HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter from Engineering Solutio
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~OLUTIONS LLP
150 East Aikens Street, Su;te B
Eagle, ill 83616
Phone: (208) 938-0980
Fax: (208) 938-0941
January 14,2005
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JAN 1 4 2005
City of Meridian
Attn: City Council
33 East Idaho Street
Meridian, Idaho 83642
City Of Meridian
City Clerk Office
Re: Sommersby Subdivision (File No. PP-04-035, CUP-04-040 & MI-04-0l1)
Dear Council Members:
This letter is in regard to the Findings of Fact & Conclusions of Law associated with the
Sommersby project. The Council motion on January 4, 2005 approving the applications
included staff's recommendation to limit the number of units occupied prior to the 2007
ACHD construction project for Ten Mile Road and Pine Street intersection. We would
like the Council to revisit the adoption of staff's recommendation because of the
ambiguous nature of the recommendation.
Staff's recommendation stated: "Staff recommends the City Council allow a limited
number of units to be occupied prior to the 2007 ACHD construction project being
completed (e.g., townhomes only or townhomes and up to 8 multi-family units). If the
applicant can secure approval /Tom ACHD to expedite some or all of the Ten Mile Road
improvements, additional units could be occupied. Other units could potentially begin
construction but not receive CO's until after the roadway project is complete. This will
allow the site improvements to begin and allow for the extension of the two existing stub
streets."
Staff provided options for the Council to discuss and to expand upon. However, the
Council adopted the paragraph as a condition without clarification ofthe number of units
allowed and no connection to phasing. The applicant's representative requested phasing
restrictions that would coincide with the improvements ofTen Mile Road and Pine Street.
Our request included the construction of phase 1 & 2 (nine townhomes) and phase 3 (100
multi-family units). The applicant would not construct phase 4, which included 32 multi-
family units and 21,000 square feet of office space, until the ACHD improvements were
completed.
150 E. AIKENS ST., SUITE BEAGLE ID. 83616 phone:(208)938-0980 fax:(208)938-o941
It is our understanding that the Courtyards at Ten Mile project south of Pine Street was
required to install two left-turn bays which consisted of a turn lane on Pine Street
(westbound) and Ten Mile Road (southbound). The fact that these improvements would
be installed this spring were never discussed or considered by the staff or Council.
We worked diligently with the surrounding neighbors on our project. The lack of
opposition at the public hearing makes it evident that conditions in this area have changed
since the Valeri Heights project was processed in 2000. Some of those changes include:
ACHD completing their design work for Ten Mile and Pine project; ACHD including the
Ten Mile and Pine improvements in their Five-Year Plan scheduled for 2007; opening of
Mountain View High School which reduced the traffic problems in the surrounding
neighborhoods and the approval of other projects in the area with their improvements.
According to ACHD staff in a meeting held January 14, 2005, the plans for the Ten Mile
& Pine improvement project are 99% complete. For the 2005 calendar year, $750,000 has
been allocated for right-of-way acquisition on the project. For the 2006 calendar year,
ACHD has allocated $ 250,000 for right-of-way acquisition. ACHD staff anticipates
piping any ditches or drains for the Ten Mile/Pine project in the fall of 2006.
Construction of the roadway improvements and signal will begin in the spring of2007
with completion prior to the start of school in the fall of2007. ACHD staff does not
anticipate changes to this 2007 schedule since this project is in the first three years of the
Five-Year Plan. The ACHD Commission has indicated that they will not change the
priorities for projects which are scheduled in the first three years of the Five-Year Plan.
The ACHD staff is confident that the improvements in this area will take place within the
2007 calendar year.
The Findings of Fact & Conclusions of Law prepared for the project include a portion of
the original recommendation made by the staff. If adopted as written, this project will not
be viable.
Please provide us the opportunity to discuss this at the January 18 Council meeting that
includes the adoption of the Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law.
Sincerely,
ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS, LLP
Becky McKay, Partner
150 E. AIKENS ST., SUITE BEAGLE ID. 83616 phone:(208)938-0980 fax:(208)938-o941
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