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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJonathan M. KahnoskiChris Johnson From: jmkahnoski@q.com Sent: Monday, December 17, 2018 9:32 PM To: mayortammy; Anne Little Roberts; Joe Borton; Ty Palmer; Treg Bernt; Genesis Milam; Luke Cavener; City Clerk Subject: Linder Village To Mayor and Council Members, City of Meridian: The proposed Linder Village project as presented for your review at the meeting of Tuesday, December 18, 2018, should be rejected once and for all. You, your planning staff, and the community have spent entirely too much time trying to encourage and help the developer, DMG, bring us an acceptable design. Despite ample opportunities, suggestions and time, they have absolutely failed. It is time to move on. Reasons for rejection are as follows: 1. The project is a traffic disaster. DMG has failed utterly in resolving the congestion and traffic flow issues that arise from their design. They have made promises that, in hindsight, seem to have been playing for time in hopes they would get their traffic signal at Bergman and an east/west connector at the intersection of Director and Fox Run. Because their proposal includes a regional draw (see below), it is guaranteed to make the Chinden/Linder intersection a nightmare, especially at morning and evening commute times. As Village customers seek to avoid this mess, they inevitably cut through the Paramount neighborhood, increasing risks to the children that live and play their, and seriously degrading the quality of life in Paramount. Meridian cannot be a family-oriented community if it is willing to do this. 2. The plat design of Linder Village is antiquated. Retail is in the midst of tremendous upheaval. Amazon has blown up the old bricks -and -mortar and big box store models even as it has developed new models for storefront retail. Recent articles in the Wall Street Journal have highlighted: a. How many major, well-known, once -successful companies have folded (Toys -R -Us, Payless Shoes, RadioShack) and others (Sears, JC Penney) are teetering on the edge. b. Credit Suisse, the Swiss international investment and financial services bank, estimates that by 2022 one in four (25%) of all shopping malls will close. c. Kroger Grocery Co. is opening "Kroger Express" sections in Walgreens drug stores near Cincinnati, OH to sell Kroger brand groceries. d. According to a co-founder of Casper Sleep - an online mattress retailer - customers want to visit "good retail," defined as a place the customer has a great shopping experience. Linder Village as proposed is a prime example of "bad retail." First, it is just one big parking lot with buildings scattered around. There is no core shopping complex, no significant landmark like a fountain or clock tower that would provide a point of focus where people meet for lunch or gather to dine. There is no intermingling of restaurants and shops and office buildings that encourage customers to move from one to the other, the retail establishments benefiting from the foot traffic and the customers having a pleasant afternoon or evening of eating and window shopping. Here's a prediction: DMG NEVER builds Phase 2, especially the so-called live -work units. From their comments over the past months, it is clear they don't build until they have prospective tenants interested. Any prospective shop owner knows the importance of foot traffic, and this design will have none. Second, who will want to live in an upstairs unit in the middle of a parking lot? Where do they park their car or store their stuff? Where do their kids play? Thus, it is reasonable to predict this project will fail as a viable commercial enterprise. Council members may think that isn't their concern. However, a failed development means empty storefronts, buildings and landscaping deteriorating from lack of maintenance, creating a blight on the community. Such places attract litter and crime. Is that what we want next door to Paramount? 3. The proposed Linder Village grossly violates Comprehensive Plan and FLUM MU -C zoning. Others can speak better to the technical details. Such as: a. Inadequate residential. b. Structures in excess of the maximum allowed. c. Includes what will be a regional draw (Winco) rather than being limited to community attractions only. d. Rather than discouraging car trips and encouraging pedestrian/bicycle usage, the design does the opposite. The importance of whether or not the council abides by the Comprehensive Plan is discussed below. 4. The reputation of the City Council is at risk here. That you would even consider, instead of reject out of hand, something that so violates the Comprehensive Plan and FLUM calls into question the whole planning process. I remember, on another proposal, a council member argued that the Plan is not binding, that it is only a "suggestion." If that is the case, if the council refuses to be bound by its own Comprehensive Plan, then how can you enforce the Plan for one proposed project and not another? How can the citizens of Meridian trust anything in the Comprehensive Plan? Indeed, why does the city bother to have a plan? The developer, DMG, and their primary tenant, Winco, have been lacking in transparency if not been down right deceitful. They have made promises concerning the east/west collector they haven't kept. They have made only half-hearted efforts to meet with the community and actually listen. They keep coming back with essentially the same plan tweaked here and there. Their