HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-03-08 Steven and Nancy HasselbladMarch 91" 2020
To the Honorable Robert Simison, Mayor,
To the Members of the Meridian City Council, and
To the Meridian Planning and Zoning Commission:
RE: Delano Project and its impact on Alpine Pointe neighborhood
We are Steven and Nancy Hasselblad. We live in Alpine Pointe Neighborhood. We have written to the
Planning and Zoning Commission and the City Council with our concerns about the Delano Project in the
past. Since some of you are new members to your respective bodies and since it has been some time
since deliberation on this project has come before the Commission or the Council I would appreciate it if
you would review our previous letters which can be found in the records of the Commission and the
Council.
Our primary concern has always been the impact of the tremendous increase in traffic on Dashwood
place and the surrounding streets that the Delano project, as originally designed, would bring to Alpine
Pointe. We understand that the applicant has recently submitted a revised plan that would have access
to Dashwood Place only for emergency / bike or pedestrian. That is a welcome change. However, we
also understand that ACHD has agreed to that emergency access designation only for ten years or until
access to the project via Centrepoint Way is complete. That is worrisome.
Whether Dashwood place was originally intended to be extended or not, it is entirely unsuitable for an
entry road into or out of our neighborhood now. Dashwood place has eight houses all of which have
driveways opening onto the street. Several of those houses have tall garages for motor homes. All eight
of those houses will have vehicles backing out onto the street. There frequently may also be residents
backing trailers or motorhomes into or out of their driveways onto the street.
The traffic study submitted to the Planning and Zoning Committee by CR Engineering Inc., dated
February 25, 2019, shows average vehicle trips generated by the Delano project would be a minimum of
900 vehicle trips per day. 900 vehicles dodging resident's vehicles backing out of their driveways every
day. If that sounds like a dangerous traffic hazard to you now it will surely be just as much of a traffic
hazard in ten years.
In our letter submitted last August we showed how Dashwood place would be an atypical entryway into
our neighborhood. All other entries to our neighborhood have no driveways facing the street for several
hundred feet from the point of entry. This most certainly is intentional planning designed as a safety
measure.
In previous meetings of ACHD, which we attended, the ACHD members made it clear their concern is
only with traffic flow and if the expected vehicle traffic falls within general guidelines for surface roads.
They made it plain that they would not take into consideration any concerns the residents of Alpine
Pointe had with the design of the Delano Project. That they agreed to an emergency access designation
iscommendable, but it only indicates that they are approving the current plan assubmitted by the
developer.
The Planning and Zoning Committee and the City Council have an obligation to consider other aspects of
this project. How will this development effect the quality of life for the hundreds of residents of Alpine
Pointe? We are not opposed to growth. We know that growth is inevitable. We are however opposed to
unnecessary disruption of our peaceful neighborhood. We have a wonderful neighborhood and we love
living in Meridian. One of the topics repeatedly brought up in the recent elections was Meridian's
residents wish to have our elected officials work to maintain Meridian as an enjoyable place to live. We
know that is a challenge with the increasing population but one way to make an effort to maintain the
character of our neighborhood would be to make the emergency designation of Dashwood Place
permanent.
The Delano project applicant may have his reasons for asking for only a ten year emergency access. The
approximately 600 residents of Alpine Pointe have their reasons for requesting you make that
designation permanent. The developer will belong gone before ten years. Most ofour neighbors plan
on being here longer than ten years. We respectfully request that you consider the impact this
development would have on us and make the Dashwood Place emergency access permanent.
Steven and Nancy Hasselblad
4242NChelmsford Place
Alpine Pointe Neighborhood
Meridian, Idaho