of funds needed. If this request is approved, along with the other approved
community's recycling fund projects this year, there will be a balance of approximately
4,100 dollars. So, hopefully, there would be still sufficient funds in the fund. However,
SWAC would have to request a source of alternative funding from Council if that amount
is insufficient, as it's unlikely that there will be much revenue coming in to replenish the
funds in the near future. With that I will stand for any questions, as I imagine you might
have several.
De Weerd: Thank you, Andrea. Any questions from Council?
Little Roberts: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Little Roberts.
Little Roberts: I just want to say thank you for -- Andrea and SWAC for continuing the
research, because I know we got a lot of calls and e-mails regarding the publicity with
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the orange bag and so I'm real excited to see the possibility of us giving it a test drive as
well. So, thank you.
Pogue: Thank you.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Andrea, are you or someone from SWAC going to come back and walk
Council through what the SWAC's recommendation proposal is in terms of -- are we
going to make our citizens pay that eight dollars if they want to participate or are they
receiving the bags for free? How the city or SWAC, Republic, is going to handle our
citizens, contacting them, what our plans are for the 1,501st person it has now turned
away. I just want to make sure that we got a good plan in place and I recognize that the
clock is ticking with our commitment to the city of Boise to participate. I'm happy that we
are going to likely have the opportunity to do that, but I just want to make sure that we
have got some good policies and procedures in place for our citizens for those who do
want to participate.
Pogue: Thank you, Councilman. The 12,000 dollar request for funding authority from
the fund would cover the year's worth of bags. Households -- similar to how -- how
residents are signing up for the Recycle A Bicycle program, there will be a portal for
registration with previous advertisement of that opportunity, an open window to register.
That's what I mean by first come, first basis to participate in the program. Hopefully, we
will get 1,500 households. If we get more and they have to be turned away during this
pilot year, that will be good data for SWAC to collect as an example of the level of
interest in the community for this program. With regard to -- so, with regard to that
registration process, we anticipate Public Works, IT, Kaycee Emery, SWAC, all working
to -- to roll it out with appropriate advertising to get -- to get registration and, then, Public
Works would compile the master list and we would be placing the order with Boise by
this Friday. They would order the bags. We are dependent on where we are in their
queue to receive those bags, but it would be some time this spring and that launch out
-- I know Boise's launch is going to span eight weeks with bags rolled out to various
groups of their residents over the eight week process. We will be somewhere in that, as
well Garden City and Eagle. Kits and programs. So, Public Works staff will -- what we
anticipate is Public Works would -- Finance will write the check. Public Works will pick
up the bag kits. We are going to coordinate distribution with our volunteers in the front,
so those kits will be picked up, stored here somewhere in City Hall, delivered via the
volunteers who will have the master sheet and check off -- you know, there will be
communication going on with the households as to when they can come pick it up. As
for how the households receive instruction, what to do with the kits. That's included in
the kit itself, which is covered by DOW Chemical and, then, the DOW Chemical
program also includes advertising for the program, as well as, then, setting up the audit
needs that they have to do to gauge the performance of the program. So, we would be
-- we would be fortunate to be able to ride on Boise's program. Their roll out -- we
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would just have a little bit to do up front to get to the 1,500 households, advertise that,
give people a chance to sign up. I think we have sufficient staff. I think there is funds in
the community recycling fund to do this. So, we have given it some thought. I just didn't
want to -- and we will be reporting back periodically through the year the status with
regard to how our programs are faring, so that you would be kept apprised.
Cavener: Great. Thank you.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: Andrea, there is -- there is still -- there is another option as well; right? So -- is it
okay if I go --
Pogue: Oh, absolutely.
Milam: So, DOW has a grant that we could get for 5,000 dollars if we start this pilot
program with 5,000 households instead of the 1,200.
Pogue: Fifteen hundred.
Milam: Or 1,500. But that means there would be -- if the community recycling fund put
in 12,000 and DOW gave us 5,000, there will be a 23,000 dollar deficit. So, if this group
would like to pay 23,000 dollars additional we can start -- 23,000, we can start the pilot
of 5,000 households instead of 1,500 with a 5,000 dollar grant from DOW and we can
charge for the bags --
Pogue: So --
Milam: -- if we wanted to, you know.
Pogue: Madam Mayor, Councilman. Okay. To that comment, the reason why it didn't
-- SWAC did not vote for that and the reason being is that there isn't enough money in
the community recycling fund. So, we are out at the 12,000. We have other uses for
the money. So, it really is a 35,000 dollar cost that would need to be accountable for,
either via a budget amendment or we considered costs paid for by the participating
households. The problem is that we have to pay the amount of money up front when
we order the kits prior to their -- prior to getting them distributed. So, it really -- I don't
think it would work to charge the households, because the administrative side of that is
a nightmare. MUBS doesn't want any part of it. We have to order the kits by Friday.
So, it got kind of harried really fast for SWAC to process it. We did discuss it at our
meeting. We feel like actually the -- the potential risks to this program are real. We
would rather have 1,500 households involved with a 12,000 dollar investment that might
partially -- hopefully succeed, but could partially fail, rather than a 40 -- 35 thousand
dollar investment. So, that's what I can advise you. SWAC sees risks to it. We hope
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it's successful. We think, based on what we have learned a pilot program would be
good stewards of the community recycling funds and advisable for the city. We get to
participate firsthand by the table to get the good and the bad news, assess it for
ourselves and if it looks good, maybe the next year launch it citywide, you know, in
some fashion with sufficient time up front to fund it through either pass through cost to
households or some other mechanism.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: So, you think you will have the 12,000 you need or you definitely will have the
12,000 you need?
Pogue: Definitely have the 12,000 we need. It would be if there are cost overruns,
which is a real possibility, it was one of the risks of the program, that if contaminated
materials go inside, you know, that orange bag and it gets down to them in Utah and
they can't use the material, she said if they rip open enough bags and there were
problems they will charge back a rate for contamination fee, if not cancel the program.
So, it really kind of depends on how well this gets rolled out and the education. That's
why we want to go with a smaller number of households of super Meridian recyclers
who would be probably the best most likely to read the instructions and want the
program to succeed and put clean, dry materials in those orange bags that the program
needs to thrive.
De Weerd: Okay. Any other questions?
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Andrea, I was trying to follow along with the question -- the discussion about
doing the 5,000 bags. If I heard you correctly, SWAC doesn't have the budget to cover
it if we did the 5,000.
Pogue: Right. We would -- we did not vote to approve that, because, as I said, we --
we don't advise that course. So, we have opted out.
Cavener: Okay. But if -- if the City Council felt it was necessary to do -- offer for 5,000,
we could utilize the 12,000 dollars of the community recycling fund --
Pogue: No. Councilman Cavener is correct. You could.
Cavener: Could. We could get the 5,000 dollar grant from DOW and, then, if the -- this
Council so choose we could use General Fund dollars to cover the rest and, then, sell
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the bags if we deemed necessary to our citizens to recoup the investment; is that
accurate?
Pogue: That is accurate.
Cavener: Well, then, Madam Mayor, I am for one that we should make this as widely
available as possible to our citizens. I'm more supportive of making it available for
5,000 for 1,500. 1 think we have the mechanism to do that. I also recognize that this
may be a meatier discussion and we have a very lengthy agenda, but I also know that
time is of the essence. So, I don't know when Council -- how Council feels about this.
Again, if there is only two of us that feel that 5,000 is appropriate -- if there is more
voices on this in favor or against -- usually we can answer the questions so that we can
get to some of the other agenda items that has a very full audience here to participate
with. As much as I think everybody's here for -- to learn more about the orange bag
program, I think some of us have other issues at hand.
Little Roberts: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Little Roberts.
Little Roberts: Madam Mayor. Andrea, it sounds like if we go with the 5,000 we would
be totally on our own program, because there is no way we could get in by Friday to
have all those details worked out regarding billing and everything like that. Could we do
our own program at that point and be --
Pogue: No. Councilman, the Reynolds company is making a special processing run for
the 13 gallon bags Boise has requested their program use. It is like a once and done
special run. They are going to run it in several cycles, but they demand 5,000 bag
requests per run and what Catherine Chertudi has advised me is if we were 1,500 with
Eagle and Garden City, that gets to 5,000 or that the outlier cities that are picking back
and luckily on Boise's program could get in on it. That doesn't mean we can't do our
own 5,000, but there are funding issues related to ramping it up to 5,000 households at
this time.
Little Roberts: Follow up, Madam Mayor? Andrea. And at this point we have no
efficient way of billing and it could take months to get that set up is my understanding.
Pogue: Correct.
Little Roberts: Thank you.
Pogue: It would have to come through a budget amendment, which is funding like
Councilman Milam recommended. Some amount you would dedicate from the
community recycling fund and I would just on behalf of SWAC not want it to be zeroed
out on this program because of the risks inherent in this pilot program, but some amount
of it surely could be put towards a greater number of households, but, then, the
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remainder would have to be paid for, because our check has to be written. So, I think
that -- that would be the next recommendation that makes sense versus land payoff to
somehow pay for it and, then, recoup costs from households, because you may not get
5,000 households worth of interest -- we don't know. We don't know what our
community's real interest is in this program. We are hopeful we could get 1,500 super
recyclers to sign up.
Little Roberts: Thank you.
De Weerd: Anything further from Council?
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: I appreciate the presentation. I'm supportive of the resolution as presented and
the recommendation as presented.
Pogue: Thank you.
Borton: The -- the ideas and opportunity to grow it very well may be appropriate. I don't
know if we -- if we have to be the tip of the spear on that right now in light of the time
frame we are confronted with. So, we may expand it going forward, but we have got a
great chance to gather valuable data on its demand, where the demand is coming from,
workout snafus that inevitably come up with these types of new programs and, then,
expand it if necessary at the next stage, so --
Pogue: Thank you.
De Weerd: Andrea, I would like to thank SWAC and staff for the hours you have put
into this. There has been a lot of research, a lot of extra effort, and I hope that you will
pass that onto them.
Pogue: Thank you. I will, Mayor.
De Weerd: Okay. Council, do I have a motion?
Little Roberts: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Little Roberts.
Little Roberts: Madam Mayor, I move that we approve Resolution 18-2071 as is.
Bernt: Second.
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De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve Item 8-D, Resolution 18-2071.
Any discussion? Mr. Clerk.
Roll call: Borton, yea; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, yea; Little Roberts, yea;
Bernt, yea.
De Weerd: All ayes. Motion carried. Thank you.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Pogue: Thank you.
E. Public Works: Resolution No. 18-2066: A Resolution Updating
the Average Number of Gallons Per Month for Winter
Residential Water Use in the City.
De Weerd: Item 8-D is under our Public Works, Resolution 18-2066.
Freitag: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, good evening. Thank you for your
time tonight. I am before you with Resolution No 18-2066. This is a resolution updating
the average number of gallons for our wastewater use cap. We -- our current -- current
ordinance sets that number at 6,500 gallons. This resolution changes that number to
4,500 gallons. You may remember we were before you last week to update the
wastewater user rate ordinance. You approved that update. This is the companion
document that goes with that. So, the resolution is in your packet. We would ask for
approval of that and I will stand for questions.
De Weerd: Okay. Council, any questions?
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Seeing no questions, I move we approved the resolution --
Borton: I do have -- sorry.
Cavener: Oh.
Borton: Real quick.
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: Two questions. Madam Mayor. One, you have reviewed and vetted this
through with Finance as well?
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Freitag: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, Councilman Borton, we have, yes.
Borton: Second. The resolution has a -- has a blank for its effective date.
Freitag: We would consider that to be effective immediately -- or at least when the
ordinance takes effect, because this is the resolution that that ordinance depends on, so
think the ordinance needs another reading, if I'm not mistaken. No? Okay. Effective
immediately, then, Councilman, so --
Borton: Okay. Thank you.
Freitag: Yeah.
De Weerd: Okay. Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Madam Mayor. I move we approve Resolution No. 18-2066.
Milam: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve Item 8-D. Any discussion? Mr.
Clerk.
Roll call: Borton, yea; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, yea; Little Roberts, yea;
Bernt, yea.
De Weerd: All ayes. Thank you, Alex.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Freitag: Thank you.
F. Public Hearing for Lasken Annexation (H-2017-0154) by
Thomas H. Lasken, Located at 721 E Pine
1. Request: An Annexation and Zoning of 0.99 Acres of Land
with an R-2 Zoning District
De Weerd: Item 8-F is a public hearing for H-2017-0154. I will open this public hearing
with staff comments.
Allen: Thank you, Madam Mayor, Members of the Council. Apparently we don't have a
presentation for this first item. It's a pretty small one, though. It's a request for
annexation and zoning into the city. This site consists of .99 of an acre of land zoned
RUT, located at 721 East Pine Avenue in the northeast quarter of Section 7, Township 3
North, Range 1 East. The Comprehensive Plan future land use map designation for this
property is mixed use community. The applicant is requesting annexation and zoning of
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.99 of an acre of land with an R-2 zoning district. The purpose of this annexation
request is to hook up the existing home and outbuildings to city water and sewer service
while Pine Avenue is being reconstructed. Staff anticipates this property will develop as
part of a larger mixed use project in the future, but recommends that the zoning given to
the property at this time match existing conditions which is a single family residential
home. In order to redevelop in the future, this property will need to be rezoned to a
commercial or higher density residential district in accord with the future land use map
designation. Staff is not recommending a development agreement is required as a
provision of annexation due to the size of the site and because development is not
proposed at this time. The applicant is required to connect to the new sanitary sewer
main line in East Pine Avenue when it becomes available. City water service is
currently being provided to this property. The Commission recommended approval of
the subject annexation and zoning request and Tom Lasken, the applicant, testified in
favor. No one testified in opposition or commented. The only issue of discussion by the
Commission was public outreach to the other Ada county parcels in the area that have
the ability to have city services stubbed to their property and I understand that the
Public Works Department did reach out to other properties in response to that. The
Commission did not make any changes to the staff recommendation and there are no
outstanding issues for Council tonight. No written testimony has been received since
the Commission hearing. Staff will stand for any questions.
De Weerd: Thank you, Sonya. Council, any questions? Is the applicant here this
evening? Do you have anything to add? Okay. This is a public hearing. Is there any
member of the public who would like to offer testimony? Council, any questions for the
applicant? Thank you, sir. Any questions for staff? Okay. If there are no questions I
would --
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: I would move that we close the public hearing on Item H-2017-0154.
Cavener: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to close the public hearing on Item 8-F. All
those in favor say aye. All ayes.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: I move that we approve Item H-2017-0154 in accordance with the staff report
as presented.
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Cavener: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve Item 8-F. If there is no
discussion, Mr. Clerk, will you call roll.
Roll call: Borton, yea; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, yea; Little Roberts, yea;
Bernt, yea.
De Weerd: All ayes.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
G. Public Hearing for Lost Rapids (H-2018-0004) By GFI-Meridian
Investments II, LLC and Brighton Investments Located at the
Southwest Corner of State Highway 20-26 (Chinden Blvd.) and
North Ten Mile Road
1. Request: Amendment to the Future Land Use Map
contained in the Comprehensive Plan to change the land
use designation on 32.83 acres of land from the Medium
Density Residential (16.33 acres) and the Mixed -Use
Community (16.50 acres) to Commercial;
2. Request: Annexation & zoning of 78.33 acres of land with R-
15 (39.01 acres), R-40 (6.50 acres), and C -G (32.83 acres)
zoning districts;
3. Request: Preliminary Plat consisting of 1 residential building
lot, 13 commercial building lots and 1 other lot for dedication
of right-of-way on 36.2 acres of land in the proposed R-40
and C -G zoning districts; and
4. Request: Variance to UDC 11 -3H -4B which prohibits new
approaches directly accessing a state highway to allow two
(2) accesses via State Highway 20-26
De Weerd: Okay. Item 8-G is a public hearing for H-2018-0004. I will, as we open this
public hearing, state that there has been a large amount of testimony received in
writing. I know that Council has had an opportunity to read the record and has also
received a number of different inquiries via social media, in a grocery store -- we are not
allowed to make comment to the applicant or to our citizens when we have an
application in front of us. But all public testimony up to this point has had an opportunity
to be reviewed by Council. Is there any additional information sources that maybe I
haven't noted that anyone would like to acknowledge for the record? Okay. Okay.
With that said, we will have staff give an overview of the application that is reviewed by
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staff. We will have the applicant have a 15 minute presentation. Council, the applicant
has requested to show a five minute video, if that would be okay with Council. Any
objection?
Cavener: Madam Mayor, just a question or clarification. Is it a 15 minute presentation,
plus a five minute video? Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: How long do we typically give applicants?
De Weerd: We give ten to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the application.
Cavener: Thank you.
De Weerd: So, any opposition to the five minute video? Okay. And after the applicant
has had that opportunity, I know there are -- I assume there are spokespersons for
Bainbridge Subdivision and Spurwing. Is that correct? Is -- is there an official
spokesperson for those two? They would get ten minutes to present if that is the case.
No? Okay. Yes, there is. Okay. So, there is a spokesperson for -- are you with
Spurwing or Bainbridge? Okay. We will -- we will ask you at that time. Maybe we can
-- you guys can all assign your official spokesperson. So, I will go ahead and open this
public hearing and we will start with staff comments.
Allen: Thank you, Madam Mayor, Members of the Council. The applications before you
tonight are a request for an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan future land use
map, annexation and zoning, preliminary plat, and a variance. This site is consists of
approximately 69 acres of land, zoned RUT in Ada county, located at the southwest
corner of State Highway 20-26, West Chinden Boulevard and North Ten Mile Road. A
little history on this site. Back in 2008 an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan future
land use map was approved to change the future land use designation on the 14.57
acre piece right at the corner from medium density residential to mixed use community
and that is where you see right here. The Comprehensive Plan future land use map
designation is medium density residential, which consists of 52 acres of land, and mixed
use community, which is 14.57 acres of land that is shown here in the top map on the
left. The applicant submitted a request for an amendment to the future land use map to
change the land use designation on a combined 78.33 acres of land from medium
density residential, which was 61.83 acres, and the mixed use community, which is 16.5
acres, to mixed use regional. The staff report includes analysis and conditions of
approval based on that request. The original request. Since the staff report was issued
staff met with the applicants to discuss the recommended changes to the concept plan,
which were fairly substantial in order to be consistent with the provisions contained in
the Comprehensive Plan for the requested mixed use regional designation. Without
these changes the proposed development plan is more consistent with the commercial
designation. The applicant communicated to staff that they would prefer to develop the
site consistent with the proposed concept plan without significant changes. Therefore,
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both staff and the applicants agreed a commercial designation is more appropriate for
the eastern portion of this site where the commercial and multi -family residential uses
are proposed, which is the preliminary plat area. The remainder of the site would
remain under the current medium density residential designation. The applicant
submitted a letter to the city requesting this change. Staff submitted a memo to the
clerk and the Commission, included in the public record containing revised conditions of
approval based on their proposed change. No changes were proposed to the
requested zoning or the development plan. The applicant's request for annexation and
zoning of 78.33 acres of land with R-15, which is 39.01 acres; R-40, which is six and a
half acres, and C -G, which is 32.83 acres zoning district is requested consistent with the
existing medium density residential and proposed commercial future land use map
designations. A conceptual development plan was submitted as shown that
demonstrates how the property is proposed to develop with a mix of single family
residential detached and attached age -qualified units on the western portion of the site
at a gross density of five to eight units per acre, a very large 168,652 square foot big
box retail store for Costco internal to the development. A fuel sales facility for Costco at
the northeast corner of the site. Ten commercial retail office pad sites adjacent to the
state highway and Ten Mile Road and a multi -family residential development consisting
of 109 townhome and garden style units in nine structures at a gross density of 18 to 24
units per acre south of the Costco site adjacent to Lost Rapids Drive. It will contain a
clubhouse and swimming pool. That is a colored version of that plan. Conceptual
building elevations, photos and renderings, were submitted that demonstrate the
general style of development proposed for this site. These are the multi -family and the
townhome style units and these are the -- the single family attached and detached at
the left-hand corner there are proposed on the western portion of the site and the other
ones are commercial pad site elevations and the Costco. So, all structures on the site,
except for the single family residential detached, are required to comply with the design
standards in architectural standards manual. A preliminary plat is proposed consisting
of one residential building lot, 13 commercial building lots, and one other lot for
dedication of right of way on 36.2 acres of land in the proposed R-40 and C -G zoning
districts. The applicant requests that they be allowed two building permits for the
construction of the Costco store and fuel sales facility prior to recordation of the
subdivision plat. The Commission recommended approval of this request since they do
have two legal buildable parcels. Access is proposed via one access from North Ten
Mile Road, an arterial street, between Lost Rapids and Chinden Boulevard. Two
accesses via US 20-26, Chinden Boulevard, a state highway, and two accesses via
Lost Rapids Drive, a collector street. New approaches directly accessing a state
highway are prohibited. The applicant is requesting a variance to this standard. Idaho
Transportation Department sent a letter to the city stating that they will approve the
proposed accesses via the state highway with the improvements in spacing outlined in
the letter. The applicant's narrative states that primary service access for Costco
delivery trucks and other local vendors will be from the driveway access via Ten Mile
Road. A driveway via Lost Rapids Drive is also available when accessed via the traffic
signal at Ten Mile and Lost Rapids is needed. A self-imposed restriction is proposed by
the applicant for a no through truck traffic sign to be installed between the Tree Farm
Way intersection and the Lost Rapids Drive service driveway access. Improvements to
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State Highway 20-26, Chinden Boulevard, and Ten Mile Road, are planned as follows --
and those are kind of shown here on a little diagram. Phase one, Chinden, is to be
widened to four lanes with signal intersection upgrades from Tree Farm to Linder.
That's one and a half miles. Ten Mile widened to four lanes from Chinden to Walmart,
.8 of a mile, and signals at Black Cat Road and Lost Rapids Drive prior to Costco
opening. Phase two improvements are proposed to consist of Chinden widened to four
lanes from Tree Farm to State Highway 16, 1.44 miles within two years of Costco
opening. In addition, Costco and the other commercial uses and residential units will
pay impact fees in excess of two million dollars to ACHD for local street improvements.
The ACHD commission requested that council require Chinden to be widened to four
lanes from Tree Farm to State Highway 16 at the same time as the improvements
proposed with phase one. If Council approves this request by ACHD this would require
modification to development agreement provision number 1.1.13.16. The street section
shown on the plat depicts Chinden widen to four travel lanes, with two turn lanes within
140 feet of right of way and North Ten Mile Road widened to five lanes. ITD's letter
states at the western most access via US 20-26, which is 1,160 feet west of the
Chinden-Ten Mile intersection, will be allowed as a temporary right -in, right -out, left -in,
until such time as the highway is widened to three lanes in the eastbound direction and
if not before it will be limited to right -in, right -out. A 550 foot long decel lane will be
required. The driveway nearest the intersection, which is 545 feet east of the previous
access and 615 feet west of the intersection will be allowed as a right -in, right -out. A
550 foot long decel lane, including taper, is required. However, due to the distance
restriction between accesses ITD may allow for a ten percent decrease of the standard
requirement. The multi -family residential development will require approval of a
conditional use permit in the R-40 zoning district. The Commission did recommend
approval of this application at their hearing on March 1st. There were several people
that testified in favor and in opposition. They are all listed in your Commission
recommendation to City Council report. And I will go ahead and go through the key
issues of the public testimony just real quick. The first item was -- in favor of the Costco
in this location, an opinion that they are a good neighbor and will provide great
economic opportunities for the city and good paying jobs for area residents. Negative
impact of Costco on quality of life, for instance, noise created from delivery trucks, idling
of engines at the fuel facility, hours of operation, increased density and intensity of land
use for area residents. Concern related to traffic impacts from the proposed
development and access restrictions from the state highway and already heavy traffic
on the State Highway 20-26. Access constrained location with inadequate ingress -
egress access points, unsafe pedestrian connections within the proposed development,
and lack of safe access for the Keith Bird Legacy Park. Increased noise. Rooftop
ventilation systems. Power equipment used to maintain the property. Mechanical
equipment. Loading and unloading delivery trucks. Backup beepers. Generators and
refrigeration equipment and air pollution from the site. Excessive lighting generated
from the site resulting in increased night sky light pollution. Generation of hazardous
materials, such as petroleum and contaminants from brake and tire wear, which leads to
runoff into groundwater. Large impermeable surfaces of the parking lots. Incompatible
architecture of the industrial sized building and adjacent strip malls to the existing
neighborhoods. Against proposed changes to Comprehensive Plan future land use
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map for medium density residential. Positive impact to the local economy from having
Costco locate here will also generate businesses for other retailers, restaurants,
services in the area and will contribute to the balance and what is available for shopping
and employment in Meridian. Provision of much needed infrastructure in this area with
the approval of this development without having to wait for funding of these
improvements. Road widening intersection improvements, etcetera. An opinion that
this site isn't a good fit for Costco. Preference for it to be located at the State Highway
16-Chinden intersection to the west instead of this property. Key issues of discussion
by the Commission are as follows: The applicants request to change their request for
an amendment to the future land use map from all mixed use regional to the eastern
32.83 acres of the site as commercial and the remaining area staying medium density
residential as is currently. Traffic impact from the proposed development on adjacent
streets and State Highway 20-26. Impact on quality of life for area residents. The
location of the fuel facility and staff's recommendation for it to be shifted from the corner.
Feeling that the size of buildings allowed in the current mixed use community
designation, i.e., 30,000 square feet, is a big jump to the proposed commercial
designation, which has no size restrictions, which will allow the proposed 168,652
square foot building. Made some changes to the staff recommendation. They
approved staff's -- staff's recommended changes to the conditions of approval in Exhibit
B as noted in the memo to Mayor and Council from staff dated March 1st, 2018, and
they removed condition number 1-B, which required the fuel facility to be shifted off the
corner to the south. Outstanding issues for Council. Staff requests provisions and
associated exhibits are added to the development agreement that required development
to comply with the Costco site lighting exhibit is included as an exhibit in the DA
provision and modification to development agreement provision number 1.113-116 to
require the widening of State Highway 20-26 to four lanes from Tree Farm to State
Highway 16 with the first phase of development, rather than the second phase if Council
deems appropriate concurrent with ACHD's recommendation. There have been many
letters of testimony for and against this project that have been received by the city since
the Commission hearing and you can see the public record for a complete record of
those. Staff will stand for any questions.
De Weerd: Council, any questions for staff at this time? Okay. Is the applicant -- if you
will, please, state your name and address for the record.
Wardle: Yes. Madam Mayor, just before we go official, Jonathan is handing out a list of
the applicant representatives that are here this evening to answer questions in due
course and I just wanted to be certain that you received earlier the applicant's submittal
that includes some requested changes or modifications of the conditions of approval. I
believe you have all of that information and with that, Madam Mayor, officially for the
record Mike Wardle, 12601 West Explorer Drive in Boise and we will not take 20
minutes this evening. I want to commend Sonya. She's given our presentation quite
thoroughly, but I just want to run through some of those items just to be certain that we
are clear. Obviously, the site -- the plan, with 58 percent residential and 42 percent
commercial. The Comprehensive Plan changes that Sonya has noted, instead of the
complete modification of the entire site to mixed use regional, we did prior to the P&Z
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Commission hearing modify that to maintain the medium density residential to the west,
commercial to the east and the Planning and Zoning Commission considered that
modification and recommended approval. Just a couple of comments about the future
land use map. As adopted -- and the upper graphic shows the August 2002 plan that
has literally a hundred acre bullseye on Bainbridge encompassing half of the site
proposed in this application as mixed use regional in anticipation of major commercial
and intense uses. There have been seven site specific map modifications since then on
that -- in the north Meridian area, including mixed use commercial -- mixed use
community designation to the 15 acres site Sonya noted within the proposed project
area as approved by the Council in October 2008. Previous councils have modified the
Comprehensive Plan map for the proposed project area on three prior occasions. As
noted, the mixed use regional, one iteration with no mixed use designation and most
recently with the mixed use community. In each and every case there were no site
specific proposals to address. Now there is. And while this request represents a
change, the Council has the opportunity to determine if the proposed project is
appropriate at the intersection of a major state highway and a five lane arterial and, if
so, to modify the plan as it has done on numerous occasions before. The second
application before the Council this evening is the annexation and zoning and as noted
the R-15, with a proposed range of density of five to eight units per acre. The R-40 with
a maximum number of 24 units per acre by development agreement to that limit would
be established and the remainder of the site being C -G commercial. Because of the
diversity of the project we have proposed three separate development agreements.
One for the Bainbridge North portion, one for the multi -family, a third for the commercial.
The Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed and approved or made a
recommendation for approval to the Council for annexation and zoning as proposed.
The third application is the preliminary plat and as noted there is one multi -family parcel
within that plat, three Costco parcels and ten future pad sites. The multi -family will
require a conditional use permit in the future with neighborhood meetings and hearings.
All commercial uses, including Costco, will go through the certificate of zoning
compliance and design review process. The Planning and Zoning Commission
recommended approval of the preliminary plat and the Ada County Highway District
commission approved the preliminary plat on February 28th. There is one clarification I
would like to make to Sonya's staff report. The ACHD commission encouraged
completion of the entire project within the initial construction to be coincident with the
completion of Costco or the opening of Costco, but it was a suggestion of
Commissioner Woods, it was not a part of their staff report, it was not a requirement, it
was a suggestion. Obviously, that's the hope that can occur, much of which is subject
to the Idaho Transportation Department's ability to secure the right of way for the area to
the west. The final application is a Council consideration item only. The UDC allows
the Council to modify access standards by variance based on ITD recommendations.
