HomeMy WebLinkAboutAugust 4, 2005 P&Z Minutes
Meridian Planning & Zoning
August 4, 2005
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Item 10:
Item 11:
Item 12:
Continued Public Hearing from July 21, 2005: AZ 05-026 Request for
Annexation and Zoning of 15. 32 acres from RUT to R-8 zone for
Hollybrook Subdivision by Hollybrook, LLC - 3265 North Curt Drive and
540 East Ustick Road:
Continued Public Hearing from July 21, 2005: PP 05-025 Request for
Preliminary Plat approval of 56 building lots and 6 common lots on 15. 32
acres in a proposed R-8 zone for Hollybrook Subdivision by Hollybrook,
LLC - 3265 North Curt Drive and 540 East Ustick Road:
Continued Public Hearing from July 21, 2005: CUP 05-033 Request
for Conditional Use Permit for a Planned Development for single-family
detached units and single-family attached units with a request for
reductions in lot sizes, minimum street frontage and zero lot line side yard
setback for Hollybrook Subdivision by Hollybrook, LLC - 3265 North
Curt Drive and 540 East Ustick Road:
Zaremba: Okay. Now, I would like to reopen the continued public hearings for AZ 05-
026, PP 05-025, and CUP 05-033, all relating to Hollybrook Subdivision, 3265 North
Curt Drive and 540 East Ustick Road, and even though these have been continued a
couple times, this will be the first time that we will discuss any substance and we will
begin with the staff report, please.
Canning: Chairman Zaremba, Members of the Commission, we always know when we
are in trouble when I'm supposed to give substance, so I will do my best this time. This
is an in-fill development. As you will notice, it's an unusual shaped property, to say the
least. And it is surrounded on the west, the north, and, then, the northeast by
development. You have got Heritage Commons and you have got Sundance and, then,
you have on the eastern side Weaver Acres, is the larger one-acre subdivision that was
done through Ada County and is still in -- actually in Ada County's jurisdiction. They are
not annexed. This is a request for 55 building lots and 11 common lots on 15. 32
acres. You can see the existing house patterns. I have some blowups of this, so -- it's
very difficult to see, I recognize that. There are basically kind of three patterns to the
development. You have kind of mid size lots here that blend from Heritage Commons
to Sundance and, then, you have some -- given the very narrow width of this area, you
have a roadway, and, then, you have some quite small lots and, then, down here you
have got some larger lots that somewhat integrate into the one acre parcels to the north
and some larger lots in this area, including lots for the existing home. You can't see it
very well on this one -- okay. I tried to blowup some of the street connections. There is
a street connection down to Ustick and here you will see there is a little island right
here, so the right of way bows out. There is a traffic-calming item there -- island there
and, then, there is two pinches -- see if I can find them. Here is one pinch and there is
the other pinch right there. So, you can see it right there. So, what will happen in that
area, the area that would normally be available for parking gets kind of pinched off, so
that the road narrows. So, you will come in first, you will go around a curve, there will
be an island, you will go along the street length, there will be a little pinch and it will
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August 4, 2005
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widen it back out again, another pinch and, then, as you come up to here another
island. I'm concentrating on these, because this was the big item of -- this is why it's
been continued many times is the discussion of how to make this road so that it wasn't a
straight shot and a high speed corridor. Then, as you come around the corner, there is
another island right here and another island here. So, as you come out of Heritage
there is an island and, then, you have got a little bulb or something like that and, then,
you have got another island here, you have to go around, make another corner around
another island. So, they have gone to great lengths to integrate traffic calming into the
road design. Just as -- this was the original design. As you can see, it was really a
straight shot. This did mean flipping the road. So, whereas before the road was against
the Sundance properties and smaller lots were to the rear of the one acre properties,
now there is the road immediately adjacent to the east property line. Staff is in favor of
this for a couple of reasons -- actually, I think we probably proposed it. One was that it
gave them the ability to curve this road a little bit and to meander it and also it facilitated
redevelopment of these properties. As you will see, most of the houses are built toward
the front of the properties and although -- we like to accommodate future developments
in all the proposals that come through and we thought this gave the ability to -- for these
folks to divide off a portion of the back property of their lots in the future and they would
have direct access. So, we are not requiring it, of course, but as those folks wanted to
maybe have less property to take care of, that would be an option that's available to
them. And that right of way runs right against their property line. So, there would be no
road construction necessary to subdivide those properties. These are some examples
of the housing that's proposed and these will fit on the smaller lots. Okay. All right.
