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Home My WebLink AboutComprehensive Plan Zoning Comments (Cherry1 LLC) 601 W. Bannock Street PO Box 2720 Boise, ID 83701 Telephone: 208-388-1200 Facsimile: 208-388-1300 www.givenspursley.com Gary G. Allen Charlie S. Baser Christopher J. Beeson Jason J. Blakley Clint R. Bolinder Jeff W. Bower Preston N. Carter Jeremy C. Chou Michael C. Creamer Amber N. Dina Bradley J. Dixon Thomas E. Dvorak Debora Kristensen Grasham Donald Z. Gray Brian J. Holleran Kersti H. Kennedy Neal A. Koskella Michael P. Lawrence Franklin G. Lee David R. Lombardi Kimberly D. Maloney Kenneth R. McClure Kelly Greene McConnell Alex P. McLaughlin Melodie A. McQuade Christopher H. Meyer L. Edward Miller Judson B. Montgomery Deborah E. Nelson W. Hugh O’Riordan, LL.M. Randall A. Peterman Jack W. Relf Michael O. Roe Jamie Caplan Smith Jeffrey A. Warr Robert B. White William C. Cole (Of Counsel) Kenneth L. Pursley (1940-2015) James A. McClure (1924-2011) Raymond D. Givens (1917-2008) Deborah E. Nelson 208 388 1215 den@givenspursley.com September 4, 2019 City of Meridian Mr. Caleb Hood, Planning Division Manager 33 E. Broadway Ave. Suite 102 Meridian, ID 83642 RE: Comprehensive Plan Update Zoning Statement - Langley Property, 5579 West Cherry Lane Dear Mr. Hood and City officials: Our client, Cherry1 LLC (“Cherry 1”), owns 90 acres of property located at 5579 West Cherry Lane near the southwest corner of Cherry Lane and McDermott Road. Cherry 1 is concerned with proposed changes to the City of Meridian Comprehensive Plan’s Future Land Use Map at this location. The current draft of the new Comprehensive Plan’s Future Land Use Map depicts this area as Medium-Density Residential with approximately 45 acres of Mixed-Use Neighborhood extending along the south side of Cherry Lane all the way from McDermott Road through the mid-mile location on Cherry Lane, shown in Figure A. FIGURE A -- Current draft of proposed Future Land Use Map City of Meridian Mr. Caleb Hood, Planning Division Manager September 4, 2019 Page 2 For the reasons described in this letter, Cherry 1 requests the City designate their property with a mix of Medium-Density Residential and Medium-High Density Residential, leaving Mixed-Use Neighborhood on the corner of McDermott Road and Cherry Lane, as shown in Figure B. FIGURE B - Cherry1 LLC’s Proposed Future Land Use Map Designations This property cannot support commercial uses. Due to the alignment of the new Highway 16 corridor, the western portion of Cherry Lane will essentially be a dead end. Traffic will be able to move north-south on McDermott, but Cherry Lane will not be able to access the new Highway 16. Traffic would need to travel a mile north or south of a freeway connection to access the proposed mixed-use designation. This is not practical. Commercial businesses will not locate on a roadway that does not see as much traffic volume and visibility as they could on Ustick Road or Franklin Road. To be successful, the City’s planning efforts need to reflect market realities. The mixed-use designation should be located closer to highway interchanges. Even if the location away from an interchange were not a problem, 45 acres of mixed -use neighborhood is too large for this location. Mixed-use areas of this size would be appropriate for locations such as Eagle and Ustick, or Linder and Chinden. Commercial development is particularly challenging away from actual major corners. The City has already recognized commercial is not viable at mid -mile locations and appropriately removed the Neighborhood Center designation from this property and from other mid-mile locations in the City. Cherry 1’s property does not include the approximately 10 acres located at the actual corner of McDermott Road and Cherry Lane. Unless that property owner has raised a similar objection, to the extent any mixed use designation remains in this area, it is only appropriate on the actual corner property. City of Meridian Mr. Caleb Hood, Planning Division Manager September 4, 2019 Page 3 Higher Density Residential is appropriate for this property. Higher density housing is appropriate near the intersection of two arterials and provides an important transition from the Industrial property designation just south of this property. The additional rooftops will also help support commercial uses planned at Ustick and McDermott, near the Highway 16 interchange. Cherry 1 asks the City to approve a revised Future Land Use Map designating their property with a mix of Medium-Density Residential and Medium-High Density Residential, leaving Mixed-Use Neighborhood on the corner of McDermott Road and Cherry Lane, as shown in Figure B. Thank you for your consideration of these comments. Sincerely, Deborah E. Nelson DEN/SW 14798869_7.docx [12094.79]