ITD has approved the proposed 20-26 accesses as noted and they did so in October of
last year. The City Council has exercised its discretion and approved similar requests
on state highways within your jurisdiction numerous times before. Without those access
points there would be a significant impact on Lost Rapids and that is a primary
neighborhood concern. In the Council -- or Commission discussion they noted that staff
had recommended that -- that we prioritize and encourage access from Ten Mile and
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Lost Rapids, rather than the state facility. The Commission considered that
recommendation, but did not agree. Buffering will address many of the immediate
neighborhood concerns. The most significant buffer is the highway system. State
Highway 20-26, now three lanes, will soon be five, ultimately seven. Ten Mile, a two
lane roadway, will soon be five. Lost Rapids, a collector with two travel lanes and two
bike lanes, was constructed by Brighton up front as a backage road in anticipation of the
more intense uses to the north. None of these three roadways are local neighborhood
streets. They function to carry traffic from, through, and beyond the neighborhoods.
Landscape buffers will be significant, particularly heavy to the south and west of Costco
between the uses and along the roadway system and, finally, perhaps most significant
will be the buffers provided by the buildings surrounding the Costco itself. The
residential to the west and to the south of Costco will provide the most immediate buffer
and absorb much of the commercial impact for the adjacent neighborhoods. The inward
facing commercial pads on Chinden and Ten Mile will also visually buffer the Costco
site. The seven renderings that follow illustrate the views from the streets after the
completion of multi -family and commercial phases of this project. The first northerly
from just east of Keith Bird Park to the two story townhome style apartments north of
Lost Rapids, through the gap to Costco in the background. The second is the Lost
Rapids entrance to the multi -family project. Third is northerly at the commercial access
from Lost Rapids between the multi -family to the left and the commercial pads, which
are unseen to the right. From the intersection of Lost Rapids and Ten Mile. Westerly
from Ten Mile just south of the fueling station and north of the commercial pads
adjacent to Ten Mile Road. Southwesterly from the intersection of Chinden and Ten
Mile with the fueling station in the foreground and, finally, looking southeast from the
west Chinden entrance, the commercial pads in the foreground and Costco in the
distance. Perhaps the most often asked question in this process has been why here.
Why not at Highway 16 or at 1-84? The answers are spacing and service area with
north -south freeway access. In addition, this particular site at the intersection of Ten
Mile and Chinden disperses the traffic in a way that cannot be dispersed at Highway 16.
There are three ways, west, east and south, with the traffic 40 percent of which would
go eastbound, 40 percent south, 20 percent west. The highway situation at -- at
Highway 16 is that there is no access to 16 itself, meaning that all traffic would go east -
west from the site with the bulk of that traffic, 80 percent of it, headed to the east from
that location. Staff had initially recommended that the fueling station be moved off the
corner, but following discussion with the Planning and Zoning Commission and Costco
representatives, who are here this evening and can elaborate further, the Commission
concluded that it was best to leave the fueling station at the corner for site traffic flow
and separation of the movements on site. The buildings, including Costco and all other
commercial buildings, will be subject to design review in the future as they go in for
building permit applications or prior to building permit applications. Costco has limited
hours. It is not an all night operation. Even the lighting, which is designed to be
contained on site, is reduced after closing. There are time and access restrictions on
deliveries and there will be many good paying jobs provided to the community.
Transportation phasing as noted by Sonya has been approved by the traffic impact
study, reviewed and approved by both ITD and ACHD, including the widening, points of
access, and the timing of those improvements. By the opening of Costco Chinden will
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have two additional lanes between Tree Farm and Linder. The existing signals and
intersections at Tree Farm, Ten Mile and Long Lake will be upgraded. There will be two
new signals, one at Chinden and Black Cat, one at Ten Mile and Lost Rapids and Ten
Mile will be widened to four lanes south to Walmart and within two years, then, the
noted improvements with two additional lanes to State Highway 16. These
improvements are noted graphically with the -- by opening within the black brackets,
including the signal at Black Cat and within two years to Highway 16. Costco will up
front 15 million dollars for these transportation improvements through a STAR
agreement with ITD and ACHD. In addition, there will be significant ACHD impact fee
contributions by all of the commercial and residential uses, in addition to the property
tax generated -- property taxes generated for the community directly. The anticipated
schedule is -- the agreements will be completed this year with design and right of way
and construction to occur coincident with the opening of Costco in 2020. The STAR
program, which you have seen information that suggests that this is really not a good
reason to approve the project, but the STAR program is a tool to enable private sector
funding to initiate and expedite needed, overdue and unfunded transportation
improvements. The final graphic in my presentation addresses one concern that has
been expressed by the neighborhoods about how the traffic will move westbound and I
would note that 20 percent of the traffic leaving the site would have a westbound
direction. Obviously, there are five routes available, but I would note -- and these will be
shown in the traffic simulation which will follow, that there is a right -out, U-turn
movement that is protected on Chinden that enables traffic to move to the west without
going to Lost Rapids. I'm going to turn the time now over to Andy Daleiden of Kittelson
& Associates to show and narrate the traffic simulation and, then, I might have some
concluding comments before we complete our presentation and stand for questions.
De Weerd: Mr. Wardle, is this the five minute video that we were asked to do?
Wardle: Yes, ma'am.
De Weerd: So, you would have one minute to wrap up following that.
Wardle: Thank you.
Daleiden: Good evening, Madam Mayor and Members of the Council. My name is
Andy Daleiden and I'm a principal engineer with Kittelson & Associates at 101 South
Capital Boulevard, Suite 301, Boise, Idaho. 83702.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Daleiden: We prepared the transportation impact study for the proposed development
that has been approved by Ada County Highway District and the Idaho Transportation
Department, as well as a video for tonight's -- video simulation for tonight's hearing.
The traffic volumes shown in the video represent the year 2024 full build out conditions
of -- of the development during the weekday p.m. peak hour. So, this is the busiest time
on the transportation system, you know, when you're looking at it and, then, it includes
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the full buildout conditions of the development. The video will begin with an overview of
the proposed roadway widening on Ten Mile Road and Chinden Boulevard. Both
roadways will be widened to four travel lanes with a center turn lane median with this
project. Additionally, the video will show the access locations for the proposed
development. So, the video is going to start northbound on Ten Mile Road from
McMillan Road. It's going to travel on Ten Mile Road. You will see the widening that
will occur just north of Milano Drive, which includes a northbound and southbound
additional through lane. It shows the new traffic signal at Lost Rapids Drive, as well as
the full access that's provided for the proposed development on Ten Mile. As we come
up to Chinden Boulevard you have two northbound left turns and now we are going to
travel westbound on Chinden. The improvements that are shown indicate both a
westbound through lane and an eastbound through lane. We will have a signal
modification at Tree Farm Way and, then, as you approach Black Cat Road you will see
the new traffic signal and turn lane improvements that would be provided at that
intersection. Additionally, as we approach State Highway 16, the improvements
proposed would match in with the existing five lane section that's currently in place just
east -- east of the State Highway 16 intersection. We are going to turn around and
head eastbound and this is going to take you all the way to Linder Road. One of the
things you will see with the roadway widening is the roadway segments and study
intersections meet both ACHD and ITD level service requirements at full build out of the
development. Additionally, several of the intersections along the corridor, as well as on
Ten Mile, will operate at level of service B. Other improvements include the traffic
signal modification at Tree Farm Way. There will be a traffic signal modification at Ten
Mile Road and Chinden and, then, also a signal modification at Long Lake Way. All of
those are signal modifications due to the additional through lane that would be provided
in the eastbound and westbound and the need to move some of the signal equipment.
We approach Linder Road where -- where the improvement would match into the
existing five lane section just as you get to the signalized intersection and now we are
heading westbound going back to where the proposed development is on Chinden. As
we approach the intersection of Ten Mile Road you will see that we will have a pause
here and be looking in the southwest direction. At this location one of the things to point
out is the west -- the U-turn maneuver that the green vehicle just made. That's one of
the things that Mike was alluding to and one of the options that vehicles leaving the site
have departing the -- the two right -in, right -outs -- right -in, right -out, left -in on Chinden.
Additionally, the intersection of Ten Mile and Chinden has two sets of turn lane
improvements, the additional northbound left turn and an additional westbound left turn
and we will follow the westbound left turns that are operating right now as they turn onto
Ten Mile. As we traverse and head south on Ten Mile Road the outside lane you will
see the right -- the vehicles begin to use the right turn deceleration lane and access the
full access and go into the proposed development. At the traffic signal, the new signal
at Lost Rapids Drive and Ten Mile, there is additional turn lane improvements, a
southbound right turn, as well as turn lane improvements on the west approach. The
intersection here operates at level service B at full build out of the development and
there is adequate storage between that signal and the proposed access on Lost Rapids
to be able to manage anticipated vehicle queues. Traversing westbound on Lost
Rapids Drive now, you will see the public streets, as well as the proposed access
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points. On this roadway the traffic volumes are representative of a collector roadway
and meet Ada County Highway District requirements. The two way volume is
approximately 320 vehicles anticipated during the weekday p.m. peak hour under full
build out. This is approximately 40 percent of the available capacity of that roadway
under ACHD requirements. We are now at Tree Farm Way. This -- this signal is
projected to operate again at level of service B at full build out and overall the video and
Chinden Boulevard with this proposed project includes a significant infrastructure
investment on Chinden and Ten Mile that provides acceptable traffic operations at full
build out of the development and additional capacity for future growth for the city.
Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Wardle: Madam Mayor, Council Members, Mike Wardle once again. All I simply ask is
for your concurrence with the recommendations of approval that you have received from
the Planning and Zoning Commission for the Comprehensive Plan map amendment, for
the annexation and zoning and for the preliminary plat and that you affirmatively
approve the variance for the access points on Chinden Boulevard, Highway 20-26.
With that those that are listed on our applicant's representative's list are here available
to answer any questions that you may have. Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you. Council, any questions at this time?
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: I do have questions for Andy if I could. And if -- if you can pull up the video that
you just showed and just pause it at 3:10, that will be a good exhibit to walk through the
question. Right there is good.
Daleiden: Do you want us to pause that?
Borton: Yeah. Pause.
Daleiden: Go back a little bit?
Borton: Yeah. If you could back up just a bit. Sorry. Right -- yeah. There is fine. All
right. Madam Mayor. So, one of the things, amidst all of the information, speaks to the
-- the access right off Chinden, the right -in, right -out and the -- the two access, the right -
in, right -out, left -in, and safety concerns, obviously, the applicant has and you all have
to try and make sure this thing could operate successfully and -- and one of the things
that cause some concern -- and this illustrates some of it -- is there -- as I understand it,
there is two proposed accesses, the closest one, right -in, right -out, would be -- there is
a little bit of math here. There is 615 feet from the intersection is your first right -in, right -
out and, then, the second, which is depicted here and, then, the second right -in, right -
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out, which also has a temporary left -in component, is 1,160 feet from the intersection
and there was reference in the staff report in ITD's materials that the distance between
those two access points, which should be at a minimum of 550 feet, they are okay if it's
reduced somewhat to 545 feet. Do I have that right so far? Okay.
Daleiden: Generally, yes.
Borton: Okay. Well, I'm -- I'm taking the numbers from the -- from the materials. Here
is kind of what I'm getting at is some of the concern is there is a deceleration and
stacking requirements and I went and looked at the exhibits from the ITD policy manual
that's referenced in their letter and you have got -- hopefully this is a corridor, unlike
Eagle Road, that is preserved to be 55 and it's truly a high speed expressway that --
that these decelerations heading eastbound on Chinden, they are minimum or a little
less than a minimum necessary, according to the manual, for a safe decel and turn in
and as I looked through the application and those distances and I see on this exhibit a
safety concern, which is where the question is, how does this properly address
somebody, for example, in this easternmost right -in, right -out that's depicted here -- if
you have someone exiting -- turning right onto Chinden trying to get into the lane of
travel -- actually, it's more of an issue on the -- on the further west one, you have got
someone turning right onto Chinden trying to get to the lane of travel and you have
somebody coming eastbound on Chinden trying to duck into a somewhat truncated
deceleration lane and there appears to be conflicts that might be kind of -- they are
worse off because of the high speed of the corridor. So, I kind of wanted to get your
sense from the -- the transportation planning perspective on how we shouldn't be more
concerned that in light of the high speed of Chinden that deceleration lane could cause
a safety concern and conflict with traffic. It's kind of a long question, but that's kind of
why the math seemed to make sense as part of it to get some comfort on why those
smaller distances still might be appropriate here.
Daleiden: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, the -- so, first maybe just on the
access spacing and the comment raised associated from Idaho Transportation
Department. So, one of the things is just the access location, that first right -in, right -out,
that -- so, that would be the eastern access. The -- that distance in there, one of the
questions with ITD that we were going through was is there adequate distance there to
provide a deceleration lane and, then, the storage associated with the right turn at the
signal and -- and from what we were looking at there is -- from a queuing standpoint and
the operations, that there is -- there is adequate storage to be able to provide that and
that it was critical -- one of the things was to be able to start the -- the taper from either
that -- from that eastern most right -in, right -out past the intersection, so that you don't
end up with a just full auxiliary lane in that area where folks would -- so, if I use the -- if
you're able to see the cursor -- being able to start the taper past this intersection, so that
we are not having, basically, a continuous right turn lane for folks to come in and out of
that area. It was something that was -- that was discussed, but that can create just
some additional friction in that area. So, what we were looking at is starting -- being
able to start that taper at this point just past the intersection, being able to provide that
and, then, the storage necessary for the right turn at the signal. Under that condition
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the signal is really -- yeah, the vehicles are coming to -- can come to a stop depending
on what the signal is doing, whether it's green or if it's red, and so we want to make sure
that we are accommodating for adequate deceleration there and we were. So, once
you got past to these locations, the right -in, right -out here and to your -- to your
comment, we are looking at the same element of providing that -- that taper just passed
the right -in, right -outs. So, that conflict element that you're alluding to, the potential is
the eastbound through vehicle that wants to turn right, they are going to be past the
point of this access before they are actually moving over into the outside lane into that
taper to be able to decel and come in. So, that's -- that is -- is the component with the
design and, then, similar as we get to the -- the western most access, the right -in, right -
out, left -in, we would be doing the same -- same component and that would have the
taper and there isn't a driveway nearby where -- where you specifically maybe have that
decision point that occurs. This is -- this is a very common kind of design when you're
looking at right -in, right -outs and there would be more concern if we were talking about
-- if someone was trying to turn left out of these and the potential conflicts. So, we
reduced that by being able to provide the deceleration lane just past the -- the start of
the deceleration lane just past the accesses for vehicles to be able to slow down and,
then, make the maneuver either at the signal or same thing at -- at the right -in, right -out
access.
Borton: Madam Mayor. Just one follow up. And this is very helpful to understand.
That safety concern is a big deal. When you look at those two accesses, the right -in,
right -outs, according to the data that we have got, the distance between those two is
545 feet and you have got a decel of 370 feet and, then, you have got a taper, which,
basically, takes the remainder of it and so it doesn't -- at least the math doesn't look
quite like what it would look like here. The math gave me some concern that once you
cross and pass that western most right -in, right -out, the taper begins within a matter of
feet, turn -- you know, tapering right into that decel. It's -- they are just so close and if
that's common, that's helpful to know, but it just seemed like it was so close that at that
speed, as soon as someone leaves that right -in, right -out, you have got a taper where
there might be conflicts.
Daleiden: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, so the conflict that you're talking
about is a right turn vehicle coming out and a right turn coming in --
Borton: Yeah.
Daleiden: -- the right turn, so that right turn vehicle coming out will be turning in -- we
will be looking at the vehicle coming towards them. So, that's heading in -- that's
heading eastbound in that through lane and so once it gets to this point that right turn
vehicle -- the vehicle going through and turning into the taper, it will have already gone
-- gone past. So, they really -- the conflict that they are looking at, they are judging a
vehicle coming in that -- that outside through lane and seeing if there is a gap and if
there is a gap, then, they will take that and be -- turn in front of that vehicle, but if there
isn't -- if that vehicle is coming and there isn't a gap, they are just going to -- they are
controlled, they are stopped, they are just waiting for that gap. So, the conflict that --
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that is -- that potential conflict is really more of an aspect between just a normal right
turn vehicle and that vehicle trying to find a gap in the through traffic and it's -- that's the
conflict because of the -- the lane is -- is occurring and that taper is occurring
downstream. If -- if we had the outside lane and started it in advance and continued
that as an auxiliary, then, that lane now becomes that outside lane -- the right turn --
that potential right turn vehicle could be coming and approaching that right -in, right -out
and the right turn vehicle would have to determine are they turning right into that first
driveway or are they continuing straight and that's the importance of providing that
taper, you will pass the intersection, so you reduce that -- that potential conflict and
there are locations in the Treasure Valley that have that kind of continuous auxiliary and
that's something that, you know, we are -- our proposal does not include that continuous
auxiliary lane.
Borton: Okay. That's helpful. Thank you very much.
De Weerd: Any further questions at this time? Okay. Thank you. This starts the public
process. I had asked if there was a spokesperson. And, Mr. Rock, if I can ask you how
many people you represent and if you would raise your hands.
Rock: Madam Mayor, Council Members, I'm just here to kind of introduce how we are
going to present tonight. There is going to be one spokesperson here that's
representing eight or ten people and they will show their hands and I'm just going to
kind of kick it off as the first presenter. Is that okay -- appropriate?
De Weerd: As part of the ten minutes? And it's only eight or ten --
Rock: No. I'm only going to take a three minute presentation. There is one person
that's here representing a group of people that will speak for ten minutes. I think most
of the rest of us are going to be speaking for like three minutes.
De Weerd: Okay. So --
Rock: As a point of clarification.
De Weerd: So, the spokesperson is not speaking on behalf of the entire group?
Rock: The spokesperson is not going to present -- is not going to be speaking on behalf
of the homeowners of Bainbridge. They are going to be speaking on behalf of another
organization. Does that make sense?
De Weerd: No. I'm not tracking you. Okay. So, the spokesperson represents a group
of -- of homeowners.
Rock: There is a spokesperson here tonight that's going to speak for ten minutes on
behalf of -- could somebody tell me the name of it, because -- I think it's the North
Meridian --
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De Weerd: North Meridian --
Rock: -- Water Quality Coalition.
De Weerd: And --
Rock: The rest of us are going to be speaking individually.
De Weerd: So, he's not speaking on behalf of a group, because the whole group is also
going to take their three minutes?
Rock: He's -- he's speaking on behalf of a group that I think is represented here.
Correct?
De Weerd: Is there -- so, what we wanted to do up front, because we do have a sign-
up sheet, is to ask if there are -- if there is -- we have two subdivisions, Bainbridge and
Spurwing Greens -- if there are spokespeople specifically speaking on behalf of the
neighbors.
Carroll: Madam Mayor, my name is Andrea Carroll. I'm one of the attorneys who will be
speaking later on in the presentation. I think that the miscommunication or sort of issue
is that there is actually a conflict of interest between the developer and one of the HOAs
and in order to be able to streamline what you have agreed as a group, that there will be
one ten minute speaker, that person has a group of people who are waiving their time,
but they are not officially representing an HOA, in part because the developer, who is
part of the application, has a conflict of interest with one of the HOAs at issue. So, I
think if we just move along we are going to have a single three minute presentation, the
second presenter will be speaking for ten minutes and everyone else will be speaking
for three minutes period.
De Weerd: So, the spokesperson is not taking other people's time then?
Carroll: He is. He is. And the people who he is taking their time will raise their hand at
the time that he's speaking. It's Bob Neufeld, who is the second speaker on the list.
So, there is a waiver of time, but it's not on behalf of the homeowners association,
because there is not -- there is not an ability in this case, because of the conflict, to
have a homeowners association representing the coalition of individuals who are
against this development.
De Weerd: Okay. But we really -- so, Mr. Neufeld can start -- we want to have the
spokespeople to -- to kick it off, but Mr. Rock needs to kick it off with your three minutes
and, then, Mr. Neufeld.
Rock: Sure. If that will work for you.
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De Weerd: It will. Mr. Neufeld, we will have Mr. Rock -- Mr. Neufeld. Oh. We will have
Mr. Rock speak first and, then, I will have you come up and, then, we will go through the
list.
Neufeld: Thank you very much.
Rock: Okay. I will try to make it a fast three minutes. If you want to give me control I
can -- with the arrows. Okay. Madam Mayor, Council Members, my name is Bob Rock.
I live in Bainbridge Subdivision.
De Weerd: And your address, please.
Rock: My address is 4090 West Lost Rapids Drive.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Rock: So, I will try to make this as brief as possible.
De Weerd: It's three minutes.
Rock: Three minutes. Yes, ma'am. Okay. So, first of all, we are neighbors support --
or neighbors supporting neighbors here and I make that point, because we are
members officially of a homeowners association, but that homeowners association
really doesn't represent us, because that homeowners association is owned by
Brighton. So, we pay a quarter of a million dollars in that neighborhood to the
homeowners association that's really not representing us. That's why we are here
making a case for ourselves tonight. I also want to point out that Costco -- I don't mean
this will be negative, but Costco is not a community partner. They are not contributing
directly to the City of Meridian like other business owners are. Those that are most
affected in this whole deal are the ones that are least represented. That's why we are
here tonight. So, we are depending on our leaders to step up and look out for our best
interest. That's why we are here. This is a photograph here of the Nampa Costco. See
all the residential areas around that Costco? Of course not, because there aren't any.
What we have here is just the opposite. We have a neighborhood, a lot of residents
that are already settling -- or are already settled in the neighborhood and, then, we are
going to plop this gigantic Costco warehouse right in the middle of our neighborhood.
Of all the discussions and all the hearings we have had so far that's never mentioned.
We are never even talked about. Pedestrian fatalities, pedestrian injuries, are on the
increase all the time. These are national statistics and I'm sure they are getting worse.
In 2012 right here in our own neighborhood, Lochsa Falls, there was a 12 year old or a
ten -- ten year old boy that was killed in the subdivision riding his bicycle and there
weren't even any bike paths in that neighborhood. A lot of us remember that. And we
don't want that to happen again. We are all homeowners that are concerned about
some of the safety issues. We have two parks within walking distance right now in our
neighborhood. We have weekend sporting events that already are completely filling the
parking lots of those -- of those parks without even taking into account the residents that
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are going to show up to watch those events. Lost Rapids is already too narrow and I
got to tell you that simulation -- that's not a simulation. I have worked with, I have
developed, I have tested, I have trained on simulators, that thing doesn't even come
close to show what the traffic patterns look like right now, much less what they are
going to look like when they are fully loaded. The graphic of Lost Rapids Road -- to go
travel down that road right now, if I put two trucks side by side you can't open the doors,
that road is that narrow already. Bike paths make it even narrower. No parking signs.
We all know if you drive by Settlers Park during a ball game people totally ignore no
parking signs and there is no crosswalks anywhere near our neighborhood. If you -- the
other thing that's not taken in consideration -- there are at least three paths through our
neighborhood with only two stop signs between Black Cat and Lost Rapids. I guarantee
you that people are going to use that as an access to this Costco development,
because if you turn on your GPS right now and drive anywhere in Meridian you're going
to be taken right through a -- right through the subdivision.
De Weerd: Mr. Rock, could you, please, summarize.
Rock: Yeah. I will summarize.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Rock: Other speakers are going to get up here and talk about some of the other
hazards that are -- that are -- that I was going to say, but I don't have the time and this is
what I want to avoid. I just want to drive home the point that we are homeowners and
we have children, those children have free access to the parks that we have right now.
This development is going to -- is going to make that almost impossible. Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Madam Mayor --
De Weerd: Mr. Rock. No. So, please, don't do that. We want to respect all of our --
our speakers and we ask that you hold your applause. Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Madam Mayor. Mr. Rock, as opposed to the proposed development, what
would you like to see done instead?
Rock: What we would like to see, number one, is we are not opposed to a
development. We are not opposed to the retail development spaces. We just don't
think it's appropriate to have a warehouse the size of Costco where it's going to be
located right now. When you look at the impact that it's going to have on this -- on the
subdivision -- that hasn't even been discussed. Not once has Costco, not once has
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Brighton come to the homeowners and said how is this going to impact you, what can
we do to provide safety for the residents that already live there and it's kind of a slap in
the face when we pay homeowners dues to that same organization. It's never even
been taken into consideration.
Palmer: Madam Mayor? A follow up. Mr. Rock, as to that point, they did mention that
they were trying to steer traffic away from the subdivision by having those two entrances
and kind of -- the point that Mr. Borton brought up maybe I want to kind of ask a couple
of citizens and anybody that might testify what you thought of those, if you feel like that
might be something that you would like to remain in there, because it's that -- that
Council does have a stand and my concern with it is -- is that the future development of
it being into seven lanes -- we have seen on Eagle Road where ITD shut down the left
turn lane into The Village, so I don't know how far the seven lanes would extend, but I'm
curious whether -- whether having additional -- being so close to Chinden and have --
you probably travel it more than I do. I live in south Meridian. Would you prefer to -- to
see those kinds of exits to try to push traffic onto Chinden or avoid those to make -- to
have less entrances on Chinden, but have -- have them to try to keep traffic away from
the subdivision or get rid of them, because you don't want -- want less access on
Chinden.
Rock: I have lived in Meridian for years and we -- I have all -- we have all seen what ---
what really happens when roads get widened and improved and how long it really takes.
I think if -- if the City of Meridian would just stick to the comprehensive plan and put the
infrastructure in first and, then, build the -- the outlets that we are talking about -- it's still
not going to be perfect, but I think it would be more acceptable. Move Costco to the
west. You know, I hear a lot of, well, we can't do that because this is, but yet it's okay to
build it now, because it will be two years from now. I mean we are talking apples and
oranges there. I think there is a lot of solutions. Nobody ever asked the homeowners.
And I heard one of the Planning and Zoning Commissioners, when asked at the last
meeting -- one of the Planning and Zoning Commissioners actually asked the question
who was there first. We were there first. Never was Costco mentioned that it was going
to be built. I think of people -- ask for a show of hands of how many people would never
have bought in that subdivision if they had known Costco was going in, it would be a lot
of people. So, I think there are solutions, but we are kind of putting the cart before the
horse. Let's plop this big giant warehouse and the apartment complex and the retail
stores in first and we might maybe probably are going to put the widened roads in later
and, then, you show a simulation that doesn't even show the amount of traffic that is
currently on those roads. If you did that it would probably scare you a little bit.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Mr. Rock, you shared some concern -- the developer of your -- of the project
hasn't reached out to you guys, but to answer I guess your concerns about safety in
your neighborhood --
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Rock: It's not --
Cavener: What are those concerns and what would the -- what would the solutions that
the neighborhood would present if given that option.
Rock: I don't think she's here tonight, but one of the homeowners at the last Planning
and Zoning meeting told a pretty good story about the fact that she has five kids that are
able to ride their bicycles and run through the neighborhood and go where ever they
want and as soon as this comes in and we have traffic through our neighborhood, she's
not going to be able to allow that. Now, multiply that times 400 homes, there is a lot of
kids in that neighborhood. There is no stop signs. There is no speed bumps. There is
no gates. People are creatures of habit. If they start over the next two years while all
the construction is going on taking shortcuts through our neighborhood, when the road
gets widened they are not suddenly going to say, well, I'm going to go back to Chinden,
they are going to go through the least path of -- path of least resistance. So, the safety
concern is we live in a neighborhood, we want to be a neighborhood, we realize it's not
going to be farms around us anymore, we realize that we are going to have retail outlets
and that's going to be good for us, because we don't have to drive as far, but if we can't
even get out of our own neighborhood to go to work anymore or if we can't let our kids
ride their bikes to the park anymore, it's not a neighborhood anymore, it's a group of
houses stuck in the middle of a retail complex. That's not what we decided when we
moved there.
Cavener: Madam Mayor. Sorry, but I -- I hate to belabor this, but what -- what are
those things that -- I recognize that you don't have you feel a homeowner association
that represents all of the residents, but poling your neighbors, what are those safety
things? Is it speed bumps along a certain set of roads? Is it stop signs at certain
intersections? Is it all of the above? That's -- that's ultimately what I'm trying to get to.
Rock: Sure. Are you asking what -- so, if we -- if we already had the Costco there and
the retail establishments there what could we do to increase the safety of the --
Cavener: What would the safety -- that you wish the developer would have engaged
you on?
Rock: I wish the developer -- the developer first had come to us and even asked about
what are our concerns regarding access, egress, ingress to our neighborhood. The
statement that the Lost Rapids Road was never intended for access to our
neighborhood just baffles me, because the biggest sign that says welcome to
Bainbridge is at the beginning of that road. So, I don't understand why that wasn't
considered to be the entrance to our neighborhood. It is the entrance to our
neighborhood. It was never sold as anything different. I asked the question, I'm sure all
these other homeowners did, when we moved in, hey, what's going to be built there.
Well, it's just going to be a small grocery store, maybe, or a few small retail stores.
Never was it advertised to be a Costco. When we asked the Costco representative if
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Costco suddenly decided in the last six months to build, he said, no, two, three years
ago this was already in the works. Why wasn't there a gigantic Costco sign out there on
the side of the road saying this is going to be there. We didn't know it.
Bernt: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bernt.