real goal seems to be to wear everyone down so that they quit. This is basic dishonesty. Winco officials have been arrogant in the extreme throughout this process. They have adamantly refused to consider ANY compromise concerning delivery hours and/or hours of operation. They have said they have their business model and it's their way or the highway, take it or leave it. If the City Council approves the Linder Village project in roughly its current state, and Linder Village fails, it will be one you — and everyone will know it. Don't let this happen to Meridian or the Paramount neighborhood. It would be better if you would stand up for the city and its citizens, rather than the businesses, and protect our neighborhood and community. Sincerely, Jonathan M. Kahnoski 357 W. Heston Court Meridian, ID 83646 Chris Johnson From: Tammy de Weerd Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2018 8:44 AM To: jmkahnoski@q.com Cc: mayortammy; citycouncil; C.Jay Coles; Chris Johnson Subject: RE: Linder Village Dear Jonathan, Thank you for taking time to share your thoughts and comments with your local elected leaders. As your Mayor, I appreciate hearing what is on your mind and heart. I know your City Council members appreciate you weighing in as well and sharing your opinion on the issues that they will be making decisions on. Because this project is part of an open application, our City Council members are prohibited from commenting outside the public hearing. We take public feedback seriously and want you to know that we have received your email and have read your comments. Your email has been forwarded to our City Clerk and will be included in the public record. We'd encourage you to check our website, meridiancity.org, for information regarding the public hearing process and invite you to attend the hearing(s) on this issue. If you have questions about the process feel free to reach out to my office at 208-489-0529 or our Planning staff can get you the answers regarding our process. Their number is 208-884-5533. My best, Mayor Tammy Mayor Tammy de Weerd City of Meridian 33 E. Broadway Ave., Meridian, Idaho 83642 Phone: 208-489-05291 Fax: 208-884-8119 Built for Business, Designed for Living www.meridiancity•org/maVortammV All e-mail messages sent to or received by City of Meridian e-mail accounts are subject to the Idaho law, in regards to both release and retention, and may be released upon request, unless exempt from disclosure by law. From: jmkahnoski@q.com [mailto:jmkahnoski@q.com] Sent: Monday, December 17, 2018 9:32 PM To: mayortammy; Anne Little Roberts; Joe Borton; Ty Palmer; Treg Bernt; Genesis Milam; Luke Cavener; City Clerk Subject: Linder Village To Mayor and Council Members, City of Meridian: The proposed Linder Village project as presented for your review at the meeting of Tuesday, December 18, 2018, should be rejected once and for all. You, your planning staff, and the community have spent entirely too much time trying to encourage and help the developer, DMG, bring us an acceptable design. Despite ample opportunities, suggestions and time, they have absolutely failed. It is time to move on. Reasons for rejection are as follows: 1. The project is a traffic disaster. DMG has failed utterly in resolving the congestion and traffic flow issues that arise from their design. They have made promises that, in hindsight, seem to have been playing for time in hopes they would get their traffic signal at Bergman and an east/west connector at the intersection of Director and Fox Run. Because their proposal includes a regional draw (see below), it is guaranteed to make the Chinden/Linder intersection a nightmare, especially at morning and evening commute times. As Village customers seek to avoid this mess, they inevitably cut through the Paramount neighborhood, increasing risks to the children that live and play their, and seriously degrading the quality of life in Paramount. Meridian cannot be a family-oriented community if it is willing to do this. 2. The plat design of Linder Village is antiquated. Retail is in the midst of tremendous upheaval. Amazon has blown up the old bricks -and -mortar and big box store models even as it has developed new models for storefront retail. Recent articles in the Wall Street Journal have highlighted: a. How many major, well-known, once -successful companies have folded (Toys -R -Us, Payless Shoes, RadioShack) and others (Sears, JC Penney) are teetering on the edge. b. Credit Suisse, the Swiss international investment and financial services bank, estimates that by 2022 one in four (25%) of all shopping malls will close. c. Kroger Grocery Co. is opening "Kroger Express" sections in Walgreens drug stores near Cincinnati, OH to sell Kroger brand groceries. d. According to a co-founder of Casper Sleep - an online mattress retailer - customers want to visit "good retail," defined as a place the customer has a great shopping experience. Linder Village as proposed is a prime example of "bad retail." First, it is just one big parking lot with buildings scattered around. There is no core shopping complex, no significant landmark like a fountain or clock tower that would provide a point of focus where people meet for lunch or gather to dine. There is no intermingling of restaurants and shops and office buildings that encourage customers to move from one to the other, the retail establishments benefiting from the foot traffic and the customers having a pleasant afternoon or evening of eating and window shopping. Here's a