HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-03-20Meridian City Council March 20, 2018.
A meeting of the Meridian City Council was called to order at 6:00 p.m., Tuesday,
March, 20, 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, Bruce Freckleton, Sonya Allen,
Jeff Lavey, Berle Stokes, Mark Niemeyer, Cameron Arial, Dale Bolthouse, 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 will go ahead and get this meeting started. Thank you all for joining us
here today. For the record it is Tuesday, March 20th. It's 6:00 o'clock. We will start
with roll call attendants, 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 Darrell Taylor with Ten Mile Christian
Church
De Weerd: Item 3 is our community invocation. Tonight we will be led by Darrell
Taylor. He is with Ten Mile Christian Church. If you will all join us in the community
invocation or take this as an opportunity for a moment of reflection. Thank you for
joining us.
Taylor: Thank you. Heavenly Father, we do thank you for this great nation we live in
and, Father, the many blessings you have given us throughout these years. But as the
news continues to remind us, we are in need of moral and spiritual overhaul to help our
nation meet the many heartaches we are facing today. We pray today, Father, for our
leaders, not only in the nation's capital, but also here in this beautiful city of Meridian.
Father, we are praying for wisdom and courage for those in the leadership in making the
right decisions that impact Meridian, as well as this great country of ours. Father, give
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 2 of 80
us light and truth to guide us as we humbly seek your will in our lives and it's in your
son's precious name we pray, amen. Thank you.
Item 4: Adoption of Agenda
De Weerd: Thank you. Item No. 4 is adoption of the agenda.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: We have a change on the Consent Agenda. Item 7-E is to be retitled as a
Resolution No. 18-2065 for the Gamercy vacation. On Consent Agenda Item 7-1 is
going to be removed and -- down to 8-A. And with those changes I move we adopt the
amended agenda.
Cavener: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to adopt the agenda as amended. All those
favor say aye. All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Item 5: Future Meeting Topics - Public Forum (Up to 30 Minutes Maximum)
Coles: There were no sign-ups, Madam Mayor.
Item 6: Proclamation
A. Rocky Mountain Boys Basketball State Champions Day
De Weerd: Okay. Well, I will move to the podium and ask our Rocky Mountain High
School basketball team to come join me. Well, I would -- this is the second year in a
row that they have won the state championship and so keeping in tradition, we will read
a proclamation. I do have one with all of your names in it. This will go in our records.
So, some day if you ever want to show your girlfriend, your wife, your kids that you are
part -- a day was named after you, you can do that. So -- and I will give the
proclamation with the names and without it both to you and you can do with it what you
would like. So, I will go ahead and read this. Whereas being a Rocky Mountain
basketball player is more than scoring points, making assists, grabbing rebounds,
stealing the ball and achieving a state title, it is training to build leadership, character,
confidence, teamwork and resilience, all traits needed to succeed on the court, in the
classroom, and in the real world and whereas for the 2017-2018 season the Grizzlies
entered the state championship with a 13 game winning streak, but continued the
basketball domination at the championship tournament by bringing home the winning
trophy and whereas their strong desire to exhibit excellence in all they do resulted in a
59-51 victory in overtime to win the Idaho Class 5-A Boys State Basketball
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 3 of 80
Championship Tournament and whereas capturing back-to-back basketball state titles
builds school spirit and allows these young men to walk the halls of Rocky, Mountain,
the city and the state, knowing that they are now the team to beat and whereas the
leadership, training and discipline of coaches help all team members to focus their
talents and passion to become a winning team, with each player making valuable
contributions to their victory. Therefore, I, Mayor Tammy de Weerd, here do proclaim
March 20th as Rocky Mountain Boys Basketball State Champions Day in the City of
Meridian and call upon the community to join me in congratulating the Grizz on their
remarkable athletic achievement and for representing Meridian so proudly in the state
tournament. Please join me in congratulating them. I'm going to turn this over to Coach
Roy and, then, I will ask if each of the players will introduce yourself. If you will state
your position and your year in high school, I would greatly appreciate it.
Roy: Thank you. I will just say thank you guys for having us. It's quite an honor to be
here. These boys are a really good representative of Rocky Mountain and not only are
they really good basketball players, but they are really good people. We had a 3.6 GPA
cumulative amongst these guys. So, they are really good people and they represent me
and our program really well. So, I'm really proud of them and thanks again for having us
here. Thank you.
O'Donnell: Tyler O'Donnell, I'm a senior and I'm a guard.
Hall: I'm Garrett Hall. I'm a senior and I'm also a guard.
Ranstrom: I'm Hunter Ranstrom. There is a theme here. I am a senior and I am a
guard.
Denison: Brock Denison. Senior. I'm a guard.
Ranstrom: I'm Briggs Ranstrom. I'm a sophomore and I'm a guard.
Harrop: Cameron Harrop. I'm a junior and I'm a forward.
Rogers: Stranton Rogers. I'm a sophomore and I play guard.
Hamilton: I'm Brayden Hamilton. I'm a junior and I'm a forward.
Hansen: I'm Jayden Hansen. I'm a freshman and I'm a guard.
Lamm: Payton Lamm. Junior. Forward.
Firth: Cooper Frith. Sophomore. Guard.
Item 7: Consent Agenda
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 4 of 80
Meeting
A. Approve Minutes of March 6, 2018 City Council Regular
B. Veranda Senior Living at Hill's Century Water Main Easement
C. Final Plat 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. Final Order for Movado Greens No. 1 (H-2018-0009) by Movado
Development, LLC located South of E. Overland Road between
S. Topaz Way and S. Cloverdale Road
E. Amended FROM Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law TO
Resolution No. 18-2065: A Resolution Vacating The City Of
Meridian Water And Sanitary Sewer Easement (Grantee: City
Of Meridian, Grantor: R & A Nielson Properties, LLC) Located
On Lots 5 Of Block 1 Of Gramercy Subdivision, No. 1 Located
At 1715 S. Wells Avenue, In The Ne'/4 Of Section 20,
Township 3 North, Range 1 East, Boise Meridian, City Of
Meridian, Ada County, Idaho; And Providing An Effective
Date.
F. Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law for Seyam East
Subdivision (H-2017-0159) By Volante Investments, LLLP
Located on the North Side of East Franklin Road and East of
North Touchmark Way
G. Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law for Whistle Stop
Subdivision (H-2017-0167) By Biltmore Company Located at
1297 E Pine Avenue
H. Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law for Timberline
Subdivision (H-2017-0140) by Bailey Investments, LLC,
Located at 655 and 735 West Victory Road
J. Approval of Task Order 10014.h for "Well 32 Pumping Facility
Services During Construction" to Keller Associates, Inc. for
the
Not -To -Exceed amount of $68,230. This Task Order is issued in
conjunction with the Master Agreement with Keller Associates
dated October 1, 2017.
K. Recycled Water User's Agreement - Jacksons
L. AP Invoices for Payment 3/21/18 - $1,428,810.56
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 5 of 80
De Weerd: Okay. Item 7 is our Consent Agenda.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: With the correction noted on Item 7-E, as Resolution 18-2065 and the removal
of 8-1 -- or 7-1, 1 would move that we approve the Consent Agenda and for the Mayor to
sign and Clerk to attest.
Cavener: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve the Consent Agenda as it had
been amended. 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.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Item 8: Items Moved From The Consent Agenda
I. Impact Fee Assessment and Deferral Agreement
De Weerd: Item 7-1 was moved under 8 and so I believe there were questions on this
item. No?
Nary: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, I can really start and Bruce can probably
provide greater detail. We did receive a request from Brighton Corporation for a
deferral of their payment of impact fees. Those are the impact fees the city collects on
behalf of the Ada County Highway District. They had negotiated that with Ada county
because they are in the midst of changing some of their calculations or methodology
and so Brighton was hopeful that that would have a positive impact on their project.
ACHD was agreeable to that, so we negotiated this basically change of time for
payment with ACHD and with Brighton to make sure it would line up with them and that
we could still collect it when we need to and when necessary. So, Bruce could probably
provide you more specifics on the process, but that's the purpose of the agreement.
De Weerd: I believe it was due at the certificate of occupancy; correct? Bruce?
Freckleton: There we go. Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, yes, the typical time
we collect the impact fees is when the permit is paid for -- at the issuance of the permit.
Per the requests the time frame for the collection of this would move to the occupancy.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 6 of 80
So, prior to occupancy permit being issued, we would collect those fees on behalf of
ACHD just like normal.
De Weerd: Okay. Any questions from Council?
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: I appreciate the explanation. I had asked for it to be pulled because the original
copy that was placed in the Council packet didn't have the specifics on who the parties
were to the agreement and what it was for. So, that answered it. Thank you.
Bernt: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bernt.
Bernt: Mr. Freckleton, is it -- are the amounts going to change at all or the same
amount, just -- just it's going to be deferred; is that what you're saying?
Freckleton: Madam Mayor, Councilman Bernt, the -- it's my understanding that there is
going to be a fairly significant difference in the fee structure that ACHD is -- is
negotiating right now. So, it does make a pretty big difference in the -- in the amount of
the impact fee that is collected and so my understanding is it's like May and I know
David Turnbull is here tonight and he could probably provide a little more detail if you
would like. But it was -- it was a significant difference in the amount of money that he
would -- basically if he paid it with the permit like normal, he would, then, have to go
back and try and get the difference in the monies back. So, it just pushes -- it kicks the
can down the road, pushes it out to occupancy, instead at permit issuance.
De Weerd: And the only reason it's in front of you is because we do the collection. So,
any further questions? Okay.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: With that explanation I would move that we approve the impact fee assessment
and deferral agreement.
Cavener: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Mr. Clerk.
Roll call: Borton, yea; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, yea; Little Roberts, yea;
Bernt, yea.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 7 of 80
De Weerd: All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Item 9: Community Items/Presentations
A. Swearing in of 6 New Police Officers
De Weerd: Now one of our favorite events is getting to see the -- the swearing in of
new officers. So, I will ask Chief Lavey if he would like to come forward.
Lavey: Madam Mayor, Council, I don't know if she's greeting the Grizzlies or the
officers, but she's definitely into it. Madam Mayor, Council, I would like to thank you for
your time this evening. This is probably the best time I ever come in front of you and
that's to introduce some -- some new police officers that are members of our
department, members of our family, and serving our community and so I would like to
ask all six of the officers to come up here, stand to my left and allow me to introduce
them to you. Madam Mayor, Council, as I said before, we actually have hired six new
police officers. They have been in training for about three or four weeks. They actually
were in the back room these last couple of days when we were in that training as well. I
noticed that they stayed pretty well hidden, knowing that all the directors and Mayor was
in the room. But they were there. So, for the officers, raise your hand when I state your
name just so every knows who we are talking about. So, David Frick. You don't need
to keep it up. There you go. David actually comes to us from the city of Twin Falls.
That's probably one of the reasons why I'm not allowed back in Twin Falls is we have
hired quite a few police officers from there, but he worked for Twin Falls for 15 years.
Thirteen and a half years was as a full-time officer and an additional one and a half
years as a reserve. So, welcome. Andrew. Andrew Herscowitz will actually be going to
the academy in April and Andrew has served six years as a fire controlman first class in
the United States Navy. So, thank you for your service and welcome. Brendan.
Brendan Koop comes to us with five years of experience as a petty officer second class
in the United States Navy. Welcome, Brendan. Brendan will actually be going to the
academy also in April. Nick. Nicholas Kotangian spent the last three years as a police
officer with the Los Angeles California Police Department. LAPD. Nicholas spent eight
years with the Los Angeles Fire Department as an ocean lifeguard recruit. Prior to that
he worked as an EMT for seven years in Orange County, California. Welcome, Nick.
Chris. Chris LeFave has 16 years of experience as a police officer with the Fullerton,
California, Police Department and he is not the only one we have hired from Fullerton,
so I can't probably go back there either. So, welcome aboard, Chris. And he is quick to
point out to me that he only uses this name for legal reasons, but Robert R.J. Young.
So, R.J. Young has served the last 12 and a half years as a police officer K9 handler
with the Anaheim, California, Police Department. Prior to Anaheim he had served six
years as a deputy sheriff with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Welcome
aboard, R.J. So, I want all of you to raise your right hand and repeat after me. And for
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 8 of 80
the family there, this is your opportunity to get a photo and feel free to come up, stand
behind me, do whatever you want to get those photos and, then, our professional
photographer Detective Foley is also in the audience probably taking photos as well.
So, do what you need to do to get that perfect photo. I, state your name, do solemnly
swear or affirm, that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the
constitutional laws of the state of Idaho and the laws and ordinances of the City of
Meridian. That I will abide by the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics and the policies and
procedures of the Meridian Police Department. That I will obey all lawful orders and
directives for those appointed over me and I will, to the best of my ability, faithfully
discharge all the duties of police officer in and for the City of Meridian, state of Idaho, so
help me God.
(Repeated by the officers.)
Lavey: Congratulations, gentlemen. Madam Mayor, I will turn this over to you in case
you have any words.
De Weerd: Thank you. And, you know, I'm not going to apologize to any of the law
enforcement agencies that you have come from. We appreciate you joining our team
and to the two that are joining us from the military, we thank you for your service and
look forward to serving our -- continuing to serve our country through our community.
So, to -- to our new officers and to their families, we think that you have just joined
one of the best teams in the -- certainly in the state, if not the nation, and we all take a
lot of pride in what our police force does in our community. There is a reason that we
continue to be listed among the safest communities in Idaho and the nation and it is
because of the good work by our officers, but also that they look forward to partnering
with our community, because we know that you can't do it all by yourself. You have a
great team, they have your back, and to the families we will do everything we can to
keep your loved ones safe and we appreciate the sacrifice that you give the community
for letting us welcome in your loved ones to -- to our Meridian family. So, thank you for
joining them here this evening. Thank you to their peers that have been here to cheer
them on. It just, again, reiterates why we are a great department. I believe that you
attended the annual awards ceremony and you have joined the best, so welcome.
Counsel, any additional comments? Thank you for joining us.
Lavey: Madam Mayor, it looks like Colin wants to recruit with us, come on our side
there.
De Weerd: Well, he's one of the best, too, he feels right at home there. Right, Colin?
Bernt: Maybe he needs bodyguards. Is that what it is, bodyguards?
De Weerd: I like that. Thank you so much. And you do not have to stay.
Item 10: Action Items
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 9 of 80
A. Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law for Harper Ridge
Subdivision (H-2017-0151) by McMaster Limited Partnership,
Located at 3885 E Copper Point Drive
De Weerd: Okay. Under Item 10, Action Items, 10-A is Findings of Facts on H-2017-
0151. Cameron, are you leading us in this?
Ariel: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, I apologize, I'm not sure who is.
Nary: Madam Mayor? Sorry.
De Weerd: Mr. Nary.
Nary: Sorry. Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, the reason this is on here -- the
Council did approve this a couple weeks ago. There was specific requests for clarity for
the Council to not tile the Ridenbaugh Canal. I think in the -- in the lengthy discussion
that went on that evening regarding this that wasn't specifically stated, although the
Council's approval was -- was generally based on all the comments that staff had asked
that -- they did include that that was not required, they wanted to point that out before
we approve the final findings, that that was the Council's desire, that was how we
prepared this, so that was the reason it's on here.
De Weerd: Thank you. And I believe that -- I thought it was stated that they understood
that that is not something that is titled, so --
Nary: Madam Mayor, that's -- you're absolutely correct. I think that was everyone's
understanding. I think at the point where the motion was made, because of the length
of the hearing, it wasn't specifically called out. So, when the planning department
contacted our office, my suggestion was simply to put it on, point it out, making sure we
are clear that was the Council's attention and, then, we can -- we can go ahead and
approve it as is.
De Weerd: But you don't need a motion, you just need an indication from Council.
Nary: No. You need to go ahead and approve these findings.
De Weerd: Okay. With that -- with that in here.
Nary: Yes.
De Weerd: Okay.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 10 of 80
Palmer: Madam Mayor, since it was my oversight at the time, Mrs. Milam pointed out
right after we voted that we did forget it, so we just had a little discussion on it, but,
anyway, I move we approve the Findings of fact and Conclusions of Law for H-2017-
1051.
Bernt: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Mr. Clerk, will you call roll.
Roll call: Borton, yea; Milam, nay; Cavener, yea; Palmer, yea; Little Roberts, yea;
Bernt, yea.
De Weerd: The ayes have it.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE NAY.
B. Public Hearing 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
1. Request: For An Amendment to the Comprehensive Plan
Future Land Use Map to Change the Land Use Designation
on 7.25+/- Acres of Land from Office to Medium Density
Residential (MDR)
2. Request: A Development Agreement Modification to Amend
the Conceptual, Development Plan Consistent with the
Proposed Development
3. Request: A Rezone of 5.57 Acres of Land from the L -O to
the R8 Zoning District and 17.91 Acres of Land from the R-15 to
the R8 Zoning District.
4. Request: A Preliminary Plat Consisting of 100 Single -Family
Residential Building Lots, 20 Common Lots and 2 Other Lots
for a Well and Lift Station on 30.91 Acres of Land in the R-8
Zoning District.
De Weerd: Item 10-B is a public hearing for H-2017-0170. I will open this public
hearing with staff comments.
Allen: Thank you, Madam Mayor, Members of the Council. My computer is being really
slow here. Give me just one minute. All right. The next applications before you are a
request for a development agreement modification, a Comprehensive Plan map
amendment, a rezone, and a preliminary plat. This site consists of approximately 31
acres of land. It zoned R-8, R-15 and L -O. It's located at the southeast corner of North
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 11 of 80
McDermott Road and West McMillan Road. A little history on this property. Back in
2008 it was annexed with the Oak Creek project with R-8 and R-15 zoning. In 2013 the
property was rezoned to its existing zoning, R-8, L -O and R-15, with a new conceptual
development plan that depicted a park, fire station, office and multi -family residential
uses as shown. The L -O zoning was approved based on the applicant's request to float
the office future land use designation from near the mid mile on the south side of
McMillan to the subject property without an amendment to the future land use map.
Single family residential medium density homes were, then, constructed on the former
office designated area. Since 2013 the Western Ada Recreation District has
determined it's not in their budget to develop a park on this site and the city has
determined there is not a need for a neighborhood park in this area. Additionally, the
Fire Department found a better location for a fire station and no longer needs one on
this site. City Well No. 29 and a lift station have been constructed on the site. The
Comprehensive Plan future land use map designation on the subject property is
medium density residential. The applicant has applied for an amendment to the
Comprehensive Plan. It's the map here on your right to change the land use
designation on approximately seven and a quarter acres of land from office to medium
density residential and that again is off -- off the office subject site. It is right here where
this roundabout is depicted and that's the designation we are changing. The change will
update the future land use map to reflect what is actually developed on the site in
accord with the Council's previous decision to float the office designation to the west
from the mid mile. A modification to the development agreement is proposed to remove
the subject property from the Oak South development agreement and draft a new
development agreement for the subject property, which is no longer under the same
ownership. The concept plan is also proposed to be amended consistent with the
proposed development plan for 98 single family residential homes. A rezone is
proposed consisting of 5.57 acres of land from the L -O to the R-8 zoning district and
17.91 acres of land from the R-15 to the R-8 zoning district consistent with the medium
density residential future land use map designation. A preliminary plat is proposed
consisting of 98 single family residential building lots, 19 common lots, and two other
lots for the existing city well and lift station on approximately 31 acres of land in the R-8
zoning district. The minimum lot size proposed is 5,000 square feet, with an average lot
size of 7,483 square feet. The subdivision is proposed to develop in two phases, with
the southern portion south of West Quintail Drive developing first. One access is
proposed via McMillan Road and one access is proposed via McDermott Road. A stub
street West Quintail Drive, is proposed to be extended from the east boundary of the
site. A 35 foot wide landscape street buffer is required along McDermott Road, an
entryway corridor, and 25 foot wide buffer is required along West McMillan Road, an
arterial street. A 20 foot wide buffer is required along Quintail Drive and Trident
Avenue, both collector streets within the development. A minimum of ten percent or 3.1
acres of qualified open space is required to be provided on this site. A total of 4.91
acres or 15.9 percent is proposed per the revised open space exhibit shown here. So,
the original plan submitted by the applicant is on the left and, then, since the
Commission hearing the applicant has revised the plan per the one on the right. A
segment of the city's multi -use pathway system is proposed along the south boundary of
the site adjacent to the Five Mile Creek. Internal micro paths and a tot lot and a fitness
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 12 of 80
station are proposed as amenities for the development, which comply with UDC
standards. The future State Highway 16 is planned to be extended approximately 300
feet to the west of McDermott Road north -south between State Highway 20-26 and 1-84.