Bernt: Mr. Rock, thank you for coming in and sharing your comments and your
concerns and as with everyone that's here this evening, it means a lot to us and we
appreciate it. One question that I have for you -- do you believe that traffic will be
affected within -- I know I'm very familiar with your subdivision, I'm out there a lot. Do
you like -- like streets like Vanderbilt and streets like Assisi and other streets, do you
believe that this development will cause more traffic through -- through your own
subdivision where the kids are playing?
Rock: I absolutely know it will. Like -- as I said, I have experienced when I try to take
my daughter to the dentist, which is over off Eagle Road, GPS routes me through a
couple of neighborhoods, because it knows that that's going to get me to a stop light, so
that I can turn left on the Eagle Road. GPS will take you right through our
neighborhood.
Bernt: Fair enough. Thank you.
De Weerd: Okay. Thank you. Mr. Neuhouse -- or Feld. If you will, please, state your
name and address for the record.
Neufeld: Mayor de Weerd and Members of the Council, my name is Robert Neufeld. I
resided at 3756 West Snow Cherry Court in Meridian. I'm here this evening to speak on
behalf of the North Meridian Water Quality Coalition on the need to protect our
groundwater supply from the developments of Costco and Brighton at Chinden and Ten
Mile.
De Weerd: Mr. Neufeld?
Neufeld: Yes.
De Weerd: Can I first ask can everyone raise their hand that he's speaking on behalf
of? Okay.
Neufeld: Thank you very much. By way of background, I have been here before the
Council before and I have been at several of the Planning and Zoning Commission
meetings, but my professional background was 31 years as an elected and as a senior
management official with various water agencies in southern California and what I find
quite interesting is that in Idaho nobody really seems to care or pays a lot of attention to
the water issues as they apply to the projects that are being proposed. It is also kind of
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ironic that when I conversed with city staff regarding what are the concerns of a city staff
when they asked the questions of a developer regarding water quality or water quantity,
the answer is, well, we typically only look at do we have enough water available to serve
them and to meet the fire flow demands. Period. So, there is no real concern about
what happens to the quality of the water. The biggest problem faced with water quality
throughout the entire United States is how the water -- groundwater gets contaminated
and by way of background in the state of Idaho over 95 percent of all water consumed
in the state of Idaho is groundwater. In the City of Meridian it's one hundred percent.
The issue that we face is very -- very small and let me just set this on the corner here.
That's a coffee creamer. The contents are .375 ounces. As we look at this particular
development one of the biggest concerns with groundwater pollution happens to come
from gas stations and fueling stations that are operated throughout both the state and
throughout the United States. The biggest concern in that is that those tanks have a
tendency to leak and gasoline contains volatile organic compounds, which are known as
a -- as a hazard listed on the United States EPA and that it is limited in the main
component -- not the main component, but one of the components as Benzene and
Benzene is limited by the EPA to no more than five parts per billion. Now, that seems
like a very, very large number, but what happens when you get leaking gasoline storage
tanks, you have a problem with -- let me get this to move to the next slide if I could,
please. What do you do here? There we go. This is just a graphic that shows the
number of groundwater wells that are located in the north Treasure Valley area and you
can see by the congestion on there -- you can just barely -- in the kind of left center you
can see Lake Lowell and over on the far right here -- see if I can get the -- the house to
point to it here. You can see Lucky Peak Reservoir. The 1-84 corridor and every one of
these dots represents somebody's water supply, either for drinking water or for irrigation
purposes, but when you look at the water supply for the City of Meridian it's all included
within this area here in north Ada county. The Idaho state law requires that when new
construction is going to include a petroleum underground storage tank or piping
connected to any such tank, that that tank must be constructed in a manner that will
make sure that there is absolutely no spills or leaks that can go out of that facility. In
reviewing the application from Costco I have seen absolutely nothing that indicates that
they are prepared to construct that containment to make sure that we don't have
contaminated water supply in the area. Another big issue. Water levels. If you look at
the water levels in the surrounding area, the Kleinfelder report, which was part of the
Costco application, indicates that groundwater in the area is about eight and a half to 16
feet below the surface of the ground. When you look at -- and I'm trying to find out here.
Sonya, I'm sorry, how do I get to the slides to advance? We can go -- okay. Thanks.
Okay. That's supposed to go to the right, but it's not. My point being is that when you
look at this line -- you need to get to one of the graphics there. I think it's really
important to understand that if you look at the Kleinfelder report it says very clearly in
the report that the fuel facility will contain three 30,000 gallon underground storage
tanks. They also say that additionally, based upon past experience, we estimate that
underground storage tank installation for the fuel facility will require an excavation of
about 18 feet below the existing ground surface level. If you have got groundwater in
the area in the -- here we go. Right here. That is at eight and a half to 16 feet below
the ground level and you put a water -- or a fuel storage tank at 18 feet below, that tank
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is actually going to be in the local water supply. There is no containment proposed as
we see it in this particular operation or application, excuse me, and we are really
concerned about the process that goes with that in the application. This is the site map
showing the wells -- the test wells that were drilled by the Kleinfelder's team for the
drilling and indicates at the various levels here -- if you look at the location of flight FT -2,
at that level there that's just to the immediate north of where the storage tanks would be
and that groundwater level there is at 16 feet and FT -1 it was also at 16 feet. The
problem that just -- that we are faced with here is that there has been no thought given
to the water level and the water quality in the area and we believe very strongly that this
application should be denied for that particular reason. Let me, as I conclude my
comments tonight, I wanted to make sure that you were reminded of a project called
Alto Via that's in the city of Boise and City Council would probably be aware of that, that
the city council approved that particular project there based upon the recommendation
of staff and as now they are facing major lawsuits over the landslides that occurred in
that particular area. I would not like to see a flood -- and forgive the pun there -- but a
flood of lawsuits filed against the City of Meridian because of a Costco fuel station here
with a leak -- not that it would happen if, but when. They all leak. You look at the
United States record, over half a million leaking storage -- underground storage tanks
have happened in the United States in the past 20 years. In the City of Meridian right
now there is one remediation site at the corner of Main and Franklin. I believe it's on the
northwest corner. That site has been under remediation for 28 years. So, that 28 years
ago they had a fuel spill at that location and now it is still being remediated through a
process of pumping the water out and treating it and, then, putting it back in the ground.
With that said, I would ask the Council tonight to consider all these options, to look at
something that probably nobody else in the valley is looking at, and that is what
happens to our water quality, what happens to the future of this community when we
have no water available. This little coffee container I set out right here, that amount of
Benzene in the local water supply will contaminate 1.6 million gallons of water. That's
not a very large amount to contaminate that to the point where you can no longer use
that as part of your drinking water supply. Excuse me. So, once again, we ask the
Council tonight to consider all these options and to vote no on all of the proposals that
are before you. Thank you. I would be happy to answer any questions.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Madam Mayor. Mr. Neufeld, thanks for your -- this is definitely something that
-- I don't know in my time here that someone has brought as a concern. Just a couple
points and a question for you. Our drinking water comes from several hundred feet
below ground. None of it is 11 to 18 feet below ground. As well as your concern about
that, you know, detailed plans about mediation for leakage wasn't included, it's because
at this early stage of an application it hasn't been designed yet. Those -- those plans
are not included, because they are -- they don't exist yet. That's something that comes
later down the road and I'm sure that Costco or any other fuel location would make sure
that they adhere to plans as there is inspections or to law. So, with that being said,
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though, is it your opinion that the city should never approve any future fuel sites in
Meridian?
Neufeld: No. I think that, you know, the progress that requires fueling stations requires
a process that allows the city and the staff to be fully aware of what is going on and that
there is a need for this. This needs to be in the approval process to make sure that
there is containment facilities constructed and if you do not have this in the approval
process you tell me at what point it will be when the developer is required to install
these types of things. Second thing is -- is that you're right with the groundwater wells
for the City of Meridian, but contamination in the groundwater aquifers does not just
travel, you know -- or stay in one location. It moves. And even the wells at the depth
that you have could be contaminated, but what is missing from this equation is that
there are a lot of local wells -- and I have counted at least five private wells within 1,000
yards of the proposed Costco that are private wells. The local residents that have been
there for a long time, they are taking their groundwater out of the upper levels. They are
not down there four or five hundred feet like the city is. They don't have the -- the ability
to do that and they never have. So, as to the issue of should we stop the development?
No, absolutely not, but we certainly need to make sure that we protect this precious
resource that we have.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: I have a few questions also I think. Thank you. That was very interesting and
I'm concerned about things like water quality, so I really appreciate that. I guess one
question, since you are the expert on this -- this area, I would assume, especially if
there have been so many oil leaks, that -- that there would be regulation to have some
containment. It would be -- there is probably laws that require that. So, do you -- can
you answer that for me?
Neufeld: Yeah, I can. There is an Idaho state law -- and I don't -- let me check real
quickly here and see. I -- I'm not sure if I have the exact provision in here, but there is
an Idaho state law that requires the installation and same containment facilities around
-- and I don't -- I don't see that I have the exact section block here to -- Idaho Code
Section 67.6537(4) requires -- well, this is -- it has to do with the groundwater
management plan, but there is a section of the Idaho Code that says if you are going to
construct a facility within 1,000 yards of a known drinking water source, that you must
provide containment for any underground storage tanks.
Milam: Thank you. So, I'm assuming that the applicant will also address -- address the
issue with that and maybe they will have an answer for you as far as the containment
that they have planned.
Neufeld: I would welcome one.
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Milam: The other question is more general and if this was a Fast Eddy's would you be
here tonight opposing the project?
Neufeld: Yes, I would. Because I'm here opposing the issue around groundwater
quality. I'm not here really to oppose the project. My personal preference is my
preference as to the project, but I'm here tonight talking about what happens to the
water quality in this area and as I stated in my opening remarks, my biggest concern is
there is not a governmental agency in the state of Idaho with the exception of the Idaho
Water Resources Control Board and the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality
that are really looking at this and when I checked with city staff about the
comprehensive aquifer management plan, which is also required by state law, what I
found is that the City of Meridian has been working on this for quite some time. It's still
in draft form and there is absolutely no indication of when that would be brought forward
to the City Council for your approval. So, we have a need for these kinds of things and,
yes, it could be a Fast Eddy's, it could be a Sinclair, it could be any other fueling facility,
that's the reason I'm here tonight.
Milam: Thank you.
De Weerd: Mr. Neufeld, I will tell you that the City of Meridian takes water quality
extremely serious. We have practices that protect our deep water aquifer and we were
one of the few in the Pacific Northwest that have an area of drilling concern application
that, yes, was denied by the Idaho Department of Water Resources. However, they
accepted our standards for drilling private wells. We take our water quality very serious
and I can tell you that our staff does, too. Our master plans are constantly being
reviewed and -- and -- and challenged to making sure we continue to have best
practices in protecting our deep water aquifer. When someone enters into an
annexation, they are required to abandon private wells, because we are concerned for
all of those percolation into our water aquifer and we do take that serious. So, I can tell
you that on behalf of our staff and the City Council is the content of your -- your
presentation is concern to all of us and we will take every precaution to make sure that
our deep water aquifer is not threatened.
Neufeld: And, again, Mayor, I appreciate that comment as regard to my remarks. The
big issue, though, is that while you have the deep water aquifers -- and I know that there
are standards in place, including the new standards that were adopted by the state
regarding the drilling of existing wells --
De Weerd: In Meridian.
Neufeld: And the City of Meridian. That -- that that issue is -- you know, has been
addressed, but it doesn't address the overlying issue and when you have a half a million
water tanks -- 22 of those leaks that have occurred in the last 20 years have been in the
City of Meridian out of 1,417 in the state of Idaho. That is a significant number. That's
not something you can turn your backs on and unless there is a provision in place up
front that requires the individuals proposing these projects, regardless of whether it's
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Costco or Fast Eddy's or whatever it is, that they must be required to build these
containment facilities in order to help prevent this from happening. Now, that's not
going to prevent all accidents from happening, because there is a lot of old underground
storage tanks out there that don't meet the federal regulations and the state of Idaho
regulations and those are the ones that are going to be causing the serious problem.
Yeah, you got deep water and you don't -- you get it at a very -- a good high quality
water out of there, but when you get contamination that starts to move through the soils,
it moves very slowly, but when it gets there it stays and when you have to remediate
any kind of contamination of a groundwater, it's not only very, very costly, it also takes a
tremendous amount of time to get that water supply system back into production.
De Weerd: Well, rather than to go into how we construct our wells, I would invite you to
sit down with our staff to find out -- we do take every precaution.
Neufeld: And I welcome that opportunity. Thank you very much.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Mr. Neufeld, I appreciate your testimony. This is why I love public hearings.
We often are presented with a perspective that we hadn't considered and I want to echo
the Mayor's comments in that you seem to have a wealth of knowledge on this issue
and I hope that you find ways to get involved as a citizen in our community to help
better educate us on these issues. You talked a little bit, though, about these leaks that
have occurred and I can recall a time when we only had two or three gas stations in
Meridian and a quick Google search shows we have got 44 now.
Neufeld: Right.
Cavener: So, you mentioned that -- I think -- I can't remember how many of those leaks
have occurred in Meridian. When was the last time one of these gas stations had -- had
a leak?
Neufeld: I'm not sure if it was in Meridian. Let me just give you -- to give you the
perspective, though, about gasoline leaks. If you look at the Department of
Environmental Quality, they are required to report all of the leaking underground storage
tanks. They call it LUST. L -U -S -T. But that's a report that is available through the
Department of Environmental Quality and if you look at all of those reports in there it
lists them by city and by date and when it occurred and how long it has been until it was
remediated or if it's still being worked on, similar to the one here. Of the -- the most
recent one that I saw in this report was based upon September of 2016, so it's not that
old, but the most recent report at that time was less than four months old in -- I want to
say Twin Falls. I'm not sure. But the issue -- and I think I'm trying to answer your
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question, Mr. Cavener, is that these things are happening on a frequent basis. Just
because it's not happening in Meridian today doesn't mean it hasn't happened before or
that it won't happen in the future.
Cavener: Okay. Thank you.
Neufeld: Any further questions?
De Weerd: No. Thank you.
Neufeld: Madam Mayor, Council, thank you very much.
De Weerd: Mr. Clerk.
Coles: Thank you, Madam Mayor. Next on the list. David Reyes would like to testify
against.
De Weerd: Good evening.
Reyes: Good evening to you.
De Weerd: If you will, please, state your name and address for the record.
Reyes: I will, Madam -- in one moment, once the PowerPoint comes up --
De Weerd: Okay.
Reyes: -- if you don't mind, please.
De Weerd: We want to give you your full three minutes.
Reyes: Thank you.
De Weerd: So, we will wait.
Reyes: I have a lot of material to cover. And pull up the PowerPoint. It's the second
one. Sorry. Just one moment. Okay. David Reyes. 5781 North Joy Avenue,
Meridian, Idaho. 83646. Madam Mayor, City Council Members, I would like to talk to
you about the proposed amendment to the Comprehensive Plan and the future land use
map and how it violates the goals of the Comprehensive Plan and the amendment
criteria. First, I would like to begin with the current map -- future land use map that
Brighton advertises on their website as recently as March 5th. You will notice that the
area in question is still shown as future medium density residential and the area where
the proposed Costco will be going and the fueling station is designated as not a part.
NAP. This proposed amendment violates the Comprehensive Plan goals on many
levels. I have indicated two here. To protect existing residential property from
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incompatible land use development on adjacent parcels and, secondly, to minimize air
and noise pollution on commercial developments adjacent to residential areas. I have
here the criteria from the municipal code for an amendment to the future land use map
and the Comprehensive Plan. On the left are the criteria. On the right are the ways in
which this application -- this post -amendment violates those criteria. I will draw your
attention to the areas in the dark boxes. Number one, this represents a large zoning
change, which is incompatible with the Comprehensive Plan. Number two, it does not
provide for public services. Instead it provides a spot zone for the benefit of the
developer. Number four, the UDC prohibits direct access to state highways. Number
five. Does not provide sufficient transition between medium and low density housing
and, number seven, rather than provide sufficient area to mitigate any impact, it will
exponentially exacerbate traffic impact. Prior actions on this very site. The Genisec
2008 properties where Commissioner Hood from the Meridian Planning and Zoning
concluded: The UDC specifically prohibits access to State Highway 20-26, that is
Chinden Boulevard. Access to the site should solely be provided from Ten Mile Road.
ITD concluded the proposed access shown onto US 20-26 is inconsistent with the
ongoing corridor study. Lastly, I want to leave you with a more personal note. In 2015
my family and I relocated from California to Idaho, seeking relief in the results of
uncontrolled development. The Comprehensive Plan and future land use map were key
elements in our decision to settle in Meridian in the Bainbridge Subdivision. The Lost
Rapids application opens the door to uncontrolled development in north Meridian.
Madam Mayor, Commissioners, City Council Members, I request that you deny the Lost
Rapids application. Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Coles: Next Gail Bacon would like to testify against.
De Weerd: Good evening.
Bacon: My name is Gail Bacon. 6695 North Moon Drummer Way, Meridian. 83646.
Madam Mayor and Council Members, my husband and I retired to Meridian in 2011.
This was our tenth move, eight being corporate relocations. When we began looking at
houses here our realtor strongly encouraged us to consider Eagle first, as he said
Meridian had become, quote, unquote, urban sprawl. However, we found and liked
Spurwing Greens and bought a Brighton home. We would never have purchased a
home in that area had we known the Comprehensive Plan could be so drastically
changed. To allow an industrial size warehouse with its 24 to 30 gas bays, parking lots,
to be placed in a residential area across the road is inconceivable to us. The
Comprehensive Plan needs to matter and shouldn't be disregarded so easily. The
quality of life matters to the existing neighbors around this project and to me. I would
ask the people behind me in the audience who live in the immediate area of this project,
knowing what you know now about the possible change to the Comprehensive Plan,
how many of you would not have purchased your home? Please raise your hands.
Thank you. And please deny this application.
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Coles: Michael Battaglia would like to testify against.
Battaglia: Okay.
De Weerd: Good evening. If you will, please, state your name and address for the
record.
Battaglia: Michael Battaglia. I live at 4212 West Wolf Rapids Drive in Meridian in the
Bainbridge Sub --
De Weerd: Thank you. Can you pull that up a little closer? Thank you.
Battaglia: Michael Battaglia. I live at 4212 West Wolf Rapids Street in Meridian.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Battaglia: Okay. Madam Mayor and City Council Members, I'm talking tonight about
the traffic concerns --
De Weerd: Can you pull that closer?
Battaglia: Is that better?
De Weerd: So, your neighbors can hear you.
Battaglia: Is that better?
De Weerd: Yes.
Battaglia: Okay.
Bernt: Hello. Hello. Real close.
De Weerd: That's where they say eat the mike.
Battaglia: Eat the mike.
De Weerd: Yes.
Battaglia: Okay. In Bainbridge there are a total of 458 total residential lots in the
subdivision itself. There is like 190 -- 190. One of them are occupied houses and there
are remaining 268 lots that are either under construction or platted, but not construction
started yet. The Bainbridge Subdivision at full build out will produce a total volume of
4,333 vehicles per day, with a peak -- I'm sorry. For the p.m. peak hour loading of 450
vehicles per hour. This came from a prior transportation study or investigation that was
performed in concert with the original development of the Bainbridge Subdivision.
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Bainbridge Subdivision was not on the list of in -process developments within the study
area and the traffic impact study that was done for the Bainbridge Subdivision, that's --
the subdivision is the one that Costco is working in. The vehicle counts referenced in
the previous slide were not included in the overall traffic area. The Bainbridge -- the
Bainbridge Subdivision has three existing and two proposed intersections with Tree
Farm Way, Lost Rapids Street, which is a local collector street. However, these
intersections were not analyzed -- or included and analyzed in the traffic study. This is
a drawing showing the -- the black dots indicate the locations -- of the intersection
locations that were examined within the traffic study, including -- they are also including
some further west on Black Cat and some all the way to Linder. The red triangles
indicate -- or show five preexisting and two proposed access points from the Bainbridge
Subdivision onto Lost Rapids Drive. They were not included in the transportation study
that was conducted for the Costco project. Let's go down here. Lost Rapids Street has
an average daily and peak hourly traffic counts were -- they were 690 average daily and
30 peak hour counts. These were conducted by ACHD on February 14th of this year.
The above counts include current resident traffic, construction traffic and real estate
sales traffic at the builder's model home. Homes. Peak hour total traffic conditions from
the GIS study for the Costco project were in line with what was presented by the traffic
engineer with regard to the 2024 Costco full build out or as the weekday peak hour --
with the p.m. peak hour and Saturday midday peak hours mirror what he was saying.
The Ten Mile Road proposed driveway C is proposed to serve as the primary access for
the Costco delivery trucks and the local vendor trucks, 12 to 17 trucks per day. The
ACHD staff comments recommendations with regard to driveway C indicate that the
driveway be approved as a temporary full access driveway. Temporary full access
driveway may be restricted in the future as traffic conditions warrant as determined by
ACHD.
De Weerd: Can you, please, summarize your testimony.
Battaglia: Yeah. One last thing. The majority of the traffic flowing eastbound or driving
westbound on Chinden that are destined for Costco are going to turn left or south on
Ten Mile and, then, turn right or going west into the Costco facility, which is using
driveway C. In summation -- where are we here? Here. Ninety percent of the Costco
customers go on Chinden going west are going to come down Ten Mile and go into
Driveway C, which is right directly into Chinden. This represents 30 percent of the total
customer trips to the Costco warehouse facility. In closing, the transportation study,
although it included a lot of the information that is applicable, it did not take into
consideration the -- the full build out of Bainbridge Subdivision, which is 450 plus homes
and even on the video that was presented, if you drive -- if you follow the path down --
or down Lost Rapids and onto Tree Farm Lane, if you look to the left, which is where all
the existing and proposed residents are -- or going to be are, it's -- the video showed
them as just a farmland and, like I say, those intersections -- existing intersections from
Bainbridge onto Lost Rapids were not included in the traffic study.
De Weerd: Thank you.
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Battaglia: Thank you.
De Weerd: Council, any questions?
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Mr. Battaglia -- I hope I pronounced your name right. I appreciate your
testimony. Is your summation, then, that the roads as built out won't handle the
proposed traffic increase or is it that you -- you're just not excited about the increase of
traffic that's going to fall on Lost Rapids?
Battaglia: I'm not a traffic engineer, so -- but all I'm saying is that all the additional traffic
that comes on with the Bainbridge Subdivision was not included in their traffic study that
was proposed and was not -- was not included in the total traffic counts that were
provided along the Lost Rapids and Tree Farm.
Cavener: Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Battaglia: Okay.
Coles: Andrea Carroll would like to testify against.
De Weerd: Good evening. We will wait until you're -- you're loaded.
Carroll: I'm low tech. Madam Mayor, Council Members, I'm low tech tonight. I have
had those go haywire too many times.
De Weerd: Okay. Very good. If you will state your name and address for the record.
Carroll: Thank you. My name is Andrea Carroll. My business address is 714 West
State Street. I'm a land use attorney hired to represent a coalition of neighbors in
Spurwing and Bainbridge against Lost Rapids. There is one completely indisputable
fact -- you might not believe it, but there is one fact that everyone in this room probably
agrees on, including ITD, including anyone who has looked at Chinden, existing --
existing demand, preexisting growth requires a widening of Chinden. The widening of
Chinden is not designed to absorb the impact of this development. It's already
necessary. There is a funding deficit, obviously. That's the reason why Chinden hasn't
already been widened. It requires a solution and not a short-term band-aid. Certainly it
was presented at the Planning and Zoning meeting as if this is a -- sort of a charitable
contribution on behalf of Costco. Costco is going to profit considerably. This is a
respectable investment decision on their part to front the money, so that they can begin
to profit from a store built sooner than they would otherwise be able to build. So, the
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reason why we are here tonight is to make good land use decisions, not to resolve a
funding deficit. You're here to look at your code, to look at state code, and make a good
decision on what is an appropriate -- appropriate development for this particular
location. So, ask yourself if the funding was already here would you be considering this
size of a development on this particular site? Would that make sense based on your
own code, because if it doesn't, then, that means you're making this decision based on
a reaction to other government agencies that have not stepped up to the plate. Let
them step up to the plate and let them solve the issues that they have created. Don't
make a poor land use decision in order to resolve an issue that another agency created.
Costco is a very special retailer. I love Costco. I go there all the time. But it's special,
because it -- it forces individuals to adjust their own commutes. It's not just the -- people
will go 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 60 minutes to get to a Costco. I do. And it's a very
special retailer. It's a vehicle driven retailer. No -- no one goes to Costco on their bike.
It's a -- it's the kind of development that is going to widen their ability to reach customers
in Middleton, Star. This is a huge deal. It's not -- it's not even like a WinCo, WinCos
are everywhere. Costco is very special. Every letter that you have received in support
of this Costco furthers my point there and I would ask you to take a very strong look at
the variance criteria, because it's not just your city code, it's also state code that
requires an undue hardship and it requires a site specific hardship. Being adjacent to
Chinden is not a hardship. There is a possibility of creating a moderately sized
development that makes sense in this area without a variance. In prior decisions the
City of Meridian has recognized this and I would ask that you recognize it today. In
summation, I want to say that the City of Meridian can survive and can thrive without
another Treasure Valley Costco. Sure, we want another Costco, but we can thrive
without it. But the City of Meridian cannot thrive if it makes poor land use decisions or if
it continues to approve growth that outpace the infrastructure and our ability to keep up
with that growth. Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Carroll: Any questions?
De Weerd: Thank you.
Coles: Bob Bacon would like to testify against. Once it's loaded, then, you can drive.
Bacon: Okay. Here we go. Now I can take control?
De Weerd: In just a moment. Okay.
Bacon: Madam Mayor, Members of the City Council, my name is Bob Bacon. I reside
at -- let's start over.
De Weerd: See, I don't have to say it anymore. They will.
Bacon: How am I doing now?
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De Weerd: You're much better. Thank you.
Bacon: Madam Mayor, Members of the City Council, my name is Bob Bacon. I reside
at 6695 North Moon Drummer Way, Meridian. 83646. Oh, this is quite large. Well, in
the City of Meridian's annual report for 2017 under strategic focus and the subject of
economic vibrancy, the commitment on that page states that Meridian will recruit family
wage jobs. It further states that Meridian will be a place where residents can live, work,
and raise a family. Thank you for that resolution change. Elsewhere in his report it is
stated that only modest growth resulted in the average annual wage for Meridian
residents from 2016 to 2017. It now appears at the jobs offered by Costco will not
materially improve that average annual wage. In fact, of the nine new job-related
businesses the city is hoping to promote and develop, according to the Comprehensive
Plan, page 59, retail slash wholesale businesses is absent as a primary target. At the
recent Planning and Zoning Commission meeting conducted on March 1st of year,
Costco Associate Vice -President Peter Kahn stated that 22 dollars represents the
average hourly wage for its employees. We contacted Mr. Kahn to get a better
understanding of how the average wage of 22 dollars is derived. Mr. Kahn was not able
to provide that explanation, but did offer a website link to an article that stated that
Costco's starting wage is $13.50 an hour. With a 40 hour work week that is 28,080
dollars per year. That is not the family wage that the city promises to attract. In fact, it
is 10,000 dollars less than the average wage -- Meridian average wage currently.
Average wages may not be a useful measure, because the data can be skewed by high
income earners with specialized license, journeymen or degreed skills, as well as
legacy employees reaching the top end of their wage pay scale. With no follow-up
information from Mr. Kahn by e-mail, we researched five separate websites that
specialize in corporate information. These are the employees that you see most when
you shop at Costco they have in common that none of them make 22 dollars an hour.
In fact, they don't make 19 dollars an hour. In fact, with exception to perhaps one or
two, all earned from 13.50 to 17 dollars per hour. When we add specialized -- less or
fewer specialized employees that average is skewed upward when you see network
analysts earning 36 dollars an hour or a pharmacist earning 60 dollars an hour, the
average Costco hourly wage is enhanced. Even at 22 dollars per hour the annual wage
falls well below the family of four living wage residing within Ada county. The jobs that
Costco offers will not materially move toward the higher average wage in Meridian.
They will not provide a family wage. We believe the city needs to stick to its most
recent Comprehensive Plan, deny the proposed Costco project on Ten Mile and
Chinden and recruit better paying jobs as originally outlined. Thank you.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Okay. Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Madam Mayor. Mr. Bacon, thanks for your testimony. A question for you. Is it
your opinion that we should reject any application if every employee doesn't exceed the
Meridian's average wage?
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Bacon: No. It's not a matter of that, it's just that I'm reminding the Council that the
original Comprehensive Plan was basically all right in the surrounding area. This is an
ill-advised location for this particular enterprise. Move it down the road, you will still
have Meridian residents earning a wage, it just won't be the family wage that you were
trying to promote. Secondly, none of us would have expected that they would be having
an enterprise as large as this right in the middle or adjacent to our -- our quality of life.
Our homes. So, they are not the white knight of wage earners that you are -- that they
are purporting to be. Move it down the road, have other Meridian residents earn a wage
there, but not in this location. There is too many negatives with traffic, safety, potential
pollution, all kinds of issues.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
914T [=- =-a W11 IIm11
Palmer: Mr. Bacon, you say move it down the road and that would -- that would solve
the issues you just listed?
Bacon: Move it down the road where it's not engulfed in a residential area now.
Palmer: Okay. Thanks.
De Weerd: Okay. Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Madam Mayor, my question was answered.
De Weerd: Okay. Thank you.
Bacon: Am I done? Thank you.
De Weerd: Yes.