prediction: DMG NEVER builds Phase 2, especially the so-called live -work units. From their comments over the past months, it is clear they don't build until they have prospective tenants interested. Any prospective shop owner knows the importance of foot traffic, and this design will have none. Second, who will want to live in an upstairs unit in the middle of a parking lot? Where do they park their car or store their stuff? Where do their kids play? Thus, it is reasonable to predict this project will fail as a viable commercial enterprise. Council members may think that isn't their concern. However, a failed development means empty storefronts, buildings and landscaping deteriorating from lack of maintenance, creating a blight on the community. Such places attract litter and crime. Is that what we want next door to Paramount? 3. The proposed Linder Village grossly violates Comprehensive Plan and FLUM MU -C zoning. Others can speak better to the technical details. Such as: a. Inadequate residential. b. Structures in excess of the maximum allowed. c. Includes what will be a regional draw (Winco) rather than being limited to community attractions only. d. Rather than discouraging car trips and encouraging pedestrian/bicycle usage, the design does the opposite. The importance of whether or not the council abides by the Comprehensive Plan is discussed below. 4. The reputation of the City Council is at risk here. That you would even consider, instead of reject out of hand, something that so violates the Comprehensive Plan and FLUM calls into question the whole planning process. I remember, on another proposal, a council member argued that the Plan is not binding, that it is only a "suggestion." If that is the case, if the council refuses to be bound by its own Comprehensive Plan, then how can you enforce the Plan for one proposed project and not another? How can the citizens of Meridian trust anything in the Comprehensive Plan? Indeed, why does the city bother to have a plan? The developer, DMG, and their primary tenant, Winco, have been lacking in transparency if not been down right deceitful. They have made promises concerning the east/west collector they haven't kept. They have made only half-hearted efforts to meet with the community and actually listen. They keep coming back with essentially the same plan tweaked here and there. Their real goal seems to be to wear everyone down so that they quit. This is basic dishonesty. Winco officials have been arrogant in the extreme throughout this process. They have adamantly refused to consider ANY compromise concerning delivery hours and/or hours of operation. They have said they have their business model and it's their way or the highway, take it or leave it. If the City Council approves the Linder Village project in roughly its current state, and Linder Village fails, it will be one you — and everyone will know it. Don't let this happen to Meridian or the Paramount neighborhood. It would be better if you would stand up for the city and its citizens, rather than the businesses, and protect our neighborhood and community. Sincerely, Jonathan M. Kahnoski 357 W. Heston Court Meridian, ID 83646 Chris Johnson From: Tammy de Weerd Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2018 8:44 AM To: jmkahnoski@q.com Cc: mayortammy; citycouncil; C.Jay Coles; Chris Johnson Subject: RE: Linder Village Dear Jonathan, Thank you for taking time to share your thoughts and comments with your local elected leaders. As your Mayor, I appreciate hearing what is on your mind and heart. I know your City Council members appreciate you weighing in as well and sharing your opinion on the issues that they will be making decisions on. Because this project is part of an open application, our City Council members are prohibited from commenting outside the public hearing. We take public feedback seriously and want you to know that we have received your email and have read your comments. Your email has been forwarded to our City Clerk and will be included in the public record. We'd encourage you to check our website, meridiancity.org, for information regarding the public hearing process and invite you to attend the hearing(s) on this issue. If you have questions about the process feel free to reach out to my office at 208-489-0529 or our Planning staff can get you the answers regarding our process. Their number is 208-884-5533. My best, Mayor Tammy Mayor Tammy de Weerd City of Meridian 33 E. Broadway Ave., Meridian, Idaho 83642 Phone: 208-489-05291 Fax: 208-884-8119 Built for Business, Designed for Living www.meridiancity•org/maVortammV All e-mail messages sent to or received by City of Meridian e-mail accounts are subject to the Idaho law, in regards to both release and retention, and may be released upon request, unless exempt from disclosure by law. From: jmkahnoski@q.com [mailto:jmkahnoski@q.com] Sent: Monday, December 17, 2018 9:32 PM To: mayortammy; Anne Little Roberts; Joe Borton; Ty Palmer; Treg Bernt; Genesis Milam; Luke Cavener; City Clerk Subject: Linder Village To Mayor and Council Members, City of Meridian: The proposed Linder Village project as presented for your review at the meeting of Tuesday, December 18, 2018, should be rejected once and for all. You, your planning staff, and the community have spent entirely too much time trying to encourage and help the developer, DMG, bring us an acceptable design. Despite ample opportunities, suggestions and time, they have absolutely failed. It is time to move on. Reasons for rejection