An overpass is planned on McMillan Road over State Highway 16, which will encroach
on the north boundary of his property. A letter was received from ITD stating that a total
right of way width of 140 feet from the section line on the south side of McMillan Road is
needed for the construction of the overpass. The plat has been revised to reflect the
right of way and that is a diagram submitted by ACHD. The blue line where the red
arrow was pointing to is their anticipated future right of way line. Photos of a variety of
single family residential detached homes were submitted that demonstrate the style and
quality of construction. Because there are homes that will back up to McMillan and
McDermott Roads, both arterial streets, and Quintail and Trident Avenue, both collector
streets and they will be highly visible. Staff is recommending the rear and sides of
these structures that face these streets incorporate articulation through changes in two
or more of the following: Modulation. For example, projections, recesses, step backs,
pop -outs, bays, banding porches, balconies, material types or other integrated
architectural elements to break up monotonous wall planes and roof lines that are
visible from the subject public streets. The Commission recommended approval of this
application. Becky McKay, Engineering Solutions, the applicant, testified in favor.
There was no one testifying in opposition or commenting. Written testimony was
received from the applicant Becky McKay in response to the staff report. Key issues of
discussion by the Commission were changes to McDermott Road with the extension of
State Highway 16 and the future overpass on McMillan Road. The collector street
through the site. And if the site is a good location for residential uses because of the
overpass planned on McMillan Road and associated traffic and noise or if it should be
commercial because of the proximity of the future extension of State Highway 16. And
they wanted to see more usable common area provided centrally within the
development with a nice amenity and if you will notice here on this revised plan on the
right, the applicant did stake out two building lots and included this common area here
with a tot lot play equipment in it. The Commission did make just some changes to the
staff recommendation and you will see those noted in the staff report in Exhibit B.
Outstanding issues for Council. The first one is the Parks Department requested the
following change to condition number 6.8 in Exhibit B. It is in your hearing outline. The
ten foot wide multi -use pathway use pathway, a dedicated 14 foot easement shall
extend north from the Five Mile Creek pathway within the street buffer along with
McDermott Road to McMillan Road and, then, remove the text and east within the street
buffer along McMillan Road or access to the future overpass. Also striking the text: A
pathway may be constructed instead of a sidewalk if allowed by ACHD. The related DA
provision number 1.113 should also be updated accordingly. The Commission
requested the applicant identify two building lots in phase two that could be converted to
open space and as I stated a moment ago, the plan has been revised accordingly. And,
then, lastly, include revised Public Works comments per the memo from Bruce
Freckleton to the Mayor and Council, dated March 1st, and that's also in your hearing
outline you should have received a memo on that. There has been no written testimony
since the Commission hearing. Staff will stand for any questions.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 13 of 80
De Weerd: Counsel, any questions? Sonya, can you pull up that map that showed the
right of way line for the future right of way? That's going through some lots. Or am I
missing that?
Allen: Madam Mayor, that was on the previous plan and that's why it was revised.
De Weerd: Oh. Okay.
Allen: Yeah. If you see this it --
De Weerd: And the -- the entrance to the subdivision, is that -- is the distance from that
intersection and where the -- because this is kind of an overpass; right?
Allen: Yeah. It comes down -- the ACHD report does include analysis on that, but they
have approved that.
De Weerd: Okay. Okay. Council, if there is nothing at this point -- the applicant's
representative would like to comment. Thank you for being here. If you will, please,
state your name and address for the record.
McKay: Thank you, Madam Mayor, Members of the Council. Becky McKay with
Engineering Solutions. Business address 1029 North Rosario, Meridian. I'm here
representing Hayden Homes Idaho on this particular application. I was also the original
planner on The Oaks development. What's before you this evening is -- as Sonya
indicated, the property is located there at the southeast corner of McMillan and
McDermott roadway. There is Becky Drive. I'm very proud of that. It precedes me. In
2013 1 brought through an application for preliminary plat on the Oak South and the
Oaks North and at that time we were working with the Western Ada Recreation District
and the Fire Department had indicated that they thought that a -- a fire station site
would be appropriate in this location and, therefore, we kind of ringed it with office lots,
even though the office designation on your comprehensive land use map was here at
the midsection line at this collector. And, then, we showed some multi -family here and
this particular project is served by an existing interim regional lift station and, then, a city
municipal well that came online in 2016. This is the north portion of The Oaks that was
planned. We had a similar configuration of -- of some multi -family component. We
have kind of a mini -storage component here and, then, we have a variation of R-8 and
R-4. The project for Coleman Homes was sold to Toll Brothers, with the exception of
this southeast corner, which was retained by Coleman Land Holdings. They retained
me to assist with Hayden Homes, since I had all the history on the project. Now, what's
transpired over the past five years is, one, the Western Ada Recreation District, who
had contemplated building a swimming pool facility and a park site at this location,
decided that it was not appropriate after five years of kind of contemplating it and so,
then, we had a condition in our development agreement that said if the Western Ada
Recreation did not prefer this site, then, we should, then, attempt to see if the City of
Meridian Parks Department wanted the site. So, then, we did go to the Parks
Department and they said, you know, based on the neighborhood parks that we have,
the Keith Bird Park to the northeast and Bainbridge and so forth and, then, the Isola
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 14 of 80
Creek Park, the Reta Huskey Park, we don't feel that it's appropriate and in that five
years the Fire Department found a new fire station site that they liked better, that was in
a better location, and they said we don't want a fire station lot. So, it kind of -- we kind
of had to regroup and, then, take kind of a new look at this corner and so Hayden
Homes approached Colman Holdings and said, you know, we -- we would like to do a
subdivision here. So, what's before you, basically, is a down zoning of this property
from L -O and R-15 to an R-8 designation, which is consistent with your Comprehensive
Plan land use map, which designates this as medium density residential. Now, one of
the things that we, obviously, had to be concerned with was the future planning for the
State Highway 16 extension phase two and the future overpass of McMillan Road.
McMillan Road will be two lanes going over the future six lanes of Highway 16, which
there will be a 300 foot right of way they will acquire eventually just to the west of the
existing McDermott Road. Now, one of the things that was in their EIS that was
approved by the feds was a bypass road for McDermott and so they showed like a
termination of McDermott here on the south side of McMillan and, again, on the north
side and, then, they showed a bypass of a local collector roadway within our project.
So, in conjunction with our traffic engineers and Dave Splett, I worked with ITD for over
a year to create this bypass as part of The Oaks project where the right of way would,
obviously, be created without any cost to the public and the bypass road would be
created without any cost to the public. So, in ACHD's report they commend us for
working diligently with ITD to help facilitate the local street network that will allow the
ACHD circulation to continue when the State 16 creates a barrier, being an expressway,
with no access, but at interchanges every two miles. So, in this particular project you
see that we have Quintail and Trident, which are collector roadways, with no front -on
housing, that will loop McDermott up to McMillan and, then, in the north portion it loops
through Oaks North and back to McDermott again. These three lots located right here
are on Quintail, but this section in ACHD's revised report indicates that is a local
designation. Another thing is in your pathway master plan it shows Five Mile Creek as a
major multi -use pathway. This particular project will pick it up at Oaks South, extend a
14 foot paved multi -use pathway landscaped with exercise stations along that linear
open space. That open space is about 1.68 acres and, then, we met with your Parks
Department, who said, well, we need to, obviously, with State Highway 16 being a
natural barrier in the future, plan for the multi -use pathway to go north. So, we will
widen our detached ACHD sidewalk to ten feet. It will become a multi -use pathway and
come up to the McMillan intersection. We also had an extensive meeting with Erica
Bowen, Amy Revis and Ken Couch and Chris Kronberg, the attorney for ITD, on what
we should do as far as allocation of future area that would accommodate the slope
easement necessary as the elevation increases on McMillan to go to the overpass. So,
what you see before you meets the requirements of what ITD asked us to do and there
are no lots that encroach into what that area is anticipated for. We will, basically, have it
as just one common lot that when ITD and their staff come to purchase that property,
then, they will acquire that right of way, just like they would with any other parcel that's
impacted by the Highway 16 overpass. We have some linear open space and
pedestrian pathways within the project located here. The Planning and Zoning
Commission asked us to remove two lots and to create a pocket park on the north side
of this collector with some play equipment here. Obviously, creating recreation for the
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 15 of 80
northern portion. This is just a -- kind of shows you the preliminary plat. This is the ITD
preferred alternative. As you can see the subject property is located right here. You
can see that ITD showed this collector bypass. That's what we show coming through.
Madam Mayor asked as far as the approach here at McMillan, what is -- is that distance
acceptable. Yes, it is. That particular distance exceeds 800 feet. The first approaches
at the Locust Grove overpass at 1-84 are at 500 feet. So, we worked diligently in our
initial planning years ago with ITD and ACHD to make sure that we did not impinge on
that overpass or do anything that would create any additional cost to the public to make
Highway 16 happen. This, again, just kind of shows you a blow up. You can see our
bypass that comes through Oaks North here. There is not going to be any need for a
turnaround here. This section of McDermott will be basically vacated and what happens
to that not sure. It's in the future. I also kind of did a -- a little bit of a view, like an aerial
view of where you can see that 300 foot ITD future right of way. They plan on -- they
had an 82 foot wide improved surface here. They decreased that with the phase one. I
think they told me it ended up being 76 or only 78 feet wide. So, basically, we will have
a separation from the edge of the pavement to the rear of our lots of -- in excess of 200
feet. And, then, we will have a separation of about a hundred feet to our lots here from
the south where that overpass takes place. You can see as far as the overall project is
concerned, we have overlaid the colored rendering here. This is Oak South that's under
construction. I believe they are on phase seven right now. There is a central clubhouse
facility and play equipment, picnic area, pool. Oaks West will also be allowed to utilize
the same facilities. They will be joining their HOA, paying their dues, hooking onto their
pressurized irrigation system. So, they will be a part of this neighborhood and not just a
-- just a unit all by themselves and you can see the multi -use pathway that goes all
along Five Mile Creek and here on Oak South I single loaded these lots, so we do have
exposure to the pathway for safety purposes and, then, allowing for parking -- for people
to park down here and enjoy the greenbelt, ride their bikes, et cetera. The collector
road is at the half mile. There is a roundabout that's proposed here. It will come down
and, then, the collector roadway will come across Five Mile Creek and go into a
Aegean, which the Council approved here a few months ago and, then, the collector will
go east into the adjoining property. These are the homes that are proposed by Hayden.
Obviously, the staff has indicated any homes that back up to McDermott or McMillan will
meet certain design guidelines as far as modulation, articulation, and rough line
materials to, obviously, make them aesthetically pleasing. As far as our density, we are
at 3.30 dwelling units per acre. As Sonya indicated, our lots range from about 5,200
and, then, they -- they go all the way up to I believe 10,940 square feet. We have an
average lot size of 7,410 square feet, even though we are an R-8 designation. As far as
our eligible open space, we are at 4.92 acres and about 15.91 percent open space. So,
think, you know, this is -- this is a good addition on these larger projects, like The
Oaks, that was four -- almost 400 acres. Obviously, like Bridgetower, you know, we
see, as years go by, that things change, market conditions change, and we have to
make certain adjustments and so that's what's before you here this evening, a
modification to the comp plan, down zoning it, development agreement modification.
They will be doing a new development agreement for the 98 lots. We initially had
proposed 100, now there are 98 and 21 common lots. The lift station is located right
here and, then, your well lot is located here. Those will both be plotted as part of this
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 16 of 80
project and deeded to the City of Meridian. At this time the City of Meridian has like a
99 year lease on them, so that those developments or improvements could move
forward. My client put in 1.4 million dollars for this regional lift station. Coleman
Homes. The well site was donated and the city did pay for the well site. But this is a
good project. We think it's a good addition. We are planning for the future. We have
accommodated everything that the agencies have asked for. We are in agreement with
the staff conditions. I only had one clarification with Sonya. I'm wrapping up. Boy, my
timing is impeccable. Look at that. I can go faster if I don't have an angry mob behind
me. Just a little joke. I think on 1.1 -- 1.1 H I asked Sonya on that, considering the ten
foot multi -use pathway, it talked about the multi -use pathway going along Trident and
McMillan Road and that is not correct, that the north -south section of the multi -use
pathway goes up Rustic Oak Way, which is the mid mile where the roundabout is and
that heads north into Oaks North and, then, loops up to Black Cat over to Volterra,
Bainbridge, and, then, on over. That multi -use pathway will extend clear to Ten Mile
eventually. Do you have any questions?
De Weerd: So, is that 1.1 B or H?
McKay: 1.1H. Right, Sonya?
Allen: I'm looking, Becky.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: So, why -- hold on just a second. Before I ask for questions and get the
answer from Sonya, on the retainage pond, is that included in your open space
calculations?
McKay: Madam Mayor, no, that was backed out of the eligible open space.
De Weerd: Okay.
McKay: Yes.
De Weerd: Thank you.
McKay: Staff made -- made a point to make sure that that was not a park.
De Weerd: Okay. Thank you. Mrs. Milam.
Milam: Madam Mayor. Becky, do you have any plans for -- specific plans for -- for
allowing the future home buyers to know what -- what to expect as far as the highway --
we hear too often -- well, my realtor told me this and -- and they are just blamed for not
reading the entire comp plan, which isn't fair either, so do you have some big signs that
are going to be out there saying this is going to be a highway in your backyard or what?
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 17 of 80
McKay: Madam Mayor, that was one of the issues that was brought up with The Oaks
when we came through in 2013 and the Council at that time had asked us to, one,
include in our CC&Rs a provision that says that State Highway 16 will be extended west
of this site. It will be an expressway and that the overpass will be built at McMillan
Road. They also required that as part of their marketing that the developer make that
known to any potential home buyers.
Milam: Okay. Thank you.
McKay: And I think staff -- that was in the -- Sonya, wasn't that in the staff report? I
believe it was in the development agreement --
Allen: The development agreement --
McKay: -- consistent with that. Yes.
De Weerd: And there is something in there about noise abatement?
Allen: Madam Mayor, Council, there was, but it was removed, because this is not a
state highway, therefore, the UDC does not require that. As a provision of annexation
you're welcome to include it, but city code doesn't require it.
McKay: Madam Mayor, if I could address that.
De Weerd: Uh-huh.
McKay: There is -- on an overpass there is really no way to have noise abatement,
because we don't -- the overpass isn't designed, so we don't know what the height is.
Obviously, the structure will be kind of west of us, so it's ramping up, you know, as far
as the landscaping and so forth, you know, vegetation, will, obviously, be our best ally,
our approach to that. But you have got to envision that the actual highway is over 200
feet west of this -- these homes. But you -- I mean there is no way you could build a
wall for an overpass and that was brought up at the Commission and the Commission
said, you know, can you -- can you give me some examples where there is an overpass
and we have single family residential subdivisions. Cloverdale Road is a good example
where there is just an overpass and there are subdivisions that adjoin it. I did Edge
View Estates. I think Ted Johnson had a subdivision Walden Pond just to the east of
that and so, obviously, you know, they can coexist. Since the actual structure is going
to be to the west of us, it's just a matter of, you know, two lane McMillan is kind of
ramping up as it extends westward. So, until it's designed we won't know what it looks
like, but we have planned for the worst case scenario in the slope easement, making
sure that we have allocated a proper landscaping to meet the city's buffer requirements
along McMillan, which is a minor arterial.
De Weerd: Okay. Thank you.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 18 of 80
McKay: Thank you.
Niemeyer: Madam Mayor. Sorry about that. Real quick.
De Weerd: Yes, chief.
Niemeyer: I just want to clarify for the record. The Fire Department has not found
property in the northwest corner. Somewhere that got lost in translation a little bit.
However, I did meet about 11 months ago with Dave Yorgason, who was involved in
this project at the time, was informing me West Ada had vacated the park. Worked
with Steve Siddoway, who said they were not going to develop a park at that location.
Then worked with ACHD, ITD, on what Highway 16 is going to look like. We
determined this isn't the best place for a fire station location. But I just want to put on
the record we do not yet have property in the northwest corner. Our fire district
commissioners are engaging in that conversation to find the right property on the half
mile if we can. So, I just want to clarify that for the record.
De Weerd: Thank you, chief.
Bernt: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bernt.
Bernt: Is there any -- was there any discussion about noise abatement on the west side
that would be aligned with the potential Highway 16?
McKay: You mean along -- along the west side of the property around McDermott?
Bernt: Uh-huh.
McKay: We have 35 foot of landscaping and so it will, obviously, be up to, you know,
the developer. It's in his best interest to, obviously, plant, you know -- choose plantings
-- him and his landscape architect will work together prior to submittal of the final plate
and plans to create the vegetative buffer that's necessary. You know, we find that that
seems -- berming, vegetation seems to work the best.
Bernt: Okay.
McKay: The walls -- they almost they -- they will catch the sound and reverberate it and
bounce it, so they are not -- you know, unless you're going really tall, like the walls along
1-84 that ITD constructed that range from four to six hundred dollars a linear foot, you
know, it's -- it's tough. The -- the big thing is, obviously, vegetation and -- oh, public
awareness that that highway will be going in.
Bernt: Follow up, please?
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 19 of 80
De Weerd: Uh-huh.
Bernt: Is there anything north? I'm trying -- I'm trying to remember -- like my memory of
what that area looks like it. Is there -- is there any newer developments north of what
you're doing where is -- The Oaks across the street of -- from -- from McMillan right
now?
McKay: Oaks North? Have we started on that? No, sir. No, sir. But we are beginning
work on Oaks North. It's platted?
McKay: Yes.
De Weerd: Any other questions at this time?
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Becky, I really appreciate -- you're always so thorough when you come before
us and I feel like as I scribble down my questions over the weekend you kind of check
them off one by one, I appreciate your diligence.
McKay: Thank you.
Cavener: Help me, though, get -- and maybe I'm just disconnecting here, but how will
the residents from this neighborhood access McDermott Road?
McKay: How will they access McDermott Road? From their collector.
Cavener: Even though -- because I -- Madam Mayor? Sorry. If I heard you correct, I
thought you said --
McKay: So, this will be McDermott Road right here.
Cavener: Didn't I hear that it was going to terminate?
McKay: It would terminate right here at this intersection. So, this is McDermott Road.
So, McDermott Road will come up here, then, it will loop through and, then, it loops
through the north and, then, it goes back north and, then, it terminates to prior to it gets
to Chinden. This is the section that will be eventually vacated or relinquish. That's what
we were told.
Cavener: Okay. That makes more sense.
McKay: So, access to Mc Dermott will remain here. They will have access to McMillan.
If they want to go westbound, then, when the overpass is built they will go over State
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 20 of 80
Highway 16. If they want to access State Highway 16 they will go south on McDermott
down to Ustick and there will be an interchange.
Cavener: Okay. Madam Mayor, one additional question.
De Weerd: Uh-huh.
Cavener: If I'm hearing correctly, though, the way they -- the residents of this
neighborhood will access the McMillan overpass is right out of that exit out of the
neighborhood? That -- looks like that north most exit.
McKay: Yes. And they also have linkage here into -- so, this is not their only access
here to McMillan, they can come in and drop into the collector and come to the
roundabout here at the mid mile within Oak South to go eastbound on McMillan. So,
there are multiple points of access for them.
Cavener: Madam Mayor, an additional question. Becky, what's the -- the length of -- or
what's the distance from that entrance and exit out of -- out of this new development to
the overpass at McDermott? I guess the crux of my concern is McMillan vehicles
traveling at a high rate of speed hitting an overpass and what impact that's going to be,
kind of a blind turn for vehicles that are traveling east on the McMillan to come into
vehicles as they are exiting out of this neighborhood.