Coles: Jane Albert would like to testify against.
De Weerd: Good evening.
Albert: Good evening. Thank you very much. My name is Jane Albert. I reside at
6628 North Salvia Way in Meridian and I'm before you tonight to comment upon this
project's negative impact on quality of life. The increased density and intensity of land
use affects quality of life for our neighborhoods in a number of ways, such as excessive
regional traffic routed to and through our neighborhoods, coupled with increased traffic
due to the density of the residential portions of the project. Unsafe pedestrian
connections within the proposed projects and lack of safe access for Keith Bird Legacy
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Park, potential exposure to hazardous chemicals, incompatible architecture of the
industrial size building and adjacent strip malls to the existing neighborhoods, excessive
lighting from the outdoor lighting in the parking lots and buildings that increase night sky
light pollution, noise pollution and not just from increased traffic, but rooftop ventilation
systems, power equipment to clean the parking areas and for commercial property
maintenance, mechanical equipment, loading and unloading delivery vehicles, heavy
truck noise, generators and refrigeration equipment. The large impermeable surfaces of
the parking lots adjacent to the commercial buildings and the high density residential
units creating additional runoff and water quality concerns, as well as in creating heat
islands. The significant concern of the health dangers associated with high volume gas
stations such as pollution from evaporation and emissions. There is also grave concern
for the burden on our emergency services network and of decreased response times
due to the intensity of the development. We have been told that Costco is a good
neighbor, but in the last 15 years alone Costco U.S. operations violations amount to
over 15 million dollars in the areas of workplace safety or health violations, wage and
hour violations, employment discrimination, controlled substance act violations and
environmental violations. We know you have heard from many throughout the Treasure
Valley who support the project, mostly at the behest of Costco. It's clear that people
want a Costco in Meridian, but that's what they want, a Costco in Meridian, not
specifically in the proposed location. We do not believe those voices should outweigh
those who will feel the direct impact of the project shoehorned into our residential
neighborhood. In fact, a recent poll shows almost 90 percent of Spurwing residents are
against the proposed development, an additional 425 people in adjacent neighborhoods
signed a petition against the project. I call on the City Council to show less concern
about attracting this growth and more concern about managing growth toward a positive
and proactive vision as created in the Comprehensive Plan. An end state that
preserves the enviable lifestyle we have come to expect in Meridian. Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Coles: Megan Rock would like to testify against.
M.Rock: My name is Megan Rock and I live at 4090 West Lost Rapids Drive in
Meridian, Idaho, in Bainbridge Subdivision. I have many responsibilities, but first and
foremost is to protect my child. When we chose our home in Bainbridge it was with the
understanding that this would be a safe, quiet neighborhood for her to grow, live, and
play in. There would be two parks and our pool within three blocks of our home. Our
daughter could walk or bike to these areas once she was old enough. Instead our
home bears witness the speeding vehicles that have total disregard for the safety of my
child, my family, and our neighbors on a daily basis. Vehicles regularly blow stop signs.
Nonresidential drivers habitually use Lost Rapids and Tree Farm to cut through from
Chinden and Ten Mile. Just yesterday I saw a pickup truck cut across the empty field,
over the grass, a sidewalk and a bike lane and onto Lost Rapids. Last week a car
parked in the bike lane on Tree Farm in front of a no parking sign and a fire hydrant.
The safety features of this neighborhood are already failing. From our home we can
easily see a quarter mile stretch of Chinden between Black Cat and Ten Mile and I have
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lost count of how many accidents we have witnessed. We have gardened and played
to the sounds of sirens. We have fallen asleep to emergency lights flashing through our
windows. How is this development good for us? According to Mr. Wardle it means we
can walk to Costco. Instead I see a complete lack of pedestrian and bicyclist safety. I
see a nearby park that will never be safe enough for my child to go to on her own. I see
semis and school buses sharing the same roads that are already too narrow. I see
gasoline runoff and potential leakage polluting our water. I see exhaust fumes from
idling cars polluting our air. I see socially inappropriate development that is better
suited to an industrial area. I see disregard for health and quality of life and safety.
During a busy week I see the following safety issues for such an active community, just
to name a few. Heroes Park hosts soccer games and practices and parking is already
inadequate. These families and young children are parking along Ten Mile in unsafe
areas and spill over into the parking lot of the LDS church. They cross the busy street
without any protection of a crosswalk or traffic signal. The LDS parking lot overflows
onto Lost Rapids every Sunday. A single Lacrosse fills the parking lot of Keith Bird
Legacy Park. Where are these vehicles going to go? How are these people going to
safely navigate to the residential, family oriented events and locations? This proposed
plan -- plan paints a clear picture of how these concerns will be exacerbated. The city
will be celebrating Do The Right day. Lead by example and protect the rights of your
citizens. Stand up for us and deny the applications for annexation and development.
Send a clear message to developers that future development should be thoughtful,
appropriate, and should benefit each citizen. We deserve for you to uphold the
promises of the Comprehensive Plan that we use to make our decisions to invest in
these homes, in this neighborhood, and in the city. Mayor Tammy and Council
Members, is my daughter's safety worth a 15 million dollar loan? Because to me she is
priceless.
De Weerd: Council, any questions? Thank you.
Coles: Camille Williams would like to testify against.
De Weerd: Good evening.
Williams: I am Camille Williams. 4140 North Buckstone Avenue, Meridian. 83646. 1
would like to state up front that I'm opposed to the current location on the Costco
warehouse. The building is 5.6 times bigger than what it was initially proposed. This
isn't the right location and the risk of locating a big box store retail warehouse in a
residential area is high. The Amazon online effect is a reality and is forever
transforming the way retail shopping is being done. President Trump has just recently
been in the news to address Amazon's impact on the brick and mortar retailers. We
have seen -- we have been seeing evidence across the nation with the Sam's
Warehouse and numerous big box retailer closures. Treasure Valley isn't immune to
this. We have lost a Kmart. We have lost ShopKo. We have lost a Macy's in Nampa
creating a big void. Sports Authority. Gordman's. Paul's Market. Hastings. Toys -R -
Us. Family Christian Stores. Radio Shack. Rite-Aid. And Walgreens. Wet Seal. And
we just lost a big beautiful Rosauers with a beautiful store front. Kmart has been
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vacated for months and has been an eyesore. In addition, Costco was located on
Franklin Road and it took three years and a state incentive program before Cabela's
filled that location. It would be a shame to impact such a beautiful neighborhood by
placing this huge warehouse that may be used as a distribution center, or worse yet, be
impacted by online and the future closures, not to mention that all these big box stores
are now going robotic. Amazon is going robotic. Walmart is using a janitorial service
robotic. And how many of these jobs are not going to be here for the people in the area.
And thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Williams: Any questions?
De Weerd: No. Thank you.
Coles: Sandy Maple would like to testify against.
Maple: Good evening.
De Weerd: Good evening.
Maple: Madam Mayor and Council Members. My name is Sandy Maple --
De Weerd: If you will hold on just a minute we will get your -- your thumb drive loaded.
Maple: Okay. I can begin. I have some things to say before I'm --
De Weerd: Okay. Very good.
Maple: Okay. I live at 6802 North Pirate Avenue in Meridian. I am opposed to
Brighton's current proposal for Costco and surrounding area. We are all in favor of
progress, but not ruining the beauty of our area, lowering -- lowering our property values
and hurting our quality of life. The conceptual plan has not been completed to include
the apartments, ten proposed businesses, 55 and older community. Has any business
agreed to join the project? Some concerns are the traffic egresses, added traffic
congestion and apartments attracting transient people causing safety issues, draining
police and other emergency services. When people experience the unbearable traffic
and dangerous conditions they will begin looking for other outlets for shopping. We are
looking forward to a mixed use development that we can enjoy as a nice gathering
place for sharing time with our families and neighbors and enhance our neighborhood. I
have a -- I have photos to help illustrate my concerns and why this proposal does not fit
the comprehensive plans. Is it not opening?
De Weerd: I'm -- I'm going to call a recess for five minutes while we figure out how to
get your photos up. Okay.
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(Recess: 8:58 p.m. to 9:05 p.m.)
De Weerd: Okay. I'm going to go ahead and call this meeting back to order. Did we
figure the photos out?
Maple: Thank you very much.
De Weerd: Very good.
Maple: Thank you.
De Weerd: Okay.
Maple: Shall I start?
De Weerd: Yes, please.
Maple: I have photos to help illustrate my concerns and why this proposal does not fit
the Comprehensive Plan. These pictures were taken at the Nampa Costco wholesale
warehouse showing the outside area and how much space is needed for such a project.
This is what we will be looking at every day. These are pictures of the surrounding area
demonstrating open spaces, a hospital, and several shopping areas. No homes. This
is the gas station and surrounding area and store entrance. Again demonstrating how
much space is needed to accommodate such a project. How many parking spaces are
planned for all of these businesses? The gas station will have 24 to 30 pumps and will
occupy a very large corner of Chinden and Ten Mile. The station's hours normally
began at 6:00 a.m. The proposed traffic flow and overflow traffic is not adequate for the
projected business this will generate. It takes a large area and a lot of bays -- a lot of
different parts of the store to keep it running. Next are photos of similar apartments now
being built nearby and is what are being proposed to be constructed next to Costco and
across from the park. Presently there is a vacancy rate of 4 point -- four to five percent
for apartments and increasing. Single family homes currently have a 1.8 availability.
These are the pictures of proposed property and surrounding areas.
De Weerd: Sandy, I'm sorry, you will need to summarize.
Maple: Okay. Our community's future welfare and peaceful existence rest in your
hands. Please consider your decision very carefully for all of our citizens. Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Coles: Sally Reynolds would like to testify against.
Reynolds: Good evening, Madam Mayor --
De Weerd: Good evening.
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Reynolds: -- Madam Mayor and Members of City Council. It's good to be with you here
again tonight.
De Weerd: If you will pull up your mic.
Reynolds: Oh. Thank you. My name is Sally Reynolds. I reside at 1166 West Bacall
Street in the Paramount Subdivision in Meridian. 83646. So, tonight I'm going to be
addressing something a little bit different. Back in 2006 there was quite a bit of time and
energy and money put into a North Meridian Plan of which Brighton was a key
stakeholder in that plan and some major points that came out of that plan were to get
away from project by project zoning by planning out mixed use areas that allow
flexibilities for developers. Discourage big box single use locations by placing building
sizes within mixed use designations. Restrict access to 20-26 and develop an auto
circulation plan with intersections of new collector roads that shall be limited to one mile
and located as close as a half mile in spacing and use a system of collector roads and
backage roads. So, I'd like to go ahead and bring up this North Meridian auto
circulation plan that was -- that was brought in conjunction with this North Meridian Plan
and as you can see I was surprised, like the first gentleman who spoke, that -- that Lost
Rapids was supposed to be a backage road, because very clearly here it is indicated as
a collector road that is mainly for residents to get in and out of their neighborhood
without having to pass by lots of homes. So, for that to all of a sudden become a major
backage road behind an industrial warehouse is quite a shift in what was presented.
So, one purpose of this plan was to ensure that 20-26 does not become as congested
as Garden City and that includes limiting access. That seems counterintuitive, because,
then, they would have to go through the neighborhood; right? So, it's a -- it's -- you
can't win. Well, the -- the obvious choice here is that this parcel is not the correct parcel
to put an industrial size warehouse on. It is a regional draw and it will bring traffic as
you have heard numerous times tonight. The Brighton Corporation has always touted
their neighborhoods as family friendly and as you have heard tonight that will be
threatened if this project does move forward. So, one of the things -- I actually read
almost all of the letters that also came into City Council and there is a couple of things
that I wanted to address, not necessarily for you, but also just to be on the record for the
general public. First of all, I'd like to say that I looked at where all of the support is
coming from and it is from -- I would say 90 percent is from the southeast portion of
Meridian. Therefore, that's where most of the traffic is going to be coming from and not
just this area, but we have to think of McMillan and Ustick and all of those other city
roads that haven't quite been built out yet that these people are going to be coming --
multiple car trips a day on those roads as well making especially a problem there.
Secondly, I kept hearing Costco is going to widen Chinden, Costco is going to widen
Chinden. I know that you all know what a STARS agreement is, but I just wanted to go
back and say that that will be repaid through the STARS agreement and that that is
something that will come out of the state funds. So, to summarize -- and I didn't get to
that -- that can be entered into the public record. The taxpayers will widen Chinden. To
summarize I just wanted to show the aerial view of this -- this area and what you can't
see is all of the area between U.S. 20-26 and McMillan is now almost completely homes
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in that square mile. It is quite literally surrounded by residences on all four corners. Not
just one, all four corners. We respectfully ask you to deny this application and keep
Meridian the great place it was meant to be. Thank you.
Coles: Kevin Denison would like to testify.
Denison: Kevin Denison. 3244 West Salix Drive, Meridian. 83646. Mayor Tammy,
City Council Members, I want to thank you folks for listening to our concerns tonight in
regards to this Costco proposal. You have heard the issues from everybody and I want
to compliment everybody that came before me on the way they expressed those
concerns. I thought they did very professional and a good job in doing that and I hope
that the City Council -- you folks will actually listen to what we have said. We get it. We
all want a Costco. Costco is a great store. The city has the opportunity to put Costco
on their advertising material. Move to Meridian. We have got everything and we have
got Costco. I have been in business in this valley for 30 years. I have lived here for 30
years. I was part of the Roaring Springs development and as many of you people
know, Tammy -- Mayor Tammy, a few of you know that I -- and I am pro business. I am
for growth. When I first heard of this Costco development coming in I thought it would
be a great thing, too. But as I researched it a little bit further and looked at the issues in
front of us, I quickly came to the decision that this is not good for this area. You take a
look at Nampa. You take a look at Boise. You can go to Twin Falls. Recently I was in
Las Vegas last week, went to three separate Costco sites. Not any of those Costco
sites are surrounded on all four sides by residential. This is the only one. And I believe
it was stated the P&Z meeting that this would be the second one in the entire nation
that's surrounded on all four sides by residential. There were three polls taken in our
area. Eighty percent of the Spurwing residents -- 80 to 90 percent opposed it. There
were other polls that were taken and it was a 50-50 split, give or take. But I have talked
to about 25 people in last two or three weeks that live in Banbury, Lochsa Falls,
Wedgewood, Spyglass, Paramount and after I explain the traffic issues that were ahead
of us, they were once for the project and now they are against it as well. If you go down
Chinden at any time of the day it could take you up to 25 minutes to go from Linder to
Eagle Road. The only thing that they -- that widening these roads is going to do it's
going to push the bottleneck a block up the road. They say we will probably get an
extension from Ustick and McMillan. We will probably get this. We will probably get
that. Well, as you know, ACHD and ITD have a terrible track record as far as widening
our roads. So, for that to happen -- who knows when it will happen.
De Weerd: Mr. Denison --
Denison: I always told my kids --
De Weerd: Mr. Denison?
Denison: Yes, ma'am.
De Weerd: You need to summarize.
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Denison: I'm going to summarize right now, Mayor. I have told my kids there are needs
and wants. Do you need it or do you want it? If you need a computer for school you're
going to get it. If you want the new -- whatever. Computer game. Maybe not. This is
the same thing. Would we like to have Costco? Yes. Do we need it? No. And
especially on this site. So, I would ask that you deny the application to Costco
development in full on this particular site. Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Coles: Shane Speakman would like to testify.
Speakman: Good evening.
De Weerd: Good evening. If you will, please, state your name and address for the
record.
Speakman: Thanks. My name is Shane Speakman. I live at 5952 Botticelli and these
are my five children and my neighbor. Excuse me. I wrote down my thoughts so I could
be concise with you all. Our family relocated from Utah into the Bainbridge Subdivision
on March 15th, just three weeks ago. Our home is located on Botticelli Avenue just
three doors down from Rapid -- Lost Rapids Road and our street backs up to the Keith
Bird City Park. We purchased this home in part because of this park and my five
children access that park by walking up Botticelli and walking down Lost Rapids. We
have been excited to join your community. I work in L.A. and we chose Meridian out of
literally any city in the country. We have been excited, because of the reputation that
Meridian has built that extends outside the walls of even Idaho. On behalf of my family
I'm pleading with this Council to deny this request for an amendment to the originally
approved Comprehensive Plan. I'm concerned about the safety of our children and the
potential negative impact of high density homes and the commercial development in our
community. This includes the newly approved elementary and city park behind our
house, but most importantly I'm, obviously, concerned about the safety of our children
and the traffic that will undoubtedly increase through our subdivision just three doors
down from us. As you can imagine, I'm really disappointed with Brighton in
misrepresenting what was happening as it was only last week that we heard about this
proposed amendment or Costco entering our neighborhood. It's our request, of course,
that you deny this amendment and that you keep the originally proposed
Comprehensive Plan. That's all I have got. We appreciate it.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
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Cavener: Thanks for bringing your kids and, kids, you got a lot to be proud of with your
parents to be brand new in a neighborhood and come and stand up for what you believe
in. Appreciate you doing it and welcome to Meridian.
Speakman: Thank you. We are marginal parents with great kids.
De Weerd: Aren't we all.
Coles: Kathy Yulin signed up against, but not wishing to testify. Rebecca Martin signed
up against not wishing to testify. Owen Barber signed up against not wishing to testify.
Fred Martin signed up against not wishing to testify. At least I think that was an N.
Alice Stantliff signed up in favor, not wishing to testify. Stan Stantliff signed up in favor
not wishing to testify. Lynn Curvey signed up against not wishing to testify. Les Curvey
signed up against not wishing to testify. Diana Stetzel signed up in favor indicating not
sure whether or not she wished to testify. Rich Gardner signed up against not wishing
to testify. Deborah Battaglia signed up against wanting to testify.
De Weerd: Good evening.
D.Battaglia: Good evening. Can you hear me?
De Weerd: Yes.
D.Battaglia: Good. I'm Debbie Battaglia. I live at 4212 West Wolf Rapid Street in
Meridian. I'm one of those people at the corner of Assisi and West Wolf Rapids and
people do regularly blow that stop sign.
De Weerd: Can you speak up a little bit more.
D.Battaglia: Okay. Is that better?
De Weerd: That is awesome.
D.Battaglia: Can you hear me now? Okay. I am one of the people that lives at Assisi
and West Wolf Rapids and I do know that those stop signs are totally disregarded, as
well as the speed limits and that's generally every day. We just watch it go through.
Part of the problem is that that stop sign is not visible until you are right on top of it.
Anyway, what I did was get onto the Costco site, pull the list of new Costco locations in
2016 and 2017 and, then, got onto Google Earth and looked at those locations. I have
pictures of them if you would like me to submit that. I don't know that Google Earth is
current as to what's open now versus what was there when they took their picture. So,
I'm just asking you to look at this site and location. In the last two years I did not find
one with a residential neighborhood around it. I found one where across a four lane
divided highway there was a residential area. Overwhelmingly these were located next
to an interstate highway. They were surrounded by four lane state roads and city roads.
They are located in large vacant areas or in developed commercial, industrial, or
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business parks and I think that this shows that there is a business model that Costco
follows that allows them to be profitable. It allows for the movement of traffic in and out,
so they get more people into those stores. People don't get frustrated trying to get there
and get out. They are saying that their normal hours for unloading a truck are 3:00 to
10:00 a.m., but here they are going to modify it to 5:00 a.m. So, in their busy times from
mid October to January 1st, what is the guarantee that they will adhere to that? They
have got to get trucks in, they have got to get merchandise on the shelves. It's a very
busy time. So, what is the guarantee that they are not going to start in at 3:00 o'clock or
4:00 o'clock in the morning or run until 11:30 at night? What is the plan to guarantee
this when they are coming up from Salt Lake and they get stopped because somebody
is turned over on the interstate and they are sitting there for three hours. Are they not
expected, then, to not deliver their goods at night? Does Costco not want it when they
need to get that merchandise on the shelves? So, I have concerns as to how this city is
going to safeguard my neighborhood from all of that noise at any time of the day or
night. I do not get up at 5:00 a.m., let me tell you, I do not and I don't want to have to
start getting up at that hour because of the noise. I think that their business model
works well in those industrial parks, because nobody cares if they start at 3:00 a.m.
Nobody cares if they are unloading trucks at 12:00 a.m. in the morning. So, what I want
to know is how is Idaho -- or how is Meridian going to protect me as a resident there
from a lot of that noise, that pollution? Who is going to guarantee that the trucks don't
go through my neighborhood, because you can't get down Ten Mile, so let's whip up to
Black Cat and go down to Franklin and get back so we can get onto 1-84 and get out of
here. Those are my concerns. Mr. Wardle was asked at the August 2017 meeting what
is the advantage to us. His retort: You can walk. Since in 2015 the average person
spent 150 dollars at Costco, what are the chances people are going to walk?
De Weerd: Can you summarize.
D.Battaglia: Yes.
De Weerd: Thank you.
D.Battaglia: The Kittelson's traffic study notes that Costco has found they need about
800 parking spaces to operate. This site proposes 825. There are proposed to be --
proposed to be ten additional businesses and it was stated at the last meeting that
Costco has no problem sharing their spaces with these ten other spaces -- businesses.
If Costco needs 800 spaces, what is there to share?
De Weerd: I'm sorry, I'm going to have to cut you off.
D.Battaglia: That's okay. Those are my questions.
De Weerd: Council, any questions?
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
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De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: I know that we will probably get to an opportunity for discussion, but I
appreciate when a concern like that comes and ask of Council and so I guess I would
ask either Officer Colaianni or Bill Nary, should a code violation like that occur, a
violation of the DA, what course do our citizens typically take?
Nary: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, Council Member Cavener, so the first
thing would be -- that would be a development agreement requirement. So, that would
be a contractual agreement with Costco on how their hours of operation are done. The
enforcement that is done through our Police Department, through the Code
Enforcement Division, when there are violations that occur. So, there is a pretty
rigorous process we go through. We deal with a lot of businesses that have those types
of issues or concerns and so we have a fairly good system in working through those
problems and getting those businesses into compliance when they are out of
compliance. We have a pretty active -- both with the Code Enforcement section, as well
as our Patrol Division in making sure those conditions are met. So, we have dealt with
that before and been fairly successful.
D.Battaglia: Okay. So, who initiates that? Do residents have to, then, start
complaining? Is that what initiates that or how does that occur? How does that process
start?
De Weerd: I can guarantee that's how it starts.
D.Battaglia: The citizens complain?
Nary: Yes.
De Weerd: Uh-huh.
D.Battaglia: Okay. So, it's up to us to police that?
De Weerd: Oftentimes that is the only way we find out.
D.Battaglia: Okay.
De Weerd: So, we have a Walmart that is right up against a neighborhood and they will
let us know. It's very infrequent, but when -- when they do call we send code
enforcement out, we take the report and, then, we work with a store manager and
generally it's always addressed.
D.Battaglia: Okay.
De Weerd: So, thank you for those questions.
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D.Battaglia: Thank you.
Coles: Pam Koch signed up against, but not wishing to testify. Joann Howe signed up
against not wishing to testify. John Howe signed up against not wishing to testify. Dan
Jacobs signed up against not wishing to testify. Sharon Condon against not wishing to
testify. Michael Condon against not wishing to testify. Brint and Ladonna Overhott
signed up against not wishing to testify. Matthew Gregery signed up against wanting to
provide testimony.
Gregery: Good evening.
De Weerd: Good evening. Yeah. You're going to have to bend over on that one.
Gregery: My name is Matthew Gregery. I live at 5930 North Botticelli Avenue. I'm
actually a neighbor to Shane, with all the kids, I'm his neighbor. So, wee back up to the
park. Keith Bird Park. I have three children. Elisa eleven. Abigail eight. And Andrew
five. And they go right out the backyard into the park and it's a very safe place for them
and that's -- that's why we bought there. My concern, obviously, is with the increased
danger relative to the traffic that, obviously, will come to Lost Rapids, the high density
housing that was not proposed to us when we bought the property and paid for the
home last summer. So, that's -- that's an obvious concern that I hope you guys take to
heart. It's legitimate. You know, it just seems to me like there is so much land out there
in north Meridian that this thing could really go anywhere else. I have never seen a
Costco right in a residential neighborhood like that. If it has to stay I guess my request
would be that, you know, we look to -- to compromise a little bit here. You know, you
asked about some solutions earlier in the evening. I think the access to Lost Rapid
Road from the -- the actual commercial parking lot needs to go. I think the high -- high
density residential housing needs to go. That would solve a lot of my personal concerns
and I think others that live around me. There has to be in this day and age with
construction and engineering a way to get traffic in and out when you have got two main
roads to work with versus a neighborhood street that is Lost Rapids. So, those -- those,
I guess, are my -- just one last thing. We -- we -- I have family in Nampa and Caldwell
and south Meridian. We recently moved into this community from another state and we
-- but we visited here many, many years, summers and holidays and all that, and knew
that if we had a chance to move we would move into Meridian because of the culture,
because of the -- the feel, the sense that you folks represent and care about the
community and the residents and I think that if we approve this the way it is we
compromise that a little bit. So, I just want to share that with you.
De Weerd: Thank you. I don't see any questions. Thank you.
Coles: Linda Carlson signed up against not wanting to testify. Christine Peterson
against not wishing to testify. Don Carlson against not wishing to testify. Stephanie
Howe against not wishing to testify. Rick Howe against not wishing to testify. Sarah
and Mike Uberuaga against not wishing to testify. Jonathan Kinowski against wishing to
testify.
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De Weerd: Good evening.
Kinowski: Good evening. My name is Jonathan Kinowski. My wife and I reside at 356
West Heston Court, which is in Paramount. Obviously, in Meridian. 83646. Madam
Mayor, Members of the Council, my wife and I wrote you a letter last month opposing
this application and defending the city's Comprehensive Plan as it is today. I was asked
to read that letter tonight, but it would take longer than three minutes, so I will focus on
our concerns for the Comprehensive Plan and I have said this before on another project
right up the road. Meridian is at a critical decision point. It can continue its old ways of
growth for growth's sake in zoning by project or go forward in a new way that allows for
smart, elegant growth while protecting the quality of life of its residents. A
comprehensive plan either sets requirements to be met or just offer suggestions. If the
Planning and Zoning Commission and the City Council don't hold developers to the
requirements of the Comprehensive Plan, then, it becomes just suggestions honored
rarely, if at all, in which case what's the point? Why have a comprehensive plan? It is
the role of the P&Z Commission and the Council to exercise the self discipline to say no
to applications asking the city to violate the Comprehensive Plan, regardless of how
much road money they offer. Road money they are going to get back, so it's not really
that much of a gift. Many residents as you saw the hands and as you have heard of the
nearby communities read the Comprehensive Plan before purchasing their homes.
They trusted the city would enforce its plan and thereby protect their homes and
neighborhoods from unsightly commercial development. They looked forward to having
nearby shops and services scaled to serve their communities, not the entire region.
The applicants are asking you to violate that trust so they can build what they want to
build, even though their proposal is contrary to what the Comprehensive Plan requires
and they have offered no rationale to justify overruling the plan. That is wrong. It is
wrong for them to ask for it. If they cared about Meridian they wouldn't be asking. They
would look for a site that is zoned properly under the existing plan. It will be wrong for
you to grant it, because you will break faith with those who trusted you to protect them
and their homes. Back to that critical decision point. Is Meridian going to grow and
grow and grow, becoming just another ugly burb like southern California, all traffic
congestion and strip malls, or can the city's leaders find a way to accommodate growth,
while demanding high standards in design, architecture, traffic flows and livability as
envisioned by the Comprehensive Plan? If you make the wrong decision it won't be
good for Meridian. If you make the right decision nobody is going to say, well, boy,
Meridian is a dump. They don't even have a Costco.
De Weerd: I'm sorry, your time is up.
Kinowski: Okay. Thank you.
Coles: Pam Brown signed against not wishing to testify. Lily McDaniel signed up
against, not wishing to testify. Eileen Virbane signed up against not wishing to testify.
Suzanne Landon against not wishing to testify. Roger Nielson in favor not wishing to
testify. Michael Giusti against wishing testify. Sorry if I mispronounced that last name.
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De Weerd: He was close.
Giusti: My name is Michael Giusti and I live at 5786 North Joy Avenue, Meridian, in the
Bainbridge Subdivision. I want to point out this picture doesn't really -- I think it was
you, Luke, that mentioned the traffic patterns in there. That picture doesn't really show.
There is access off of Black Cat into Bainbridge Subdivision. There is going to be a
subdivision behind Bainbridge and I can tell you that people are going to cut through
Bainbridge Subdivision to get to Costco. They are not going to go down -- all the way
down Black Cat to Chinden and turn and their traffic pattern only showed that flow. So,
I want to make sure everybody understands that there are multiple accesses in and
when people are talking about traffic patterns in the subdivision, that's what we are
talking about. The other thing I want to just mention is that we have a traffic problem
period. I mean I think everybody knows that. But when we have roads that go to two
lanes and, then, go to one lane and, then, open up -- up again in two lanes, it does
nothing but cause a traffic jam. I go down Chinden every morning and I can see people
speeding up to pass people, try to cut in at Linder and Chinden and trying to get off and
I can count on both hands the number of accidents that have been at Chinden Road
and Linder. So, I mean if you're going to grant something, make the roads first and
make them correct all the way through, so there is no traffic problems. So, I'm against.
Questions?
De Weerd: Thank you.
Coles: Kathy Stone signed up against with no indication of testimony. Art Stone
against, no indication of testimony. Jasi Packard against, no indication of testimony.
