HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-11-26 Emily Covington Comprehensive Plan UpdateCTs
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"A Tradition of Building Excellence for Over 60 Years"
BUILDING CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION
OF SOUTHWESTERN IDAHO, INC.
November 25, 2019
Meridian City Mayor de Weerd and City Council Members
Meridian City Hall
33 E. Broadway Avenue
Meridian, ID 83642
Subject: Comprehensive Plan Update
To Mayor de Weerd and Members of Meridian City Council,
6206 N. Discovery Way, Suite A
Boise, Idaho 83713 A/fll1a[etl xiN
(208) 377-3550(4g)NMI3
(208) 377-3553 fax Nnno AssocunoH
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Website: wwwbcaswi.org
E-mail: bca(_aheritagewifi.com
The Building Contractors Association of Southwestern Idaho (BCASWI) wishes to
express appreciation for the positive working relationship we have with the City of
Meridian and its staff. As issues and concerns arise, we appreciate your willingness to
listen to our concerns and work toward acceptable solutions.
Based on recent inputs and discoveries from our members that have been involved in
reviewing the Comprehensive Plan, we have the following comments:
First, we appreciate your efforts to include and consider all community -wide comments
as the City updates its Comprehensive Plan and the Future Land Use Map. We support
the process the City followed to garner the substantial input from City residents and all
other stakeholders.
Second, it appears the city added in the comprehensive plan references to allowed
zoning designations within each of the residential density uses. We have two concerns
with this: 1) if the zoning labels ever change, then the text within the comprehensive
plan will be inaccurate, and 2) the stated densities cannot be achieved in some of the
density designations.
Our preferred solution is to not include these zoning designations in the comprehensive
plan, but rather in the development code (UDC). We support the alignment of
designated zones to land use densities to minimize confusion with all stakeholders.
However, stating a list of the current zones in the comprehensive plan may cause
confusion as some of the zoning labels do not accurately reflect the actual achievable
density and/or may result in density goals that cannot be achieved.
man
-ECA,
BUILDING CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION
OF SOUTHWESTERN IDAHO, INC.
"A Tradition of Building Excellence for Over 60 Years"
6206 N. Discovery Way, Suite A
Boise, Idaho 83713 A1�,
(208)377-3550 ®m��
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(208) 377-3553 fax I N-Oo Assoannoa
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Website: www.bcaswi.org
E-mail: bca@heritagewifi.com
If the City feels strongly that it wants to include zoning designations in the
comprehensive plan, then at a minimum we recommend some changes. The changes
listed below for Medium Density Residential are critical. The changes listed under Low
Density and Medium -High Density Residential are intended to help achieve stated
density goals:
• Low Density Residential, (less than 3 dwelling units per acre) lists R-2 and R-4
zones. We request R-8 be added to allow for reduced dimensional standards
when necessary
• Medium Density Residential (between 3-8 dwelling units per acre) lists R-2 and
R-4. R-2 is not appropriate as the desired density cannot be achieved with an
R-2 zone. R-4 and R-8 and R-15 zones better match this stated density (cannot
achieve 6-8 du/a without an R-15 zone)
• Medium -High Density Residential (currently between 8-15 dwelling units per
acre but the City is changing to 8-12 du/a) lists R-8 and R-15 zones. We request
R-40 be added to allow for varying dimensional standards when necessary.
Third, after the city adopts its new plan, we look forward to working closely with and
supporting the City as it defines, clarifies, and/or changes various City development
codes and standards in order to achieve newly adopted goals. Specifically, we look
forward to working with the City on qualified open space standards and any other areas
the City would like input from the building community.
We are excited about the City's vision in this new Comprehensive Plan. We thank you
for your consideration of our inputs and again appreciate the positive relationship we
share with the City of Meridian.
Sincerely,
Dan Richter, 2019 President
Heather Hering, 2020 President
W.V. "Bill" Rauer, Executive Officer
Building Contractors Association of Southwestern Idaho