McKay: This -- this distance here is -- is well over 800 feet. So, ACHD, when I -- when
I worked with them and ITD on the bypass location one of the critical things that we
looked at was that this future intersection would not end up in that slope, that we would
not create any hazard -- that that slope would be touched down prior to that intersection.
So, it was strategically located at that point. We looked at the Locust Grove intersection
as an example -- or the Locust Grove overpass, I'm sorry, which is significantly it has,
what, four lanes going over 1-84 and they have a street at 500 feet. So, we are well --
so, we are well beyond that. Yeah, we did -- we brought in multiple traffic engineers
and we analyzed it and we did everything we could and we took the absolute worst case
scenarios and made sure that we were beyond that, so that we would not create any
hazard or nuisance in the future that would hamper transportation.
Cavener: Madam Mayor, one additional question. I appreciate that. It doesn't exactly
address my concerns. I appreciate that you give your diligence. That access point, was
that something that you as the applicant proposed or is that something that ACHD
required to be --
McKay: This access right here that --
Cavener: Uh-huh.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 21 of 80
McKay: That access is necessary, because it's on the EIS that was adopted by the feds
for the State Highway 16 project. So, that bypass, if you look at those ITD plans -- there
they are -- you see this bypass right here --
Cavener: Uh-huh.
McKay: -- at that one quarter mile, so what you're looking at is what was approved with
that environmental impact study by the feds that's in effect, that ITD is bound by, and we
comply with. So, we need to create a bypass for McDermott here in order for this to
take place. So, we are doing this and it's at no expense to the public. Had we not
incorporated it, then, ITD would have to come in and purchased the right of way or
condemn that right of way within the property and build that ACHD network around. So
-- so, it's a good thing, not a bad thing.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: Becky, looking at this map it looks like that proposed bypass would border the
property that's before us today along its southern and eastern most border, as opposed
to bisects it like it's been designed.
McKay: The way they -- the way they had it in this view, they just arbitrarily did it like
that. But we worked -- we hired Six Mile Engineers. We had URS. We have worked
with Chris Kronberg, ITD's attorney at headquarters, to make sure that what we are
doing is in compliance with what their plan -- their long range plan is and will work.
Borton: Madam Mayor. So, is what -- is what I said correct, though, at least --
McKay: That this was shown a little bit further to the east? Yes, sir.
Borton: Okay.
McKay: Mutually. It was shown a little bit further to the east.
Borton: Okay.
McKay: And that was before any of these projects were, obviously, planned and so
what we did is -- is, like I said, we -- we worked with -- with ITD. It took me well over a
year working with their staff and our traffic engineers to make sure that what we had
would work for them, work for our clients. Obviously, benefit the City of Meridian to help
facilitate the Highway 16 extension and this bypass and you can see up here where
McDermott terminates. It terminates right there, because there is going to be a -- an
interchange at Chinden, so McDermott will be downgraded from a minor arterial to a
collector and that's why in ACHD's requirements they are asking us to build half of
McDermott to a collector section, curb, gutter, sidewalk and street widened.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 22 of 80
De Weerd: So, is there a chance that you can bring that in closer, so we can try and --
McKay: It's kind of hard to see. Is that a little bit better? That's the other one I have.
So, the project is right here and you can see the little turnarounds because at the time
The Oaks wasn't proposed, so they just had these turnarounds on each side of
McMillan overpass, but when they realized that we were going to build this bypass all
the way through, then, they said, oh, well, we will eliminate those turnarounds and, then,
eventually, this will be vacated and they will vacate that. Then McDermott will just come
up and terminate right here, right before it gets to the Chinden intersection and it will be
downgraded to a collector.
De Weerd: Can you show what that backage road looked -- where it is on your
development?
McKay: Yeah. There it goes. So, what ITD -- what ITD did is they just drew a line on
the map. That line went along Five Mile Creek and just came straight up. I mean there
was no rhyme or reason, other than it was -- they were just demonstrating that there
needed to be a bypass around the overpass. So, what we did is worked with them to
create that bypass right here.
De Weerd: So, the bypass is going through the middle of the subdivision.
McKay: But it's a collector, because you're -- because you view McDermott Road now
kind of as a minor arterial. McDermott is going to be downgraded to a collector,
because it's not really going to go anywhere north. It will terminate before it gets to
Chinden in a cul-de-sac. So, the only thing that they were concerned about is,
obviously, providing ingress and egress and a public street network for the properties
north of us.
De Weerd: So, McDermott along the west side goes underneath the overpass?
McKay: No.
De Weerd: Or under --
McKay: No. McDermott just stops.
De Weerd: Wow.
McKay: This just goes away. It goes away.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 23 of 80
Palmer: While that may sound funky right now, McDermott is going to continue to exist
until --
McKay: Yes, sir.
Palmer: -- there is a freeway there. So, right now any cars that are using McDermott to
go north and south will be able to keep doing that --
McKay: That is correct.
Palmer: -- until all of a sudden there is a way for them to take a freeway instead. So,
once there is a freeway there instead, there won't be any need for this, other than the
people that are needing access to those subdivisions.
McKay: Madam Mayor, Councilman Palmer is absolutely correct. McDermott will no
longer function as an arterial section line roadway, it will just be a collector roadway and
the expressway will be used. That will be the north -south artery between Meridian and
Nampa and they will have interchanges at Chinden, at Ustick, at Franklin and, then, the
Highway 16 will have an interchange at 1-84.
De Weerd: So, now will you have the turnaround at the top of that or it will just
terminate right at this collector?
McKay: This will just terminate. So, what ACHD is having us do is we are build --
rebuilding McDermott Road, this section south of our collector, to a collector standard,
curb, gutter, sidewalk, widening to collector standard, then we are building a collector
that comes through and loops up to McMillan, a minor arterial and, then, this will
eventually -- this portion of McMillan and this portion of Mc Dermott will eventually
be eliminated as the roadway goes up and over State Highway 16.
De Weerd: So, Becky, why didn't you just -- since you're redesigning this, why didn't
you just take it to the southern part and make it more of a -- more obvious along the --
the canal and, then, up north?
McKay: Why take the roadway along the south here?
De Weerd: Uh-huh.
McKay: Because ITD told me that they had just arbitrarily drew a line on the map that
was not necessarily where they wanted it, they just drew it there, basically, as like a
holding spot and they said that it was up to us -- that they encouraged us, since we
were going to be bearing the burden of the right of way and the expense, and, hey, if
you want to -- if you want to bring it in this direction, that's fine, it -- it is irrelevant which
way it goes, as long as it loops through. So, it loops -- as long as we provide for the
bypass, that's all they are concerned about. The other thing is there is already sewer
and water located in this collector roadway.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 24 of 80
Bernt: Madam Mayor?
McKay: It's already built. And Bruce -- oh. Bruce left. They made us extend a 12 inch
water main and it comes down and over to the well and, then, the sewer comes from the
lift station and the sewer comes here. It's all -- there is already sewer and water in that
alignment.
De Weerd: Mr. Bernt.
Bernt: Got a question. How far south does McDermott go? Is it going to be just --
McDermott is going to be chopped up how?
McKay: McDermott will go down to Ustick and, then, it will be a -- there will be an
interchange. There will be an interchange.
Bernt: Like a -- just like a -- like what type are we talking about, like a -- like a four way
stop or is it going to be like another overpass or --
McKay: Well, there has been debate. A lot of people say that it will be a signalized
intersection unless ITD can come up with the funding, because the interchanges are so
expensive. The plan is to have an interchange, so you can come off that expressway
and just -- like you would on the freeway, have an interchange and rock and roll through
there. They may have to, due the budget constraints, have signalized intersections.
But there will be no way for any of the people along this section of McDermott and
McMillan to get on Highway 16. That has been determined. That is part of the EIS.
Bernt: But there is a chance -- oh. Madam Mayor? There is a chance that -- that
going south -- I mean McDermott will be a road all the way to 1-84, is that what you're
saying, Becky?
McKay: Highway 16 will be a roadway all the way to 1-84.
De Weerd: Can you pull that up again?
McKay: Yeah. Hold on.
Bernt: Madam Mayor? But --
McKay: So --
Bernt: But McDermott will -- what you're saying is it's going to be chopped up a little bit,
so it's not going to be --
McKay: McDermott, yes, sir.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 25 of 80
Bernt: So, it's not going to be like --
McKay: It will be a collector.
Bernt: -- like people flying through like --
McKay: No, sir. No, sir. So, if we -- we look at this corridor -- so, you have -- you have
Highway 16 -- Highway 16. Here is State Highway 44 and this is just a signalized
intersection. But they have the right of way purchased for an interchange at Highway
44. Then it comes across the Boise River, comes up to Chinden. Right now it's a
signalized intersection at Chinden. They have acquired enough right of way to do an
interchange, that's their long range plan. Then Highway 16 will extend to Ustick. They
will build another interchange or have a signalized intersection and, then, it goes on and
they will have another interchange at Franklin in Nampa and, then, this property here,
which is owned by Tom Malson, which annexed 164 acres into the city of Nampa for
him, this is where 64 acres are taken up by a huge interchange that will go onto 1-84.
So, you can go, obviously, westbound or eastbound. But the intent is this will be an
expressway between the city of Meridian and the city of Nampa cutting off a significant
amount of travel time, alleviating some of the problems that we are seeing on Eagle
Road, because you will be able to -- there will be no curb cuts, no access but at these
two mile intervals, just as if it were an interstate. So, it's really going to benefit I see
Nampa and Meridian both, because there is no other north -south artery like it in the
valley.
De Weerd: Any other questions? Thank you, Becky.
McKay: Thank you.
Coles: Madam Mayor, we had one sign in this evening, a Lillian Hoffman. However,
she did not indicate for or against or whether or not she wished to testify.
De Weerd: Ms. Hoffman, are you here? This is a public hearing. Is there anyone who
wishes to provide testimony on this application? Okay. Good evening. Thank you for
joining us. if you will, please, state your name and address for the record.
Mokwa: Thank you, Mayor, Members of the Council. My name is Tim Mokwa. I'm with
Hayden Homes, working with Becky on laying this project out, and I just kind of wanted
to come up and see if there was any questions that you might have for me and there
was a couple of points I wanted to make. There was some examples of housing --
potential housing shown. We are annexing into the HOA for Oak South and along with
that we are going to have to submit our plans and be part of the architectural control
guidelines. So, it's going to be comparable and similar style housing as what you have
already seen in that subdivision. If you had any questions or anything you would like
me to address.
De Weerd: Thank you. Council, any questions?
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 26 of 80
Mokwa: Thank you.
De Weerd: Okay. Any further testimony? Seeing none, Council? Anything further for
Becky?
Borton: Madam Mayor?
Borton: I do, I guess, for -- a question for Becky. While she's coming up a question for
staff, real quick, Sonya. The future land use map amendment is that off-site section
only, that -- that currently is office, but it's -- it's almost a clean-up portion of the
application; is that correct?
Allen: Madam Mayor, Councilman Borton, Councilmen, yes, more or less.
Borton: Okay. Becky -- so, there was a comment about noise abatement and there
was what's proposed condition 1.2.10, which was -- has been stricken because this isn't
adjacent to a state highway, so it's not required, it begs the question that we kind of
touched on with the reason there was a requirement like that for noise abatement
adjacent to a state highway. As you know, you're going to have concerns to say the
least about the problem that's created by, you know, residential uses next to a highly
traveled state highway in that case, but even though this isn't technically adjacent to
one, all of the parameters that created that rule in the first place seem to exist here. So,
while it might not be required, I am not tracking why there still wouldn't be enormous
effort to try and solve that same problem that will exist here.
McKay: Madam Mayor, Councilman Borton, like I indicated before, there is multiple
methods of noise abatement. You know, I have had projects along Interstate 84, you
know, we have -- at Edgeview Estates we did a vegetative buffer. We had an
elementary school site, combo park site, but you could still -- you know, in the
subdivision along the perimeter hear the traffic of 1-84. Now, this, obviously, is not going
to be carrying -- what does 1-84 carry now, 80,000 vehicles per day -- I mean it's crazy
to think of what it is. Obviously, this doesn't have that kind of volume. So, you know,
my recommendation to my client is, obviously, it's in their best interest to create
berming, vegetation, walling combinations -- different things to make these lots sellable
and the big thing is, you know, obviously, making the buyer aware of the fact that that
state highway will eventually be 2,000 feet to the west of them. You know, noise -- you
know, noise can carry. It depends on which way the wind blows. We can't abate all the
noise no matter what we do, but we can, obviously, make efforts to make it livable
around that and I think that burden here is -- is upon the developer to do so. You know,
as far as the ordinance is concerned, like Sonya indicated, the overpass is an ACHD
minor arterial, which, you know, the requirement is 35 feet above grade with a tree
every 35. But, you know, they can do more than that.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 27 of 80
Borton: Okay.
McKay: So, you know, I don't have, you know, any problem, obviously, you know,
recommending to my client, based on your comments, that they beef up the
landscaping, use a lot of conifers and things like that that -- that will buffer sound,
knowing that anticipation that that state highway will be 200 feet to the west of them.
Borton: Madam Mayor, just a couple little follow up. Becky, on those examples were
you able to take the -- kind of the characteristics of the property adjacent to the existing
highway and from that determine what type of abatement might be more suitable than
others, you know, landscaping or berm or a wall?
McKay: Sound is a tough deal. I'm no sound expert.
Borton: And the point of the question was it was developing a property adjacent to a
state highway or freeway and taking those specific characteristics of that situation to
determine what's at least the best shot at noise abatement. Maybe it's a berm in this
case or maybe it's just landscaping or maybe a wall, for example.
McKay: Or a combination of all three.
Borton: Or a combination thereof.
McKay: Correct.
Borton: And the reason I asked that question is the next question that -- unlike those
circumstances, this has somewhat of a ready fire aim feel to it and you kind of hinted at
it, because it seems almost arbitrary for us to say, well, you should add a berm and
landscaping and incur that expense to try and abate noise that we don't know the extent
what it will be there.
McKay: Yes, sir.
Borton: There are so many unknowns.
McKay: There is no way to really measure it.
Borton: Madam Mayor. It begs the question that -- back to the ready fire aim comment
it seems somewhat out of order here on that circumstance, as one example. That when
you try and convert this to -- from one use to another, a residential use adjacent to -- we
are all kind of guessing -- it's going to be an expressway, but how loud it is and how
busy it is and it's not even a state highway, this is -- this is a big deal -- that I don't even
know if it's fair for a developer to be able to put any condition upon property to ensure
noise is abated and ensure homeowners really understand what it means to have
something of that magnitude be built -- you know, 200 feet -- it's far, but it's not. Right?
And --
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 28 of 80
McKay: Madam Mayor, Councilman Borton, on Oak South we have residential lots that
-- we have residential lots that about that and so --
Allen: Wait a second and I will pull yours up.
McKay: You know, in working with the traffic engineers, reading the EIS, there was no
noise abatement study done with State Highway 16 --
Borton: Okay.
McKay: -- and Chris Kronberg and I had this discussion, because, obviously, you know,
the question arose about noise abatement, obviously, not creating any situation where
compensation would be required for noise abatement and, you know, obviously, we are
too far away or not -- you know, we are beyond that -- that threshold, so -- and he said,
you know, there was no noise abatement required. If you can see here in Oaks North
we had residential lots here. What we proposed along -- where we abutted McDermott
was a combination of berming -- extensive berming and extensive landscaping was
what we planned on doing. Now, I guess Tim is the only one that can answer the
question is what if -- what are they willing to do along the McDermott within that, you
know, are they willing to do a combination berm, wall, landscaping, I think only he can
answer that question for you. I can't.
Borton: Sure. And Madam Mayor. I mean to that point I don't know if it's a fair
question. That's my concern. Because I don't -- as we think through this, I don't know
what answer would be right and if there -- to your comment if there was not a noise
abatement study there wouldn't be those kind of objective measures that would say as a
result of that study property outside 300 feet, for example, don't need noise mitigation
and the study made these conclusions, but we don't have that, so I wouldn't know if it's
the trees, a berm, a wall -- all of it -- maybe that's way excessive. Maybe it's not. Yeah.
That's a challenge.
McKay: I guess Tim -- you know, he's the one that has to market --
Borton: Sure.
McKay: -- the homes, so he better answer that instead of me.
Borton: Fair enough.
Mokwa: Madam Mayor, I'm not a sound engineer either, for the record. So, what -- you
know, we would be willing to do a berm and conifer landscaping. Primarily evergreen
landscaping comparable to what Oaks North was looking at doing. A couple of issues,
though, with that. I don't know if you -- can you see my cursor? Are you seeing the
same screen I am? So, north of here McDermott's going to be vacated. So, I believe
that's a 50 -- 50 foot right of way. So, there is a 50 foot right of way stretch there where
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 29 of 80
there could be additional sound mitigation done, if -- if it were determined that it were
needed. At a 200 foot distance from, you know, our residential lots to the east side of
the Highway 16, 1 don't think a wall in particular is going to do that much. I think higher
evergreen landscaping would do more than a wall, because at that distance, you know,
the noise is going to have dispersed enough -- again, I'm not a sound engineer, but
that's my experience, I guess, in dealing with that. I certainly agree that we need to
make sure that we have something in writing showing that potential home buyers have
been made aware that this is going to happen, because I really don't know what the
time frame for this is. I mean it's -- it could be 20 years and so, once -- again, once this
is -- once it were done this would be vacated, there would be a little bit more room for
sound mitigation, you know, we have got the well and the sewer lots down here with --
with buildings that there is really not much we can do I think between -- between those
to do any sound mitigation, so -- but just -- I guess that's a long way of answering berm
and landscaping is what we would propose, so --
Borton: I appreciate that.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: So, have you considered just putting like a lid, like a dome over the whole
subdivision.
Mokwa: That's not one we have thought of, but that's an interesting approach.
Milam: You know, it's noise barrier. It will be warm. It will be seasonal -- that's a great
-- I'm just kidding.
De Weerd: Any other questions from Council while we have Tim up here? Thank you.
Mokwa: Thank you very much.
De Weerd: Council, any other questions for staff or the applicant? Or ACHD? Okay. If
not, I would entertain a motion to close the public hearing. Did we ever get the answer
to 1.1.D or H or D? I know you pulled something up, Sonya.
Allen: Madam Mayor, yes, the parks department just wants a multi -use pathway along
the -- along the creek, of course, and, then, within the street buffer along North
McDermott Road to McMillan Road. So, they took out the rest of that. I'm not sure if
the applicant was good with that or -- the applicant's indicating by a thumbs up they are
good with that.
De Weerd: Very cool. Thank you.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 30 of 80
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: I move we close the public hearing on H-2017-0170.
Cavener: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to close the public hearing. All those in favor
say aye. All ayes.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Looking at a zoomed out view of the Treasure Valley, there are hundreds and
hundreds of homes adjacent to 1-84. This isn't an abnormal thing. Several miles of that
have nothing more than -- I wouldn't guess, you know, how tall the berm is, but from a
car you cannot only see the rooftops, you can see, you know, the siding on -- on the
home and some -- the street view I'm checking out just now. So, this distance from, you
know, what will be a future 16 1 feel is -- is fairly appropriate considering what exists
along 84 no doubt will remain a higher use freeway than 16. To me this jives. This
makes sense. ITD being aware that funding of the design was imminent, I'm sure was
no doubt very, very careful in making sure that if they gave the blessing for a design of
something anywhere near 16 that it was going to be far enough out of their way to not
be a concern to them. So, with that I guess we can have discussion after a motion. I
move we approve H-2017-0170, including the -- the requirements of this staff report.
De Weerd: Okay. I have a motion. Do I have a second?
Little Roberts: Second.