Packard: My name Jasi Packard. I reside at 6719 North Levenham.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Packard: I'm in the Spurwing community. I wrote a letter. I wasn't intending to present,
because I'm not -- one of my biggest fears. But I feel strongly this is something I need
to speak to. I was actually raised here in Boise, Idaho, and I went to school at the
University of Washington. I actually lived in Issaquah where Costco is headquartered.
Traffic is disastrous as you all know. Seattle has terrible traffic and I don't want
Meridian to make that same mistake. I returned to Boise -- or returned here as my
hometown, because I wanted to raise my family. We chose Spurwing because it was a
quaint environment and I'm listening to these stories of folks that live in Bainbridge, they
are going to be even more impacted than myself. I have a young family and I feel
strongly this isn't the right development or property for this size of a project. I, too, went
onto Google Maps, even though I work for Microsoft, and I looked at all of the -- I looked
at all of the -- the Costcos and none of which in the Seattle area -- to the area are in a
residential area. Predominantly there is commercial. The -- the primary one is in Sodo
district, which is all industrial. It's going to be a traffic madhouse. I hate traffic. I --
that's one of the reasons why we moved here and I feel like Seattle -- or Meridian has
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an opportunity to try to change the tide. It is bad, but it doesn't need to get worse. I
hear all the safety concerns and echo them as well, which is why I'm standing in front of
you and I'm hearing a lot of these plans altering and changing and trying to compromise
and I have heard also that the only other Costco -- there is only one that is a residential
area and my worry is that Meridian is going to be the second and make that really bad
mistake and create a third and a fourth and a fifth and I hope that this is an opportunity
that we can change that and there will only be one and so for all those reasons I stand
before you super nervous on the record, but I hope that you guys can listen to all of our
concerns and, please, deny and reject. Thank you. Any questions?
De Weerd: Jasi.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Just because --
De Weerd: Jasi, I think we might have a question.
Palmer: No. You're okay.
De Weerd: Oh.
Palmer: Just -- you know, since there has been talk of using Google Maps and -- and
how this could be only the second one in a residential area, in about five minutes just
searching -- I looked through -- even in Idaho there is a few that are in residential areas,
but --
Packard: Predominately residential?
Palmer: Many -- many through Utah, many other states. I found dozens that were --
dozens that were adjacent to residential areas and many of those were on multiple
sides.
Packard: Okay.
Palmer: Certainly this is more surrounded than -- than a lot of those, as they do have
highways next to them and whatnot, but this also has a state highway next to it, just --
Packard: May I ask a follow-up question? I don't --
De Weerd: Sure.
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Packard: My question is is -- I think that that's probably the case, but my question is of
those examples what ones were predominantly residential from the get go and, then,
added Costco.
Palmer: Madam Mayor, if I could field the question. This is cool. That was one thing
that I was specifically looking for was does it look like it's new apartments that are right
next to it or is it homes and -- and I don't know how -- I mean I was just zipping
around while trying to also listen to testimony, but in many of those it was clearly very
established --
Packard: Okay.
Palmer: -- neighborhoods, I'm guessing, you know, '60s to 70s when they were built.
But there were many that -- that were surrounded by new residences, as this proposal
before us, not only with the ones that were there before, but, then, it looks like probably
things that were built at the exact same time, like this one would be, but --
Packard: Okay. Thank you.
Palmer: Just -- not statistics, just zipping around looking at the same thing.
De Weerd: We appreciate you being here.
Packard: Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Coles: Justin Packard signed against, no indication of testimony. Tracy Tilby against,
no -- has written coalition, so I'm assuming someone spoke previous for Tracy Tilby.
Gene Tilby against, no indication of testimony. Carol Wanders in favor, not wishing to
testify. Marcel Wanders in favor, not wishing to testify. Margie McNulty against, not
wishing to testify. Amy Young against, wanting to testify.
De Weerd: Thank you for joining us. If you will, please, state your name and address
for the record.
Young: My name is Amy Young. I live at 6993 North Portbush Place in Spurwing
Greens.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Young: My husband and I moved in to Meridian three and a half years ago. We bought
our house five years ago. A Brighton home I might add. And we feel very blessed and
lucky to live in this charming area. I'm from Alaska. I'm not anti- Costco, nor am I
opposed to change and growth, but this plan doesn't make any sense to me. I don't
understand why we are going through all these hoops to make sure that Costco can
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cram a warehouse into this neighborhood area. The location that the Costco
representative stated that they chose at Ten Mile and Chinden, because it is an equal
distance from their store in Nampa and their store in Boise. If you take the triangle
theory that they have and you flip it, you will find that it lands nearer on Ten Mile and
Franklin. That location happens to be approximately nine miles to both current stores
and only four miles from Ten Mile and Chinden. That location is for sale. I believe it is
also zoned correctly. That location doesn't have any neighborhoods or parks that a
warehouse like Costco would have a negative impact on. That location has multiple
four lane roads, is close to 1-84, and has much less congestion than the three prong Ten
Mile and Chinden intersection. In the City of Meridian strategic plan adopted May 2015
and amended January 2016 it states: Preserve and protect land use and zoning plans
to promote certainty and predictability for future development within the adopted area of
city impact. And under strategic focus areas for growth, good growth fuels a city.
Meridian will promote growth that enhances its vision and family focused, properly
planned, financially viable and diverse and that for a community to prosper it must be
safe, secure, and healthy. Putting a giant warehouse, gas station, and parking lot in at
a location that cannot absorb the additional traffic and on top of the very neighborhoods
that were built with no transparency from Brighton as to their future plans, is not good
growth, family focus, safe, secure or healthy. It doesn't matter how pretty they try to
make it look, it is not a good fit. There are at least two other locations that make sense
for Costco and are a much better fit. Please vote in favor of quality of life and safety for
the citizens that you represent who will be most impacted by this decision. A win-win is
possible. If Costco truly wants to be a good neighbor, respect and compromise would
be a great start. One last thought. The only people who get upset when you set
boundaries are the ones who benefited from you not having any. Thank you.
Coles: Susan Barber signed up against, not wishing to testify. Owen Barber against,
not wishing to testify. Donna Smith against, not wishing to testify. Val Daigle against,
not wanting to testify. Bill Betts against, not wishing to testify. Richard Esley against,
not wishing to testify. Ralph Grenick against, not wishing to testify. Berry McCaihill
against, not wishing to testify. Cindy Bateman against, not wishing to testify. Mike
Dunlap in favor, wishing to testify.
Dunlap: My name is Mike Dunlap. I live at 5256 North Cougar Flat, Meridian. 83646.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Dunlap: The thing that gets me, I sit back and I watch, all -- everybody in this room
knows this statement: Change is coming. Well, if you drive around the Meridian area
it's here and it's really taking over. The thing is, every corner you go around, every road
you go down in the city you find land being torn up for houses or apartments. These
people are going to need jobs. You can't have housing only and no jobs for them.
Costco will come in here, they said they would -- roughly when they are done they
would have 227 jobs, steady jobs, to maintain the store. If you sit down and figure that
out, the income, the paychecks, will be around ten million dollars a year. That's a lot of
money to bring into a community. It's an awful lot. There is a lot of people out there
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living from paycheck to paycheck, wondering how they are going to make it next year
when the taxes go up or they are wondering how they are going to send their children to
college. Costco, for one thing, wants to improve the road system around here. The
road system -- if you're waiting for the county or the state to do it by 2022, 1 don't think
you will see the money and you won't see the road improved by them at all. Costco is
willing to do it now. The reason I would say let them do it now -- I used to bid jobs for
construction companies. In Arizona we were asked to build -- or bid a job there. Six
months of planning, we came up with 200 million dollars. Through land acquisition the
state couldn't produce the land for us to build it, so they pulled the project. Four years
later they asked to build -- bid it again, which we did. The best we could do was 260
million dollars. It had went up 15 percent every year for four years. Costco will build
these roads now and intersections at the day's prices. If you wait four years you better
plan on adding 60 percent to the bid price. There is no is and or buts about that. I have
worked too many construction jobs. It's going to cost you more and when that day
comes, the county or the state is going to say we don't have the money. You better
take what you -- my dad used to have an old saying -- some of you people have
probably heard it. Don't look at gift horse in the mouth. They are offering you good
wages, a lot of money into the community, and help you with the roads now at a
cheaper price. Thank you. Any questions?
De Weerd: No questions. Thank you.
Coles: Mike Dunlap -- oh, excuse me. We just finished with Mr. Dunlap. Timothy
Parker against, wishing to testify.
De Weerd: Oh, you still have energy. This is awesome. It will give you energy to bend
over to speak into the mic.
Parker: Yes. Mayor, thank you. City Council, great to be in front of you. I was the
second person in this room and I'm like one of the last, probably, you might hear from
tonight weirdly. I'm going to cut to the chase and get to the end --
De Weerd: Well, if you will cut to the chase by telling me your name and address.
Parker: Oh, sure. Timothy Parker. 6955 North Moon Drummer Drive inside Spurwing
Green.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Parker: Resident as of January 2016. Minus nine degrees when I moved in. You find
out who your friends are real fast. I'm about kicking the can down the road to some
place and the infrastructure that's already available. It's -- we heard it from two
testimonies ago. It's there. I'm not against jobs. We need all kinds of jobs. And we are
just talking about kicking the can down the road into an infrastructure that's already in
place to take those jobs there. I feel hoodwinked. I feel bamboozled. I feel
misrepresented and my frustration falls to you and my neighbors are here tonight with
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me. My financial ascension in life was not ordained to me. I fought for every dang
nickel. I -- I have drudged and I have done everything I can to live in a place like
Spurwing. I tried to do the best due diligence in my life in 30 years working
professionally. I worked for a Fortune 50 company. I'm an entrepreneur and I don't
take decisions that I do in my life lightly, without good research. There is nothing in
front of me that said, hey, you know what, they are going to park a Costco warehouse --
and let's not kid ourselves what it is. Costco will tell you right there. It's a warehouse.
You want to find one, go to the website find a warehouse. To me this is an
unprecedented ask to stick this shoe horned across the street from such valuable
current residence in the jewel of the north end. I could have moved anywhere. My
realtor told me, Tim, you got to go to the north end, man. That's where it's happening.
That's where you're going to be invested and you're going to be protected. I opened my
Spurwing life the other day in March when I put this spreadsheet together. 1.8 million.
1.4 million. 529,000. 899,000 dollar home. 769,000 home. 469,000 home. 779.
1.089 million. 569,000. 368,000. 469. 1.298 million. 579. 345,000. 419,000.
940,000 dollars. You throw out the high, you throw out the low, that's 748,000 dollars in
residential real estate property. I'm one of those. You throw out the high and the low,
323 percent premium to the median home in -- in Meridian. You look at where these
Costcos are -- and Councilman Ty, I have gone to Google Maps as you have. I spent
two hours clicking. There are some around residential areas. When you look at Zillow
inside some for sale properties, inside there, you know what they trade at, they trade at
the median price home. That's what surrounding Costcos, the median price home. I
believe this is unprecedented to ask by a developer in Costco to place a warehouse in
such proximity to such premium -- premium real estate.
De Weerd: Mr. Parker, you need to summarize.
Parker: It's a terrible precedence that can go beyond this meeting tonight to other
communities. I'm asking you kick this can down to current infrastructure, but not on the
north end, not in this location. Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you. You're good.
Parker: Thank you.
Bernt: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Oh, you're not so good. Mr. Parker, I think you have a --
Bernt: Mr. Parker, I just love your energy. But I -- it's a breath of fresh air. Appreciate
you coming this evening and testifying. Thank you for your -- your energy.
Parker: This is a great country. We can do this. We can have this conversation --
Bernt: I completely agree.
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Parker: --here.
Bernt: Thank you.
Coles: Fred Smith against, not wishing to testify. Rick Burke against, wanting to testify.
Parker: Seven hundred dollars right here.
Burke: Good evening --
De Weerd: Good evening.
Burke: -- Tammy and Council. My name is Rick Burke. I resided at 6092 North Santa
Rita Avenue, Meridian. 83646. 1 just want to throw in my two bits worth and let you
know I am opposed to this development on a lot of facets, be it air quality, water quality.
Quality of life is the big issue for me. My wife and I were approaching -- I'm just about
ready to retire. I finally got her retired. We have got a nice house up in Irvine Meadows
Subdivision, which is just north of Lost Rapids. It is a small subdivision, still under
development. If I had had an inkling a year and four months ago that we were going to
have a large warehouse development flopped within about a third of a mile from my
house, I would not have moved where I did. I would have stayed in southeast Meridian
area and just dealt with driving to Costco, instead of Costco coming to me. I would
prefer that kind of activity anyway. The current two Costcos in the valley, they are more
than adequate as far as getting to and from. They are packed. They are doing a good
job. I like Costco, but I don't like them in the backyard. Unfortunately, I have to use that
backyard principle. You know, I look around as I'm -- you know, as everyone's testifying
and I'm noticing people are looking at their computers, texting phones. This is my three
minutes and I want you all to pay attention and listen -- listen to us all. I'd like to ask,
Mayor, if it's okay to ask if there is -- all those folks who are in favor of this development
to raise their hands. I don't see too many. How about those opposed? Quite a few.
Mayor Tammy, Council, any questions? I'm about done.
De Weerd: No. Thank you, Mr. Burke.
Burke: Thank you.
Bernt: Thank you, sir.
Coles: Barbara Badigian signed up against, not wishing to testify. Leonard Badigian
against, not wishing to testify. Janis Hickey against, not wishing to testify. Michael
Arnold against, not wishing to testify.
De Weerd: You can change your mind. Come on up. If you will, please, state your
name and address for the record.
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Arnold: Okay. Michael Arnold. I live at 972 West Bacall Street in Paramount. I would
just like to go ahead and read this. I get a little nervous, so it's easier if I just read it. As
a resident who has participated in this process for some time now, I find it frustrating
that we who are asking the city to uphold the Comprehensive Plan are often viewed as
negative, since we have to frame our requests using such words as deny, reject,
prevent or block the action, while those who are asking to go against the
Comprehensive Plan use phrases such as move forward, approve, develop and
expand. The most misleading word in this entire thing is amendment. The
amendments applied for here tonight are not really amendments. They are asking you
to completely scrap what the Comprehensive Plan had intended for this area of
Meridian. Developers are actually asking you to reject the Comprehensive Plan and the
future land use map. They want you to deny residents the peace in their neighborhood
and the safety for their families and children. They are asking you to prevent Chinden
from becoming the east -west corridor it was meant to be in search of profits. They are
asking you to do it and to clog -- they are asking you to clog it with commercial shoppers
at the expense of the daily commuters. We are asking you -- and the vast majority of
people that have spoken here tonight are asking you to uphold the Comprehensive
Plan. We are asking you to move forward with smart, responsible growth. We are
asking you to make land use decisions consistent with what we, the residents, have
come to expect when we purchased our homes in the communities. Going from mixed
use commercial to commercial is a drastic deviation from the Comprehensive Plan. If
property would like to be annexed into the City of Meridian it should follow the
guidelines. The land use decision to annex and zone property to allow a regional
warehouse carries the implications that have not even been planned for by this
Comprehensive Plan in the past and cannot be done without a huge impact for not only
the surrounding residents, but anybody who uses Chinden. So, please, carefully weigh
whether this is the right move for Meridian, because once it's done it cannot be undone.
This is a big decision and we are asking you to be serious and give serious
consideration to the concerns of all the residents that have come before you tonight.
Thank you.
Bernt: Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Coles: Linda Arnold signed up against, not wishing to testify. Leslie Gordon signed up
against with no indication of testimony. Rick Gordon against, no indication of testimony.
Marsha Dennis against, no indication of testimony. Denise LeFever against, no
indication of testimony.
De Weerd: Good evening.
LeFever: Good evening, Madam Mayor, Councilmen -- or Council Members. My name
is Denise LeFever. I live at six -- 6706 North Salvia Way, Meridian, Idaho. Spurwing.
Sorry. I'm a little -- a little tired right now. Anyhow, we will start here. Right here we
show that this is R-8 and mixed use and this was parcel specific per resolution 08624
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that it was mixed use. Can we flip that? Oops. There we go. Try to get it to work.
Right here -- there we go. The way land is developed makes a difference to buyers.
People buy neighborhoods. Sorry. Home builder David Turnbull, owner and CEO of
Brighton Corporation, said in his 27 years in construction he can't remember seeing --
De Weerd: You want to pull --
LeFever: He can't remember seeing such low inventory rates. That's caused an
increased demand in new home market Turnbull said. I expect continued high demand,
Turnbull with Brighton said. What's changed since the August 2017 comments? Home
prices hit record highs as inventory drops to record lows. Right here during the
Planning and Zoning Committee -- Committee it was commented who would build next
to U.S. 20-26. Well, there is a lot of really nice neighborhoods as you can see in red. It
was also brought up who had built on a hard corner. Well, CBH Homes has and its right
smack dab on a corner and the houses are selling. This future use map right here
shows all these areas that haven't been developed out yet that are all mixed use in the
future -- in the future land use. The city zoning -- all the white right there shows land
that's available. Right here 139 properties are available throughout Meridian for
commercial development. So, what does all that mean? That means there is land
available that can be developed for Costco, for commercial pads. Fifty-five and senior
citizens, there is 21 developments north of 1-84. The need's already been met in our
community. Right here this is what everybody is talking about. This was supposed to
be an expressway per Community In Motion 2040. School bonds passed 95 million on
-- 60 million for a new high school in the area, 16 million for a new elementary, two
private schools down the road. Schools are taken into account for new residential.
Right here the state is funding infrastructure, fixed funding -- funding area 27.5 million to
IDT. Gas tax increased just recently 16 cents per gallon. Millions in surplus fund
eliminator -- eliminator fund. Online retailers to pay sales and use tax estimated 22
million to 37 million a year, with one percent going to fund roads. Right here we have
the surplus eliminator funding Eagle to Locust Grove. Approved for funding Star to
Linder. Partially funded Locust Grove to Star for the engineering work. Right here a
hundred percent income producing properties. For the applicant this is just business.
For the surrounding property owners this is their home, community, neighborhood and
quality of life. Oops. Wrong way. And to wrap it up, it is clear Brighton and David
Turnbull have done wonderful things for the community and have been knocking it out
of the park building Meridian. Great job. Consistent with continue knocking it out of the
park by developing based on the future land use map R-8 designation, which is
consistent with the existing beautiful residential areas, assist DFI in developing the 15
acres of mixed use land in a manner we can all be proud to call our community. Trevor,
DFI, worked with the neighbors as you have done on other projects and were
complimented by the City Council not that long ago. In closing, just deny this
application and protect the surrounding users' rights to enjoyment and access to their
properties. Let people know the following matters. The Comprehensive Plan, the future
use land map --
De Weerd: Denise --
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LeFever: --and zoning. Okay.
De Weerd: Thank you. Council, any questions? Thank you. And this isn't unusual for
you to still be here, so --
LeFever: I'm tired today.
De Weerd: This is one member of our public who comes every single week.
LeFever: Well -- and -- and I do believe in the Comprehensive Plan and I have spoke
on behalf of developers for the Comprehensive Plan. I do strongly believe it's a good
plan, especially the North Meridian Plan. So, I would really like to see us uphold the
plan and stick with it.
De Weerd: Thank you.
LeFever: Thank you.
Coles: Michael Meuret in favor, would like to testify.
Meuret: Madam Mayor.
De Weerd: Good evening.
Meuret: Good evening, Madam Mayor, Council. You have, obviously, saved the best
for last. Thank you. My name is Michael Meuret. My office address is 1210 East
Fairview Avenue, Meridian, Idaho. I own a home at the corner of Meridian and Chinden
and I own a business at the corner of Linder and Chinden and I would really just like to
start by saying, you know, I think as the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats and in
this case I do believe that Costco is the tide and I know a lot of this is going to be a
tough crowd to convince that, but I do believe my neighbors and I need shopping and
services like Costco nearby to reduce traffic, not only in this area, but on the other
communities where we are traveling to get to our services. Home values. I keep
hearing, you know, obviously, a lot of concern about the home values and I -- I can
appreciate that concern, you know, again, I'm a homeowner in the area, but I don't
believe convenience is going to hurt our home values. I think home values will be
impacted no more or less than those communities with similar developments that we
are currently frequenting. We need the develop -- the improvements to Chinden that
this development will bring now. If we wait for ITD -- I heard some people making
estimates, but the actual number is 2027 when this section of the road will be improved,
because ITD will be doing it every other year between State and Chinden. They will
start at Eagle and -- between Eagle and Locust Grove in 2021 to '22. Then 2023 will be
Linder to -- or not Linder. Excuse me. Locust Grove to Meridian. Meridian to Linder.
Linder to Ten Mile. You guys can do the math. It's just every other year. Sorry. But,
anyhow, this development anchored by Costco, as others have testified, it is a special
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business. As I said, I believe it's the tide that helps our home values. It helps wages in
the area. It helps the traffic. It helps ease traffic on other communities. But it will bring
shopping -- other shopping that the neighbors in the area can bike to. I know everyone
is saying we can't go to Costco and bike. I agree. If you're going to get a coffee or a
hot dog, you will ride your bike to Costco. But Costco, the type of business it is, will
bring businesses just like -- well, honestly, actually, it's -- well, let me. I'm getting
scatterbrained. Sorry, guys. It will bring businesses that we can bike to. It will bring
jobs to our neighbors and to our children, my children, that they can walk to and all the
while reducing traffic again on those other communities that our children are currently
driving to to get to work. You know, this development will help neighbors, businesses
like my own, and I --
De Weerd: Can you please --
Meuret: I will wrap it up. Yeah. I'm going to summarize it real quick. One last thing. I
was going to make a comment. I know a lot of people seem surprised by Costco, but I
built my business Einstein's Oilery, and it's going on six months. It was a couple of
years -- three years, four years in the making, and I went to this area knowing Costco
was coming to this area, you know, so that three to four years was even before I built
my home in the Castlebury area. So, anyhow, that was it.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Meuret: I'm, obviously, for it. Thank you.
Coles: Was there anyone that signed up that would like to testify that I failed to call?
De Weerd: That's usually my question. Thank you, Mr. Clerk.
Coles: Very good, Madam Mayor. That was all the sign-ups.
De Weerd: Yes. In the back. Yeah. We will get to all of you. But in the back if you
want to come forward. Good evening.
Gillaland: Good evening. My name is Michael Gillaland. I live at 3319 South Island
Fox Avenue, which is in Foxtail right -- right off of Chinden and Linder and I am in favor
of the project. I have lived in a lot of places around the country, 17 states as a matter of
fact. This is my home. This is where I plan to stay. And I was not disillusioned when I
relocated from another subdivision three miles from where I'm at now to think that all
these vacant fields would not be developed at some point. In fact, I'm about probably
300 yards from the Fred Meyer loading docks and gas station and I don't hear any
noise, any issues with them loading or unloading trucks in that area and I can
sympathize with a lot of the people that are against the project, because I think the
Council should consider a lot of the issues, in particular the safety issues and the traffic
safety issues. Pedestrian. Would be concerns of mine. So, I think there needs to be
assurances that those things are taken care of. But I don't think that Costco is going to
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be bad in the long run and the fact that they are willing to put out the money to start
widening the roads and taking care of the traffic issues is a positive thing. I have been
here almost five years and most of the development at this end of Eagle and Meridian is
residential. We need the other services that Costco and others will bring to the area.
De Weerd: Thank you, Mr. Gillaland. Okay. Next time you have to hop up sooner.
Good evening.
Nanez: Good evening. Hi. My name is Sarah Nanez and I am a resident in Meridian,
3978 North Alester Avenue. 83646. And I am for this development. I don't understand
when I hear people say that this will bring nothing to our community and that Costco
doesn't offer anything to our community. I don't know when jobs is not something for
our community. So, to me that alone is a huge selling point. Also I drive 15, 20 minutes
to get to Costco. So, for me that there, as was mentioned before, contributes to traffic.
I work for St. Luke's and I can remember when we were trying to build our buildings
downtown when a lot of the residents had echoed some of these similar concerns. You
know, of course, I'm biased in that I believe St. Luke's brings a lot to the community, but
I think if we look at the bigger picture we can see that Costco is a contributor to our
community and not to make light of it, but I'm also tired. I do have children and I just
don't see how this affects their safety in any way, although I understand people are
asking just to kick it down the street a little ways, which they are basically saying to kick
it -- you know, make it someone else's problem, but yet they are still going to shop
there. I know I'm going to see a lot of you guys getting those hot dogs and pizzas and I
will tell you what, I'm looking forward to taking home a warm pizza finally from Costco.
Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you. Good evening. If you will, please, state your name and
address for the record.
Johns: I'm Tammie Johns. I live at the 3508 West Star Hollow Road in the Spurwing
Subdivision in Meridian.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Johns: I have never been to a city council meeting ever in my life and I'm 57, so this
just tells you how passionate I am about this. As a resident of the Spurwing Greens
planned community and in the neighborhood directly across the street from the site
being questioned, I write to express my concerns and those of everyone I know who
lives in this neighborhood. First of all, we moved into this area based on the fact that it
is away from any commercial property and with no common property zoned commercial.
We built our home here two and a half years ago and have enjoyed the quiet area we
live in. The only thing unpleasant is the amount of traffic which has increased over the
past few years since Bainbridge and the remainder of Spurwing has been developed. I
leave my home every morning to go to work and instead of turning left on Tree Farm to
go out -- turning left on Chinden to go out to the freeway, I turn right and backtrack to
Black Cat, to Franklin, and, then, onto Ten Mile Road to the freeway, saving myself ten
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minutes because of the traffic. The traffic coming in from either direction, even this far
west on Chinden, is terrible. To put a Costco in that spot where it will be the only
commercial business on Chinden this far west would be very poor planning. Not only
will it increase traffic even more, but widening the road will not have an impact in
reducing traffic. It will also look awkward and out of place to have such a large
commercial -- commercial building like that sitting alone in a high quality area. The only
intelligent move to bring Costco to this area would be to put it close to the freeway in an
area zoned commercial where residential areas are not impacted and where any
residential areas going up are aware of their surrounding. To change the zoning and
add a large commercial business in our area after we made the largest personal
investment we will ever make and with the understanding the property around us is
zoned residential, is unethical and it makes us question actions such as these made by
those that we trust. These are not low income or even middle income homes, but
higher priced homes, which because they are higher priced would decrease in value.
That is not fair to residents. I implore you to reconsider this action, which brings no
benefit to the residents closest to this proposed commercial business. And I am not
against Costco. I want Costco. I think it's a great thing. But let's put it where there is
access from the freeway. Highway 16 and Chinden, there are no residential areas that
are impacted. Down by 84 there are no residential areas impacted in those areas
where there is land available. Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you. Any -- yes, sir.
Stevenson: Okay. While Sonya is bringing that up, my name is Jerry Stevenson. 6040
North Ten Mile Road. 83646. 1 kind of object to several things in this whole process --
the way everything has been handled in here. I have been to the highway department
meeting, I have been to the P&Z meeting, and nobody seems to want listen to anything
I have to say. So, I'm hoping that somebody at least acknowledges what I'm saying
here. I have grown up in this area all my life. I grew up on Eagle Road when it was
only a two lane road. So, I know the impact. I have watched the growth. I have been
at my current residence for 30 years now. I didn't ask for all these neighbors that I have
now, I just inherited all of them. So, I have had my battles with some of the
developments. You know, I have had a challenge. My views have all been blocked. I
have tried to limit to one story buildings, but I got -- out of six houses I only got to
choose one house that would be a single story. So, there goes my views. Live directly
across the road from this proposed development, so should this go through I just want
some provisions made for myself, because this is kind of my last opportunity to try to
speak for myself. I feel like I got my back up against the wall here. So, if it does to
through I want all of the right of ways to be on the other side of the road from me. I
have spent thousands of dollars improving my property trying to, you know, protect
myself from what's coming down the road, so I put in a berm, put a bunch of trees. A
few years ago I ended up putting in a vinyl fence, because all the traffic comes through
there, all the lights and everything, so I put a six foot vinyl fence thinking that would
help. Well, it doesn't help, because I can still see you over there, the trucks going by.
So, if it comes in I would like to have an eight foot soundproof barrier to replace my front
fence, so I would like that to be a provision. I would also like to see some kind of a
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noise study be taken care of out there, because that road is extremely noisy.
Summertimes especially when you have motorcyclists, everybody with windows rolling
down, music blaring, you got horns honking, I mean it's not a -- it's not a fun place to live
there anymore. When Walmart came in they put a pressure relief valve station right
next to my house, thanks to Corey Barton development, they chose the location right
next to me. I didn't get any support from Meridian. It's out of their jurisdiction, because
it's a Public Utility Commission, so I had to go fight for that myself and put that on a
sound barrier deal. I mean I have been in battle after another trying to protect my own
interests there and so here is the last stand right now. So, people say, well you're going
to make a lot of money when Costco comes in, you will be able to sell and go
commercial. Well, as we have discussed with Sonya, my property doesn't qualify for
anything. I don't have enough frontage, it can't be a different use. They are not going
to allow any access off of Ten Mile. That means that any development has to go
through a Corey Barton Subdivision to get to the back side of my property to enter that
way. So, I'm trying to figure out what to do with my property should I ever -- and I was
planning on doing this maybe four years down the road, but they are moving the
timetable up on me, which I'm not too crazy about. So, basically, if you take a look at
the driveway location policy on here, there is a violation in here that says district policy
7205 4.5 requires driveways located on minor arterial roadways from a signalized
intersection with a single left turn lane shall be located a minimum 330 feet from the
nearest intersection for a right -in, right -out only driveway. My driveway is less than 250
feet. So, what's that telling you? Basically right -in, right -out only? Well, I'm less than
that. I can't do a left -right out of my driveway is what they are trying to tell me. Now
they are trying to tell me it's unsafe. My -- my contention is the fact that I don't make
these policies, so if I want to stand up this -- this illegal issue right here, I think I could
say that light that's supposed to be at Lost Rapids has to be further down the road for
me to get access out of my driveway. So, it's kind of a two-way street when I don't
make these policies --
De Weerd: Mr. Stevenson, neither do we.