The overall gross density of the project is 3. 59 units per acre, which is consistent with
the Comprehensive Plan and -- consistent with the median density residential
designation on the Comprehensive Plan. They have proposed six percent open space
at this time on the current landscape plan. Now, that landscape plan is based on the
former layout. There is a requirement for a new landscape plan. We would be looking
for the same amount of open space on that. They have requested -- they have
requested a number of reductions to our current standards. In particular, the frontage
requirement would go from 65 feet down to 55 feet and the lot size would go down from
6,500 to four hundred -- I'm sorry, 4,428 square feet. As part of their amenities, in
exchange for those reduced standards, they have proposed pathway connections to the
multi-use pathway in Sundance Place Subdivision and, then, seating areas along all
pathways. Here is -- and I will have the applicant point out some of those, because I
lost a lot -- one of these lots is a pathway connection lot from Quenzer. I think there
was some question about the -- the amount of roadway that's being dedicated to ACHD.
ACHD's condition number one states that there is 40 feet of right of way dedication,
versus the standard 48 that you would see on this. Our understanding is that the
applicant has agreed to put the sidewalk in part of the landscaped lots, so, therefore,
they are not requiring the extra eight feet of dedication. And I think I'll end staff's
presentation there and ask if there is any specific questions you have.
Zaremba: Commissioners, any questions?
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August 4,2005
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Newton-Huckabay: Mr. Chair, we don't have the landscape plan at the time, is that
what you stated, Anna?
Canning: The landscape plan that you have is the one that I -- it's the old one, it's -- you
should have one that -- like this in your packet, so you can see where -- where they
have moved the road, there is going to be some change in these landscape areas here
and I believe this one is still there, this is that connection. And, then, the buffers down
here would still be there. Just to kind of follow that up a little bit, are you anticipating the
same landscaping, just going to be somewhat moved over to the other side of the street
and, then, basically, then, we are in a conflict with the other owners to subdivide their
property if there is landscaping between their property and the street; right?
Canning: We are not anticipating a landscape buffer -- as the right of way goes
immediately to there, so there is only two feet between the edge of right of way and the
sidewalk.
Moe: Okay. Thank you.
Canning: So, as I said, the current plan has six percent. If the applicant has thought
about the new landscape plan, they probably should share that with you, because I'm
not confident that they could meet six percent with their current plan.
Zaremba: Back on your subject of right of way dedication, just a question on the staff
report. Exhibit D -- I don't see a page number, but it's number one annexation -- well, it
must be the first page of Exhibit D, annexation findings, paragraph D, the bottom, based
on ACHD long range 20-30 proposal, Ustick Road is anticipated to be a three lane
roadway at this point; is that correct? I thought everything I had seen said five lanes.
And, actually, it's a little scary if it's three. It would justify five lane right now.
Borup: I thought I had read somewhere where it -- yeah. It was five and, then, one of
the last -- one of their last reports went back to three and I never did understand why.
Zaremba: Have to watch them every minute.
Borup: Well, I don't know. I just remember reading that and I was -- I couldn't
remember who I was talking to and said, well, why is it saying three, I thought it was five
previously. But you would know more -- you should know more about that.
Zaremba: All of Ustick Road through Meridian is going to be five lanes.
Borup: That's what it was several years ago.
Zaremba: Yeah. It would worry me if it's three lane.
Newton-Huckabay: Mr. Chair, I can't imagine it not being five, especially if there is an
interstate or the highway --
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August 4, 2005
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Canning: Five lanes would appear to be correct.
Zaremba: Okay. So, the 40 feet of dedication on this side is still okay for five lane,
though, right? If they are doing the sidewalk on this application.
Canning: That's my understanding.
Zaremba: Okay.
Canning: And that's what the ACHD report does say, dedicate 40 feet.
Zaremba: All right. Then, I had, actually, a comment that -- just a couple of typos.