De Weerd: Okay. Discussion.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: I think I'm almost there with Council Member Palmer. To Council Member
Palmer's point, I also was kind of using Google Maps to weigh some distances and it
appears a hundred feet is more than adequate. I also took a look at -- you know, you
look at intersections or overpasses like at Cloverdale and at Locust Grove, we don't see
any type of sound mitigation near the neighborhood on Cloverdale or the county homes
that are there on the north side of Locust Grove. I do have some overall concern,
though, about that piece of McDermott. I think it would be quite appropriate to -- when
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 31 of 80
we hear from the applicant their willingness to perhaps install some foliage and, again, I
don't know best trees or whatnot just to help with sound mitigation. I don't necessarily
think that a wall is appropriate, but some type of natural landscaping as sound
mitigation to me seems appropriate. Council Member Borton brings up a valid point that
we just don't quite know what that roadway is going to look like and how close it's going
to be to the neighborhood, but I don't think that -- at least for my opinion that we need to
penalize the applicant for being ahead of the curve on what the state is doing, taking
into account we don't know how long this project is going to take. So, I'm not
necessarily supportive of the motion in front of us, I think discussion is good and I may
be willing to make a substitute motion here in a moment after we have a chance to hear
from the other members of Council.
De Weerd: Thank you. Mr. Bernt.
Bernt: Thank you, Madam Mayor. My only -- and I can't gauge the level of concern that
I have with it, but I feel like there is going to be more traffic, you know, that's going to be
mitigated, you know, through a subdivision off of McDermott over to McMillan, maybe --
I don't know how much. It doesn't seem like -- I don't know if -- I'm trying to visual in my
mind that there is going to be two separate roadways. I'm trying to take into
consideration it's not going to be exactly how it is right now, but you might have some,
you know -- you know, more traffic going through the subdivisions to cut over to go up to
Chinden, you know, maybe even the opposite direction going south down to other
areas. So, I don't know if that's a valid concern or something we need to discuss a little
further.
De Weerd: Other comments?
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes, Ms. Milam.
Milam: I agree with Councilman Cavener and Becky said that they would be willing to
put in some extra foliage and sound mitigation, via plants and stuff like that. So, I don't
think that the applicant has a problem with that, but I do think that it should be stated in
a motion. And I just also want to say, you know, I just -- there has been a lot you go
through and I appreciate the not minimum open space and the amenities are good, so --
I know it was a difficult area to work.
De Weerd: Okay. We do have a motion on the floor. Is there any further discussion?
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: Just briefly, I think it's just too early to make this change of use at this location
from its existing entitled use. So, that -- I struggle with that. The comp plan amendment
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 32 of 80
portion, portion one, I'm supportive of. That's a simple clean up, but the others I'm -- I'm
just not there yet and the challenges that exist I wouldn't feel comfortable trying to come
up with conditions that are somewhat guesses with what we have before us right now
and how to articulate something that would solve and satisfy that concern.
De Weerd: Okay. Anything further?
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: So, my understanding of, you know, the western portion of this property is it's
already appropriate for homes; right? The -- changing it all to R-8 is first, consistency
and making it work for having a consistent project across the whole property, but it --
you can already put homes here.
De Weerd: It was a park and -- I guess a park and a fire station. It is R-8 because it
was public property or proposed to be, which is appropriate zoning.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: I will make a substitute motion. I would move that we approve Item 8-13,
including staff, applicant and public testimony and to include -- and, Legal, correct me if
I screw this up -- a direction to have staff work with the applicant to address the
appropriate added land -- natural landscape buffer along McDermott to include
specifically the elements listed in the staff report about marketing and public
communication about the future plans for McDermott and the McMillan Road overpass.
De Weerd: Does that include the --
Cavener: Specifically for sound -- specifically for sound mitigation. Thank you.
Palmer: Second.
De Weerd: Does that include the parks -- the pathway provision?
Cavener: Madam Mayor, yes, ma'am.
De Weerd: Okay. Second agrees?
Palmer: Yes.
De Weerd: Okay. Any additional discussion? Mr. Clerk, will you call roll.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 33 of 80
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: To interject, would -- would some of that direction be as blunt as a recording on
each parcel, which includes the color map depiction of the freeway -- I mean be really
blunt in a document which would be evidence that every closing on any acquisition, you
know, to ensure the intent of making sure property owners are aware of this, where they
see the map that we have seen here, so it's crystal clear the magnitude of what's
proposed to be developed as one example. There may be many others, but as one
example to make sure its crystal clear and by recording that in a closing -- be an
additional way to ensure people are buying with that understanding.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: I think my -- my intention and we -- it's certainly open for discussion -- was to
follow what was depicted -- thank you -- in the staff report. To me that seemed
appropriate recognizing, that, Council Member Borton, to your point hitting homebuyers
over the head with much information about this is never necessarily a bad thing. I also
know, though, that when I purchased homes you spend a whole afternoon it seems
signing every document that's in front of you and I don't know if another document in
front of me that I quickly sign if I'm going to take added acknowledgement, but I do see
the intent of -- we know that we will -- this body will be the ones that will hear from
people who have purchased a home and to Council Woman Milam's point, they are
going to say our realtor told us that this wasn't happening and we will be the ones that
will be forced to say, no, no, this is happening. This has been planned for a long time.
So, I'm not opposed to adding additional pieces to your point, but to me what was listed
in the staff report seemed appropriate.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: I have bought a lot of houses and I tend to agree with Councilman Borton's
perspective on this one. I do think -- I really can see how easily it can be overlooked
and I have had issues and had to go, well, didn't you read your CC&Rs and I'm like,
yes, I read all 300 pages of it at closing. So, the problem is people don't get to read all
of it. So, if you had it easy -- like you say, like pictures, something -- this is it, it's not an
extra document they have to read, just nothing that's simple, but it really shows out
there, I would strongly support that. I think it would just be a much simpler way of
making sure that they know what they are getting into.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 34 of 80
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: I struggle with the -- the idea that it's -- it's our responsibility or that it's -- to
force a developer to make sure that there is an extra document at closing or to go as far
as compelling somebody to do that and to -- I mean that's a road that if we start going
down are we going to start requiring notifications of all kinds of things. Well, you might
have a liquor store -- a liquor store could be zoned and you don't want a property that's
within 500 feet of you, so we need to make sure we include that disclosure in any
closed documents and -- I mean how far do we go with this? We know there is going to
be a freeway there. We have countless people who come and testify to us saying that
they looked at every map and they talked to every government agency and they knew
exactly what was going to be there and if anybody were to go to any of that kind of effort
to talk to any one of the government agencies that have to do with any of this stuff, they
are going to know there is a freeway planned for there and if somebody comes in there
and buys a house and is completely unaware that there is a freeway going in, then, they
didn't look at anything. I mean how can you hide that and the fact that Highway 16
design has been funded by the legislature this year, that I think there is going to be even
more public outreach and more public knowledge of the fact that it's coming and that it's
moving forward, the design is going to happen, I just struggle to have us, you know,
compelling -- compelling developers to make sure that those documents are included
the further we go.
De Weerd: Okay. Any further discussion? Mr. Clerk.
Roll call: Borton, yea; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, yea; Little Roberts, yea;
Bernt, yea.
De Weerd: All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
C. Public Hearing for Proposed Parks Fees and Proposed
Passport Execution Fee
De Weerd: Item 10-C is a public hearing for the proposed park fees and also for the
proposed passport fee and we will have Colin comment first.
Moss: Thank you. Good evening, Madam Mayor, Members of the Council. You have
before you some fees that have been noticed for the last couple of weeks. We have
some class and sports fees. We also have the Kleiner Park Memorial Plaza fees that
Steve presented to you two or three weeks ago and so, you know, with the exception of
the passport fees, which I will defer questions to C.Jay, I would stand for any questions
about any of these fees.
De Weerd: Okay. Thank you, Colin. Any questions?
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 35 of 80
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: I just was curious if I could prepay for Council Member Bernt to take intro to
hip hop. If so I have got my checkbook here tonight.
Bernt: Absolutely. That's money well spent right there.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: Madam Mayor, I appreciate that. That's a good question, because I wasn't
sure what hip hop was. I thought if you could show us what --
Moss: You know, I did not bring our instructor tonight to give a demonstration, but --
Borton: Nothing?
Moss: I am unable to give a --
De Weerd: Google it.
Moss: -- demonstration for any of these classes.
De Weerd: You can Google anything and see a move.
Borton: All right.
De Weerd: Any other questions? Okay.
Moss: Thank you.
De Weerd: Thank you. Mr. Clerk.
Coles: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, the second half of this public hearing is
the proposed passport execution fee. I came before Council a couple of weeks ago
stating that the state department is raising their fee -- the passport execution fee from
25 dollars to 35 dollars per application. It's a fee that they set. However, we have to
adopt it in order to be a passport acceptance facility. So, that's why it's before you
tonight, because we do have to accept that fee in order to be an acceptance facility.
So, that's why I'm here tonight. So, I will stand for any questions.
De Weerd: Okay. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Mr. Palmer.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 36 of 80
Palmer: Madam Mayor. C.Jay, does that increase our revenues with that?
Coles: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, Council Member Palmer, yes, it would
increase our revenue.
De Weerd: Is that because we get a percentage?
Coles: Madam Mayor, it is -- and Members of the Council, we actually collect -- the
state department actually allows us to collect the entirety of that fee for being an
acceptance facility. While they set it, we actually retain the entirety of that fee.
De Weerd: That is weird.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Madam Mayor, C.Jay, but we are required to charge it; correct?
Coles: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, Council Member Cavener, correct. In
order to be an acceptance facility we have to accept the fees that they set.
De Weerd: Okay. This is a public hearing. Is there anyone who wishes to provide any
public testimony? We are shaking our heads, too. If there is nothing further, I would
entertain a motion to close the public hearing.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: I move that we close the public hearing.
Little Roberts: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to close the public hearing. All those in favor
say aye. All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
D. Resolution No. 18-2064: A Resolution Adopting New Fees Of
The Meridian City Clerk's Office And Meridian Parks And
Recreation Department; Authorizing The Respective
Departments To Collect Such Fees; And Providing An
Effective Date
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 37 of 80
De Weerd: Item D is resolution 18-2064, adopting the fees that you just had a public
hearing on.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: Move that we approve Resolution No. 18-2064.
Bernt: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to adopt Item 10-D. 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.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Item 11: Department Reports
A. Continued from March 13, 2018: Citywide Strategic Plan
Update
De Weerd: Okay. Item 11 under Department Reports, the first item up is the
continuation from last week on Citywide Strategic Plan. So, Council, last week I did
give a brief review of the status and also the dashboards that showed at the end of year
two we had, as of last October, 22 percent complete. At the end of year two 36 of our
objectives are complete with 19 percent in progress and 45 percent not started. So, as
we also discussed we did the close-out reports, so this week I will focus on high priority
objectives and their updates. Discuss the modifications and the objectives descriptions
and that overview, and discuss next steps and the Council Members that would like a
deeper dive into it, the software does go into all of the different changes in tactics and a
lot more detail as to the status of each of those. So, 1.A.1 in reinvigorate the
Destination Downtown plan is something that has a lot of activity going on and I do want
to point out that three of the four tactics are ongoing and the 25 percent that was
completed was reported on last -- at our last annual update as being completed. So,
the three objectives that are ongoing are really the ones that comprise of the 75 percent
that you do not see there. However, I do want to note that that doesn't mean that there
is not a lot of activities. We have had a director change and right now he is evaluating
these objectives or tactics and seeing how he can re -work them to make them more
action oriented, so that you can see what that progress is. There are efforts underway
by the director and MDC to revamp and improve the overall Destination Downtown plan
and very noteworthy is you see the torn up condition of Pine Avenue. Pine Avenue
entryway corridor is one of those areas that is a big activity going on under this objective
to improve that entryway corridor into our downtown. Other key highlights that are
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 38 of 80
going on is the initiative to support the downtown mixed use development with the RFP
that will be a discussion tomorrow at MDC at their property committee on the old city
hall and the potential courthouse. As well, you have heard an update last week in the
joint meeting on Pro Build discussions and the activity they have to improve their site
and expand to the east. Also in discussions that we have ongoing with Union Pacific
and looking at a lease agreement to clean up the blight between Main Street and 3rd
Street with some possible parking being contemplated. I would also note that one of the
objectives is working on the communication and how we can better communicate the
activities of MDC to City Council. Last week was a good start with a joint meeting, as
well as we do our elected official updates on the workshops that will ban an opportunity
for further updates and communications and the Downtown Business Association has
been working very closely with MDC and the city, as well as the Chamber in really
improving those communications on what's going on in our downtown. Businesses are
being engaged. They were reported on last summer with the Idaho Avenue activities.
Last fall I talked about the food and bev committee that is overseen through the
Downtown Business Association and just better communication with upcoming projects
overall. Oh, sorry. You will do that. Okay. And Objective 1.13.1 in defining and
articulating the city's growth goals. This percentage complete I know the Council heard
an update last fall that this is very closely tied to the Comprehensive Plan update and all
of the activities. Currently there are three RFPs that have been submitted as being the
consultant to help steer this plan update. There is a group of eight individuals that are
reviewing and scoring these proposals this week and hope to have a discussion on a
selection tomorrow. The next steps would include in that in negotiating, then, with the
selected consultant, who would first come to City Council, negotiate the scope and draft
a contract. The Council should hear sometime next month, along with a budget
amendment. The kickoff is planned for May and it will take 18 months for that activity.
So, tactics one through three will be completed by June. So, we will see a lot of
progress as we move into these next several months. This has moved on a completion
date to November of '19th to reflect the -- the term of that contract and all the activities.
Objective 1.C.1, in codifying established area of city impact boundaries, there is
something that I will talk about in the next section on modifying the language. We think
that it -- this one could be better clarified in the objective language, but we -- we do want
to note that we continue to have discussions with the communities that we are
surrounded. Mayor Stear and I in Kuna has come to an agreement that our staff are
trained to codify in a map revision and that would, then, need to go to the county for
their adoption of the new lines. We have tried to create a reporting structure on this and
find ways that we can better implement and communicate the impact areas with a note
that some of these areas are going to be negotiated like we do with Boise on a property -
by -property basis, as we look at who best can serve them. But Public Works is working
on -- with our Legal on language that would have a service agreement to certain parts of
south Meridian that have been blocked, because of some of the annexations and we
have a hard time getting our easements through there to provide sewer. So, we have
discussed with Kuna to provide sewer service -- sewer only to those properties, so that
we can keep those clean lines and that should be coming in front of you as we have
more certainty in -- in a note and those are the nonlegislative work that we are doing,
but I think we still are eyeing legislative remedies to strengthen what those boundaries
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 39 of 80
are. So, as we plan and start investing in service to those areas, there is certainty and
those monies are not thrown out the window. Objective 2.A.1 in identifying, develop,
and utilize the tools needed for successful attraction and retention of jobs. Last fall I
reported we were at 52 percent. It's now at 68 percent. There has been research of
incentives available and we will be bringing that incentive to Council at a future Council
meeting sometime before May or in May and some of the next steps we are looking at is
going to be seen in an enhancement for 2019 and I think that Brenda might have
mentioned that last week in looking at a targeted industry in SWAT analysts for our
business industries and another step that has been discussed with Council is the
potential for utilizing the new opportunity zone. We did get the initial report on where
they are at with that. They have extended the review time frame. There were 27
qualified applicants and we should hear sometime next month as to -- if our two projects
that we submitted do fit the qualifications and are considered as one of those projects
considered for the opportunity zone. In 2.A.3 promote job growth by identifying and
attracting businesses. What has been completed in this -- we are at 80 percent
complete. Last fall I reported at 40 percent. We are finishing up a new marketing
brochure. There is a few tweaks left to be done to that brochure, but that will be -- once
it's finalized will be given to Council, so you can share it at -- at -- at every opportunity
possible. Also as part of a grant that Brenda and Anne worked on, we developed some
tourism videos for entertainment and in the health sciences. Brenda worked with
Kaycee on this to take a lot of the video footage and make this into small pieces that
could be used for talking about our quality of life, the great outdoors in and around
Meridian, and the Treasure Valley, as well as highlighting our health science industry.
So, those will be well used and I think Brenda is very excited to be deploying those.
She continues to work on certified sites and certified sites are those things that are pre -
approved for development that shows the availability, zoning that fits what we are trying
to attract as far as the project, the utility infrastructure is appropriate to attract, again,
the industry we are working to bring to our community, that we have a fast track
permitting process that cites characteristics that are necessary or avoiding some of the
detriments to certain sites and what incentives are for that type of development. That
should be done by the end of this year and when it is that will be brought back to you as
well. Objective 3.A.2, improve citizen access to government. You got quite the tutorial
last summer in terms of some of the activities in this. NextDoor is currently being fully
utilized and all city commissions that are now live streamed. There is a plan to bring an
enhancement forward for FY -19 regarding public testimony via Skype or a related
product. I believe you were updated on that last week as well and that we are working
on an area on our web page on the home page for development applications, so
citizens can have an easier time finding what's going on in Meridian. 3.13.1, develop a
cost effective and competitive benefit plan. This is at 65 percent complete. I last
reported it was 55 percent. Ongoing efforts are -- we have put out an RFP for broker
services. That has been completed and they are -- are working with our staff on a
benefit plan. The objective completion has been changed from January of '18 to
September of '18 to align with the current benefit cycle and the benefits committee has
been educated on what some of the alternatives are and now they are taking a deeper
dive into what those alternatives are in -- in the benefits package. So, they are working
on completing a road map for a very ever revolving benefits environment with the broker
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 40 of 80
and they are working on producing a strategic benefits roadmap that will help guide our
future discussions and decisions as we come to Council with our budgets. In Objective
3.13.3, in developing a succession planning program, while this is at 15 percent
complete, we are dependent on the consultant that has been secured for this on their
schedule in moving forward. However, there has been a very robust leadership training
development program that has been working hand in hand with a succession planning
program and there has been additional key program components that have been
identified and also being deployed. Directors are taking another look at if it's needed to
add additional key positions to the succession planning and training program and so
next steps are continuing that development program and implementing a specific plan
for the succession planning. This is to be complete in October of this year. Objective
3.B.4, develop an employee engagement program. While this is at ten percent, there is
a lot going on in this regard as well from communication engagements, surveys -- the
employee engagement survey is going out and a lot of the -- the strategies will be tied to
the outcome of that survey. There is a development program going on right now on
developing a recognition program and a lot of great activity going on in setting up for an
annual meeting for all staff that is scheduled for July. So, last year the rate -- the
retention rate was 96.44 percent and they are busy evaluating some of the background
behind that. If you exclude retirements that retention rate is 96.67 percent. So, with the
rollout of the engagement survey of citizens, that will give a lot of research to looking at
what the results are, what the program component should be and because of the
assessment of that program and the continuous improvement, the completion date,
needing to look at data and that sort of thing, is April of 2020 and you should hear more
of that as we get more statistics from our engagement study and we just had training on
that several weeks ago. We had a speaker come in and talk about -- and Council
Member Milam was in attendance -- that talked about employee engagement and some
of the different programs you can have to better engage and look at retention, although
our retention rate is rather high. Objective 3.B.5, develop and maintain a competitive
compensation program. This as well is at ten percent and they are working on -- they
half reviewed existing compensation programs and right now are currently participating
in a fire department wage and benefit study, the police STEP plan wage and benefits
study, as well as our general employee plan wage and benefit study, so there is a lot
going on in terms of that, but they are also looking at the 99.98 percent retention rate of
top performers and seeing how that plays into this compensation program and how that
lends to that high retention rate. So, the completion date is January of '19. It's three or
four months later than what is -- what was anticipated. One of the tactics did move that
out, because of analyzing data from fiscal year 2018 to include that as well. So,
Objective 3.D.1, last fall we worked with the departments on objectives and the ability to
complete the objectives based upon existing resources, including time or future needs.
This is -- this is an alignment with that. The ten percent complete was hiring Vince and -
- or Vinney when we need him to help get more robust data. Vinney becomes very
handy at that point. I gave you an overview of what Vincent has been up to in
examination of all of the objectives looking for consistency in the language and also in
looking at KPIs and where those need to be tweaked to have more realistic
performance measures. He has also worked on creating additional tools for tracking
and compliance and has reviewed the strategic plan, the processes and the outcomes,
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 41 of 80
and I think you will see already in front of you a much stronger plan with greater
consistency. The next steps include working on analyzing system resources to better
monitor the progress and complete the plan on schedule and develop a plan to address
the gaps with processes, policies, budgets, which would come in front of you in the
budget process and revise staff responsibilities and leads. Completion date for that is
December 2020. Objective 3.E.4 -- now, I will note that I will be talking about rewording
this and the modifications and the modification in the spreadsheet that we gave you, we
have had an additional modification to only this one, so I will discuss that at that time.