Stevenson: Pardon me?
De Weerd: We don't make those policies either.
Stevenson: Okay. Okay. Yeah. So, anyway, I'm saying I think there is a violation in
that right there. So, anyway, I'm going to move on with that.
De Weerd: Well, we need you to summarize.
Stevenson: Okay.
De Weerd: Because your time is up.
Stevenson: So, to summarize, then, I would also like to have no neon signs that I can
see from above the eight foot fence on any building that's going to be put in there.
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De Weerd: Sonya, can you show us where he lives? Mr. Stevenson, I'm just trying to
get an idea of where you are.
Stevenson: Okay. If you would bring that up. And, then, also the other problem I have
had is -- is -- I mean there is -- the noise and everything from the -- just the traffic and,
then, living next to all the development that's been coming on the back side of me, there
is no restriction on hours of construction. They can work until 10:00 o'clock at night and
start I think as early as 6:00 o'clock and, trust me, they do that, so you can't even have
family over to enjoy any events there, because somebody is going to be up there with a
nail gun or, you know, air compressor or something like that. So, I mean the noise is
just absolutely terrible and now they are finishing up those houses, so, hopefully, that
should be finished, but now we are going to be on the other side of the street repeating
that whole process with trucks right across the street where that driveway is. The
brakes are going to be coming in. I'm concerned about my -- exiting my particular
location and if all those trucks are waiting to turn in there, I think that's going to be a
backup and, then, it's -- it's already a challenge sometimes during the peak rush hours
to get out of my driveway and this is going to make that even worse, even when it's
expanded to five lanes.
De Weerd: And is it Tango Creek that dead ends into the backside of your property?
Stevenson: Yes.
De Weerd: Okay.
Stevenson: One of the other hazards I see in here, too, is if you take a look at that
West Rapids on the east side, there are no bike lanes there and everybody violates the
parking issues in there and there is always cars parked on the street. It makes it really
narrow and when you put a light in there at that particular intersection, you're going --
and if it's Costco, you're going to see everybody coming all the way from Rocky
Mountain High School, that development all the way through there, to cut all the way
through there instead of going all the way around, it's going to affect that whole
neighborhood. It doesn't affect me, but Costco is the type of a store that attracts a lot of
people from a lot of areas --
De Weerd: Sir, you need to end.
Stevenson: Okay.
De Weerd: Council, questions?
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
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Cavener: Mr. Stevenson, help me -- get me caught up. I hear you -- you got a request.
You want the developer Costco to put an eight foot sound proof barrier along your
property that is on the other side of the road and down the street?
Stevenson: Yeah. On my property --
Cavener: Okay. On your property, but your property -- I may not be seeing it right, but
it looks to me -- and I don't know if you can see the same thing in front of us. The area
that's circled is that your property?
Stevenson: Yes, it is.
Cavener: So, it's on the -- it's on the other side of the road from Costco --
Stevenson: From Costco.
Cavener: -- and down the road from the entrance.
Stevenson: It's directly across the street from Costco.
Cavener: So, Mr. -- Madam Mayor? Mr. Stevenson, help -- because I appreciate your
frustration feeling that you haven't been heard and so I really tried to --
Stevenson: Sonya, is there another drawing that you can have that kind of blows up
that whole area -- I mean from the -- are there some other drawings?
Cavener: So, help me -- help me understand why you feel that you need a sound proof
barrier where your home -- your land is across the road and down the street.
Stevenson: For the traffic issue. The noise of the traffic itself is absolutely -- I mean it's
-- it's getting to a point -- I mean it's -- it's noise pollution. And so I'm just asking --
because of all the other developments in the area have got it to where the levels are
right now where it is extremely noisy. I can be in my house. I would invite everybody in
-- into my house to take a look at it if you want. About eight, nine years ago I actually
added insulation to all my walls -- had to drill a one and a half hole and we poured
insulation in there. I replaced the windows trying to prevent -- cut down on the noise. It
doesn't really help a whole lot.
Cavener: Okay.
Stevenson: And so that's the reason I'm asking for a little protection, a little relief. I
can't do anything else with my property but keep it as residential. So, at least I need
some kind of relief from the noise that all of this development -- and, then, you're talking
about even more with the trucks coming in at 5:00 o'clock in the morning and late at
night, I think that its only right that somebody, you know, pays for that. And, then, there
is also on top of a berm -- and my house is on a -- the house I'm in is over a hundred
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years old. It's actually a historical house and I have restored it, put a lot of money into it,
and, you know, you put a lot of work into it so it's a home, it's not just a house you want
to move away from.
Cavener: Madam Mayor -- and maybe a question for Sonya. And I just -- I don't want
to seem naive to this, is there a -- any type of sound proofing barriers on the residential
neighborhood that surrounds Mr. Stevenson's home? I guess, Mr. Stevenson, what I'm
getting at is I'm just struggling to figure out why a sound proof barrier is needed for your
home, when we haven't seen it -- what to me is not around any of the other adjacent
area --
Stevenson: If you -- if you take a look down Chinden Boulevard, Idaho Transportation
Department requires it to be on those developments. That's the reason to put those big
berms --
Cavener: State highway.
Stevenson: And a lot of those places have a sound proof barrier right there and the
traffic levels have exceeded where they are on -- on there as well, so I guess I would
like, you know, the same type of restrictions or something like that as well.
Cavener: Thank you for your comments. I appreciate that.
Stevenson: Any other questions?
De Weerd: No. Thank you. Any other testimony? Yes, ma'am.
P.Dunlap: My name is Peggy Dunlap. 5256 North Cougar Flat Court, Meridian.
De Weerd: Thank you.
P.Dunlap: And I just would like to address the noise thing, because I am for the Costco
project and we live across from Rocky Mountain High School and we have a lot of
noise. We have kids revving their engines and we don't complain. We have speakers
at the school that are outside that I can hear and I don't complain. I do feel sorry for the
gentleman that just spoke. I understand his situation. But I will say we have a big berm
and a wall -- concrete wall between us and Linder and the school and it's not going to
stop the noise. Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you. Any other testimony? Okay. Council, before we ask the
applicant to respond, any questions at this point? Okay.
Wardle: Madam Mayor, could we have maybe just a few minutes recess, just so that
we can get our thoughts together to make sure that we address the issues?
De Weerd: We, frankly, we have been here since 5:30, we would love a recess.
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Wardle: Got you. All right. Sonya --
De Weerd: No. That meant you have five minutes.
(Recess: 10:27 p.m. to 10:35 p.m.)
De Weerd: Okay. I will go ahead and call this meeting to order and I will turn this over
to Mr. Wardle.
Wardle: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, I appreciate the effort of the
community, the neighborhoods to come and express their opinions this evening. But if
you made your decisions only on what you have heard this evening, you would have
missed a lot of information that has been provided in public support in the files and also
in some of the information that I'm going to just briefly touch. We just note first that in
the neighborhood outreach effort we actually made changes to accent -- access points,
hours of service and delivery -- a number of issues that came forward that Costco
responded to appropriately. Second, infrastructure will be first. Costco will not open
until infrastructure is in place. And can we solve the entire infrastructure need? No.
But we can apply tools that enable the use of funding resources to get the process
started. City of Meridian has been actively encouraging the Idaho Transportation
Department for a number of years to get this process going. This is the first opportunity
to do so. If you, again, listened only to the testimony this evening you would have
assumed that Costco has never built anything -- but I appreciate Mr. Palmer's efforts of
outreach this evening. In August of 2016 in the Louisville, Kentucky, area there was a
Costco built within an established neighborhood. Just two years ago. All of the homes
were there. In Coeur 'd Alene residential area around that store with nice
neighborhoods backing up to it. Columbus, Ohio, a very nice residential area to the
back, apartments to the left. Lehi, Utah. The interesting part about this one -- it
basically fits the same configuration with a major state highway and, then, local arterial
roadways to the east of it. But the fascinating part was -- I think I have lost -- could you
help me, Mr. Clerk, to get back to the cursor. Okay. We got it. In looking at the street
view of a number of these projects I went to this particular location and found that the
street view doesn't help, because all the homes that back up to this Costco were
constructed after the building was there and they -- they were currently under
construction at that point. In your information submitted to the city there was a letter
that was addressed to Mr. Kahn that was provided also as part of your public testimony
file, noting that they had moved from this very neighborhood just a few years ago to
Meridian and they had found that the houses were built after Costco was operating.
People still bought the houses. Costco has been a good neighbor. Worked with the
homeowners. Costco has maintained a very clean area around their property and
building within residential areas does occur. Toledo, Ohio. Interesting thing here the
two slides show the boulevard streets that back up to that facility with the one from the
west side showing the Costco in the background. If you only listened to the testimony
this evening you would also have assumed that the entire neighborhood of Spurwing
was opposed. This is the result -- their results when they asked the people in their
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neighborhood if they wanted to -- the board to take a position of opposition or in
support. In that particular effort people had to put their names on the line and so they
had 36 percent of the neighborhood that expressed opposition. Neutral, in support, or
not voting because of the nature of the poll, was 63 percent, which, interestingly
enough, coincides with a neighborhood poll that was done anonymously and it included
448 votes with Spurwing Greens and 29 nearby and 65 percent of that neighborhood
expressed support. In addition in your public testimony files you will find some letters
from residents of Spurwing, one of whom talks about living in the Spurwing Greens
Subdivision and in my conversation with neighbors in my subdivision the majority are in
favor of the project. So, you have heard some good points this evening, points that are
well taken, but would just point out that clearly there is a great deal of support within the
community and within some of these neighborhoods. We had a neighborhood party in
Bainbridge following one of our neighborhood meetings last summer, it was in August,
and there were people that came up to our staff afterward and said in spite of what you
have heard a lot of us favor the project. Now, you get the impression that Costco will sit
out there as an unobstructed facility and that there will be no buffering, but we have
pointed out that there will be significant buffering, much of which will be absorbed by
Brighton and GFI and eventually, as noted in the simulation when all of that
infrastructure is in place and the project is built out, all of the transportation facilities will
function within very acceptable levels of service. I'm a little bit on the brain dead side
myself tonight, but I would just conclude my comments and, then, I'm going to turn it
over to legal counsel Deb Nelson to comment for a moment and, then, Peter Kahn of
Costco will conclude. There has been a lot of discussion about trip generation and
traffic issues. All of those concerns expressed tonight exist today. This project is going
to increase capacity within the transportation system. It's going to capture a lot of the
trips that people now are content to take through everybody else's neighborhoods to get
to facilities and services that are not available to them in this north Meridian area. I am
going to conclude with that and ask Deb Nelson --
Nelson: Good evening, Mayor, Members of the City Council. Deborah Nelson and my
address is 601 West Bannock Street. I will just make a few quick points about variance,
because it was raised by a couple of people here tonight and I want to add a few points
in response to them. At your city code actually allows two different opportunities for you
to approve the access points that the applicant is requesting onto Chinden. You have
an opportunity to modify your state highway access standards without even getting into
the variance standards. In UDC 11-3A-3 it allows the City Council to modify these when
you have a specific recommendation from ITD. In the record you have a specific
recommendation from ITD about these access points. They reviewed them in detail.
They determined that they would approve them. They made a number of modifications
to them by asking for additional turn lanes, all of which have been incorporated into the
improvements that are planned here. They noted that part of the reason they approved
them was because they were worried about the impacts of traffic on other surrounding
roadways if they didn't allow these access points. They emphasized that the traffic
study with these access points is acceptable from state highway access, safety and
mobility standpoint. And mentioned again that maintaining safety and mobility for
Idaho's motorists is of the utmost importance. So, that letter is in support. That allows
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you to utilize this provision in your code to modify your state access standards. The
way the city has traditionally used this is in conjunction with a variance and that also
works here and the times that you have granted a variance onto your state highways is
when you do have a letter of support from ITD. So, you could do it independently, but in
practice you have used that and that works fine, because they do meet the standards
for the variance as well and just a mile away on Linder and Chinden you approved two
variances onto a state highway. You have done it a number of times in other locations
on Eagle Road, Amity and Meridian and each time when you go through the variance
standards you know when you have a letter recommending approval for ITD that is
found that there is a safety issue that would be improved by allowing this access
variance and there was a comment that there is -- there is not a hardship created here.
Consistent with the findings that you have made previously, existing roads being
inadequate to serve traffic has been found to be a hardship, because you can alleviate
that with a variance by dispersing the traffic, having the flow dispersed to a number of
roads, instead of concentrating. Another -- another set of language that you have used
on these -- it would -- it would reduce congestion and protect other roadways. This is
consistent with some of the comments in the record where they have asked you to allow
these variances if you are going to approve it to protect Lost Rapids and, if possible,
could Brian Whelan close with just a few minutes from Costco.
De Weerd: Council?
Cavener: Madam Mayor, I have got some questions I think for Mr. Whelan, so I would
love for him to have an opportunity to provide some closing comments.
De Weerd: Sir.
Whelan: Thank you. Madam Mayor and Council Members, my name is Brian Whelan
representing Costco. My address is 2311 West 22nd Street in Oak Brook, Illinois. I will
make my comments brief, as I understand you have questions. We can address things
there. I just want to follow up on a couple of things. First and foremost, we have been
seeking a location here in Meridian for a third location in greater Boise for many, many
years and it's been suggested by many that we should go south or we should go west.
You know, this decision wasn't made lightly. We have retained local assistance. There
is a local real estate brokerage firm that has helped us in this effort and we really feel
strongly that we have identified a site that's appropriate for us. If you want to further --
have further questions on that I can speak to why those other opportunities don't work,
but I will save that for your questions. And, then, as you can see for some of the dates
of the surveys and such we have been at this for a long time on this particular site, since
last summer, and we have done extensive due diligence. We would not put our
corporate reputation at risk if we did not think that we could put together a high quality
and safe project at this location. Many people have stressed safety issues here. Those
are important to us, too, and we simply would not move forward with this project if we
didn't think we could meet those standards. Lastly -- and this is just personally
important to Costco, you know, the one thing that Costco has built a solid reputation on
is our employment and our employment practices and it's been suggested here tonight
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that our employment practices aren't up to par and that is just patently wrong. Costco
has a stellar reputation for employment. Our starting -- minimum starting wage is
$13.50 an hour for entry level clerks. After five years those clerks make over 50,000
dollars a year. They get extra -- extra checks for working on weekends. They get
bonuses for ten year periods. It is -- it is a very desirable position. Year -- this past year
we had over 7,000 job applications per Costco location. People want to work at Costco.
The biggest testament to Costco's employment practices is for our employees that have
been with us for more than a year our turnover rate is less than seven percent. It's
unheard of in most businesses, but It's certainly unheard of in -- in the retail industry.
And the last point I will make about our employment is that many times people get
focused on what the pay is but as we all know benefits are oftentimes more important to
families and people with children than the actual pay may be and we are very proud of
the fact that of our employees that are eligible for benefits, 97 percent of them access
our benefits. So, we have very high quality benefits that are eligible to be received by
both our full-time and part-time employees. This is an issue that's -- I just don't want
anyone, any citizen, any member, any of you to think that some way, shape, or form we
would not be a quality employer for Meridian. With that I'm willing to answer any
questions that you may have.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Mr. Whelan -- correct?
Whelan: Yes, sir.
Cavener: Thank you. Appreciate you being here. My only question at least as of right
now revolves around an issue that we haven't talked about, but I recently learned about,
which is that Costco is moving into the home delivery model and I can now apparently
have groceries delivered to my home within 24 hours -- don't tell my wife -- and home
goods delivered within 48 hours -- please don't tell my wife. So, there wasn't really any
discussion about how kind of this evolution of Costco's model is going to be
implemented should this store be approved and -- and I do have some concerns about
delivery trucks coming in and out of this particular site location. I'm hoping you can
maybe educate Council on your evolution and how that model would be implemented
on this proposed sites.
Whelan: Sure. So, if you followed the news you may know that Costco has been
criticized for being slow to the e-commerce game and we are initiating some delivery.
The way our delivery works is we do it out of our -- our depots, distribution centers. We
call them depots. So, there would be none of that fulfillment coming out of this
particular building. That delivery -- the Costco deliveries come from -- from our -- from
our distribution centers, our depots. It's new. From what I know, the largest delivery
items are the -- are the big items, the 36 packs of toilet paper get delivered, because
they are hard to maneuver. But it has not impacted and we don't anticipate it to impact,
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given the nature of our business, our member counts relative to how often people come
and that. It's really done as a convenience item for our members to date. Relative to
our delivery trucks -- Sonya, if you can pull up the site plan. One of the things that Mr.
Wardle mentioned that we made some changes based upon a neighborhood meeting
and one of the changes we made was to the access point off of Ten Mile Road. It --
previously we had it further north towards the -- towards the intersection and when the
neighbors had questions about, you know, would our trucks be using Lost Rapids, we
quickly decided that, you know, we could relocate that -- that entry point further south
and, then, our trucks could maneuver that and get to the rear of our building and serve
our dock that way. So, that's one of the things we changed and that -- that is
anticipated to be the primary entry point for our trucks. If you will, they would enter at
that point, go around the back of our building -- our dock is actually in the front of our
building and, then, we anticipate that they would exit out to Chinden.
De Weerd: Any other questions?
Bernt: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bernt.
Bernt: This evening there has been much discussion in regard to the look of Costco.
Many people have mentioned concern in regard to the warehouse look. Why are we
plopping a massive warehouse in the middle of this development and so close to our
homes. I received an e-mail and in that e-mail it was interesting -- we all did, actually.
There were a couple -- there is a couple of Costcos -- specifically Gig Harbor,
Washington, and Woodland Hills, California, where you guys need some -- create -- did
some creative elevation work and you changed the look of the Costcos completely
compared to what they normally are. Looking at these Costcos in front of us, they look
almost like a -- like a -- like a Whole Foods type market or like a marketplace type of a
look and I think it changes the complete dynamic of the look that might satisfy some of
the concerns from, you know, some homeowners that are nearby. What say you?
Whelan: Well, I'm familiar with both of those locations. First and foremost, we do not
have a prototype. The drawings that were briefly shown in some of the elevations and
pictures of the proposed development were just, you know, put in there as placeholders.
We understand that we have to go through the design review process here. It's
interesting, different communities have different takes. In this particular case, as you
know, there is anticipated to be a 25 foot landscape buffer along Chinden, a 25 foot
landscape buffer along Ten Mile and extensive landscaping within the project. In
addition, there are ten other lots around it. So, from the perimeter roads you're probably
not going to go to see the Costco so much. Those two examples that you spoke of --
first of all, the California locations are very urban, if you -- if you look that up on --
Bernt: Like urban. Meridian is urban. You may have cows along the urban areas, but
it's very much urban.
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Whelan: There is office towers next to it and those things. So, it's a different type
environment. Both of those have high elevations. So, the question is is do you want a
high elevation that you can see from the road from Costco or do you want something
smaller, shorter, if you will, that's more pedestrian -- I'm not an architect. More
pedestrian friendly, so that it's not visible from the streets. Because you're really not
going to see all of it in any event. The point is is we are ready, willing to prepare to work
through design review process to address those issues and, you know, I have been
through enough of these that everybody --
Bernt: Sure.
Whelan: -- has got a different view of what the right thing is. But we do not have a
prototype and we understand that we have to go through that process.
Bernt: Madam Mayor, follow up?
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Bernt: I just wanted to hear that you would be willing to work, you know, in a design
review process. You have done it before, so this is nothing new to you or your
company. But I wanted it on the public record that you are willing -- your company is
willing -- those who are helping you with the design process, that you would be willing to
do something a little more creative to alleviate the warehouse look, given the fact that
this product is smack in the middle of a residential, you know, area.
Whelan: Yeah. Without a doubt.
De Weerd: But I think because of that, I don't think our design guidelines are going to
address what you're trying to achieve and so if Council has those considerations, you
need to be specific.
Bernt: All right. I -- I guess I would look for some guidance from fellow Council
Members and the Mayor in regard to how we would word that we might want to discuss
that later on.
De Weerd: Any other questions while we have Costco standing in front of us?
Bernt: I may have. I'm looking through it real quick here I guess.
Little Roberts: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Little Roberts.
Little Roberts: Madam Mayor. Mr. Whelan, we had several people address the gas
area issue. I just wondered if you had any comments regarding that. One, we had
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several different numbers regarding potentially the number of pumps and, then, also
containment type issues. If you have anything to share.
Whelan: Yeah. I mean -- yes. I mean, again, we have -- we have a corporate
reputation to protect. So, as you may imagine we use the -- the most latest technology.
Our gas tanks are double -- double walled gas tanks. So, relative to the -- to the safety
provisions, be assured that we will work with staff and they will have an opportunity to
review all of that to make sure that -- that we comply, because we do comply with all --
all guidelines. The fueling facility will have 24 pumps initially. We are counting both
sides of them. The stacking area for context is about 30 percent more than our existing
Boise area locations and, then, just to touch on it, Sonya mentioned that initially they
had a condition that they wanted our fuel facility moved. They recommended our fuel
facility would be removed. The Planning Commission did not agree with that and I can
speak to that briefly, if -- if you would like. The fuel facilities on the corner -- and, you
know, we are not a convenience store. You know, we sell nothing else there. So, I
think that staff was -- in fact, in their staff report they reference that there is no
immediate access to it. Well, that's what we like. We like that it's -- we like the visibility
on the corner, but, more importantly, it's -- it's optimal for our site development if -- if
someone will come in from Ten Mile Road and get into the internal road in the project,
they have more room -- I call it a runway to get to our fuel facility. If you make them
make that immediate right turn right away, that's a potential congestion point. So, they
have more room to get to our fuel facility. Same thing if they come in off of Chinden,
they have more room to get to our fuel facility and, then, most importantly, when they
exit they have an opportunity to -- we call it back feed to -- back feed either off of the
drive that's on the north of our site or the drive that's on the east of our site. So, it's very
optimal relative to the flow of -- of the overall project and how people can get in and out
more easily and more efficiently to both the fuel facility and our parking area.
Little Roberts: Thank you.
Whelan: Uh-huh.
Bernt: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bernt.
Bernt: I found one more. And I don't know if this is for you, Mr. Whelan, or if it's for a
representative from Brighton or -- or other -- another representative, but another
concern that I have was -- more of -- tonight we also heard a lot of concern about the
density aspect of the -- the apartment or the multi -use residential area behind Costco
and would there be a way to make that less of an apartment look, but more like a
townhome feel and have the niceness of -- of that -- of those units match more of the
existing areas?
De Weerd: I don't think Mr. Whelan is the --
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De Weerd: -- appropriate person --
Whelan: I'm not. I can turn it over to the right person, if --
Bernt: That's fine.
Whelan: -- you guys are done with me.
De Weerd: But anything further for Mr. Whelan while we have him up? Okay. Thank
you.
Whelan: Okay. Thank you.
Bernt: Thanks, Mr. Whelan.
Wardle: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council and Council Member Bernt, you saw in
our rendering slides that the apartments along Lost Rapids are a two story townhome
style. The intent is a lower profile, but stepping, and the pictures here -- well, this -- this
is good. The site plan -- actually, the lower profile units along Lost Rapids with the three
story behind that give a step up for additional buffering of the Costco structure to the
north. The pictures that are depicted here are some in the local community along
well, near the intersection of McMillan and Meridian Road and, obviously, then, the
the taller three story structures. But when you talk about density, we are talking about a
six and a half acre site. The depiction in the site plan on the screen shows about 109
units. We are not talking about a large scale project, but we are talking about
something that provides this visual buffer stepping up from similar two story type
structures that are going to be in the single family residential area immediately to the
south of Lost Rapids. So, I heard the term a lot high density. Well, we -- we go to the
R-40 simply because that's the only zone that allows us to get into the multi -family
within a reasonable range. The depiction shown here is less than 20. We suggested in
the development agreement that there would be a maximum of 24. 1 don't consider that
extremely high density. But the purpose is for buffering on the south side of the Costco
structure, stepping from two story to three story at the back. I hope that helps. Any
other questions, please?
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: Mike, I don't know how set you are on these renderings. I'm just, to be honest
with you, not really a fan of those townhouse -- the look of those townhouse apartments.
I think they look like upside down snowmen with stilts. Like the top is too big for the
bottom. I don't know.
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Wardle: Madam Mayor. Let me just interrupt. These -- these were simply placeholders
as two types of massing, not so much the design. It was to show the two story type and
the three story. There is no design -- Mr. Gasser is here this evening and they would be
the ones to develop that if he has something to add, but these were simply examples.
These are not the designs that have been submitted and they will be subject to
conditional use permit with more neighborhood meetings and Planning and Zoning and
City Council hearings.
Milam: Thank you. I just want to throw that out there before --
Wardle: Yeah. Understand. That's a point very well taken.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Mr. Wardle, you and your team have done I think a pretty good job of at least
addressing the questions that I have heard from the public. One that we didn't get a lot
of discussion on, but I'd like to have you maybe walk us through is some of the safety
aspects that you guys are planning to implement. For me specifically two things. I
would like to kind of be walked through where some of the crosswalk access is going to
be into this project and, then, secondarily to that, we heard from quite a few residents
with some concern about access coming off of -- and even Council Member Bernt
referenced it -- Vanderbilt Drive and some concern that that becomes kind of a back
access speedway off of Black Cat into -- into the Costco neighborhood and so -- or into
the Costco development. So, I'm hoping you would be willing to at least shed some --
unlike me, you guys are much smarter on a lot of this stuff and I assume this is
something you have considered and I would like to hear what your plans are, if any,
related to this.
Wardle: Let me go in reverse --
De Weerd: And, Mike, why -- I'm just going to add on. It was said tonight that -- that
Lost Rapids Drive was not considered in the traffic study. So, as you're addressing
what Mr. Cavener asked, can you also build that into your comments?
Wardle: We are going to start with that question, Madam Mayor.
De Weerd: Okay. Sorry about that, Mr. Cavener.
Daleiden: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council. So, Lost Rapids Drive was
definitely included in the traffic impact study. We evaluated that throughout the different
conditions. Yeah, there is conditions as that were identified by Ada County Highway
District related to Lost -- Lost Rapids Drive, as well as just the -- the traffic volumes that
are on there. We specifically, through the discussions, did not -- we didn't look at the
local street connection in terms of analyzing it in the traffic study. It's a lower volume
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roadway. Ada County Highway District did not require that, just because of the local
street to collector component, but we are aware of it. There isn't anything from -- from
our standpoint right now from the analysis that would tell us that that intersection
wouldn't operate acceptably as a stop control based on the volumes projected on Lost
Rapids Drive, as well as the -- projected traffic associated with the other development --
other residential homes that will be built in that area to the south. Let me know if you
want any clarification on that item.
Cavener: Not on that piece for me.
De Weerd: We will see if there is any follow up.
Wardle: But the point is that it was considered. There was also a distinction made in
somebody's testimony about the backage road concept collector. In all of our projects
in recent years, Paramount being one of the more significant, we have these collector
roadways that do carry the traffic out of the neighborhoods. In this particular case this
also serves as an access to -- in this particular case residential uses primarily, because
there will be a no truck -- no commercial truck through signage from the Lost Rapids
commercial service drive just west of Ten Mile up to Tree Farm. So, it will be local
traffic and I have -- over the years -- and I have been in this way too long -- one of the
things that we can't do is solve bad driving behavior often by residents themselves. We
heard this is Paramount. Our kids are driving too fast through the subdivision to get to
school. Well, take your kids aside, take the keys away if you need to, do something to
address the issue. But safety considerations are a concern. The Ada County Highway
District noted that when they do address the question of what we call the Bainbridge
North portion, the five to eight unit per acre single family project west of Costco, that
they will be looking for enhanced pedestrian crossings at the location of that intersection
between the park and the neighborhood to the north. So that will be a point at which
people, if they happen to be walking over to the commercial area, not necessarily the
Costco, other than maybe if they want the hot dog, but to the other uses, there is a way
that they can cross that street. I wish we could solve all of the -- the ways that it could
be violated and addressed certainly an enhanced signal -- and I would assume that that
would be one of the types that we see along many of the arterials near schools currently
and that's you hit the activator switch and it gives you some time to slow and, then, stop
for the crossers and, then, once it goes back to a flashing red you can go if the traffic --
if the pedestrian traffic is cleared. So, that type of thing will be considered as part of this
and I would assume that when the conditional use permit comes through for the
apartment project that there will be such considerations there, because there is a
crossing directly across the street from its entrance as well. Did I touch your -- all of
your issues, Commissioner Cavener?
Cavener: Madam Mayor. All but one and that -- again, I don't know if it's something
you have considered, but I heard some pretty compelling testimony about concern
about traffic accessing Vanderbilt off of Black Cat through the Bainbridge Subdivision.
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Wardle: Sonya, can you pull up the broader picture, one of the Google Earth pictures
that covers this area. Or Mr. Clerk.
Cavener: I have got it pulled up if you want to grab my screen, too.