are as follows: 1. The project is a traffic disaster. DMG has failed utterly in resolving the congestion and traffic flow issues that arise from their design. They have made promises that, in hindsight, seem to have been playing for time in hopes they would get their traffic signal at Bergman and an east/west connector at the intersection of Director and Fox Run. Because their proposal includes a regional draw (see below), it is guaranteed to make the Chinden/Linder intersection a nightmare, especially at morning and evening commute times. As Village customers seek to avoid this mess, they inevitably cut through the Paramount neighborhood, increasing risks to the children that live and play their, and seriously degrading the quality of life in Paramount. Meridian cannot be a family-oriented community if it is willing to do this. 2. The plat design of Linder Village is antiquated. Retail is in the midst of tremendous upheaval. Amazon has blown up the old bricks -and -mortar and big box store models even as it has developed new models for storefront retail. Recent articles in the Wall Street Journal have highlighted: a. How many major, well-known, once -successful companies have folded (Toys -R -Us, Payless Shoes, RadioShack) and others (Sears, JC Penney) are teetering on the edge. b. Credit Suisse, the Swiss international investment and financial services bank, estimates that by 2022 one in four (25%) of all shopping malls will close. c. Kroger Grocery Co. is opening "Kroger Express" sections in Walgreens drug stores near Cincinnati, OH to sell Kroger brand groceries. d. According to a co-founder of Casper Sleep - an online mattress retailer - customers want to visit "good retail," defined as a place the customer has a great shopping experience. Linder Village as proposed is a prime example of "bad retail." First, it is just one big parking lot with buildings scattered around. There is no core shopping complex, no significant landmark like a fountain or clock tower that would provide a point of focus where people meet for lunch or gather to dine. There is no intermingling of restaurants and shops and office buildings that encourage customers to move from one to the other, the retail establishments benefiting from the foot traffic and the customers having a pleasant afternoon or evening of eating and window shopping. Here's a prediction: DMG NEVER builds Phase 2, especially the so-called live -work units. From their comments over the past months, it is clear they don't build until they have prospective tenants interested. Any prospective shop owner knows the importance of foot traffic, and this design will have none. Second, who will want to live in an upstairs unit in the middle of a parking lot? Where do they park their car or store their stuff? Where do their kids play? Thus, it is reasonable to predict this project will fail as a viable commercial enterprise. Council members may think that isn't their concern. However, a failed development means empty storefronts, buildings and landscaping deteriorating from lack of maintenance, creating a blight on the community. Such places attract litter and crime. Is that what we want next door to Paramount? 3. The proposed Linder Village grossly violates Comprehensive Plan and FLUM MU -C zoning. Others can speak better to the technical details. Such as: a. Inadequate residential. b. Structures in excess of the maximum allowed. c. Includes what will be a regional draw (Winco) rather than being limited to community attractions only. d. Rather than discouraging car trips and encouraging pedestrian/bicycle usage, the design does the opposite. The importance of whether or not the council abides by the Comprehensive Plan is discussed below. 4. The reputation of the City Council is at risk here. That you would even consider, instead of reject out of hand, something that so violates the Comprehensive Plan and FLUM calls into question the whole planning process. I remember, on another proposal, a council member argued that the Plan is not binding, that it is only a "suggestion." If that is the case, if the council refuses to be bound by its own Comprehensive Plan, then how can you enforce the Plan for one proposed project and not another? How can the citizens of Meridian trust anything in the Comprehensive Plan? Indeed, why does the city bother to have a plan? The developer, DMG, and their primary tenant, Winco, have been lacking in transparency if not been down right deceitful. They have made promises concerning the east/west collector they haven't kept. They have made only half-hearted efforts to meet with the community and actually listen. They keep coming back with essentially the same plan tweaked here and there. Their real goal seems to be to wear everyone down so that they quit. This is basic dishonesty. Winco officials have been arrogant in the extreme throughout this process. They have adamantly refused to consider ANY compromise concerning delivery hours and/or hours of operation. They have said they have their business model and it's their way or the highway, take it or leave it. If the City Council approves the Linder Village project in roughly its current state, and Linder Village fails, it will be one you — and everyone will know it. Don't let this happen to Meridian or the Paramount neighborhood. It would be better if you would stand up for the city and its citizens, rather than the businesses, and protect our neighborhood and community. Sincerely, Jonathan M. Kahnoski 357 W. Heston Court Meridian, ID 83646