But this has -- the completion has been -- the financial analyst has been hired that is
leading this process to the priority base budget and the city and the consulting team will
be working together to implement once they have final edits to an agreement. So, this
project should move rather quickly once the terms are finalized and the pilot project that
Todd had discussed with Council is -- he's going to be the guinea pig. His departments
and all of those that he oversees, like C.Jay. So -- so, they will be the first in the priority
based budget departments with all the support services departments. The completion
date for that is -- well, for this entire objective is September of '20, we will report
back on the date for the pilot. Okay. So, those are the high priority objectives. This
next session is really on the proposed modifications. Each year we review and refine
the strategic plan and a lot of this was Vince going through each -- with each lead the
objectives and what it meant and making sure that the language really reflected that.
So, I'm not going to talk about those that just had a few word tweaks, I'm going to go
into those that had a little bit more of a complete rewrite of the objective. So, the first
one is 1.13.5. This objective is something that Todd had talked about in the last annual
update and I think he spent some time with each of you. He's been trained to figure out
what it meant and if anyone knew what it meant and it meant something different to
everyone, but the thing that it had in common was no one knew what it meant. So, his
proposal is to remove it, but I would say we would like to keep it on the white board and
so not to remove it completely, but to continue to have conversations with the
department directors and with City Council to maybe rework the objective to see if it
would make sense to -- or to move it forward into a future strategic plan. So, that one
would be dormant for now, unless Council would like to remove it in its entirety. So, I
think some of this would be more clear once we have priorities set from the priority
based budget process and we will be able to approach this subjective at that point and
since the priority based budgeting objective is 2020 that this may or may not make
sense. So, keep that in mind as we -- we have conversations on that. Modifications to
3.E.3. This was proposed to remove, because 3.E.2, which established the levels of
service was removed last summer in the annual update. So, 3.E.3, that objective
became inapplicable with that removal. Some of the elements of 3.E.3 was moved into
3.E.4, which made a small change as is shown in your spreadsheet and on this slide.
So, that -- that is what is in your packet. The focus on 4.A, which is establish Meridian
as a premier safe community, has been something that's been deeply discussed. So,
the modification that you have in 4.A.1 is one that reflects the clarity that was needed to
define what our community safety profile really is and so when you get into the
objectives of 4.A, along with the data from safe cities in 4.A.5, this allowed us to
establish that safety profile for a community, as well as to establish benchmarks that are
reviewed and evaluated for performance. So, what we really found is you have natural
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 42 of 80
threats and hazards, which is 4.A.1. You have human cause, which is 4.A.2 and, then,
you have community perceptions and expectations, which is 4.A.4 and, then, the safe
city benchmarks, which is 4.A.5. So, the 4.A.1, Meridian specific THIRA, which is an
acronym -- that -- fire is really good with acronyms. That THIRA development is
essential in establishing and identifying what those natural threats and hazards are and
they have a working group that are working on defining, identifying and establishing
standards and better benchmarks to achieve this particular goal. And 4.A.2. 4.A.2 is
focused on the human cause threats and hazards and establishing standards and
benchmarks and this was moved from fire to police, as this is more applicable to the
public safety realm in the police umbrella. 4.A.4 as proposed, focuses on what they are
doing with and alongside the community. So, it's identifying gaps in service, deploying
programs to ensure better policing and engagement, so we know we have always room
to grow and improve and that's what this objective would really focus on. Some of those
key outcomes that we had in our city survey outlined some key components that will be
focused on in this. One would be code enforcement. Two in communication and in
traffic safety. These are items that came out in the survey that had people interested in
how we can improve along those areas. So, next steps in this -- our key leadership
group will identify other areas that weren't identified specifically in the citizen survey, but
make sense and enhancing this public safety and policing area and the objective and
the performance measures will see how we turn performance into data to bring back to
Council. That data will work for better outcomes for our community, but also in setting a
direction for our officers and staff. And 4.13.2, this is set targets. This was establishing -
- this was something that's been kind of clunky. Establish Meridian as a premier healthy
community. So, we started with really discussion points around what do we want a
healthy community to be known for. We had Kendra from Blue Cross come and talk
about a healthy community and some of the performance measures in measuring
community health and so that was some of the data that we used at the -- for a
foundation to start our discussions, but what we can impact at the city level and how we
can -- what we are responsible for at the city and with the private sector in forming those
related partnerships. So, areas that this would encompass would be recreation and
pathways community design and safe neighborhoods, and commercial developments.
It could include clean water, safe routes to school, safety lighting along key roadways,
those kind of topics are things that would be incorporated within this and we would like
to develop our community health profile that's based on community expectations that
include a lot of the areas I just mentioned. So, this objective would establish a
benchmark and look at these practices. Staff wants to inventory services and how the
city contributes to the well being and safety of our community and we will, then, identify
gaps under 4.13.2 and services that contribute to our community health that was
identified in 4.13.1 and research what other like sized communities are doing and what
their success outcomes have been and who did what. Was it the city or was it the
private sector or nonprofit sector that delivered those types of services and bring those
all together in a concise form. 4.B.5. The recommendation is to remove that. Initially
the end goal for this objective was to establish Meridian as a top one hundred healthiest
city in the nation. We want to be more reflective and focused on what our community
expects and what a national standard is. We think our citizens can set that standard.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 43 of 80
Okay? And those were the major modifications. I would stand for questions and, then, I
will just discuss in conclusion the next steps.
Borton: Thank you, Madam Mayor.
De Weerd: Yes.
Borton: Appreciate the report. Council, any questions?
Palmer: Mr. President?
Borton: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: I guess that answers that. The question that was running through my mind
who is chairing right now with you down there. You running the meeting then. Mr.
President, I got a few questions. You answered most of them. So, that was awesome.
Thank you.
De Weerd: That is awesome.
Palmer: And this may just be thinking out loud, but 4.C.1, there is a lot of -- we are
going to cut this, we are going to cut this, add this, I -- I guess I understand switching
housing with shelter, it makes sense. That transportation. The only one that kind of
wasn't replaced with something that makes more sense was personal preparedness.
Just had a question on the motivation to pull that one and put in what was there.
De Weerd: Well, we can do emergency preparedness, but the personal preparedness
is a little bit out of the realm. It's more in the realm of ACCEM or whatever they are
called now. ACEM. And they really focus on the personal preparedness and -- and you
will see that often in NextDoor as they do updates on personal awareness and some of
the safety areas. So, that's the only reason that was pulled out.
Palmer: Mr. President?
Borton: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Then you -- the next one I had a question on was 4.E.2. Mostly just language.
Citywide internal. So, is this meant to be internal?
De Weerd: Yes. This would be not to be responsible for all the environmental
sustainability programs of the world, but more looking at our water quality, how we are
being good stewards into the water that we put back into the river, looking at recycling
programs and being more energy efficient, our wastewater recovery resource center,
whatever it is, it is the highest user of energy and how we can continue to create a more
-- it will never be a net neutral footprint, but how we can have better efficiencies in our
energy use out at the wastewater treatment plant.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 44 of 80
Palmer: Mr. President?
Borton: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Mr. President, Madam Mayor, so, then, just as a government -- as a city
government?
De Weerd: Yes.
Palmer: Okay.
De Weerd: As a city local government, yes.
Palmer: Mr. President. My thought on that -- maybe just eliminate the word citywide,
because there is -- there is a few different places in this where just the word internal is
used, just because I saw that and I was like, oh, citywide and I'm like, okay, internal.
So, is that all the city -- I couldn't figure out what that meant.
De Weerd: I mean I think we were more focused on the citywide departments and
internally our program said that we went to this and I can certainly have Dale come up
and talk to it if -- if you would like, but --
Palmer: Mr. President. I was not, I guess, concerned about the -- the point, just -- I
don't know.
De Weerd: We could take out wide and just say implement city internal --
Palmer: No matter what, it's not a big deal, it's just that for clarity as to what it is. And,
then, my only other thing wasn't important enough. I think It makes more sense after I
read it the third and fourth time now, so that answers all my questions. Thanks.
De Weerd: Thank you.
Cavener: Mr. President?
Borton: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: I will try and go in order. So, start, Madam Mayor, if we can, with 1.13.1.
De Weerd: Okay.
Cavener: And just -- I guess a step -- touch base on the budget associated with that. Is
it going to be an appropriate amount? Is that something that you see costing more,
costing less?
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 45 of 80
De Weerd: I haven't been part of that eight member team, so they will be negotiating
the scope. There was no set amount established during the budget process, because a
scope had not been thoroughly developed and clarified. Now, that it has, once they
choose the -- the RFP award, they will start negotiating terms and price and that does
have to come to Council in your budget amendment, so you will -- you will know more
as that evolves and I imagine that you will get that next month.
Cavener: Great. 2.A.3. I'm excited about this brochure and I was hoping you could
give us a little more insight about it and who is the intended audience. Specifically
when I heard that you would want Council to distribute that, I'm just curious if you're
wanting us to pass that up to and what its purpose is.
De Weerd: That might have been tongue in cheek.
Cavener: Okay.
De Weerd: You guys encounter businesses looking at Meridian that could -- could use
a nice piece. It talks about the -- the attributes of doing business in Meridian. Our -- our
built for business, designed for living type of thing. It's more of a -- just a marketing
piece to help people know -- identify who we are as a community and a place to do
business.
Cavener: Great. Next on -- Mr. President. Next on my list is 3.13.1 and appreciate the
update on this particular one. This one I place a high priority on and I'm just curious,
again, from the budget aspect if we think the estimated cost is going -- is accurate, if we
overbudgeted, underbudgeted, if there is going to be any unintended, but additional
costs associated with this particular objective.
De Weerd: This is something that will come up every year in the budget discussions.
So, at this point they are developing what that will really look like, but until -- so, I think
that in your annual update from HR -- and they talked about looking at a hybrid, maybe
not being self-insured, but looking at a hybrid model, that there is a lot of background to
-- or a lot of further vetting of that option and what the cost actually would be and to -- to
the city -- City Council has set money aside to -- for self-insuring and that is there that
could serve the hybrid model or the full blown. I think right now they are trying to look at
the pros and cons of all the different options and putting a cost to them, so that when
they bring it to City Council they will give you a menu and what each of those mean.
Cavener: Mr. President?
Borton: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Madam Mayor. Ballpark time -- was that something that we will see in
conjunction with this year's budget hearings? Is it something that we are going to see
after a budget hearing? Before? And I'm not looking for a specific, but a ballpark of
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 46 of 80
time as to when we can kind of expect to start seeing some information on those menus
in the back.
De Weerd: Okay. You will hear that. But I did cycle. That was for the public record,
Dean.
Cavener: Mr. President, the next one -- or the next one on your list 3.13.4 and I
appreciate the explanation about the -- having to move the anticipated completion date.
Is there anything we as a Council can do to help facilitate or expedite this? This is
another one that to me is a high priority item and, obviously, don't want Council getting
in the way and if there are things that we can do to better assist the department or you
to get this one back on track, I guess I would be open to that discussion.
De Weerd: I -- I don't think this is really off track. It's just tactics are underway, they are
just not completed. All the program components have been identified and as you
identify them you, then, have to -- the reason it's been bumped out is you need to
assess the programs and if they are making a difference. So, that's more of the data
piece of it. As I mentioned, a communication plan is being developed on how they can
better communicate and what those communication tools are and a lot more will be
known as we do this employee engagement survey that AmeriBen is rolling out in the
second quarter of this year. They are -- and into the development of their recognition
and appreciation program and they are very busy setting up for the first ever annual all
staff meeting, that all of that is meant to give different levels and different approaches to
employee engagement and, then, have to start measuring. What is the outcome and
how is that moving the needle. So, that is why it's been moved out a little further, so
they can collect data and show what programs are working and what aren't.
Cavener: Great. Mr. President? 3.13.5 dealing with compensation, recognizing that we
probably weren't going to have something finalized by September and appreciated it
being moved to January, is there any plan for any of that data really of compensation to
be shared with Council before this year's budget hearing? I just know that as a body we
often wrestle with the compensation argument and I think we all have different
approaches and different philosophies when it comes to that. I'm just curious if we are
going to see any data at all before this year's session.
De Weerd: I think that a lot of this is marrying the draft and collecting all the data. You
want to answer that? I'd rather not just fake it.
Ritchie: Excuse my voice. I'm sorry, Council Member Cavener, could you go ahead
and repeat the question one more time?
Cavener: Sure.
Richie: The specific data -- also we are collecting all of the data now currently in
preparation for the FY -19 budget process. So, we will be prepared and available to
share that information as we move through the budget process at your request.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 47 of 80
Cavener: Great. Thank you.
De Weerd: Yes. So -- and, Councilman Cavener, I think we really discussed it -- it will
be rolled out in the initial workshop, so, then you have that month to process it and
really look at the numbers and what they mean. Thank you.
Cavener: Mr. President, just a couple more if I may. 4.A.1, I'm just curious about when
Council might be able to see a draft copy of that? That to me I think is very valuable in
terms of some of the conversations that we have had last week about some of the other
strategic plan elements and just wondering when we might be able to see a draft of that.
De Weerd: They have put a leadership team together to start really aggressively
working it, but I will turn this over to the chief.
Niemeyer; Madam Mayor, Council, I'm expecting probably in about two months. We
are collecting the data right now on the -- both the man made and the natural, so we are
putting that into a spreadsheet. So, I would say within two months you're going to see
at least the first step of that. The development of the full-fledged THIRA will take longer,
the actual document that you put together, because that, then, identifies what the risk
and hazards are and, then, how we are going to mitigate them. So, what do we need to
implement to mitigate what -- what we have identified. But that first phase you will see
within the next two months.
Cavener: Madam Mayor. Follow up I guess. I don't -- Joe's gone, I don't know who is
running the meeting now. Council Member Bernt we will put you in charge for right now.
Follow up. Chief, talk to me, then, about what that timeline looks like, recognizing step
one is kind of that initial compilation of this spreadsheet to the full final document, what
does that timeline look like?
Niemeyer: I'm going to take a rough stab and say about six months. The key will be do
we have somebody on staff that can spend the time compiling all the information and
placing it into a document or do we need to contract that out with somebody to compile
everything together. I can tell you the county's THIRA is about 95 pages long.
Cavener: Wow.
Niemeyer: So, it takes quite a bit to put it all together. We are taking the first step of
identifying what those threats and hazards are and identifying them, then, figuring out
what -- what gaps do we have and what programs can we implement to -- to meet that
gap. The document itself is a lot thicker. It takes a lot more time to put together.
Cavener: All right. Thank you.
De Weerd: And, then, what is the potential of bite sizing it to -- in priority? We have
been talking about even from an internal perspective in our own emergency
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 48 of 80
preparedness as -- as staff and if something were to happen. So, it's a -- after they
have identified all the different threats it's, then, what do you do with it and how -- do
you phase it and is that how we bring it back to you. So, this one is not -- the end date
is a year -- a little bit more than a year from now. So, we will try and bring that back as
to how to bite size it as well.
Cavener: Mr. President? I have a couple other questions more about the holistic
approach to the strategic plan. I don't know if -- Madam Mayor, if you have got
additional side glance or if your presentation has come to an end. If some of these
things may be addressed -- if you have additional presentation. So, I don't want to
interrupt your --
De Weerd: No. Just next steps.
Cavener: Mr. President?
Borton: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Madam Mayor, you had -- you and your team have a significant amount of
objectives that are set for completion in 2018, which I think is really exciting. Are there
any speed bumps that you're anticipating that will prevent any of the objectives that are
said to be completed in 2018 from occurring?
De Weerd: Certainly -- I think that as one of the things that Vince has been working
with the leads to doing is to making sure that the goals are not unattainable and that
circumstances that happen that are not in their control won't delay this and I can tell you
the rapid growth of our community right now is -- is a stress to it.
Cavener: Agreed.
De Weerd: It does put a lot of pressure and I have seen several of our employees here
on the weekend that you don't necessarily like to see, but that's the workload that our
departments are finding. So, you know, we certainly will do everything they can. A lot
of these objectives are underway, but it's hard to anticipate what might be thrown as an
obstacle, but at this point I can tell you that the -- the growth demands and the
workloads of all departments in the city certainly is playing a stressing role to -- to a lot
of this.
Cavener: That's it for my questions.
Borton: Any other questions from Council? Thank you, again, Madam Mayor for the
report in this bi-annual process.
De Weerd: So, next steps is really to adopt the amended proposed modifications and --
and, then, I think we adopt that, Mr. Nary, through a resolution? So, we can clean this
up and bring it back and -- and our next report is in October. And/or you will see it
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 49 of 80
during the budget process for any of those that have the enhancement or any fiscal
impact.
Cavener: Mr. President?
Borton: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Mr. President, Madam Mayor, that's for the report. Just maybe a suggestion
for next year's annual update. Again, I don't know how the Council feels -- there is a lot
meaty stuff in this report and sometimes we don't always have the road map as to
where you're going and I know I like to try to be really prepared for this discussion and
so next year it would be beneficial to me if we could break this conversation up into
maybe like a three week set of chunks where we get a good idea as to kind of the
roadmap that you're wanting to take us, so that we can be best prepared to hear what is
a significant amount of information that you're sharing from the different departments. It
would make it a lot easier for me to be able to follow the bouncing ball.
De Weerd: Well, I would love to work with you and Councilman Borton on -- if there is a
better format to -- to do this in and certainly open to that.
Cavener: Thank you.
De Weerd: Okay. Thank you.
Borton: Mr. Nary, for the purposes of adopting the updated strategic plan, do you need
a motion now to do that, to bring back a resolution, or do you just bring the resolution?
Nary: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, Council President, we just will bring
back the resolution. I heard the Mayor say clean up and so I want to make sure we
have the attachment that has all the clean up, so it might be a couple of weeks. But we
will just bring a resolution with that and, then, the Council can consider it.
De Weerd: And we can bring the cleaned version next week and if all looks good, then,
we can try and get the resolution on the following week. Does that sound like a plan?
Cavener: That's great.
B. Parks and Recreation: Farmers Market Update
1. Professional Services Agreement with Indigo Idaho for the
Main Street Market not to exceed $5,000
De Weerd: Okay. Item 11-B is under our Parks and Recreation Department and Colin
is here for an exciting update. This really is exciting.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 50 of 80
Moss: Hello again, Madam Mayor, Members of the Council. Yes, I'm here to give a
brief update of some of the work that has been done with the Farmers Market. As you
know, over the past two years we have had a Farmers Market downtown here in front of
City Hall called the Meridian Youth Farmers Market. That farmers market was youth
focused and as such we had a requirement for 75 percent of the vendors at that market
be youth, so that we might, you know, promote youth entrepreneurship and some of
those skills that go along with that and so the last two years have been great, we have
had a lot of fun. We have decided that a new direction was needed for the long term
sustainability of the market, not to move away from focusing on the youth portion, but
focusing on the idea of a traditional farmers market where customers can come on a
weekly basis, do their grocery shopping. We want to focus on those repeat customers,
because those are the real backbone of a successful farmers market and so we didn't
want to lose the youth aspect of it, though, and so in addition to embarking on this
journey of deciding what the farmers market was going to be in the future, we wanted to
just hang onto that youth component and so as part of this we are still going to have that
youth part of the farmers market, there just isn't going to be the requirement that a
certain number of the vendors be youth -- youth vendors. We are still going to offer the
youth -- the youth vendors a discounted rate, we are still going to offer them the
canopies and the tables as part of their vendor fees and so it's going to be extremely --
extremely -- yeah, the vendors are going to be very interested -- the youth vendors will
be. There are going to be lot of benefits for them to participate. We just want to bring in
more of the traditional market vendors to be there to, hopefully, expand the offerings
that are available for customers. So, we -- we started this process this year by going to
MDC. They have been the -- they have funded the -- the contracts for our market
coordinator for the last two years, so we approached them again. It was on Council
agenda last month to approve their -- well, it was the beginning of February to approve
the -- the contract with MDC. They provided the 5,000 dollar funding for our market
coordinator. We also, then, went out with a request for proposals to select a new
market coordinator, because Becky Breshears, who ran the market for the last two
years, she retired from the event business and so we put out that RFP and we selected
an application or a proposal that was submitted by CheRee Eveland of EMC. Miss
Idaho and Brittany Price of Indigo Idaho and CheRee is in the audience tonight.