Wardle: Whomever. I think we need to look at that, because it's certainly -- every one
of these subdivisions is cross -connected. It's a requirement now. So, the Volterra
project to the south will have several access points into Bainbridge. There will be traffic
that will flow between them. Now, with request -- with regard to speeding cut-throughs
and so forth, when you talked about Vanderbilt -- and this doesn't quite go over to the
west. You see that Vanderbilt moves a little bit in and around. If people are looking for
a fast way through -- when they get to the point that they have got a four lane Chinden,
five lanes with the turn lanes, five lane Ten Mile Road, certainly improvements coming
along on Black Cat, the capacity -- the additional capacity that's going to be on those
systems is going to discourage some of the people that might today be making those
cut-throughs, because every one of us that travels -- and I live in Ashbury. When I go to
our office it's a virtual mile from Locust Grove to Meridian Road. I try to gauge it to miss
the people dropping their kids off to all of the schools in that area, but still -- so,
sometimes -- one of the descriptions this evening was that somebody apparently came
down that dirt road in the middle of the project, because probably the two lane Chinden
wasn't carrying the traffic through that signal and as a result they thought, well, I'm just
going to bypass all of this. Why they would do that -- they probably saved themselves
three seconds in the end. But people will do interesting things. But with regard to the
way -- and Vanderbilt is a collector street. A residential collector coming out of the
center of Bainbridge to Black Cat, but, then, when you get to the center of the project
you have got a lot of disconnects and a lot of out of area. So, I think it's possible. I
don't think it will be significant and, obviously, with the neighborhood there to police
itself, there will be some revenue generated to the city I assume at some point or
another through the police department.
Cavener: Madam Mayor. Just a comment. And I think for -- for those in the public that
testified about their concerns about speeding and traffic issues already going on in their
neighborhood, I just want to commend Officer Colaianni hearing that and grabbing
people as they were leaving and mobilizing around that already, because I can
appreciate if I live in a neighborhood before a development potentially comes in that
there is traffic issues already, we need to be addressing those traffic issues today and I
appreciate Meridian police for already hopping on that, for what it's worth.
Wardle: Madam Mayor, if there are no further questions, let me just make one final
statement and it regards the infrastructure that's being proposed to go ahead of the
project. Clearly it doesn't solve all of the problems and there will be bottlenecks down
the road until ITD or some other project adds capacity to the system. But if we don't
start here and if we don't start now, we are going to be waiting a decade. This starts the
process and it probably will encourage ITD to start looking a little bit more clearly at let's
get the system completed. I know that's certainly in your interest. The city has been
proposing this for a long time. But if we don't start now we are talking decades. This is
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an opportunity to get started
evening.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Wardle: Thank you.
Appreciate the opportunity to be in front of you this
De Weerd: Lieutenant Colaianni, I know that there were a couple of -- of questions or
comments about safety and -- have you looked into any associated crime or any safety
concerns from the Police Department?
Colaianni: I'm still here. We did -- when we were looking at this project in the beginning
I did have our crime analysis unit do a couple of things. One of the things we did is we
went and did a four year history of crime at the Boise Costco and the one in Nampa to
try and grasp what things occur, what are the police responding to, and, interestingly
enough, in both locations -- and this is over a four year period of both locations -- at
both locations the number one call for police services was identical and it was dogs in
hot cars. Truly. But both locations there were 40 instances people called the police
because they were dogs in cars. So, that was the number one call for both locations
over a four year period. The second calls were welfare checks, theft, burglary out of a
vehicle, theft out of a vehicle, those types of things. So, there wasn't a lot of
significance in that information that they gave us, but it was stuff that you would typically
see anywhere else. We get those types of calls all sorts of places. We also had them
look at the crashes that we have had along Chinden over the last three years and the
top three intersections for crashes right now are Meridian and Chinden. This is for us.
Locust Grove and Chinden, and Linder and Chinden. Those at the top three. The
reasons for the crashes, the top three, are following too close and inattention and
distracted driving, which can encompass texting on the phone, a number of different
things.
De Weerd: Thank you. Mr. Borton.
Borton: Madam Mayor. A question for Mr. Nary. We will start there. Deb had brought
up the issue with the variance and had raised 11-31-1-3 and it sounded as though it was
their position that a variance in the application might not have ever been necessary,
because there is an alternative route to get the exact same type of relief? Not heard of
that before. But if you can comment on it.
Nary: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, Council Member Borton, I mean I have
looked at that statute and I think at this point, because a variance application is in front
of you, you're still going to have the variance findings. I think the way I understood Ms.
Nelson's argument was that our code has another alternative that could have been
considered and we have considered that previously in other like situations. But the
decision that a variance was the most appropriate route -- at this juncture you're still
going to have to make the findings and I think alternatively what I heard and -- is that we
have made also variance findings based on those similar arguments that Ms. Nelson
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raised in other applications based on the hardship in relation to the roadway and access
and the impact on the surrounding area both there on Chinden, as well as other parts of
the community of -- South Meridian Road comes to mind, as well as a few others. So, I
think -- I think her argument was two -fold that you -- we could make that finding, but I
think at this juncture, because that's what's in front of you, that was what was noticed,
that's what the application was about. I think the -- the appropriate route is whether or
not you can interpret your code and make those findings based on the testimony that
she has provided.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: So, for example, can a Council deny a variance application and grant the
access?
Nary: If you can make those finding on the record that you believe that although a
variance may not be necessary, but based on the other language that was raised -- I
think it's 11-3H-3, it's within your purview -- and a court has to -- has to give great
deference to whether that's a reasonable interpretation of your code in relation to the --
in relations to what's being requested in front of you. So, the long answer is probably.
Borton: Okay. Madam Mayor? And I will raise the question back to Ms. Nelson and
she might be able to comment as well, because one of the concepts that was kind of hit
on here was that with regards to one of the variance findings and the hardship, it might
appear that the hardship is created by the characteristics of the use of the site and not
the characteristics of the site itself and if that were to be fatal to a variance application,
you're saying there is still another way?
Nelson: Madam Mayor, Council Member Borton, I believe that the code allows you to
make both determinations. You could do it without a variance and I believe you can
make the findings for the variance and we would ask you to make both. That would
make the decision the most defensible. On the site characteristics, the shape of this lot
and its location does contribute to what is -- why it creates the flow and the traffic and
the congestion that could be relieved by the variance. It's a long site that has a lot of
frontage on Chinden. If you don't allow the midpoint accesses, that traffic is forced onto
the surrounding roadways that aren't in a position to take it. So, that is -- that is the
hardship for the site. The way the city has interpreted this consistently when you have a
recommendation from ITD, is that the hardship you have found is that the congestion
will be relieved and the traffic will be dispersed. I think that's appropriate here. I think
it's defensible. I also think it would be appropriate to make the finding that is allowed
under your code that because of the recommendation from ITD you can also modify
your access standards. They have jurisdiction over these roadways. Did I answer your
question? Anything --
Borton: You did.
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Nelson: Okay.
Borton: You did. Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: A question for Mr. Wardle. So, some of the -- or one of the components of the
access includes a left -in, which is of unique safety concern and it's temporary and it has
a couple of triggers in which it might go away or will go away, right, the three lanes or it
becomes a safety concern and we saw the design with it being in with a dedicated left
turn and it seems like a matter of time before that gets closed and I'm curious if that is
necessary without exception to have at the outset of this, as opposed to two right -in,
right -outs in light of the unique -- and we have heard from law enforcement about some
of these Chinden accident issues, the left -in gives me some additional concern.
Wardle: Madam Mayor, Council Member Borton, let me just comment on that last point.
The problem with Chinden right now is you have only got one place to go and that's
right up the tail pipe of the car in front of you. You don't have any option to move from
lane to lane and disperse that traffic out. So, those accidents occur because of the --
the people that are not paying attention. When I drive it I'm looking at a quarter mile
ahead and I'm watching and I'm giving myself space. So, capacity is one great -- great
issue. Clearly when ITD expands beyond the five lanes to seven, that left -in will
disappear. Now, it's not fatal to the project, because traffic coming -- you have got three
different ways of traffic to get to this site and, again, it's a 40 percent split from the east,
south, and, then, 20 percent to the west. So, those coming from the west -- it's not a
problem getting in and out. It works fine and they can utilize that right -out U-turn to get
back to the west. Those coming in from -- the 40 percent coming from the east can
make the left turn, which will be a double lane left turn onto Ten Mile and take the
access point into the site and that in sim -- simulation showed that, it just didn't, you
know, give you a lot of time to focus on it. So, I think everybody in the project team is
aware that there will be limitations in the future, but you look at currently our project at
Ten Mile and the interchange, there is a right -in, right -out and left -in for the major
access point into a very significant employment center. Chances are that will continue.
That will -- that will not change. So, there will be some change over time, but in reality it
doesn't change the dynamic of the project, because there is sufficient access in and out
from all three perspectives, all three directions.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes, Mr. Borton.
Borton: In summary, the left -in has to stay? I mean is that the position that you're
taking at this point?
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Wardle: At this point? Let's just note that ITD has indicated that it will function from a
safety and access perspective. So, the intent is that it stay. It's ITD's call and,
obviously, I guess you're getting back to the questions that Ms. Nelson has been
addressing on the variance or modification aspect. But certainly the intent is to have
that access three quarter as it is right now, right -in, right -out, left -in --
Borton: Okay.
Wardle: -- until such time as it has to go away. Thank you.
De Weerd: Council, any further information needed? Do you need any information
from Public Works on water quality?
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Madam Mayor, if there ever was a time to keep the public hearing open while
Council had a discussion, I think this would be it.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: One thought that's not really substantive, though, but it's a preference when it
gets near midnight is on a particularly complicated project I'm not necessarily in a hurry
to try and resolve it tonight, as opposed to a week. I would rather get it done right, than,
right now, whatever the decision is and I have pages and pages of notes and comments
and wonderful testimony and information, both from the applicant and the public, so I
may be inclined to support of -- even if it's just a week continuance to collect thoughts,
review everything that we have received today through the hearing. Just a preliminary
thought, because it's almost midnight and we have absorbed a lot of good information,
so --
Bernt: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Next week is a -- a workshop, but we could have a special meeting later
following that. Oh. Yeah. And I know to the public that is here and the applicant to say
you waited until midnight to hear we may continue it, I'm not sure you really want us to --
to make decisions when you're rummy and this is -- this is a -- this is a big deal.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: During one of our breaks I had actually a few people approach me like you
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guys are doing to make a decision one way or another tonight; right? And in my
experience here, you know, typically we have had the discussion and made those
decisions. I mean we have had many, many hours to discuss it, plus well over a
thousand e-mails that we have reviewed and -- I mean to me I don't know what more
information or mulling over at the -- would gain over a week or two weeks on it.
De Weerd: I was just giving you options. I only run the meeting.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: I think the only difference that I would like to see -- especially in considering
that, though there are no existing -- with the exception of across Ten Mile and, then,
across the state highway, there is no current residences adjacent to the commercial
property. Again, with the exception of the big roads in between. But given that there
will be even more residences around it, I'm intrigued by the -- the e-mail that we had
received that Councilman Bernt had brought up with the different kind of style or fagade.
So, I -- as much as I hate adding that kind of thing to a -- a development's requirements,
I -- I would be in favor of -- of making some kind of requirement to have a different style
given that it's -- it is completely surrounded by residences and I think it would fit better
than -- I love warehouse style buildings, I wish we would build our schools that way, but
I think the -- the different look would be a more appropriate use for this particular
situation. So, I am in favor of the project and would like to make a decision tonight, but I
do think it would be appropriate to include that caveat.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Just because I don't want to pass up an opportunity to let Council Member
Palmer to tell a private business how to function, I'm curious as to your thoughts on
what you would like to see and how a building would look.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Well, the first one especially that was shown there with the -- I mean glass
always looks great, but I don't -- I don't want to outline exactly, okay, here is how you're
going to make it look, but I -- I -- I don't even know how to word, you know, in a motion
to -- to elevate, you know, the -- the appearance of -- of it. I mean I think they look good
as they are, but there is an opportunity -- apparently they have done it before and I
mean I don't know if it needs to go that far, but it's something at least in between what
we generally know as a Costco and this or even as far as this would be great.
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De Weerd: Sonya.
Allen: Madam Mayor.
De Weerd: Do you have any comments -- I guess maybe Mr. Wardle might. Because I
-- I know in -- in the UDC and design review you don't have a whole lot of guidance in --
in a proposal like this and making it more friendly in a residential setting. Or do you?
Allen: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, we -- they will have to comply with the
design standards in the architectural standards manual that requires modulation,
articulation of the buildings, a certain amount of windows, but I would suggest if there is
a building -- a Costco building in another town that -- like was referenced earlier, that
you guys are liking the design of, possibly, with their agreement, we may build a -- like
approve a -- like concept elevation like that, so they come back with some of those
same design concepts.
Wardle: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Wardle.
Wardle: If I could just maybe add something that might help in your determination.
Costco would be willing to make the design review process an item that would come
back to the Council. Certainly they would be working with staff with some innovative
designs to -- that would fit some of the profile elements that Mr. Whelan talked about
earlier, but they would be willing to make this not just a staff level consideration, but a
Council consideration.
Palmer: Have we ever done that? Can we do that?
Bernt: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bernt.
Bernt: Maybe a question for Mr. Whelan from Costco. I mean just given like worst case
scenario in regard to this design review, since you have done this in other locations,
specifically, you know, the one in Washington and the one in California, would you be
willing to do something similar to that in -- in this proposed development?
Whelan: Well, I think what -- what we would like to do is we have lots of examples, so,
you know, we are not exactly enamored with either one of those on their face, but
certainly what -- and what we typically do with communities when they have an
architecture requirement is we come in with a catalog of, you know, there is 20 Costcos,
what kind of cues do you like here and, then, we go from there. So -- so, yes, I mean
we can -- we can take one of those and do cues, but I think -- I think you guys would
probably -- personally I think we have done more interesting things. I think you would --
you would enjoy and benefit from seeing a larger catalog of what we may be able --
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Bernt: Sure.
Whelan: -- to do and -- and, then, consequently building off of that.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: And like you mentioned, this building is a lot taller than the other one and I'm not
sure that that's really going to appease the neighbors throwing in something that's going
to be a lot taller. So, maybe you have something that looks much nicer than your
standard warehouse that's not really tall.
Whelan: Yeah. I mean I just finished up a deal in Dallas, Texas, where they wanted a
modern building. I think it looks really cool, you know.
Milam: A what building?
Whelan: A modern type building.
Milam: Yeah. That's what I was thinking.
Whelan: So -- I mean -- so I think just with two examples, you know, we can do a lot
better in terms of giving you a -- a palette that you might be able to -- to go off of and
they would be true Costcos. I think that that process always works best. You know, sit
down, you know, here is what we have done in the past, what do you like about this,
what don't you like about that, and, then, we try to, you know, modify it for the situation
here. Where signs go is different all over -- you know, it's just -- each -- each site has its
own characteristics to dictate what the right thing is.
Allen: Madam Mayor, if I may? Design review is a staff level administrative application.
If Mayor and Council decides to go the route you're discussing, I might recommend that
you do require a development agreement modification to update the elevations and,
then, that way they go through a public hearing process and back through Council. The
only reason design review would technically go before Council is if staff would deny the
application and the applicant were to request Council review of the decision.
Bernt: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bernt.
Bernt: What would that -- what was that -- that wording again, Sonya? I apologize.
The development agreement modification --
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Allen: I was just saying an option would be -- if you guys are wanting to see the
elevations again -- is to require that the development agreement be modified when the
Costco goes in for permits prior to CZC submittal, that they come in and modify the DA
to include new concept elevations.
Wardle: Madam Mayor, I'd like to just ask a clarification from Sonya. I guess what we
did was we clouded the issue by the -- the examples that we provided and so I guess
Sonya -- correct me if I'm wrong -- you're saying that those are in the record to change
those, then we would -- we would modify the development agreement, which has not
yet been executed, to come back with concepts that would, then, be reviewed and they
would have to come back to the Council for that modification.
Allen: Madam Mayor, that is correct, but our city code does allow for a modification to
the agreement before the agreement is signed also.
Wardle: Okay.
Allen: So, that would be -- that would probably be the best alternative. Be the quickest
for the applicant.
Wardle: And, Madam Mayor, that would go back into what we had suggested earlier,
that if we had a development agreement that was specific to the commercial, one to the
multi -family and one of the single family, so that we don't end up having to bring all
three parties back to the table, that would -- we -- I think we would be in agreement with
that. That could be done again before execution of the initial development agreement
or thereafter, so --
Allen: Yeah. Madam Mayor, Council, I neglected to address the applicant's letter.
What Mike was just talking about. He did ask for development agreement provision
number 1.1A-6 be deleted and staff is okay with that request, as well as to separate the
development agreements for the C -G and the R-40 zoned properties, since staff is in
agreement with what he's requested also on that.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: This is kind of some of the tricky stuff that happens this late in the game. As
much as I would love to try and resolve it, but -- so, one of the challenges that just
comes to mind with that concept is you have a development agreement with elevations
like this -- this that's approved and a modification is required to come back with different
elevations and different elevations come back and the Council says, no, and the
applicant says, okay, we will build what's in the original development application which
is before us, which is where we are right now. So, that process is a circle that doesn't
get you anywhere.
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Allen: Madam Mayor, Council, to a degree I agree with that, but at the same time if
you're requesting them to amend their elevations, even if you deny the elevations they
bring back, they are still going to be required to amend those elevations. Do something
that's approved by Council.
De Weerd: Mr. Nary.
Nary: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, maybe I could help. Councilman
Borton, we have -- have had previous development agreements that did have elevations
and in the development agreement it said these are concept elevations and the
applicant is required to bring the actual elevations to Council with a DA modification
before they can receive a building permit. So, they don't have the right to build what's in
front of you. All this -- all the document, the DA, would say is you have a general idea
it's going to be a box, but what the box looks like they are going to have to bring it back
to you. So, they won't be able to, then, just build what's on the paper, the requirement
in the DA is they have to bring back what they are actually going to build and have that
actually approved. So, we have done that before and been able to have the -- that
come back successfully. We did -- we have done that instead, because many years
ago we would take out all the elevations and, then, require them to bring it back. But
that became very confusing, because sometimes there wasn't the same Council
Members sitting here. So, it's just a general idea that that's what's going to be -- it's
going to be a large box store, but they would have to bring back the specific ones for
specific approval with a DA modification.
Allen: And, Madam Mayor, Council, if I may add to what Mr. Nary said, if you don't like
these elevations don't include them in the development agreement, just required them
to modify the agreement to include elevations that you approve. They don't need to
even be included.
Bernt: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bernt.
Bernt: In light of this new information regard to elevations and density in regard to
apartments and a lot of questions that are raised, with that said, I respect your time and
I understand your concern. I mean we are all here, it's past midnight and we all have a
vested interest in making a prudent decision, I would be in favor of what Mr. Borton said
earlier in regard to just extending this one week just so that we can make the right
decision. I know you guys want decisions tonight and I -- and you wouldn't be here still
if you didn't. Someone got a call earlier wanting to know if -- what the decision was and
he left. So, I know it's a big deal. And so I would -- in lighted of that, I would -- I would
propose just one more week, so we can get the information, the elevations, get different
pictures from Costco -- I'm sure you have a bunch of different looks that we could look
at and -- and check out and then -- and, then, make a decision in a week. That would
be my decision. I would support that.
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Cavener: A motion is always in order.
De Weerd: Any other discussion or not?
Cavener: Madam Mayor? Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: I appreciate Council Member Bernt's comments. I guess I would want to ask
the applicant if they would be able to provide some of those elevations to us in the span
of seven days. I know Council Member Palmer likes to ask private business to change
how they operate, but I will ask tonight.
Whelan: Yes.
Nary: Madam Mayor?
Whelan: I mean certainly we can --
Nary: Madam Mayor, could I interject before we have that answer? We have
advertised this hearing with these elevations, so I'm more concerned that we picked
different pictures and now make that part of the record when no one's had any
opportunity to review it or look at it or comment on it. So, I'm a little more concerned
with doing that. If you -- if you did what we were suggesting, which is make that a
requirement for -- if the decision is to approve it with the elevations to be determined
later at another public hearing that people can, then, comment on, that gives me more
comfort than changing that with a one week notice and, then, have -- unless you're
willing to hear comment on those as well, that would be my only concern is you want to
leave the public hearing open and allow everyone to comment on that, then, I think will
be okay. But I wasn't sure if that's where you were going before -- before Mr. Whelan
got up to speak. So, that would be my concern is if you're going to do that, that we
probably need to make sure that people have an opportunity to comment and one week
may not be enough if that's your desire.
Little Roberts: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Little Roberts.
Little Roberts: I would rather maybe just see some examples, but leave it just with no
pictures and things at this point, because I think that we have got the experts here that
are going to have an opportunity to come back if we get to that point, rather than us
saying we are picking something. So, I would just rather that we recommend that there
-- they bring it back to us at a later date if we get to that point.
Wardle: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, just to clarify what Council Member
Roberts just said, that you're basically agreeing with staff that you can simply indicate
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that the -- we are required to bring back something for modification of the development
agreement in the future, which is a Council action. We would concur with that. It solves
the problem of not getting into -- because we start looking at a lot of elevations -- there
are at least seven different opinions that would be expressed and it could take some
time to get there. Probably not within a week or maybe even two. So, the modification
of the development agreement is probably the better process, because it, then, creates
another public hearing for people to actually address the issue, rather than continuing it
and muddying the waters with what we have already done. So, we would ask that you
make the decision based on what you have and make it a requirement for modification
and as I think legal counsel suggested, you could even say that these are not approved,
bring us back something in a development agreement modification. Thank you.
De Weerd: It sounds like there is a number of different things, so it's not just the look of
the Costco, it's the apartments, it's pedestrian crossings, and -- so, I don't know if
Council is -- is at a point where you want to make a decision tonight or -- or continue it
and -- but continue it, suggesting to the applicant what you're looking for. What
additional information you might need.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: I think when it comes to the apartments, they are, you know, consistent
elevations with many apartments that we have seen and they go through the design
review process. It's the warehouse look that really we are hearing a lot of concern
about and so, you know, given the size and the situation I think that it would be an
appropriate adjustment to our usual process to be able to -- or to go through what's
been suggested with the requirement to come back for a DA modification. Everything
else being consistent and appropriate. If -- I feel comfortable in -- in making that
decision and moving forward with that tonight, but I think it would get awkward to -- to
either close the public hearing and -- or -- and continue it or continue it open and, then,
you know, we have another round of comments in between and then, of course, the
applicant would have close opportunity. So, I want to hear from everybody else whether
-- I mean we have heard a couple comments about continuing it, but I think during the
discussion it would be good to have an idea how -- about my goal as to whether to
continue to make a decision tonight before we decide to continue it or -- or close the
public hearing.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: I'm supportive of either us making a decision this evening or continuing it for a
week. I -- though if we want to continue it for another week I think it's important to leave
the public hearing open, allow public the opportunity to provide additional information or
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the applicant to provide any additional information, so if we want to continue it for
another week I believe we should leave the public hearing open.
Allen: Madam Mayor, Council, if I may, I would strongly recommend that if the project is
continued that it's continued for more than a week. We really need -- if revised plans
come in we really need them with adequate time before the next hearing that the public
has a chance to review them, staff has a chance to review them and comment. Right
now we are sitting at Tuesday. I mean we would need something back at a minimum in
two days and I really don't think that's going to happen with the applicant. Thank you.
Bernt: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bernt.
Bernt: Rough time frame on -- on that turnaround?
Allen: Well, the applicant already suggested that a month was okay with them, did you
not? Excuse me.
Palmer: They want five minutes.
Wardle: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, no, I don't think we said that there
was a month leeway. I think what we have concluded is that there is really no new
information to be provided, with the exception that we have elevations that are clearly
not those that will be constructed. So, make the development agreement requirement
for those to be provided through a subsequent Council hearing action. But we would --
there is no new information that we would provide that would -- that would expedite the
process any better than that. Clearly a month doesn't do anything, because, then, it
opens up -- it just continues on and on, because now there is a new round of
conversation and we think there has been sufficient conversation. In spite of the fact
that it's extremely late.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: Did you say there were other changes that we needed to contemplate tonight?
My brain isn't working very good. I'm forgetting things now. But I could go either way
as well. I don't -- that's why I'm asking. Do you remember?
De Weerd: No. I was just bringing up some of the conversations on -- on different
elements in -- in the application itself.
Bernt: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bernt.
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Bernt: I -- you know, I guess my concern earlier was just to make a good decision, a
prudent decision, and -- and one of the concerns I had was the elevation and the look of
Costco. If the applicant is -- if it's okay with legal and staff and we feel comfortable with
making a decision tonight and with a modification revision so we can review the
elevation at a -- at a future time with that in mind, I think that I could -- I could be okay
with -- with that, because, you know, the protection that it offers in this decision, so --
Little Roberts: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Little Roberts.
Little Roberts: I agree with Councilman Bernt. I do have a question. Do we need to
make the same comment regarding the photos of the apartments?
De Weerd: I guess they did mention it comes back through a CUP and --
Little Roberts: Thank you.
De Weerd: -- I guess in that CUP the cross -- the crosswalk markings and -- and how
that would connect would be part of that.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
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Milam: There are several people with their hands up right now. I don't know if --
De Weerd: Well, if you want to open it up to public testimony after you have pretty
much had the rebuttal from the applicant, I -- I will open this to Council's desire.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: People are here.
De Weerd: We are here.
Cavener: We are here. They are here after midnight. If they have got -- if the -- I
guess, Madam Mayor, I would ask if the Council is supportive, if it's new information to
add that hasn't already been covered or if it -- my assumption is there is some clarifying
questions, I'm supportive under those narrow sideboards and, then, still giving the
applicant the last opportunity to come back up and speak.
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De Weerd: Well, they always have to have the last word, so -- we will just start on this
side and work over. And if you will keep your remarks very short that would be
awesome. If you will state your name and address for the record.
Curvey: My name is Les Curvey. 6808 North Topaz Jewel Place, Meridian. 83646.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Curvey: Madam Mayor and Council Members, I have a question. After listening to
everything that took place for the last seven hours, five hours, something like that, how
we got fixated on what a Costco is going to look like. That is not the issue.
De Weerd: Sir, this was clarifying questions, not new testimony, please.
Curvey: Clarifying questions. Okay. I'm sorry. The clarifying question is how did you
get fixated on the look of a Costco versus the Comprehensive Plan. That is not part of
the Comprehensive Plan.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Curvey: That's my question.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Madam Mayor, maybe Caleb could give us kind of a breakdown of what the
Comprehensive Plan -- it's -- whether it's a guide or a constitution. A living document
or what is it. And -- and some -- maybe some background on -- on --
De Weerd: I think that's a leading question.
Palmer: Absolutely.
De Weerd: Okay.
Palmer: But he will know better than me.
De Weerd: I --
Palmer: Or not.
De Weerd: Do you want to be a little bit more specific in what you would like him to
answer.
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Palmer: Do we -- is the Comprehensive Plan a guide or is it hard and fast this is what it
is and we can't move from it, and maybe some history on what the Council has done in
the past. I have only been here two years. What Council has one in the past with
regard to how big of changes are made and when those decisions have been
appropriate.
Hood: So, Madam Mayor, I will be brief. I probably won't touch the last one so much
with a history of what past Councils have done, but just -- the Comprehensive Plan is a
guide. It's a state required document, but there are a lot of subjective elements within
the plan itself. It is formulated by the community members, adopted and enforced, but it
is at your discretion to interpret and apply the Comprehensive Plan. The applicant has
applied to amend the map, which is a portion of the Comprehensive Plan, because that
is -- although it's not parcel specific, it is pretty explicit in those land use designations
and they are going from one to another. But, again, just throughout the plan there are a
lot of -- there is required elements in the plan, but how you interpret them and apply
them, there is a lot of leeway there and that is your charge and the Planning and Zoning
Commission has a lot of state required duties as well. But, basically, again, your
discretion there. If that helps. It's not regulatory. It's not code. But it does guide
growth and development. So, hopefully, that helps.
Johns: First of all, I think that a Comprehensive Plan --
De Weerd: Tammie, can you restate your name and address --
Johns: Tammie Johns. 3508 West Star Hollow Road.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Johns: Spurwing. I would think that a Comprehensive Plan would be required by the
state to help protect us as citizens. Would you agree with me on that? And also I -- I
want to rebut something that this gentleman from Costco said. He showed you a
picture of the Lehi Costco. I have been there many times. He showed you homes
behind the Costco. What he didn't show you on the other side was that there is a
Walmart. There is a large big box store. There -- a department store. A Gordman's.
There is Sonic. There is Chili's. There is -- on both sides of the street that whole thing
is the most -- is the busiest part of that town --
De Weerd: Okay. We are just trying to get clarifying --
Johns: Okay. Well, I -- I wanted to clarify that, because he made that look like that was
a residential thing. The other thing, too, is that those residents -- he kept saying they
built afterwards. We built before. I really think -- we have spent so much time
considering what these guys have said after all of us got up and expressed our feelings
about this and, then, I feel like all of the time was given to consider what these guys
want to do as far as design. I agree with the other gentleman on that. I would
appreciate some more thought on us and I think that this should be tabled and I think
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that more thought should be given to it, because you have had so much time to be
influenced by this after we have spent all of our evening trying to express our feelings
and I don't think that's fair. Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Meuret: Michael Meuret. Office address 1210 East Fairview Avenue, Meridian, Idaho.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Meuret: Thank you, Madam Mayor, Council. I just -- my question is -- or clarification --
this is just a decision on rezoning; right? This project and approving it or not. Not
necessarily the design and couldn't we, like everyone has said, just make every other
approval subject to your guys' decisions at a future date. I mean, really, the matter at
hand is do we want this zoned for a big box or little box.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Meuret: Thank you.