Under conditions of approval, this is Exhibit B, on 1. 1. 3 prior to the city engineer's
signature of a final plat -- and I would take out the word containing a final plat all
structures not contained on a designated lot shall be removed. So, the word containing
is kind in there twice. Then, under 1. 1. 4 it says: The following should be included in
a revised landscape plan prior to final plat. The next five items, items 1. 1. 5 through
1. 1. 9, are, actually, the sub bullets for that sentence. If that makes sense. And, then,
on the next page, item 1. 1. 14, maintenance of all common areas shall be the
responsibility -- it says Bellingham, but it should be of the Hollybrook Park homeowners
association. Those are just minor typos. Okay. Commissioners, any other questions or
comments?
Borup: I just remembered where I read the three lane. It was in this report a month
ago.
Zaremba: Okay. Well, I just want to make sure that we are not signaling to ACHD that
we have any comfort with a three-lane road.
Borup: Yeah. I was surprised at that at the time.
Zaremba: It should be five lane. And through Steve Siddoway and the Meridian
Transportation Task Force, I think we will take a look at that and make sure it is five
lane. Okay. We are ready, then, for the applicant, I believe.
Nickel: Good evening, Mr. Chairman and Commissioners. Shawn Nickel, 52 North 2nd
Street in Eagle, here tonight representing the developer of the Hollybrook Subdivision. I
want to thank staff for their report and presentation. They are correct, this is a strange
shaped piece of property to try to coordinate with three existing subdivisions and stub
streets and try to come up with a development pattern that kind of meets every --
everyone's needs and wants. Our main reason that, obviously, for the several delays to
get to this point was working with the highway district on the connection to Ustick Road
and when we started out that process, it was mainly at the request of the folks within the
Weaver Subdivision off of Curt Lane, because if we did not get that connection out to
Ustick Road, our traffic was going to be forced to go to Curt Lane, which was a
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August4,2005
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substandard -- it was public -- a public road, but it was a substandard public road. We
tried to work with the neighbors and, ultimately, they got the highway district to reason
that this was a proper connection, it does line up with the street across Ustick Road.
And, then, after going through that process, some more -- some more comments came
up through staff and everything and we ended up redesigning some more of the
subdivision to help the connections to Sundance and to Heritage and that's why we had
some of those islands come into play. We also have agreed to do a detached sidewalk
along this main road connecting Heritage with Sundance. Heritage does have detached
sidewalks and Sundance does not, so we will transition at this point -- I think this is it.
Up there in the northwest corner of the subdivision. With regards to the development
itself, this is a planned unit development. We are asking for an R-8 zone, but this is
consistent with how Heritage Commons and Sundance was developed and approved by
the city, with a compatible density. But the main focus is the smaller patio home lots in
the center of the subdivision. And trying to make those fit with that -- with that roadway
and I think we have done a good job. We did lose a couple lots by redesigning this. I
think we have definitely choked this down a number of places and provided islands that
should help slow down traffic going north and south. To answer staff's question, we do
have the six percent open space in the new design and she has that as a condition of
approval that we resubmit that revised landscape plan and we will do that. To address
the ACHD question or to confirm that, Ustick Road is proposed as a five lane -- future
five-lane roadway and we are dedicating that 40 feet and they are receptive of that. So,
that's all I have right now. I'll wait in rebuttal and probably address some of the
neighbor's questions and concerns and I'll stand for any questions you have right now.
Zaremba: Thank you. Commissioners, any questions? You mentioned that you have
talked to some of the neighbors. Did you actually hold a neighborhood meeting?
Nickel: Yes, we did.
Zaremba: Okay. Hold it down.
Nickel: Yeah. We did. We had a neighborhood meeting in this building right here and I
-- it was a long time ago, maybe some of them forgot, but I don't think Commissioner
Rohm would forgive me if I didn't have a neighborhood meeting on my development.
So, we did. And, then, additionally, I met with some of the neighbors off of Curt when
we were going in front of ACHD, so we have had a couple of chances to meet with
some of the neighbors, so --
Zaremba: Thank you. Any other questions?
Moe: Not right now.
Zaremba: All right. thank you. We will go through our list of people signed up. One
thing I failed to mention when I was talking about procedure. If there is a spokesman for
a group of you -- and an example of that would be the president of a homeowners
association, we do allow that person ten minutes, under the assumption that the rest of
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August4,2005
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the people are giving their time to that person. So, if you have somebody who is a
spokesman, we allow ten minutes for that. Let me ask first is there anybody who is a
spokesman for the group. Sir, if you would come forward. Start with your name and
address, please.