Brittany wasn't able to make it. But we are extremely excited to have them as part of
our team now. They both have a lot of events experience in Meridian and so we are
very happy to be working with them and, then, shortly after bringing them on board we
sat down with the Mayor, we sat down with some of our community stakeholders in
downtown, we also had put out a survey to get some of the community feedback about
what time of -- you know, what the time of the day, what day of the week people were
interested in shopping, because, really, everything was on the table as far as when and
where and what time and we -- we actually fell on the same time, the same day of the
week that we were on previously, which is Saturday morning. We are going to extend
the market by a couple of hours. It was kept short for the first two years because of the
youth focus and -- but we are extending it from 9:00 to 2:00 now, instead of 9:00 to
noon, and after -- after that meeting we also wanted to focus on a new name for the
market, because it was the Meridian Youth Farmers Market. We wanted to make it
something a little bit more traditional and we settled on the name the Meridian Main
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 51 of 80
Street Market and, then, over the last month we have been working on this logo that you
see in front of you. The Meridian Main Street Market -- the intent for -- for that name
and it's something that we will be embarking on a feedback and getting -- getting
feedback from some of the businesses downtown. Our eventual intent is to put the
market right on Main Street in downtown and so closing the road on Saturday mornings
and making it an extremely visible market for anybody that's traveling around the
downtown corridor and so that was the intent, so the logo is a fun play on kind of a
Google pin, in addition to -- you know, in addition to a carrot and we put the Google pin
right on Main Street and so that's what we are hoping for in the future. C.Jay, if you
would also show the next one. We have a horizontal version of the same logo.
De Weerd: Just hit the arrow.
Moss: Oh. There we go. I guess it -- so, it also created a horizontal log, the same -- or
horizontal version of the same logo, depending on what application you're using it in,
you might need something like that's this shape and, then, once we have had some time
to kind of build up the brand recognition of this logo and the Main Street Market, we
have also got this little fun carrot icon that is pulled out separately that we think that
there is a lot of opportunity for just pulling that out and using it for scavenger hunts or
you could make that into a plushy and sell it and just -- you know, there is lots of
different opportunities. That was just one off the top of my head as we were talking
about it, but -- so, yeah, little stuffed animal. But a carrot. So, not an animal. So, I
would -- I would stand for any questions about where we have come with the market
and, then, you know, the business at hand tonight -- we do have our contract with
CheRee and Brittany that is on the agenda that we do need to approve, so that they can
-- well, they have already been working extremely hard at getting the Facebook page
going and getting the market site going and they are already accepting applications for
market vendors. So, we -- the only action item tonight is to approve that contract with
CheRee and Brittany that just, for clarification, is, essentially, a pass-through from the
MDC 5,000 dollars. MDC paid the city. We are, then, paying our market coordinators
with that money and as part of the contract we have -- you know, we have certain
performance benchmarks and things like that throughout the season.
De Weerd: And I think that, too, there is work with the Meridian library on training and
on the vendor information and that sort of thing. Can't remember what it is specifically,
but I do remember talking about it.
Moss: Yes. Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, there will be, you know, some --
some training involved. It's not nearly as robust as it was when it was the Meridian
Youth Farmers Market, because it was so youth focused. We had in the contract all of
these different trainings from the Idaho Department of Weights and Measurements and
the Health Departments and all these different things, whereas now it's not going to be
nearly as robust, but we are certainly still going to have some, you know, vendor
meetings and things like that. There may not be -- there may be youth focus training,
but there will not be trainings for necessarily the vendors as a whole, simply because so
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 52 of 80
many of the vendors are old hat at this kind of thing by now. We are hoping to get those
vendors that are old hat at it.
Little Roberts: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes, Mrs. Little Roberts.
Little Roberts: Madam Mayor, Colin, I just want to say thank you for continuing the
focus on the youth. I think that the changes and everything are great. I certainly
understand, that it needed to grow and can create a life of itself beyond the youth, but
thank you so much for including the focus on the youth. So, many of our yea kids
through a previous program here and it was such a benefit, I really hope that we
continue to see the kids play a big part, but I certainly understand -- I think it's a great
idea that you're opening it to those, as you called them, old hat vendors.
Moss: Thank you.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: First a compliment. I love the logo. I just think that -- I don't know who did it
and it was done internally, I think that just speaks to the talent that we have here at City
Hall, but the thing that kind of stands out right away. So, whoever did that kudos to
them. But my question is related to -- you touched on a performance and, you know,
various entities have tried to do a farmers market or a downtown market with varying
levels of success and I always get hesitant when we embark on a new endeavor and I
know this is an evolution of an old endeavor -- to ensure that it's successful and so can
you kind of share with us what are some of those benchmarks that a year from now
when you're bringing another budget piece from MDC to cover the management of the
market, what are the things you are going to be talking about that occurred that made
this year such a success?
Moss: Sure. Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, Councilman Cavener, so I guess
starting with the logo, I will just clarify it -- it was not done in house. We did contract it
out with a graphic designer who, you know, really have been pleased with her work in
the past. She did the Storey Bark Park logo and the Kleiner Park Live logo, so we are
very -- been very happy with what she's done. As far as performance, we do have a
minimum number of vendors per week. Stipulation in the contract. Beyond that it's --
it's mainly -- it's going to be more of a feel thing. There is not a lot that we -- you can't
say a certain number of people are going to come every week or that the vendors are
going to sell a certain amount of products. So, success right now -- the one benchmark
that we have in there is based on the number of market vendors.
Cavener: Madam Mayor? Colin, how many is that?
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 53 of 80
Moss: I believe the minimum was 25. 1 could double-check that for you.
Cavener: And, Madam Mayor, follow up. Is that on a weekly basis or --
Moss: Correct.
Cavener: -- over the course of --
Moss: Yeah. I believe last year we were -- you know, our minimum weeks were right in
that 25 range and, then, we were getting up to 36 1 believe it was the most last year.
So, we believe that if 25 was about where we are at for our minimum, that we could
safely set that as the minimum next -- this year, especially as we were expanding it out
to more, you know, seasoned vendors.
Cavener: Great.
De Weerd: Thank you. Any other questions? Mr. Bernt.
Bernt: Madam Mayor. Colin, I want to say congratulations. Thank you. And, CheRee,
thank you for your time. I have looked forward to this. I'm excited to have a revitalized
farmers market downtown. It's going to be exiting. Is there like a slight chance that
CheRee could maybe like -- are you prepared maybe to like just maybe see where you
were at?
De Weerd: It's a vision and your excitement -- we will get you excited.
Bernt: You don't have to talk. You can just mime if you want.
Eveland: Mayor and Council, we got really good response. We have our Facebook
page and --
De Weerd: Can you --
Eveland: Sorry. We have our Facebook page up. Our website should be up here in
the next 24 to 48 hours. We have got 15 vendors so far. We had a couple of youth
vendors have come through. So, it's a little by little, day by day. We are talking to
different businesses to be sponsors of it, not just the City of Meridian and the MDC. So,
we are getting a good response. We have talked to the Capital City Market and Eagle
City Market and they have been very helpful in giving us ideas and referring other
vendors to us that maybe don't fit with them or they don't have room for or they already
have five jewelry vendors, they don't need another one. So, they have been really
helpful. So, the response that we are getting from meeting with council members and
other businesses and around the valley have been really -- really great, so --
De Weerd: And you will focus on produce as well; right?
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 54 of 80
Eveland: We will try. Since we do start so late -- we start in June. In talking to the
different markets it is hard to find produce vendors, but I have been calling a bunch of
friends of mine and talking to other people and trying to find different vendors. So, we
are still going to try and really work on that. Absolutely. But we are starting later in the
season. So, I don't know what Capital City puts out in April when they open, but we are
trying to work on finding produce vendors. So, if anybody has suggestions we are open
to it.
De Weerd: And will Crackberry Farms -- Cackleberry Farm, will they be returning and --
Eveland: They are on my list to contact, so --
De Weerd: Because I know they had a huge interest in the youth component and -- and
certainly if they wanted to be located by the youth aspect, they have been great
partners.
Moss: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council, I think -- they haven't signed up officially
yet, but we are -- we would certainly pursue them heavily, because they were -- they
were one of the main vendors at the farmers market for the last two years with one of
our main produce vendors and so they would be for sure a staple of the market that we
would go after and just to play off of what CheRee said, I have been in contact with the
executive director of the Capital City Public Market through this whole process and she -
- she has committed and, you know, we will see I guess to what extent, but we have
talked about them sharing vendor contact information, those that they have turned
away, because they have a lot of people that they have to turn away and a lot of people
that it's not necessarily just because of -- because of their restrictions, where, you know,
they just -- they have the same kind of restrictions that we have. We are going to keep
it to a -- you know, a locally made, locally grown, if it's not -- if it's not the handmade or
locally grown, it's not a vendor that we are going to -- we are going to allow in our
market. Same with Capital City. But for those vendors that are locally grown, locally
made, that they simply don't have room for, we are really hoping that -- that they will
funnel some of those folks our way.
Eveland: And, Madam Mayor and Council, we have gotten -- I got two today from
Capital City Market. So, they are sending stuff our way.
De Weerd: That's great. I think you got a lot of comments on the types of things that
people would like to see in a market and reaching out to people, like Juli Bokencamp,
maybe she has some ideas of -- of master gardeners that have more than their share of
produce that -- that would be interested in entertaining an idea of selling at the market.
Moss: Absolutely.
Bernt: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Bernt.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 55 of 80
Bernt: Thank you. When we were at the commission meeting this past week there was
a comment made about maybe contacting the Kleiner Park community garden. I know
they are a not for profit, but maybe -- they have loads of produce -- awesome.
De Weerd: That's a great idea.
Moss: Madam Mayor and Council Member Bernt, I think -- and we did talk about that
the other -- you know, the flip side of that is that we discussed the fact that part of their
charter is donating to the Food Bank and so we -- it's something that we will explore,
but, you know, I'm not sure how -- what kind of expectation we can expect from them,
since selling that produce is -- is not really part of their organization.
De Weerd: It's not within their mission, but I'm sure she knows people who --
Bernt: Absolutely.
De Weerd: -- that is there and also U of I, the extension office and their master
gardener program, they would be a good contact as well.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: Along those lines, if they were -- but I was thinking the same thing. Like, no,
they give that to the Food Bank. But the Food Bank would rather have money, so they
could sell the food and give the money to the Food Bank -- still goes the same way.
The thought. I mean that's something between them and -- them and you, but --
Moss: That is an interesting thought.
Milam: Or it could be part of the conversation, you know.
Moss: The Food Bank actually prefers money, because they can make those dollars go
a lot further than -- that we can, so --
Milam: Exactly. Especially when we are talking about produce or something that
expires pretty quickly. Anyway --
Moss: Yeah. Interesting thought.
Borton: Any other questions from Council?
Moss: Thank you.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 56 of 80
Borton: Council, there is a professional services agreement on the agenda for action
and approval that Colin had recommended.
Bernt: I move that we accept -- make a motion to accept the 5,000 dollar amount of
money that they -- the contract not to exceed 5,000 dollars.
Little Roberts: Second.
Borton: It's been moved and seconded to accept the professional services agreement.
Mr. Clerk.
Roll call: Borton, yea; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, yea; Little Roberts, yea;
Bernt, yea.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
C. Parks and Recreation: HomeCourt Facility Update
Borton: Item 11-C, Parks and Rec Home Court facilities update. Garrett. He's coming
forward. I presume you're presenting.
White: Yeah. Members of Council, thank you for your time tonight. C.Jay is helping
me out here with the PowerPoint. So, I'm here tonight to discuss Bay Five in Home
Court. This picture right here kind of shows exactly what we are talking about. I
strategically took this picture, you know, the other day about 2:30 where I know it's kind
of the dead time in the gym area, but either way I just wanted to kind of touch -- touch
base on why I'm here. I'm here really to update you guys on the Bay Five concepts and
to kind of get your guys' support to move forward with the renovation of Bay Five. This
right here -- this design here at the bottom, basically, is the outline of the building. The
dark blue place is Bay Five, just to kind of give you an idea of where we are at to kind of
picture that. Moving on. Just a quick history and, shoot, we have been talking about
Home Court for about three years now and what we are going to do and before the
purchase, during the purchase, after the purchase of the Home Court and kind of what
we wanted to do with Bay Five in the aspects of -- we need classroom space based on
our Parks and Recreation Master Plan and what we want to do. In September of 2017,
which seems like a while ago, but it was only a few months ago, we did the parks
facilities tour. At that point in time I told you guys to work on concepts of Bay Five that
show different classroom structures, different models and things like that that we
wanted to do. Obviously, some of the public outreach we have done before that to kind
of know that we need classroom space -- is the master plan process and the results and
formal customer feedback, just having conversations with people on site. I'm there
every day talking to people on what they feel that they need, what they want, things like
that. Our other coordinators are out and about talking to the other instructors or dance
instructors, martial arts instructors, things like that, to get those feedback I will just say
we have been to Commission quite a few times regarding this. Moving forward here.
Back on November 15th, which is just after -- a month or so after the parks and facilities
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 57 of 80
tour, we went to commission on the 15th, just to kind of discuss the three options that
we -- we had concepts for, just to kind of give you a brief outlay of what the options
were. Option C-1 and C-2 are very similar. The really differences there is C-1 was to
develop a two story building or realistically a one story phase that could support a
second story. If that makes sense on that. Option C-2, which is just a single story,
never to develop a third or second story, just a single story three classrooms, restroom
renovations, HVAC improvements, stuff like that, for that area. And Option D was
basically two stories. The whole meal deal. Five classrooms, offices, restroom
renovation, hallway access -- when I say hallway access, if you guys remember at
Home Court right now, the hallway is this office. So, when I'm in there any time after
3:00 o'clock, 3:30 on, you really can't have a phone conversation, because that is the
hallway from Bay Five and the court area. So, all those options really include the
restroom renovations and things like that. At the commission meeting we discussed
programming needs, design, as well as additional parking needs, obviously, the more
square footage you have in there, five classrooms the more park demand goes up and
things like that. So, we just kind of -- kind of hashed out some of those potential issues.
There is a strong and general consensus to move forward with the direction of a two
story renovation and, basically, get construction costs for the three options, really,
because we weren't sure what the numbers were going to be, so that's why we wanted
to have three options, kind of phasing option, or an option of, hey, maybe we can only
afford the three classrooms and see where we are at. Like I said, Option D, for the two
story option, was commission's preference at that time. Going to the budget. Right now
we currently have 634,000 dollars carry forward from FY -17 building improvements. We
are asking this year in the FY -19 budget -- obviously, we are just starting to talk about
FY -19 budgets, but we are asking for another half -- 500,000 dollars on that. So, you
can kind of see our current budget -- potential FY -19 budget if we were lucky enough to
have that, but, then, you can look at the -- the options. C-1, again, was just a one story,
planned for a second story. Option 2 was just a single story, three classroom facility
with an office hallway and restroom renovations. And Option D was the full meal deal.
That's five classrooms, restroom upgrades, all the above on that. So, you can see that
the price is there and compared to our current budget. Once staff -- we all on the
commission saw these numbers. We started thinking what's the timeline before we are
going to reach the five classroom facility, 3.1, 3.2 million dollars. Right now we don't
know, you know, how many years is that going to take. We know that we need indoor
programming space now, based on our master plan results. Not knowing we are going
to have this money we started thinking that we need -- we need to find out what we can
do now to fill that gap. Make this -- make this facility functional, make it get the most
max use as we can out of this square footage that we have in there, as well help us in
the future. What's going to relieve some of the pressure we currently have. So, we
decided to come up with option -- multi-purpose option here that I'm going to show you
here. This multi-purpose option is to expand the office, add access hallway to the gym,
renovate the restrooms, add sports floor, volleyball courts, pickleball courts, badminton
courts, basketball hoops. This doesn't show, but we have talked about making curtains,
dividable curtains so we can have the classroom space. Things like that. We went --
went back to commission on the 21st of February, kind of showed them kind of what I
showed you with those options. They were in favor of this as well because of the
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 58 of 80
timeline between now and then and what is our immediate needs to make this space
functional and maximize our space with them. Moving on. If we were to go with this
proposal, we are looking at phasing options regardless, because the timeline and
schedule and things like that. Phase one would be this year, this summer sometime.
Be able to remodel the front desk area, so we can view both Bay Five, as well as the
gym. Right now where the Y -- the way the Y currently has it set up you're in Bay Five
and you can't see what's going on in the gym area by any means. So, there is kind of a
structure there. So, we want access to be able to visibly see the whole thing, as well as
kind of do the multi-purpose floor and the courts and things like that. The curtain
dividers and things like that. And, then, next year phase two would be more the
restroom remodel upgrade for them. Why this proposal? Why does the staff feel that
we need this proposal? One, it gives us immediate classroom space for our current
dance, martial arts, fitness, education classes that have currently outgrown our current
community center. These were basically -- some of these classes will move over to the
Home Court facility that they have a whole space for that that are actually either
minimizing their class size -- classroom sizes with kids because of the current space we
have isn't big enough for them, they can't grow, but what that does is it allows us to
program the space of Home Court, but as well back fill and/or our create new programs
than the room that we currently have. It meets the growing demand of our adult sports
programs. Right now I know Tyler in the adult sports programs turns away volleyball
teams and basketball teams, so we have to kind of figure out how many we have and
how much space we have with schools and things like that and that kind of ties into my
next point here is it allows us to move our current open gym program that we offer
seven days a week from the courts over into this area, because of the hardwood floors
are more desirable to be reserved. So, it allows us to either rent those courts out or
increase our adult sports programs, which we are turning teams away, but program
them over there or in Bay Five potentially. This multi-purpose area would function
better with this building. Really it just allows us to maximize our space in this area by
doing this. Development costs are expected to fit into our current budget, which is
important now, and this also gives us the opportunity to start planning for an additional
new recreation center or community center in the future. The growing population
demand, you know, we are still turning people away and trying to fill stuff in. Right now I
know if we are able to do this we can use this multi-purpose for adult sports potentially,
as well as classroom space. It's just a multi -functional, multi -use area and space with
that. So, with that, that is a quick PowerPoint slide there of our program. Stand for
questions and feedback.
De Weerd: Council, any questions?
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Ms. Milam.
Milam: Whatever happened to the idea -- and I know we talked about this quite a long
time ago, before all these other conversations, but about like an indoor park play area
for kids who -- you know, for winter or whatever.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 59 of 80
White: Yeah. And that actually is still -- because that still could be on the table. Right
now this is a multi-purpose use area. This area -- if I can go back to the concept -- and,
like I said, this is strictly a concept. We can split this thing up. We can divide it up
however we want to do and if that's something that Council wants us to look into is a
play structure inside, absolutely, we can do that. We are looking at more of trying to get
more people there and more functional with the classroom space that we currently
need. We do know there is other -- like Wahooz has an indoor play structure and things
that that's heavily used. I have had my kids there, too. You know. So, an indoor play
structure is still not necessarily not off the table by any means. We are just trying to
figure out what best works for this facility and what our current needs are and this will
help relieve some of the pressure with our current needs when it comes to classrooms
that are oversized and/or -- or begging us for more space for that. But, yeah,
absolutely, we can definitely look into an indoor play structure.
Milam: Just a thought.
White: Yeah.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: So -- and I understand fully that we need classroom space, so I like the -- the
idea of being able to, you know, use curtains and whatever. But really more courts? Do
we really need more courts? I mean we add more courts and, then, we are like we
need more courts and build another one, and it takes up a lot of space for basketball.
White: Sure.
Milam: I mean more than what you could use that space for and have three or four
classes going on at the same time.