De Weerd: Yes, sir. Good evening.
Southam: Madam Mayor, Council, my name is Lynn Southam. I live at 6408 North
Salvia Way, Meridian. Spurwing Greens. I'm intrigued by what's happened here
tonight, by what's been said and what has not been said. All of the citizens of Spurwing
Greens spoke in favor of you denying this application and yet this last hour or so, as you
have already heard, has been devoted to design, as if you have already made the
decision to not listen to the people about the de -evaluation of their homes, about the
issues of safety, both traffic and pedestrian, about the issue of children and their safety
in that area. All of those things none of you have even asked about it. None of you
have commented on it. All you have done is resisted all of our efforts to tell you we are
people who believed Brighton when they said there would be no development in that
area or they failed to tell us. No one has talked about the legal liabilities of Brighton for
that deceit. No one has talked about the possible tort liabilities of this city when you
approve a road design and accidents start to increase on those sections when you have
that crazy U-turn format outlined on Ten Mile and Chinden. There will be suits brought
against the people who made the decision. And I know the city can say no problem, we
will just pay for it out of tax money. So, it doesn't cost you anything. But the reality is
we are the people who selected you to represent us. Costco didn't do that. And when
this is all said and done, you have already made the decision to approve it, evidenced
by what you have been saying, the reality is when they walk away and they have the
approval, they can smile, but we won't and Brighton will be embarrassed that their name
has been shamed. It's unfortunate that you have not heard us tonight. I would hope
you understand that this has not been a casual thing on our part. We feel strong about
where we live. We came to the city with a purpose. You have had a great reputation in
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the past. I wish your decision would reflect that you still value what the people think.
Thank you.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Mr. Southam --
De Weerd: Please.
Palmer: -- I got a question for you. Would you expect us to only consider the
comments made in the room today or the thousand plus e-mails that we received?
Southam: Absolutely I want you to consider those e-mails and I want you to consider
the testimony of the Planning and Zoning Commission. I want you to consider
everything that the people have brought down here, because I will tell you, as you know,
because you have read them, they way outnumber those who are in favor of Costco
and you would not be telling me the truth if you said otherwise. You know that and I
know that.
Palmer: Madam Mayor? And, C.Jay, do we have any statistics about the e-mails that
we received as --
Milam: Madam Mayor? I can't remember. Did you have the numbers?
Coles: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, Council Member Palmer, I don't have
an exact number of -- for and against. It depends on what the -- at what point in time,
what snapshot in time you -- you would have liked me to have taken it. However, the
applicant did provide to the city this morning a snapshot of that and an analysis of that
that does give a number. It's in your packet. Of numbers for and against, both before
the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting and after the Planning and Zoning
Commission meeting. So, that is in the public record and in your packet that does show
how many for, how many against, at a certain snapshot in time, which was yesterday, I
believe.
Southam: And all of the petitions that have been signed in the last week or two,
circulated throughout those two neighborhoods. There has never been a public meeting
held in those communities where people have come together and said, yea, we are for
Costco. What we have all said is we like Costco, we all -- most of us have Costco
memberships. We drive to Nampa. We have suggested, since Brighton already owns
the property at Highway 16 and Chinden, why not move it down there. It's just another
couple of miles. There are no houses there. They could do that if they wanted. They
make money either way, whether they sell that property or the property at Ten Mile and
Chinden. It makes no difference to them --
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De Weerd: Sir, I'm sorry, I don't mean to cut you off. It is late and I think we heard your
message.
Southam: I hope so. I hope your vote --
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: This is not just to you, this is to all of you. I just want you to know that you may
-- we may look like we are just sitting here and not listening to you, but we are listening
to every word and it -- it's touching our hearts. Okay? We do this every week and these
are very, very difficult decisions; right? And every time there is an application for the
most part, there is a group of people who don't want it and we have to weigh out what is
better for this situation and we hear you and it's painful to think that you are going to
have to live in that or it's going to make you unhappy. That's not what we want to do.
But this is a state highway. This is the type of location that a business like this belongs.
It is a state highway. This is not an arterial road. So, I --
Southam: None of us --
Milam: -- apologize --
Southam: None of us are objecting to the state highway argument.
Milam: You know, this is the type of location. The Comprehensive Plan is a working
document --
Southam: Yes.
Milam: -- and we are actually in the process of changing it. It was ten years old that --
you know, the last time it was done and we are -- we are going to redo it. But ten years
ago no -- none of us had a crystal ball to see how the population was going to grow and
what direction and at the -- at the fast pace that it's growing at. So, things change and
this isn't something that we are trying to do to somebody or shove it down their -- this is
not our project, but we have to look at the project and property owners do have rights.
We have -- let me tell you -- there is one more thing I want to say. There is three things
since I have been on City Council -- this is my fifth years. The schools are
overcrowded. So, if we had -- if we were building a bunch of houses, this room would
be full of people saying the schools can't handle it. This is what we get every week.
The schools are too crowded. The roads are too crowded. And when is Costco
coming. Those are the three top issues that -- over the last almost five years that have
come to me. So, it's not that we don't hear you. I just want you to know that.
Southam: We appreciate --
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Milam: And we feel and we -- and we feel and love for you.
Southam: We appreciate it. I have been before this Council three times and I will
simply say this: We agree this is a state road and it needs to be on a state road. But
just put it down the road two miles where there are no houses and no children to run
over and no intersections where you're going to have people doing crazy U-turns. We
just want you to remember what the people think. Thank you.
Carroll: Andrea Carroll. Madam Mayor, Commissioner Borton, I want to address the
issue that you brought up regarding the UDC alternative to the variance. I'm going to
read from the State Code, because -- thank you. I'm going to read to you State Code
67-6516. It's the part of State Code part of LUPA that grants the city the authority to
grant a variance and so I would -- I would argue that to the extent that your code says
anything it has to comply with this and this is what State Code says. A variance shall
not be considered a right or special privilege, but may be granted to an applicant only
upon a showing of undue hardship because of the characteristics of the site and that the
variance is not in conflict with the public interest. Only -- I respect your authority to draft
your code, but it has to be interpreted in compliance with State Code. You have been
granted authority through this provision of State Code to grant a variance. Whatever
language is in your city code has to be interpreted consistent with that and I would
argue that to you tonight. I would argue that to a court. Secondly, with regard to your
comp plan, there is a question, Commissioner Palmer, that you asked with -- you know,
is this a guide, is this -- and it's often said that a comp plan is not code and that is
absolutely correct. It's a different procedure. However, there is a huge difference to the
weight that is given to a comp plan in unannexed versus annexed land, because once
you have an annex land there is an entitlement -- the developer has an entitlement, has
a takings claim if you make -- you know, a lot of these decisions you have talked about
-- oh, we can address that in the CUP, we can address that in the design review, we
can address that in the DA modification. You grant these permits tonight, they have an
entitlement. They have no entitlement now. They have no entitlement. You put
yourselves in an inferior position defending yourselves in court if there is a future denial
of a CUP if there is a condition in that CUP or the design review or the DA modification
that later on down the road the developer doesn't want to go along. They are super
compliant now, but what if that changes, what if the Council changes, what if the -- the
vision of what the Council wants to see changes with the leadership changing. You
have put yourselves -- you have put the City of Meridian in an inferior position legally in
court by granting this entitlement tonight. Don't make that decision on half the project
until you have all of the information and don't grant a variance without a very concrete
finding of an undue hardship, because it doesn't exist here. Being next to Chinden is
not an undue hardship. A smaller, more moderate development would be perfectly able
to take access from a different route. Thank you.
De Weerd: I just have a --
Carroll: Yes.
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De Weerd: -- question for you. If you look at that map, the access to Chinden actually
keeps the commercial traffic out of the neighborhood. So, you're suggesting to not
grant that?
Carroll: I'm suggesting to not be so limited in what your vision as to this site that it has
to have a Costco on it. There are a lot of other types of developments that would
function here very adequately and that sort of the need -- that's the sort of the nature of
is this hardship use driven or is it based on the characteristics of the site, because if you
talk about another use, other than Costco, all of a sudden your possibilities of what to
do with the site become a lot broader and --
De Weerd: I think even if it's -- if it's not Costco, if it's a mixed use retail office it would
still be driven through the neighborhood.
Carroll: I appreciate that perspective. I think that there -- that the people that you have
heard from tonight would beg to disagree that there are more moderate -- moderately
impacting developments that would not require the direct access to Chinden and would
impact the surrounding neighborhoods a lot less and be a lot more complementary to
what's already there. Thank you.
Cavener: Madam Mayor? A request before we invite anybody else up. I think that
Council discussed keeping this testimony limited in scope and asking clarifying
questions. Despite some of the testimony that we just heard I think this Council has
been listening intentively to the public for the past few hours and I think us allowing the
public to come up to ask some clarifying questions why -- I don't think we have had one
asked yet. My request would be to the public if you're coming up to provide additional
testimony, please, keep it limited in scope and ask these clarifying questions, which is
why we have open the door to allow additional testimony.
Dunlap: Getting to old for this.
De Weerd: Those are comfortable chairs. What are you talking about.
Dunlap: I will bring a cushion next time. My name is Mike Dunlap. 5256 North Cougar
Flat Court, Meridian. 83646. The only thing I want to say is you need to give these
people a decision.
De Weerd: We need clarifying questions.
Dunlap: Well, the question is if you don't give them a decision pretty quick, they are not
going to be here.
De Weerd: Okay.
Dunlap: And the man behind me, which I really don't know him, the developer, he will
be in here next to put apartments in there, five to seven hundred units. Think about it.
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De Weerd: If we will keep it to clarifying questions, please.
Jacobs: I will be real -- I will be real brief. Dave Jacobs. 4276 West Ladle Rapids.
Should this go through -- and I think I see the winds of change, guys. Is there a way
that we can limit public access to those neighborhoods? We are really concerned -- like
this gentleman over here with the small kids, I don't know if you want to call them guard
gates or something on either side of Vanderbilt and -- you know what I mean? A gate. I
can't even think anymore. Sorry, guys. But do you understand what I mean? Can we
limit public access of getting through the neighborhoods with a gate or something? I
don't know if that's something that Brighton wants to do or Costco would help out with,
but they are really concerned about the safety of the neighborhood.
De Weerd: That's a good clarifying question. Thank you.
Jacobs: So, that's it. I'm out.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: If I understand right, I think that would require the subdivision purchasing the
infrastructure from ACHD and making it a private road. So, right now they are public.
They are publicly maintained and they are publicly accessible.
Jacobs: Just a thought.
Palmer: You can buy them. That's it.
De Weerd: Okay. Mr. Neufeld.
Neufeld: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, Robert Neufeld. 3756 West Snow
Cherry Court in Meridian.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Neufeld: I know the hour is late. My question is why can't somebody on this City
Council make a motion to do something, except sit here and talk. Now is that against
the law that you cannot do that? I have heard several people up here talk about an idea
that I think the great majority of people in the audience would support and that's a
continuance. I would support a continuance and I don't care if it's ten days, 30 days or
60 days, I think the majority of the people say you guys are tired, we are tired, I do not
want you to make a decision tonight based upon the fact that the hour is late and it's
time to go home. I want you to continue this process. But, secondly, I want you to
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answer the question. Why can't somebody up here make a motion to do something,
instead of sit here and talk.
Milam: Madam Mayor, I can answer that question.
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: Sir, the reason nobody's made a motion is because we were getting close to
that point and a whole bunch of hands out there went up and so we agreed to allow
some additional questions and that's why a motion has not been made.
Neufeld: No. I understand that. But there -- there have been plenty of opportunities,
Council Member Milam, to make a motion. I have heard several people talk --
De Weerd: Mr. Neufeld --
Neufeld: I have heard several people talk -- it's late.
De Weerd: Mr. Neufeld, if we can not get into this debate.
Neufeld: Okay. All I want is for somebody to make a decision. Okay?
De Weerd: Okay. Thank you for your question. Mr. Reyes. Yes.
Reyes: I want to thank you all. David Reyes. 5781 North Joy Avenue, Meridian, Idaho.
83646-021529247818486807287041907. Right. Thank you for your patience in sitting
here so long and listening to our testimony, listening to all of our comments. I have two
clarifying questions. The first is -- in the traffic impact study, which was the initial artifact
that started way back when at the beginning of this process, was the additional traffic
that will be generated through the neighborhood by the new church that's going in on
Chinden taken into account? That's my first question. My second question is prior to
the initial neighborhood meeting about this project, why wasn't the public consulted
initially about this project and asked for opinion -- asked for input and I don't say that as
a controversial -- I'm not interested in sparking controversy or another argument,
whatever. The reason I asked that is because I attended the second meeting and in my
personal opinion what was presented there was basically a sales pitch like this is a
done deal. We were not asked how do you feel about a Costco in your backyard.
Those are my two questions.
De Weerd: Thank you. You're next.
Denison: Kevin Denison. 3246 West Salix Drive, Meridian. So, in regards to Mr.
Wardle -- and he brought up two different Costcos, one in Kentucky and one in Lehi.
I'm going to reiterate what that woman said. He did not show you the backside of either
one of those. I would implore you to look at those. The one in Lehi has about 75
percent of commercial around it, but he slide that one by as fast as he could. The
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Comprehensive Plan, you guys wrote it, you spent taxpayer money to build it, time and
effort, you put a lot of thought into it as what this city should be. Okay. So, my question
is -- here is the map that was approved in this plan on September of 2017. So, my
question to you, Council Woman Milam, is what has changed. You asked the question.
I'm asking you what has changed in seven months.
De Weerd: Okay. Thank you for your question.
Denison: And I can tell you what has changed. Costco came to Brighton and Brighton
could have said no.
De Weerd: And you will follow this gentleman.
Battaglia: Michael Battaglia. From 4212 West Wolf Rapids Drive in Meridian.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Battaglia: I want to ask the traffic engineer if they can show me where any traffic counts
-- total traffic counts that -- well, at all the intersections that they had studied in the
proposed development, where they indicate any traffic coming out of the Bainbridge
Subdivision onto Lost Rapids Street. There are no -- all the intersection drawings go
straight down Lost Rapids or Tree Farm, but they do not show any traffic coming out
from Bainbridge to interact with the traffic that they proposed that's going to be on these
streets. There is no information there with regard to any traffic coming out of Bainbridge
Subdivision onto Lost Rapids or Tree Farm, either existing or proposed. That's it.
De Weerd: Thank you. This gentleman in the front. The second row I mean.
Burke: Mayor Tammy and Council, thanks for letting me have an opportunity. My
question is, Mayor, how did you --
De Weerd: Could you state your name. I'm sorry.
Burke: My name is Rick Burke at --
De Weerd: Thank you.
Burke: -- 6092 North Santa Rita, Meridian. 83646.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Burke: Anyway, Mayor, I'm concerned and I'm wondering how you let us get off track
by moving the discussion to the facade or the appearance of the structure, as opposed
to the questions -- the underlying questions whether we are going to approve or
disapprove the building of a warehouse out at Ten Mile and Chinden. Also it appears
that there is at least a couple of folks on the Council, through their body language and
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questions, that they have already made a decision. At this late hour, you know, rummy
or not, I think you should be able to make a decision. This is what we have elected you
to do. Mayor, I think it's time. Thank you.
De Weerd: Mr. Rock.
Rock: Bob Rock. 4090 West Lost Rapids Drive. I think. Based on my wife's last text I
might not be there anymore. Listen, I -- I guess we could go tit for tat all night long on
this. I could probably bring up several clarifying questions. Just an observation. You
can shut me down, but you all are so darn tired I don't know how you can make a
decision one way or the other and be confident that it's going to be a good decision.
That's not a knock on you. I wouldn't expect anything else. I'm teaching a class in six
hours. I'm sure a lot of you have things you're going to be doing at about that time, the
same time frame. But to the last gentleman's comment, I think it's time to make a
decision and we may be already in a situation where you have to have a rebuttal and,
then, you have to have more conversation and the right decision is probably to put this
off, but I want you all to make the right decision. I hope it's the decision that most of us
want, but whatever it is I want it to be the right decision, made for the right reasons and
not because you're so damn tired you can't stay awake anymore. Sorry. That's all I
have to say.
De Weerd: Mr. Wardle.
Wardle: Mike Wardle. Still at 12601 West Explorer Drive in Boise.
De Weerd: You haven't got a different text?
Wardle: No. Some very brief comments and I am going to have Andy get up on
address two of the questions that came with regard to the traffic impact study. The first
comment on the Comprehensive Plan is which version is the community comfortable
with. The original one that showed that there was the most intense uses anticipated in
the city being on the property. Was it the iteration that didn't have anything. Is it the
current iteration that certainly proposed commercial potentially on the site. Secondly, if
you erase Costco from the site and you had -- oops. I didn't touch anything. But -- but if
Costco were erased and the other sometimes referred to as boutique type uses were
there, they are still a draw. There is still the traffic. It doesn't change. So, it doesn't go
back to just the quiet little neighborhood. With regard to consideration -- so, Mayor, you
hit this a little bit ago. You noted that it has to come back for a conditional use permit
and at that point questions of safety and access and so forth get to be addressed. But
it's even more than that. In the case of the Bainbridge North portion west of Costco,
that has to come back through a PUD and preliminary plat. So, all issues of access and
safety, pedestrian crossings and so forth, get covered there and interconnectivity within
the rest of the site. Same thing happens with the R-40. Conditional use permit. Public
hearings and so forth. Deb, do you want to speak just briefly about the variance or
modification process and, then, Andy can conclude with the TIS.
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Nelson: Very briefly. Deborah Nelson. 601 West Bannock in Boise. Your city
ordinance on variance does comply with state statute. It has the same criteria that is
there. It's also not the only way that you can find an exception in your own code to your
access standards. You have other options and you are not mandated to this one.
That's all I have.
Daleiden: Andy Daleiden. Kittelson and Associates. Address 101 South Capital
Boulevard, Boise, Idaho. 83702. One of the questions was did the traffic impact study
include the new church that is located just to the northwest of here in the analysis. That
came after all the assumptions were developed associated with development of the
traffic study last summer. So, that -- that church was not -- not included in the analysis,
but it is, essentially, accounted for with background growth that's in the traffic study.
Additionally, the church traffic impact study has included the anticipated development
traffic with -- with this project, as well as other in -process developments that are kind of
pending. So, it's one of those things, which one is kind of moving along in process first
and this traffic impact study for this development was ahead of that one and so that's
how the assumptions were built. Second related to the traffic counts that were
collected, we did counts at Tree Farm Way and Chinden and we did counts at Ten Mile
Road and Lost Rapids Drive. As noted in the testimony, we did not collect counts at the
local street there, but those two intersections that we -- on either hand include the traffic
associated with what's going in and out of the residential. It's very low. It's not a high
volume today. And as part of the analysis when you looked out into 2020 -- 40 -- or
2024, I'm sorry, the traffic volumes on Lost Rapids Drive, as I indicated in the opening
during the simulation, the roadway is projected to only use about 40 percent of its
capacity. So, there is significant capacity available for trips associated with that use and
adequate gaps for vehicles coming out of that site in our opinion.
De Weerd: Thank you, Andy.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: I move we close the public hearing on H-2018-0004.
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. Any opposed? Okay.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
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Palmer: Madam Mayor, Sonya, Council, help me make sure I don't miss any of the
points, so I can make a motion and we don't have to amend and amend and amend the
motion. So, if I make a motion to approve the application, is there -- was there anything
in your report that they didn't -- or that you guys aren't in agreement on?
Allen: I don't believe so, Madam Mayor, Council.
Palmer: So then -- so, in the motion it would be to approve per the staff report and also
to approve the variance for the connections to 20-26. Is there anything else outstanding
that would need to be included in a motion?
Allen: The applicant's response to the staff report and agreed upon by staff.
Palmer: Okay.
Nary: Those are what you have in your record for today.
Palmer: Okay. Then, Madam Mayor, I move we approve H-2018-0004, including the --
the comments and -- five from the applicant in the agreements between staff and the
applicant and -- and including the -- that the -- a DA modification be required to approve
-- that Council would approve the elevations for the Costco and the variance for the
connections to Chinden, citing the ITD's approval on the comments made by the
applicant for the findings.
Cavener: I will second that.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second. Discussion? Any discussion?
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: One of the reasons I wanted to have some time to chew on this -- and continue
to chew on it -- it's a difficult one, a difficult project for me. Lots of great considerations
on both sides. I may be a Ione wolf on this, an individual, but -- but I am persuaded by a
lot of the public input in our Comprehensive Plan and I think the mixed use community
designation, all things considered, is still most appropriate and I just see the intensity of
this use is what is necessitating the access on Chinden at corridors to be preserved.
We joke about Eagle Road and Chinden has the opportunity to have those challenges
as well. So, those are the concerns that I can't get over to support this application.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
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Milam: Just in response to that, I just feel like the improvements that they are going to
do along Chinden and Ten Mile will alleviate more traffic than what it's going to create. I
think there will actually be less traffic or problems on Chinden once it's widened.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: While I am also supportive of continuing to chew on this application, there
was a motion made and unless there is a substitute motion made, I may also be
supportive of that one as well, but -- maybe. We have an application presented before
us at hand. There has been considerable testimony, both at Planning and Zoning, here
tonight. We have I believe received more e-mail correspondence on this application
than anything else in our city's history. Our community has been well represented by
those in favor and those against. Regardless of the perceptions amongst those in the
audience tonight, I think that I -- while I typically don't like to speak for Council, I can tell
you that Council has wrestled with this application, as we wrestle with every application
that comes before us. We weigh what the -- the owner of the land is intending to do,
how that impacts our community, especially those that are residences and neighbors
around that particular project and, I, for one, have wrestled as well intently on this
particular project. For me what it comes down to is I think the appropriate use of that
corner along -- to Council Woman Milam's point along a state highway. I, too, recall a
time in our community when we could sit on the corner of Meridian Road all day long
and not have a vehicle drive by. That is the Meridian of my youth, but that is not the
Meridian of today and as a result because many of you have moved to our community
and made it a better place, those are some of the gives and takes that we have had to
make and I welcome all of you. The gentleman that was here -- been here six weeks --
that's great. Welcome to Meridian. With growth brings these challenges and I
personally always struggle with folks who have chosen to call our great community --
and I take exception with those of you who provided testimony tonight disparaging our
community. I'm very proud of Meridian. I'm proud to call it home. I'm proud that my
boys will call it home and for those of you that feel because the decision the Council
makes it is not a place that you want to call home, I take exception with that. So, for me
it is about appropriate use of the land along a state highway and to Councilman Milam's
point, you put it very eloquently, this is an appropriate location for this particular project
and I'm supportive of it and I'm supportive of it tonight, but if Council would feel more
comfortable in their ability to make a decision by having additional time to take public
testimony into account, I'm also supportive of that as well.
Little Roberts: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Little Roberts.
Little Roberts: First of all, just thank you, everyone, that has stuck with us through this
and this is -- it's one of the things that is so so incredibly hard, because we have been
listening to -- or reading written testimony for months now -- or it feels like it anyway and
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there are property rights on both sides and we do weigh very, very carefully what
everyone says and we love Meridian, that's why we are up here and we know you love
Meridian, which is why you're still sitting here. So, it is a very, very, very difficult
decision, but I -- I would like to see us go ahead and make one and I do agree that as
hard as this is, it's -- it's an appropriate location, given the road that it's on, and -- and I
think that it is a great opportunity for us to get a kick start with getting that highway fixed
and -- but it does weigh very, very heavily.
De Weerd: Well, before I call for the question, I will just say that you just saw how
sausage is made and it's -- it's never easy. What has -- what is nice about this Council
is they do listen to every bit of testimony and they read the record and they try to make
the best decision for the community as a whole and it's often the people that come to
the Council chambers that don't see beyond counting heads, but I will tell you that I
would have liked Council to stew over it a week, because I think that this is a big deal
and I haven't been all that fond about this location and I have my own concerns about it,
but ten years from now will it be out of place? I don't know. But I heard that we have a
motion on the table and if there is no discussion, Mr. Clerk.
Roll call: Borton, nay; Cavener, aye; Milam, aye; Palmer, aye; Little Roberts, aye;
Bernt; aye.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE NAY.
H. Public Hearing for Proposed Parks Fees
1. Resolution No. 18-2068: A Resolution Adopting New Fees
Of The Meridian Parks And Recreation Department;
Authorizing The Meridian Parks And Recreation Department
To Collect Such Fees; And Providing An Effective Date
De Weerd: Item 8-H is a public hearing for park fees.
Little Roberts: Good morning, Steve.
Siddoway: Morning, Council. Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, I think I can
make this brief. Hopefully about three minutes. What you have before you -- we come
before you three --
Milam: Put a timer on. Oh.
Siddoway: -- times a year for our activity guide fees. What we have before you are the
activity guide fees proposed for the 2018 summer activity guide. I need to note for the
record that we did find one error in what was posted. Our fault, not the clerk's. I did --
and it's the outdoor adventure camp fees that were noted as 165 and 132. They should
be 175 and 140. We did talk with -- with Legal to ask if they needed to be renoticed.
However, we are of the opinion that they do not, because we are actually not proposing
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an increase in the fee. The 175 and 140 is the fee that they were last year. They didn't
have to be noticed, but we were trying to make a comprehensive list, so we would ask
that you note the change to make them match last year's fees with the outdoor
adventure camp at 175 and the week of Fourth of July at 140. With that I will stand for
any questions.
De Weerd: Council, any questions? Okay. You have resolution 18-2068.
Bernt: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bernt.
Bernt: I move that we approve Resolution No. 18-2068.
Milam: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve item 8-H. Mr. Clerk, will you call
roll.
Roll call: Borton, aye; Cavener, aye; Milam, aye; Palmer, aye; Little Roberts, aye;
Bernt; aye.
De Weerd: All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Item 9: Ordinances
A. Ordinance No. 18-1769: Whistle Stop H-2017-0167
An Ordinance (H-2017-0167 — Whistle Stop) For The Re -Zone
Of A Parcel Of Land Described As Lot 2, Block 1 Of Tramore
Subdivision As Filed In Book 87 Of Plats At Pages 9825 And
9826, Records Of Ada County, Idaho And A Portion Of The N '/2
Of The Sw'/4 Of Section 12, Township 3 North, Range 1 West,
Boise Meridian, City Of Meridian, Ada County Idaho;
Establishing And Determining The Land Use Zoning
Classification From L -O (Light Office) Zoning District To R15
(Medium High Density Residential) Zoning District In The
Meridian City Code; Providing That Copies Of This Ordinance
Shall Be Filed With The Ada County Assessor, The Ada County
Recorder, And The Idaho State Tax Commission, As Required
By Law; And Providing For A Summary Of The Ordinance; And
Providing For A Waiver Of The Reading Rules; And Providing
An Effective Date
De Weerd: Item 9-A is ordinance 18-1769. Mr. Clerk, will you, please, read this by title.
Meridian City Council Meeting Agenda April 17, 2018 — Page 131 of 491
Meridian City Council
April 3, 2018
Page 127 of 128
Coles: Thank you, Madam Mayor. City of Meridian Ordinance No. 18-1769. An
ordinance file H-2018-0167, Whistle Stop, H-2017-0167 for the re -zone of a parcel of
land described as Lot 2, Block 1 of Tramore Subdivision as filed in Book 87 of Plats at
Pages 9825 and 9826, records of Ada county, Idaho and a portion of the N '/2 of the SW
1/4 of Section 12 , Township 3 North, Range 1 West, Boise meridian, City of Meridian,
Ada County Idaho; establishing and determining the land use zoning classification from
L -O (Light Office) Zoning District to R-15 (Medium High Density Residential) Zoning
District in the Meridian City Code; providing that copies of this ordinance shall be filed
with the Ada County Assessor, the Ada County Recorder, and the Idaho State Tax
Commission, as required by law; and providing for a summary of the ordinance; and
providing for a waiver of the reading rules; and providing an effective date.
De Weerd: You have heard this ordinance read by title. Does anyone want to hear it in
its entirety? Seeing none, Council, do I have a motion?
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: I move that we approve Ordinance No. 18-1769 with suspension of rules.
Little Roberts: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve item 9-A. Mr. Clerk, will you call
roll.
Roll call: Borton, aye; Cavener, aye; Milam, aye; Palmer, aye; Little Roberts, aye;
Bernt; aye.
De Weerd: All ayes.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Item 10: Future Meeting Topics
De Weerd: Anything for Item 10?
Milam: No.
De Weerd: A couple of items. Five Mile Creek H2 segment ribbon cutting is on April
4th at 4:00 o'clock. Right, Steve?
Siddoway: Today.
De Weerd: Oh, that is --
Meridian City Council Meeting Agenda April 17, 2018 — Page 132 of 491
Meridian City Council
April 3, 2018
Page 128 of 128
Milam: Tomorrow.
De Weerd: No, it is today. Do The Right is on Thursday and First City -- our First City
101 is on April 11th from 9:00 to noon at the public safety training center for Fire and
Public Works. With that I would entertain a motion to adjourn.
Cavener: So moved.
Milam: Moved. Second.
De Weerd: All those in favor say aye. All ayes.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 1:07 A.M.
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