Putnam: My name is Hal Putnam. I live at 3452 Curt Drive. Commissioner Zaremba,
appreciate the opportunity to be here.
Moe: Mr. Chairman?
Zaremba: Oh.
Moe: I guess I -- one thing I would like to know is who is he representing in the
audience, so that we can --
Zaremba: For those that are here, would you raise your hand for just a moment,
please. Quite a few. Okay. Even if you have signed up, I will call your name and if you
will just say that Mr. Putnam has spoke for you, we will appreciate that.
Putnam: I have been chosen to be the primary --
Zaremba: You have been chosen and we appreciate that.
Putnam: Chosen to speak for the residents of Weaver Acres, which is -- bring up the
slide -- one back. Weaver Acres area. This is a subdivision that has been in existence
since the mid 70s. Most of the people that live in this subdivision have been there on
an average of 20 to 30 years and they are all one-acre lots. We have some real
concerns with this development and I'm going to go through some of them and hope
that I can touch on all of them. We presented our argument with ACHD approximately
three weeks ago, four weeks ago, in regards to the traffic concerns with the original
development where it was going to connect at Washaki and come down to just before
Ustick and cut to Curt Drive and there was maybe a misleading intentional-unintentional
count that was given to -- a trip count that was given to Ada County Highway District
that totally underrepresented the total count that would be using this road. When we
made our presentation to Ada County Highway District, they agreed with us. They did
agree that the -- there would be a substantial amount of traffic on that road that would
run from Washaki out to Ustick Road. We estimate at best or at minimum there will be
1,500 -- 14 to 15 hundred trips per day. With that understanding, Ada County Highway
District requested that -- that the road have sidewalks on both sides, have some
calmers, that it did connect directly to Ustick. I thought somebody said something to
me. That it did have some calmers. It was our understanding that those calmers would
be in the form of islands and not where the curvature took place, which was in the
original plan that was presented to ACHD. Not the original plan, but the revised plan,
those curves at the end of Hollybrook Road were already there. The speed calmers
have been placed within those curves. They will not, in our opinion, slow the traffic
down on a stretch of road -- straight stretch of road that's going to be approximately 900
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August4,2005
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feet long, with the amount of traffic we feel that that will be a hazard, not only to those
people who are living along that road, but anybody that travels and kids that may play in
the area. There is one major -- two major bus stops right on Ustick Road very close to
these areas. And you look at this development and look where Washaki comes in both
from Sundance and Heritage, where that connection is going to make, you will have all
the homes within the new development that will utilize that road, plus -- and one of the
neighbors -- or one of our neighbors from Sundance and Heritage will also confirm that
they will use that road. So, you're looking at all the homes that kind of surround that
new development. When you look at the number of turns they have to make out --
make to get out to Locust Grove or out to Meridian Road, they are going to take that
straight shot to Ustick and some of our neighbors from those other subdivisions will
confirm that that's what they plan on doing if this development goes through like that.
We don't feel that the pinchers -- or this week was the first time we have seen that
speed calming issue in the form of pinchers, but that's really not going to slow the traffic,
that's just going to make it harder for somebody to park on the street right there. Kind of
gather my notes here. When the Sundance Subdivision went in and the Heritage
Subdivision went in and were zoned at R-8, there was sufficient buffer between the R-1
zoning that our subdivision has and those subdivisions, because it was blank or bare
land. We oppose this development being zoned as R-8. We feel that it is in
contradiction to the Comprehensive Plan and to the current codes and even the staff
has recommended that these lots be smaller than are required. We don't feel that that
provides enough buffer between an existing well-established R-1 zone area to go
straight to an R-8 zoning. At a minimum we would request that that be zoned as R-4.
That will alleviate some of the traffic and will create a buffer and proper transition
between urban areas or zoning and development. I guess, in conclusion, we'd just like
to say that we do -- in Weaver Acres we do oppose this development being zoned as R-
8 for the reasons that I just mentioned. It is being requested by the developer that they
even get to sidestep some of the required dimensions to allow them to put those homes
-- very small lots along the back of those acres. There is nobody that lives on those
acres at this point that has made any indication that they plan on developing or selling a
portion of that land in the future for future development. We have been there a long
time, we like those acres, and, as I indicated, most of the average resident has lived
there 20 to 30 years, as I'm sure some of them will testify to. We do realize that we
can't stop development. We do request that it be done in a smooth transition and kind
of going along with what the lady said from EI Gato that because we are long time
residents this has been a little tough for us to handle sometimes. We are coping, but
we aren't ready for transitional small homes to be built right up against our one-acre
lots. So, with that I will stand for any questions.