White: Yeah. And our original plan was classrooms, because we need it, you know,
but, then, we saw that the dollar figures would -- and even if we put classrooms in there
-- say we did a renovation of the restrooms and classrooms, that's about one point -- a
little over 1.7 million dollars. We are still not sure when we are going to have that
money for that classroom space. Just kind of -- just like I said, relieve the pressure. We
want to put some kind of divider curtain, so we can try to structure different classes and
different programs all at the same time. Obviously, it's a program and a coordinated
issue when it comes to sound. You can't have a yoga class as long as Zuma is going;
right? So, you got to kind of think of those types of things and programming that without
the walls and actual rooftops on the classrooms and things. But when it comes to that
more courts, it's just more -- it gives us more options when it comes to multi-purpose
areas. If we just put curtains there will more flooring, we could program it. I do know
that if we were -- it's just kind of a scheduling thing in my head, because I schedule the
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 60 of 80
building quite a bit and it's more of a dominos in place almost ready to fall. Scheduling.
If we moved our current open gym program over to this court, it allows us to reserve it
and use it for more -- the current court, court one, for more reservations and/or adult
sports programs. That's the only reason why we did it, is to put court space on there
and that kind of shows also kind of the size we are talking about. I mean you can get
three pickleball courts, one full size volleyball court -- you can't get a full-size basketball
court, obviously, but it just gives us more options over there for multi-purpose use, if we
wanted to fill in open gym over here to reserve it or run a program over there, so --
Milam: Madam Mayor?
White: -- it gives us more options.
Milam: Okay. I just don't want to see this entire place just taken over by adults.
White: Sure.
Milam: And I guess that's the biggest problem that I have with that and you're doing the
scheduling, so you -- you know, you could make sure that it doesn't happen. So, I'm
just giving you my two cents, you know, we have a lot of kids programs as well that --
that are full and it's overflowing and that's why you need more classroom space. So, I
just don't want to see of it get pushed out just for open court use.
White: No. No. And that's a -- that's a great comment and we still want five
classrooms. We don't want to just -- you know, here this way -- we still want five
classrooms or more classroom space. This is just an -- I want to say intern, but it's
more of a -- this is what will help us relieve the stress now until we can come up with the
money either to build something here at a different location. But we still do need that
space for classrooms and things like that. My envision of this is to put a smaller
baseball court on there for youth potentially, work with our partners with, you know, AA
basketball and see what they need for small court and see if they want to use that court
for youth and things like that. But we do see a lot of -- we do envision seeing our dance
classes -- not all of them, but the majority of them go over their potentially. Different
dance classes, different Zumba classes, fitness classes and things like that. So, it's not
going to be -- or we don't feel like it's going to be just adults by any means, it's just more
of a multiple purpose use thing. I can tell you that our open gym program on Saturday
and Sunday is a biggest, heaviest night. Those are our family nights and we encourage
to bring their kids. I mean that's what the facility is for. Bring your kids down. Play
basketball. Shoot hoops. Throw a ball around. Do whatever you need to do in there in
an indoor space and those are our two biggest days right now. Sundays in particular
are our biggest open gym days. The main reason why -- if I had to schedule this right
now, if this is the way it was, Monday through Thursday this would be my open gym,
because those are the smaller days. Middle of week. People are not about as much.
But Friday, Saturday, Sunday, when people are about, I have two or three courts
available for open gym in the hardwood floor area, the big gym area, so we can get
more kids in there and more people in there, more -- get their wiggles out, run around,
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 61 of 80
those types of things. So, in this multi-purpose area, too, with the flooring, we can -- we
can look into tumbling classes for kids. You know, different youth activities. We can
have mommy and me classes. A lot of space to run around in a gym area. So, we
definitely want to look into those programs and program at this, not just sports, but we
want to have that flexibility to have that option. Good question. Thank you.
Little Roberts: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Little Roberts.
Little Roberts: Madam Mayor, Garrett, I just want to say kudos to you guys being
flexible and kind of seeing what the community needs and, then, coming up with a new
proposal and love the focus on youth, but just ran into some pickle bailers about two
weeks ago, ten days ago, and they are thrilled at the prospect of more indoor space and
that's focusing on our seniors. So, I think you're kind of hitting the spectrum with it. So,
great job.
White: Thank you. Pickle ballers are -- there is a lot of them.
De Weerd: They are rabbits. They are multiplying.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: I'm a Wednesday evening pickleball --
White: Are you?
Borton: -- player, so --
White: Good. I mean Jake Garro will go down there every once in a while on
Wednesday and --
Borton: It's very intense.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: How much did you say this option cost?
White: This option -- we are still in -- we are still talking about the cost in there, but we
are talking with -- Well, Kreizenbeck, CM Company, as well as with the inside architect,
they still say this should fit into our current budget. So, that's one reason why we are
like, you know, we could -- we can -- we feel like that's why we started the proposals,
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 62 of 80
we felt like it could -- we could get the ball rolling on this pretty quick, so that when the Y
moves out on June 1st, is what they are talking about -- their lease ends up June 1st,
they are having a grand opening potentially on May 25th, we need to start programming
that space now, so it's just not just dead space. So, we want to start potentially doing --
our timeline would be -- not to rush through this, we want to take our time, meet
internally, talk to different people, see what really -- what is the best fit. You know, that's
one reason why we are coming here tonight is I talk to you guys about this. We don't
want to feel rushed into this, but we have the opportunity to potentially start this -- start
some kind of renovation June 1st, so that we can get that place functional sooner than
we can, so it's not just sitting there dead space. And the summer is really the best time
to do that. Good question.
De Weerd: Any other comments? Questions?
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Garrett, can you remind me the dollars that we set aside in last year's budget
session for this building was to take care of, if I remember correctly, what we viewed
were anticipated repairs to the court, to the structure of the building, et cetera. I don't
recall and I -- again, we talked a lot during those meetings. I don't recall a lot of
discussion about retrofitting space. So, was that something that we contemplated and
I'm just not recalling or has this been a change in direction from the department? Help
me -- help me better understand where some of this is coming from, because to me it
just feels a little foreign.
White: Sure. Sure. So, we have talked about classroom space in Home Court for -- as
far as I can remember and talking about funds and trying to get when the Y moves out
how much money are we going to need to renovate Bay Five into classroom spaces
and what is -- how many classrooms can we fit in there and it started with just three
classrooms. Hey, we can fit three classrooms in here and we got money to do that, you
know, somewhere between 500,000 or 50,000 is what we thought three years ago when
we started talking about these renovations and, potentially, purchasing the building. In
doing that nothing's really changed in the fact of -- now we need five classrooms now.
Now, we need to upgrade stuff, we need to fill space that way and that's one reason
why we went with three -- the three options, you know, three classrooms, maybe three
classrooms for growth and we build a second story in the future or is the five space. I
know that some of our commissioners felt that -- the roof ceiling goes from 27 feet to 33
feet. So, there is a lot of dead space up there. If you're going to do a one story, you're
in one -- one side, you're leaving in a lot of air up there and/or a lot of space just kind of
unused. So, the building is tall enough to fit two stories, that's one reason why
commission recommended that we kind of -- hey, let's look at a two story option, so we
are not wasting space in that area, because in the future we may need a five story
facility -- or two story facility with five classrooms. So, again, I get back to -- to your
question. It's always been kind of talked about what we wanted to do and we had the
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 63 of 80
money to carry forth this year for building improvements and building renovations.
That's why we have the 634,000 dollars left.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: And just because you asked for it -- and, Garrett, I hate being a wet blanket
on some of this stuff, but I feel that I need to be. When the department came to Council
to talk about us purchasing this building, that the piece that resonated with me when we
were timing it, this is going to meet our needs. This is everything that we need. And so
it's hard when I see that we have spent four and a half million dollars to acquire a
building and the YMCA hasn't even moved out yet and we are being talked about we
need to spend maybe two and a half million dollars to build a second story building.
Three million dollars. That's really hard to swallow and it gets -- while I don't fault
anyone in the department, it is frustrating to feel like we were told that a purchase that
we were making for the benefit of our community, because it was going to meet our
needs, less than a year later we are being told it doesn't meet our needs and now we
need to spend more money and if -- if we have 600,000 dollars, that was unspent, just
my perspective is that I would rather see that money going into developing our south
park or our new regional park, then, allocate dollars to add a second story or to build out
classrooms, because that's different than what was initially presented to us. It's just my
personal feedback, because you asked -- a lot of this is just surprising to be hearing
about this for me.
Little Roberts: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Little Roberts.
Little Roberts: Maybe I could jump in here, because I was the liaison to parks when
most of this conversation was going on and it probably wasn't as prevalent as the
purchase, but it's always been discussed that we knew that that fifth bay was going to
have to be built out, because the Y is taking all their equipment. So, the discussion has
been ongoing. It was just never -- it was more bounced around, as well as money set
aside for it, because I think the other money that was set aside to refinish the floor and
everything, that has been used; correct?
White: Correct.
Little Roberts: Okay. But, yeah, we have just always thrown ideas around and just
didn't know what -- what we would come up with.
De Weerd: Yeah. I think that as Mrs. Little Roberts said -- noted, this has been a topic
of discussion, that's why you remembered there was an indoor playground or birthday
party place or something like that. So, this is the first chance we had to kind of own it or
reside in it before you could really start envisioning what could go on in that bay and
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 64 of 80
they have been working for some time trying to put some costs together and when they
got the initial costs back they, too, were shocked and had big time sticker shock and,
then, they needed to research what are some of the other options, which is what Garrett
is bringing to you today. So, it took a lot -- it took more time because of the price that it
came back at and said, okay, how can we look at this a little bit different and -- but still
put that space into play and you already have some of the users of that public court time
giving them lots of suggestions on what they should be doing. So, they have had a lot
of input and getting some of that pressure as well. So, I think parks is really looking for
any feedback. It is listed as an update, but getting some sense of direction would be
helpful in trying to know how best to move forward.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Little Roberts -- oh, Mrs. Milam.
Milam: Mrs. Little Milam. I know this isn't on the table, but I still think you should just
buy that equipment from the Y and leave it in --
De Weerd: No, we don't want to get in the gym business.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes, Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Little Palmer. I say --
De Weerd: Little Palmer.
Palmer: -- thank you for the information. Use the space however you see fit as it is for
now.
De Weerd: I think maybe if you need to kind of stew over it and kind of give it some
thought, certainly Garrett can come back next week after you have had some -- a
chance to kind of get it processed.
Little Roberts: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Little Roberts.
Little Roberts: Madam Mayor. Garrett, just curious. Once that equipment goes out
what's that floor going to be like? Is it going to be usable or will it just need to sit there
until something can be done with the floor?
White: Great question. And I have actually been looking at that floor the best I can.
Right now there is a lot of equipment on there, obviously, as you can see. So, where
old equipment was you can tell that the floor is either dented or the corner -- these are
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 65 of 80
two -by -two blue squares, rubber squares, that are basically glued together -- pieced
together. You can see some of the flooring is dented from where weights have been or
where a machine has set for a long time, things like that. Others were where weights
have been dropped just wear and tear, but there is going to be some floor repairs
regardless if we leave it the way it is. Going to my last slide, so that side right there,
that actually kind of shows the dumbbells there to the left you can see that. If I can
zoom in there. There is a different rubberized floor in there. So, it's more of -- and they
are having issues right now, because that's where the dumbbells were and people
dropped those dumbbells and a lot of wear and tear right there and that starts to blister
up a little bit. So, we would want to replace some of that flooring, repair a lot for the
flooring that's there and look and see what flooring we have to repair, if any. But that is
definitely on the table of, hey, can we use the existing flooring if we were to have class -
- dance class in there is that something that, you know, people that dance -- I don't
know if Colin is a -- in that one, but people that dance like that floor or not. People that
play -- if we had pickleball over there, is that from the ball -- I know there is some dents
in the floor, the ball is going to ricochet off and go other places. So, we will want to look
at all the stuff. Ball bounce return. Does it give or not and people's ankles, knees and
hips are hurt if you play on concrete realistically. So, we want to factor all of that stuff in
there, but the reality of it is we do know there is going to be some floor repairs on there.
Little Roberts: Great. Thank you.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Garrett, I think it's absolutely appropriate to be making floor repairs in that
space and take care of things that are damaged. I don't know if you're proposing floor
-- floor replacement -- that's something that I maybe get a little uneasy on. Again,
because you're looking for feedback, I have to echo Council Member Palmer's
comments. Use this space to the best of your ability as is for now is my two cents.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: Garrett, can you remind us what -- if -- if there is existing budgeted funds of 670
odd thousand dollars, what was the substance of the budget request that created that
funding? Was it for Bay Five in particular?
Garrett: To my understanding it was Bay Five improvements in particular. And I would
have to go back and look exactly what it was for, but to my understanding it is Bay Five
improvements.
Borton: Madam Mayor. That would be helpful analysis. I can't imagine what else it
would have been if there has already been money expended to do the repairs on the
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 66 of 80
floor and the other capital improvements if that's what was contemplated and we funded
it to do that. I guess the second question is there anything about this modified proposal
that precludes you at a future date from pivoting to one of the other expansions? Three
years, 15 years down the road, and creating the first floor option or the two floor options.
White: If I'm hearing you right, if you pick this path are you forever foregoing --
Garrett: I would say it kind of depends on what we -- what we do with the flooring, what
we do with the office and the structure there, but I don't see us doing that. If we end up
doing the flooring, painted some lines down, added some hoops and stuff like that, then,
it depends on how we structure it and how we design it. We could always come back
and do this here. You know, we look at it as do we want to throw money into this now. I
think that's kind of what Mr. Cavener was saying and, then, have to replace it three
years in a row. I think to answer your question, it -- we could design it to where we
could do that if need be. The reality of it is we are looking at it as, you know, do we
develop this, kind of make use of classroom space as well, but in the future with the
population still growing, are we going to need a second facility -- a second site
somewhere else. Is that our opportunity to explore that option at that -- at that time, too.
Milam: Madam Mayor? Oh, sorry.
Borton: Thanks.
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: I have so many thoughts right now. So, first of all, what you just said, more
space, I would rather spend 3,000 dollars on a different space, probably, than -- to me
five classrooms is -- that's an outrageous amount of money for five classrooms. So, I
can't even -- am close to getting on board with that. This space -- I think it's very usable
and -- and the flooring looks great and I'm surprised that you haven't spoken with
any dance instructors yet and been doing all this research to find out, you know, what
would this work for, what kind of things can we do here. Just because the money is
sitting there doesn't mean that we have to go right out and spend it. It doesn't have to
be fancy and perfect. This is a nice facility. It's a nice floor. It can use some repairs. I
think it could use -- there is a lot of things that could be used on it the way that it is, with
some -- you know, you do what you need to do to make -- separate the spaces or
whatever. I think for us to make a decision -- at least for me personally -- I can only
speak for myself -- it would be really helpful if you came back with a more specific scope
of work, with priorities, maybe, and pricing and I know that creates extra work for you,
but if you said, okay, well, this is what the plan was, this is our 650,000 dollars and this
is how much of it was floors, this is the office, you know, this is -- I know you don't have
all those prices yet and so that's going to make this difficult, but that might make it
easier for me to say, okay, this needs done and this needs done and these are your
priorities, but this and this and this 400,000 doesn't need done. You know what I mean?
And I'm not saying exactly how it is. It needs something, but I don't think that it
necessarily needs close to a million dollars' worth of work or --
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 67 of 80
White: A lot of it -- sorry.
Milam: No. That's --
White: A lot of the -- some of the dollar amounts in those figures were the restroom
area in particular. To make those I guess up to date, up to code, up to -- and right now
we don't have the plan, which means we -- we need to do something in there for that
facility. A lot of those costs -- I would say almost two-thirds of those cost was the
restrooms, not for the full cost, but a lot of that money was for the restrooms,
renovations on that to make them ADA compliant, as well as bring them up to code.
Right now you walk in there with three people in the men's room, it's crowded, you
know, and that's just with the current layout is the way it is. It just doesn't flow very well.
Obviously, the women's very similar. So, we know that there needs to be some kind of
renovation done with the restrooms. Some of those costs will be with the restrooms.
Just in the phase one we are proposing, I can come back with those costs on what
those were, kind of get better pricing for you, kind of a breakdown here.
Milam: Madam Mayor? I guess it -- that would be great and for some reason I was
thinking the restrooms were in the next year or two.
Garrett: Well, we talked about updates, too, would be to restrooms and things because
of the scheduled facility and the time to do it and the -- the lead time up to getting the
ceilings done, can actually be in there, the design and things like that.
Cavener: Madam Mayor? Oh, sorry, Joe.
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Garrett, to that point, if we don't think that our bathroom is ADA compliant, I
think that needs to be a priority and so if you haven't gone to Kreizenbeck in there to tell
us if it is or if it isn't or if you're saying it is ADA compliant, I think that's a very important
piece that we need to address right away before anything else, in my opinion.
Bernt: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mer. Bernt.
Bernt: The Mayor just mentioned something that I think is -- was very valid. I think it
might help before we have this discussion for this body -- not maybe officially, maybe to
stop by to take a look at the facility, just maybe that fifth bay, just to see what it looks
like, to be familiar with it. I think it would be easier to have a discussion about what that
-- you know, about what needs to get done and what doesn't need to be done, if you
have just taken a glance at it and familiar with it. We don't need to take a tour over
there by any means, but if you're just driving around, stop by, glance, take a look at it.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 68 of 80
De Weerd: Do a walk through. Okay. So, we will put this back at a future agenda and
also Councilman Borton and I can talk about on Friday after looking at the agendas and
after you have had a chance to kind of circle around with Colin and -- and -- and Steve.
Garrett: Okay. Well, thank you very much.
D. Public Works: Budget Amendment Not -to -Exceed $108,987.00
for SCADA System Administrator
De Weerd: Thank you, Garrett. Okay. Item 11-D is under our Public Works
Department.
Bolthouse: Madam Mayor, Members of the Council. Did anybody else see an eerie
coincidence of that carrot figure and a water asset? We call it the tower? To me I
thought it was a dead ringer for the water tower, so --
De Weerd: It is not.
Bolthouse: Oh, maybe not. Okay. I guess that's just a Public Works perspective on
that. Thanks for your time this evening. I know it's running long.
De Weerd: Although Councilman Palmer had this really nice visual of that water tower
and what it could look like.
Bolthouse: Like a carrot?
De Weerd: No.
Bolthouse: Oh.
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: This would be --
De Weerd: You opened the can.
Bolthouse: I know.
Palmer: You and Tom might be -- well, old Tom might be the only ones that I ever
discussed it with officially.
Bolthouse: I remember that one.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 69 of 80
Palmer: The idea was to paint it white next time we need to paint it and put the new
version of the logo up there. For future council meeting topic.
Bolthouse: Future reference. Well, I am before you at this late hour of the evening to
request consideration for a budget amendment for this year. So, you should have that
in front of you. You have got a memo that I think does a nice job of describing it, so I
did not come prepared with 30 or 40 slides to talk about too much detail, but we do have
a couple of drivers that are pressing us this direction. One is that we have had a recent
resignation by our single resource that's been involved in the evolution of our SCADA
processes and our utility operations and with that went a lot of resident knowledge and,
secondly, we have been doing a lot of effort in the last couple of years, as we have
watched this program grow and as late as last fall we were designing for an improved
organization to manage this aspect in our operations and have been planning for a
position in the FY -19 budget to help us guide this -- this effort. This is the six and a half
million dollars invested in the last five years in this effort and we are spending significant
dollars on outside consulting resources, because we don't have the expertise in house.
So, this request is to just advance what we were hoping to get approval for in the FY -19
process, try to bring this in at the same time that we are back filling our instrument
technician position and get ourselves better organized. We do anticipate that we will
have a significant part of this additional salary offset by some savings, you know, from
the consulting dollars that we are spending today. So, I would like to tell you it's -- it
could be merely a complete offset, but we are -- our initial commitment is at least 50
percent of that salary will be offset by the consulting dollars that we are spending today.
So, with that I will be glad to stand for some questions.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: So, 108,000 dollars. That's for -- that's for a half a year salary?
Bolthouse: No. That's a fully loaded annual and that does include one-time expenses
like a computer and those kinds of things.