Zaremba: Thank you. Commissioners, any questions?
Newton-Huckabay: Mr. Chair? Mr. Putnam, you did not indicate on this speed control
what were you -- do you have an alternative idea?
Putnam: It's our belief that it was Ada County Highway -- the ACHD's desire that those
islands be placed along those -- that road -- that straight stretch of road, not at the end.
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August4,2005
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When the presentation was made they were talking about approximately 800 to 1,000
feet of road that was a straight shot and we are still dealing with 900 feet that's a
straight shot and pinchers are going to do nothing more than prohibit parking cars there.
It's not going to slow traffic down. It's still a straight shot. Those islands that you're
looking at on that development are at the end of the road.
Newton-Huckabay: Right.
Putnam: It's not going to slow traffic down once they hit that straight shot and that was
the concern that ACHD had. We have not gotten back together as a group of neighbors
to determine whether we want to re-address this with ACHD and find out exactly what
the minutes were said, because our understanding, particularly Committee Member
Bivens, he didn't want speed bumps and speed calmers that wouldn't slow the traffic
down in that stretch. So, we feel that maybe his staff has misrepresented -- or the staff
misrepresented what they were trying to get at in slowing that traffic down. Because
there will be a lot of traffic there.
Newton-Huckabay: No, I don't disagree. But I can see that moving the land -- the
islands on the ends -- maybe an island in the middle, jog off or something. They call
that a traffic bump out?
Zaremba: Either a bulb out or --
Newton-Huckabay: Bulb out?
Zaremba: Yeah.
Putnam: And that's what we thought their intent was, was that it would -- and, in fact,
they actually indicated a minimum of two in that stretch of road. That was our
understanding. Not at the end of those roads. Because the curves are going to slow
traffic down.
Zaremba: The curves should be -- serve as a calming effect.
Putnam: You don't see bump outs or islands to slow the traffic down where the curves
are at. And this was the plan -- or I should say the plan minus the islands was the one
that was presented to ACHD, minus the islands and the pinchers.
Newton-Huckabay: On the west side -- or this --
Putnam: With the road on the east land -- on the east side. Yes. That's what they were
looking at. They were looking at the curve coming in on Washaki, the curve coming in
off of Ustick, with the road running up the west side -- or, excuse me, the east side, and
it being a straight shot with no islands or pinchers. So, we have two major concerns.
Again, to bring my -- come to a conclusion here. We have a real concern with the traffic
and we have a real concern with the proper zoning, creating a gradual transition from R-
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August 4,2005
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1 to R-8 -- from R-1 to R-4 to R-8. As you can see on -- just to the east of us, we still
have RUT. Those are five-acre lots and to the east of that are four lots. So, I'll stand for
any other questions.
Zaremba: Thank you very much.
Putnam: Thank you, Commissioner, Members of the Commission.
Newton-Huckabay: Mr. Chair, can I ask a question of staff real quick?
Zaremba: This is a good time.
Newton-Huckabay: Do we have a picture of this kind of overlay with the development
around it? The lot? We don't always -- occasionally we have had that. This proposed -
Canning: Oh, how this fits in there? No, we don't.
Newton-Huckabay: Could you go back to the one you were just on? I can if Craig does
it. Yeah.
Newton-Huckabay: Okay. What approximately -- just because this leaves me the
ability to look at this and guess -- would you say these size lots or these are here? Are
those about --
Canning: Well, the current proposal has one, two, three -- the same number of lots
there and those are between seven and ten thousand square feet. So, I'm guessing
that those up here are around 8,000 square feet.
Newton-Huckabay: Eight thousand square feet. Okay.
Borup: Probably closer to seven.
Newton-Huckabay: Seven.
Canning: Trying to catch the eye of the developer, but he's sitting in his easy chair. In
Quenzer Commons those lots are around 8,000 square feet? Yeah. We got an
affirmative nod. And, then, the ones on here you can see that they are in depth --
Newton-Huckabay: Right.
Canning: -- but they look to be about the same on average. These might be closer to
nine or ten thousand. AbOut 60 by 120 is our guess.
Newton-Huckabay: Thank you.
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Zaremba: Okay. Thank you. When I mentioned spokesman, I thought I saw some
people, in addition to Mr. Putnam, light up. Are there spokesmen for the other
subdivisions around? I will call every name on the list, but if there is somebody that's
being a spokesman for a different group -- if you'd identify yourself and, then, we will
ask who you are speaking for.
Kosloski: Be glad to. My name is Joseph Kosloski and I live on 480 East Moskey in
Sundance Subdivision and I guess I represent my Sundance --
Zaremba: Could we see a show of hands of people for whom he is speaking? Thank
you. Okay.
Kosloski: I'd like to, first of all, just put my vote in favor of the things that Mr. Putnam
has already shared, in that we do feel the same -- the same as he does. My biggest
concern -- and our biggest concern -- most of us in the Sundance Subdivision have
young children where it's kind of a -- more of a starter community and what's going to
happen here is -- and, really, our concerns aren't with the wider sections of land, you
know, those are adequate and there is going to be adequate streets for the
development on the south and on the north. But the concern, really, is with that narrow
stretch of land right there. I live kind of in the north -- well, my backyard will be the
second lot from the north of there.
Moe: You have a pointer there.
Kosloski: Oh, I do. Okay. If I can figure out how to make it work. This is where I live
right here and I can tell you that all the people that I live around on this side of the street
and, really, all the way to here are going to be using this street. The way it is right now,
I come out here to Ustick Road and take Eagle to get into Boise to go to work and I see
the same cars, I see the same cars coming home. I guarantee that I'm going to use that
straight stretch of road and I consider myself a good driver and I know I'm going to
speed on that straightaway and I guarantee that most people are. And so my -- really,
my concern is that -- and that's what was presented. I went to the Ada County meeting
as well and the safety issues were the biggest concern that was discussed. The islands
were discussed and, like Mr. Putnam, it was my understanding, at least from sitting
there and participating, that those islands were going to be for the straight stretch of
road and not in the middle of the curve, because, like you said, the curve is already
somewhat of a traffic calming measure in itself. So, I believe that by adding those
islands in the straight stretch you're going to make a safer road. Another thing that --
going along with safety is the amount of kids. It's not just drivers like me that are going
to use this straight stretch to get out to the highway, but it's going to be our kids and it's
going to be kids on bikes and it's going to be kids walking and they -- well, the amenities
that they mention was this -- they will hook it up here, so not only do we have my kids
and these guys' kids and all these kids, but he's opened the way for the kids right here
to have a straight access down to this road and I really think that because there is going
to be so much foot traffic that's going to take this, not to mention the 1,400 cars or so
that we added up, you just got to make this a safe road. And it's a -- roughly a quarter
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August 4, 2005
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mile straight. I just think that the islands would be a good -- a good start. Another thing
would be to really just enforce the development regulations that are already on the
books and what that will do is kind of force the developer to make that what it really is
going to be and that's access into a subdivision. Then you could have plenty of road for
a nice wide road. You have room for sidewalks on both sides, landscaping on both
sides, I just think that would be -- that would be the kind of safety measure that most
people would be happy with and that road would end up being suitable for the county
use that it's really going to become and that's the way that we -- that's what we have
discussed. Look at my notes here. I'd just like to see that -- you know, the safety
issues be brought forth. Because what's going to happen is if they are not addressed
now, you're going to have a problem in the future where you're going to have houses
with about 15 feet of driveway backing onto a narrow road that's already going to have a
lot of traffic on it and it's just going to be a mess. And that, in itself, is going push down
those property values there. You're going to have people moving out, because it's such
a pain to get out of their house and, then, you know, no body's going to buy those places
after that. But that's our concerns there and I'd sit for any questions that anybody has.
Zaremba: Commissioners, any questions?
Newton-Huckabay: Mr. Chair?
Zaremba: Commissioner Newton-Huckabay.
Newton-Huckabay: So, Mr. Kosloski -- I tried to spell it here, but I --
Kosloski: That will throw you off.
Newton-Huckabay: Yeah. I think that's probably what I did. So, are you -- you're
suggesting, then, that you think they should lose all those lots on that road?