Milam: Because there is really about a half a year left. Yeah. I think in the memo we
identified five months' worth of salary and, quite honestly, I don't know if we can get
somebody hired in time to even leverage that.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: Dale, if I understand correctly, the position's posted, you're out trying to
recruit the candidate with the presumption that Council would maybe approve this and if
Council, for whatever reason, didn't, then, we would just take back the posting and
wouldn't actually offer the position until Council has approved the budget amendment.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 70 of 80
Bolthouse: That's correct, Madam Mayor, Councilman Cavener. We were hopefully not
too pretentious, but we know that this is going to be a pretty challenging hire. We had
already gone through all of the processes in developing the job, having the job
description reviewed by HR, slotted for salary, all that thing in anticipation of our FY -19
budget recommendation. So, we were down that path, we thought we would just go
ahead and get it posted and do some initial recruiting and see if we could get any
activity.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: I don't know if anyone else has any other comments, but, if not, I'm going to
make a motion, actually, that we would continue this item to next week and, Madam
Mayor, if I can I will explain kind of my thoughts on that. This is a six figure budget
amendment. I think it's important -- anytime that we have our budget hearing to spend
the taxpayers' dollars we give them an opportunity to comment on that. This would
provide an opportunity for the public to provide any written communication to us, to
come before our City Council meeting and share any perspective that they have before
we make our decision. I don't anticipate any feedback, but I think it's important that we
do that to the public. In addition, it doesn't get in the way of the department's ability
continue to move forward in the recruitment process.
Palmer: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second. I didn't know that was a motion, so --
Cavener: It was. I think I said that I would --
De Weerd: Okay. It is posted on an agenda. This is -- this is pretty much very public.
It was not added at the last minute. It seems this is a process we have never
contemplated. If we want to change a policy, we can look at that, but I guess I'm not
understanding why having it on a posted agenda is -- is not sufficient?
Palmer: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Because it is in the packet. Yes, Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Madam Mayor, it's something that we -- I think we definitely have contemplated
it. You know, we had the issue with the budget amendment for the vacuum truck that
we denied and there was -- I made mention many, many times about a new kind of
policy that I would like to have discussed with regard to budget amendments. I didn't
see that there was much interest in changing the policy with it, but I definitely think it's
important if we are going to have a budget amendment that uses new funds, especially
bigger ones, that there be a public hearing or at least a presentation and, then, a week
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 71 of 80
later come back. That was kind of the major point that I had made with that is have a
presentation, make it so that we have been informed, we have a week to chew on it, as
well as an opportunity for the public, should they have viewed this, to see the
information and comment if they want. If they don't, happy to approve.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Little Roberts.
Little Roberts: Madam Mayor? Dale, is there anyone in the pipeline and that you're
considering at this point offering the position to that a week would create --
Bolthouse: No.
Little Roberts: -- any harm in that?
Bolthouse: No, Madam Mayor, Council Member Roberts, there is not anyone in the
pipeline. We just barely got the position posted, so --
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: One of the things that we think we could have done better in the last several
years is to reduce the number of budget amendments quite a bit, quite frankly. So, they
are very rare by design and it's half a dozen a year, that's quite a bit. Barring
circumstances where there may be a presentation would -- would explain it, but a
circumstance where a budget amendment needs to be approved and immediately acted
upon to create funding to do something, we can understand that situation and maybe
even try to account for it in advance, but in light of the -- not being jeopardized by a
delay and if nobody shows up and provides any information and it doesn't change,
don't see any downside in altering the policy to allow for that, you know, doing it a little
bit different, but different may be better.
Bolthouse: Madam Mayor, Councilman Borton, I will tell you that we are vulnerable and
anxious to move forward and that is why we have taken the steps we have taken, so I
can't tell you that a week would modify our process that we have in progress.
Borton: Madam Mayor? To that point when I hear this presentation, Dale, it's
something that -- it makes sense, it's advancing an expense in this situation that you
were going to incur perhaps six months down the road and you're pivoting to address
circumstances you didn't -- and weren't able to plan for. So, it all makes sense. I'm
supportive of the amendment, but I'm also supportive of you plowing forward, preparing
to fill the position, and still having an opportunity to allow us to chew on it and if the
public has comment that is valuable, then, so be it.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 72 of 80
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: I -- I don't have a problem with public input, but it was on the agenda tonight and
it will end up being less than 100,000 dollars when we save money on -- over early
spending and this is for somebody who -- it's for an employee who is going to protect
millions of dollars of our assets, it's more of a benefit than an expenditure. So, I just
don't really see the point. I will go along with whatever, because I don't feel -- you
know, I don't feel like it's going to -- well, I guess -- I don't think it's going to make -- it's
not going to hinder the process. It's not going to make a huge difference. If it was,
then, I would be having a different conversation right now. But I don't really get -- I just
don't really get it and I think we should approve it and let them move on, but -- if
everybody else feels differently --
De Weerd: Well -- and we are changing a process on the fly. I think if Council wants to
have a process -- I guess I have not heard a request for us to -- to revamp how we -- we
do our budget amendments. Otherwise, that would be on the growing list to schedule.
But, you know, again, we follow a process and generally, if we are going to change it,
we do that moving forward, not in the midst of one. But we do have a motion on the
table and is there any further discussion?
Little Roberts: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Little Roberts.
Little Roberts: I don't know how much I can say, but this was not the first that we have
heard of this. So, I guess I am a little bit puzzled why we didn't have this discussion
when it was discussed originally and be more prepared if we were going to hold you up.
I would also rather see it just go through.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: An idea that might address it and I'm -- quite frankly, I'm comfortable either way
with this, because this is -- I support the amendment, but one commitment would be to
-- and this doesn't take a lot to -- to craft a policy for our Council to consider that when
budget amendments come forward and so our department directors are aware of a
process, if we are going to change something that says when a budget amendment
comes forward we are going to receive the information, hear from the director, table the
decision for one week and make a decision in a week and apply that universally to
budget amendments and not do it on the fly. That can be brought back really quick to
address Councilman Cavener's concerns.
Milam: Madam Mayor?
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 73 of 80
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
Milam: I'm sorry.
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: I just wanted to add to that, though. We need to have some kind of an
emergency clause in that. We need to have some leeway, you know, for when we
need something done right this second, which I know --
De Weerd: Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: And, Madam Mayor, I think to speak to Councilman Little Roberts' question to
provide clarity to the Council, I'm the Public Works liaison. Dale and I have had a
conversation about this amendment a number of weeks ago. I shared with him my
philosophy and that I -- to Council Member Borton's point, I'm supportive of the
amendment, but I also believe that there is a way we can maybe improve our process
and shared that with him, which is why I asked Mr. Bolthouse the question about if there
-- if this would impede their process whatsoever. It doesn't sound like it would. This is
not an emergency situation. This is an opportunity I think for us to improve how we
operate without getting in the way of the progress that the department is trying to make.
So, with that I'm happy to vote.
De Weerd: You're what?
Cavener: Happy to vote.
De Weerd: Okay. I don't think we need a roll call. All those in favor say aye? Those
opposed say nay. Okay. What did you say?
Palmer: Aye.
De Weerd: So, two nays and four ayes.
MOTION CARRIED: FOUR AYES. TWO AYES.
De Weerd: We will change our process in the middle and put it out for public hearing
next week.
Bolthouse: Good. We will see you next week.
E. Council: Commission and Board Updates
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 74 of 80
De Weerd: Thank you. Thanks for waiting until 10:00 o'clock. Okay. Next up is
Council commission and board updates. I think we started that direction last time. We
will start this direction this time.
Cavener: Thank you, Madam Mayor. And I'm very fortunate that the bulk of my update
we covered at our workshop with the update from VRT, with the Valley Connect 2.0
plan. So, we had I think a good presentation. I believe the window for public comment
has closed. Just to provide some additional perspective, I'm on the VRT executive and
general board, so I attend both general and executive board meetings. We have a new
member to the executive committee newly elected Mayor Kling has joined that board
and I think has become a strong representative for Nampa and all of Canyon county. I
also sit on the transportation committee. Transpiration commission. Last -- in our last
meeting we had a presentation from LimeBike, which is a dockless bike share company.
So, they place bikes throughout a region and you swipe your credit card to rent the bike
or they have electric scooters for a predetermined amount of time. I believe LimeBike is
looking to make a full presentation to our Council I think either next week or two weeks.
So, I will reserve my comments for that, but it's a unique business model, though it does
sometimes run parallel along the Boise bike -- or the Boise Bike Share. That is a
program operated by VRT and funded through the city of Boise. So, more information
to follow on that next week.
De Weerd: Okay. Ms. Milam.
Milam: Well, tomorrow the Arts Commission has a special meeting to talk about the
mural at Zamzow's building and no news from SWAC this week, because our meeting is
next week. You know, it's all about recycling in SWAC right now and HR, Legal,
working on budget stuff and they are staying busy.
De Weerd: Thank you. Mr. Bernt.
Bernt: Really the only thing with the Parks and Rec Department, Five Mile Creek
Pathway Segment H2 ribbon cutting is coming up on April 4th and afterwards there will
be a -- everyone is invited to participate in a bike tour after the fact, different pathways
and such. Be cool if some members of Council were able to dust off the old bike and
come out and participate. Just a little update on the south Meridian regional park
naming process. As of a couple of weeks ago there were over 200 responses in regard
to the new name that we are proposing the public get involved with and this is a couple
of weeks ago, I'm sure it's even -- it's even more. They are really -- I asked Steve if
there was -- I don't know if you guys do this or not -- everybody knew this or not, but
there is also -- we decided to put like other section on there that was -- you did? And so
I did ask him if there was some interesting things that were -- that were recommended
or some serious recommendations. There was a serious name that I thought was
awesome that was recommended and so we will talk maybe when the time comes -- no.
No. No. No. It was a serious -- like I said, it was a serious one that I thought would be
a viable option, honestly, as a name for the park. I was actually quite amazed that we
didn't even think about it, so I think -- what? We can talk about it when the time comes.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 75 of 80
I don't know if we need to talk about that on the public record, but I thought it was
interesting. So, I don't know what that number is now. Do you have an idea, Colin? I'm
sure it's way more than that. So, a lot of responses coming from the community in
regard of the south Meridian park. Other than that I was going to talk about Garrett's
presentation, but he covered that and, you know, Colin did a great job discussing what
he was involved with as well, so I will stand for any questions.
De Weerd: Okay. Thank you. Mr. Palmer.
Palmer: Madam Mayor. The rural fire district -- and his name is escaping me at the
moment. Chief, maybe you could fill us in on who is retiring and the --
Niemeyer: Commissioner Claire Bowman.
Palmer: But I understand that there is some people interested -- or at least one.
Niemeyer: We have competition for the vacant seat.
De Weerd: Noway.
Niemeyer: Yes, way.
De Weerd: Wow.
Palmer: So, that's the update. Thanks, Chief.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: We have -- the Ada County Emergency Management Board meeting was
earlier this week and it was, thankfully, uneventful. We don't have crises like last year.
The two items that were covered -- and it was pretty impressive to hear their discussion.
Doug Hartman addressed their virtual joint information center and they recently used it
in coordinating the student walkout and protests that were happening and are -- have
happened and there is a couple more coming forward, at least throughout the nation
and how they coordinate the communication with the school districts and the SROs to
ensure that -- that they are able to safely monitor and assess what's taking place. They
can do that physically and in a shared location and they also do it virtually and they
track the virtual communications for these efforts. So, that was really impressive and
they had great success in monitoring a successful, peaceful student walkout here in
town. So, they have that up and running for a future crises, to enable swift
communications. And, then, they also spoke about the snowpack -- reservoir
snowpack. Big pivot. And that was somewhat interesting. So, to cut to the chase, the
snowpack is like 85 percent -- or the reservoir capacity is already to 85 percent, very
full, but they are manageable. The snow pack is not like last year. So, it was one of
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 76 of 80
those examples of how well they planned behind the scenes and coordinate with all of
the available public safety resources to be ahead of the curve. So, it was impressive to
watch them discuss the preparation for that. But no -- no imminent crises, which is also
nice to hear. So, impressive -- impressive group.
De Weerd: Mr. Borton, did you have anything from the Alumbaugh House? Did you go
to that?
Borton: The meeting was canceled.
De Weerd: Oh, that's right. Thank you. Ms. Little Roberts.
Little Roberts: Madam Mayor. With the Air Quality Board we thought that Bill 470 was
just going to kind of die a natural death, but I heard that it moved today, but I didn't get
any details and when I pulled it up they don't have any -- that it's apparently gone back
to committee. But I don't know the status of that and that's the one that will set a date of
2007 to any car manufactured since then would not have to get tested and so we are
hoping that that is not what happens. That could create all kinds of problems. So, I
apologize for not having more of an update, but, hopefully, they are more focused on
finishing the session and, then, for Historical Preservation Commission, if -- hopefully
everyone had a chance to tour with Lila. If not, please, make an arrangement and do
that. It's really interesting to see what we have stored here and in the basement and
just the fact that she herself is just so amazing and such a treasure for us right there
and the Mayor also working on a logo for the commission. So, more with that to come.
De Weerd: Very good.
Little Roberts: Thank you.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes, Mr. Cavener.
Cavener: I don't mean to interrupt your update, but I just wanted to comment on the
Council Member Little Roberts update about a tour with Lila. I was unable to attend and
am going to be scheduling something with her. So, if you are interested in doing that as
well and want to come along with me, shoot me a line of we will coordinate our
schedules and Lila is very willing to work with what works for our calendars.
De Weerd: A lot of interesting artifacts and maps and very excited. MADC has their
drug task force or take back event at St. Luke's on 28th from 10:00 to 2:00. Good time
to get rid of your unused prescriptions and do it in a safe fashion. They are also getting
ready for the Idaho Conference on Alcohol and Drug Abuse that BSU in May. Certainly
on the AIC side, we have the initial meeting at the drug task force or a second meeting.
We already held our initial meeting and we just got permission from AIC to add to their
annual meeting two workshops, so we are getting ready to plan what those would be
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 77 of 80
and use that opportunity to revise the drug task force. The chamber is putting on their
economic excellence breakfast this Thursday. It's on the economic impact of
healthcare. COMPASS. At the last COMPASS meeting they advanced Highway 16
and approved to the ITIP the funding for the six million dollars and they did move it up
on the priority list as well. At our next COMPASS meeting we anticipate new population
numbers that we will be around 106,000, an increase of over 8,000 people in
population. I guess the growth pressures are real. MDC. We just held our first joint
meeting. I think that Ashley brought up the Nine Mile Creek Flood Plain discussions
that are underway -- have been involving our Public Works Department and that they
are a great resource in helping out, but right now FEMA has stepped up and is helping
MDC with some of their flood mapping challenges. Harvest Transit has hit their biggest
month ever in February with 857 rides. They are averaging 3.15 rides per hour and that
is a 25 percent biggest month to date, up nearly 25 percent. Treasury Valley
Partnership is holding their strategic planning retreat on Friday and really focus on
growth and land development and at the last meeting spent a lot of time discussing the
residential recycling and what each of the communities are doing in response to some
of the -- the current changes. MYAC. You heard from -- Councilman Cavener was at
our meeting last night and got to hear an update from their DC a trip at NLC and some
of their -- their takeaways, which was a phenomenal report. So, I will be seeing if we
can bring that update to Council in the coming weeks. They have concluded their
participatory budgeting exercise and they have a recommendation that they are
furthering to vet. They did have their -- their vote, but they want to -- to huddle before
they come to Council and -- and I hope that we will get the presentation before I leave in
April. So, maybe at the next workshop. The bill and resolution that they sponsored this
year in the legislature with Representative Monks passed both the house and senate
unanimously. Great feat on that. They are waiting for the governor's signature. While
they couldn't be there when he officially signed it, they have -- they are considering a
ceremonial signing request and we hope that we will have that opportunity to share with
MYACers and they are very excited with that opportunity. Our Faith Ambassadors --
our last meeting was really focused on veteran's programs and how our faith community
can step up and support our veterans and the programs that support them and we will
be doing our stake president's bi-annual meeting this week. The EMS GPA next
meeting is April 26th. West Ada School District joint meeting is tomorrow at 5:00. Don't
forget that. And chief and I will be having a school safety discussion with a number of
folks. Councilman Borton is -- is included in that and so that will be next week. We
have Tom Baker's retirement. Want to make sure you are aware that that is at 2:00
o'clock on Thursday. Would love to have you there if at all possible and Walking Club is
-- we are in the midst of it, wild and crazy, and would love to have any of you come out
and walk with us if you have a chance. So, that is my report.
Cavener: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Yes.
Cavener: Where is Tom Baker's retirement being held? Here at City Hall or at the
police station? Where is the location?
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 78 of 80
De Weerd: I will tell you in just second. I grabbed it off my calendar, but I didn't write
down the location. It is at the police department public meeting room.
Cavener: Thank you.
Item 12: Ordinances
A. Ordinance No. 18-1766: (Designing Team - H-2017-0166)
An Ordinance of the City of Meridian granting the re -zone of a
parcel of land located in the SE '/4 of the NE '/4 of Section 7,
Township 3 North, Range 1 East, Boise Meridian, Ada County,
Idaho, as described in the attached Exhibit "A";
Establishing and Determining the Land Use Zoning Classification of
Said Lands from R-15 (Medium High Density
Residential District) to O -T (Old Town) 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 for An Effective Date.
De Weerd: Uh-huh. I know. I can't be there either. Okay. If there is nothing further,
we do have Ordinance 18-1766 under Item 12-A. I will ask Mr. Clerk to, please, read
this by title.
Coles: Thank you, Madam Mayor. City of Meridian Ordinance No. 18-1766, an
ordinance file number H-2017-0166, Designing Team, for the rezone of a parcel of land
being a portion of the SE '/4 of the NE '/4 of Section 7, Township 3 North, Range 1 East,
Boise meridian, City of Meridian, Ada County, Idaho. Establishing and determining the
land use zoning classification from R-15, medium high density residential zoning district,
to OT, Old Town 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 for an
effective date.
De Weerd: Thank you. You have heard this ordinance read by title. Is there anyone
who would like to hear it read in its entirety?
Milam: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mrs. Milam.
Milam: I move that we approve Ordinance No. 18-1766 with suspension of rules.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 79 of 80
Little Roberts: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second to approve Item 12-A. 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.
Item 13: Future Meeting Topics
De Weerd: Under Future Meeting Topics there are just two other things that I haven't
mentioned. The Meridian Police Employee Association fundraiser is March 22nd at
Chick-fil-A, for breakfast, lunch and/or dinner. You can have all three of your meals with
them. That supports our injured and fallen first responder fund and the 512 fund. So,
it's an extremely important fundraiser and it helps our first responders locally and
throughout the state in the time of need. So, come on out and support them. And our
Senior Advisory Board is working with the Police Department having our keys to safe
driving workshop on March 24th, this Saturday, from 10:00 to 2:00 and they do a really
nice job on that. So, if you have a chance drop by and -- and learn how to be a safer
driver.
Item 14: Executive Session per Idaho State Code 74-206(1)0): To consider
labor contract matters authorized under section 67-2345A [74-
206A](1) (a) and (b), Idaho Code.
De Weerd: So, with that said, I would entertain a motion under our next item to adjourn
into Executive Session.
Borton: Madam Mayor?
De Weerd: Mr. Borton.
Borton: Move we go into Executive Session pursuant to Idaho State Code 74-206(1)0),
(a) and (b) -- (j) and (b).
Little Roberts: Second.
De Weerd: I have a motion and a second. Mr. Clerk, will you call roll.
Roll call: Borton, yea; Milam, yea; Cavener, yea; Palmer, yea; Little Roberts, yea;
Bernt, yea.
Meridian City Council
March 20, 2018
Page 80 of 80
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
EXECUTIVE SESSION: (10:15 p.m. to 10:25 p.m.)
De Weerd: I would entertain a motion to come out of Executive Session.
Milam: So moved.
Borton: Second.
De Weerd: All those in favor say aye. All ayes.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
De Weerd: I would entertain a motion to adjourn.
Milam: So moved.
Borton: Second.
De Weerd: All in favor? All ayes.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 10:26 P.M.
O RE
ATTEST:—
C.
TTEST:_C. JAY COL
N FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS)/
Toe, &r -on DATE APPROVED
Council Pre&Je4
J O��jeD AUGt/STl
r"A
CITUC ERK
ch'i Of
ID1AN�-
W
s SEAL- �e