Kosloski: I think that just -- you enforce the development regulations that are on the
book and that's what they will have to do, because, then -- I don't know if you have
looked at other main entrances into subdivisions, I know particularly the one coming into
Sundance right there on Ustick -- right here. And there is another one coming into
Sundance off of Meridian Road and you're dealing with a very wide road. I don't know
how wide it is, but there is an island in the middle on both sides. There is a lot of
landscape and it's a nice entryway into a subdivision that has a lot of traffic. And this
right here is really going to serve the same function. It's going to be the main access for
-- like we discussed. All the people that already live here, as well as everybody that's
going to come in off of Washaki. You got the people in Heritage Commons here that
don't want to make a million turns to get out to Locust Grove. You have got the people
in Sundance that feel the same way. And not to mention, like I say, the kids. It's just
going to be a -- it's going to be a busy street and I think we should be wise now and plan
for it accordingly. You know, one thing that -- I understand the way that, you know,
development works and we have to try to accommodate the best use for the land, but,
Meridian Planning & Zoning
August 4,2005
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you know, variances are set up, really, to kind of bring some common sense into
development and the right to enforce the regulations if they are not. Thank you.
Zaremba: Thank you. Let me ask if we have any other spokesmen? Okay. I don't see
anybody moving, so let me call the list and if you have not been spoken for, please,
come forward. If you have and agree with what's been said, I'd appreciate if you would
just make that comment. Dana Colstad.
Colstad: Dana Colstad, 3540 North Curt Drive, and I agree with what Hal Putnam has
stated.
Zaremba: Thank you. Dennis Bingaman.
Bingaman: Dennis Bingaman. 3387 North Curt Drive and I agree with what Hal
Putnam has said.
Zaremba: Thank you. Dana Bingaman.
Newton-Huckabay: Do they all need to come up or can they agree from the audience?
D. Bingaman: Dana Bingaman and I agree also with what the gentlemen have said.
I'm on 3387 North Curt. And I have a couple things to add, though. Or a couple
concerns. With the road that's going into North Curt Drive, I would oppose that road
going into that neighborhood. I live within Weaver Acres and I have children -- we
haven't been there 20 years, but I have been there for over ten years, so I'm one of the
newer people in the neighborhood. But our children are in there and we don't have
good lighting in there, we are not a -- we are not like the newer subdivision with the
street lights within that neighborhood and if people don't make the right turn when they
come in and they are in our neighborhood in the evening or even during the daytime, I
have children running around -- it's a great neighborhood, we really love our
neighborhood, we love the privacy of it, and we love that it's a safe place. And I think
that would take away the safety of it with a road entering into our subdivision. One
other thing, just kind of thinking outside the box here for a minute. With a lot of the
concerns with that road, that straight road going there, one suggestion I'm thinking is
could you make a common area in the middle of that road, so that the road doesn't go
all the way through. You have a road that goes up through it without housing and
houses up above, but a common area that stops any traffic that goes all the way
through. Just a crazy thought. Maybe like a cul-de-sac, kind of. I believe there is some
common areas within that plan, isn't there? I'm saying a common area that wouldn't
make a road go all the way through there. It would stop that.
Borup: Well, it wouldn't need to be a common area, it would just be a cul-de-sac with
houses there. The houses there would stop the road from going through.
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August 4, 2005
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D. Bingaman: That would be good, too. But I totally disagree with the road coming into
my subdivision. I don't see the purpose of that. If someone could explain the purpose
of that, I would really appreciate it, the need for that road.
Zaremba: We will ask the applicant. I'm sure it's a hold over from when they did not
think they would have a direct connection to Ustick, so that's a good question to ask.
D. Bingaman: So, with the direct road, does that road need to be there?
Zaremba: We will ask that question of the applicant.
D. Bingaman: Okay. Thank you.
Zaremba: Thank you. Mary Westby. You're welcome to just raise your hand at your
seat and say that you have been spoken for. You don't necessarily have to come all the
way up.
Westby: I should have thought of that. Mary Westby, 3373 Curt and I agree with Hal
Putnam and with what Dana also said.
Zaremba Great. Thank you. Okay. Venicia Morrison. Okay. She is agreeing with the
previous spokesman. Joann Sizmick? Is that right? It's -- I know it starts with an S.
I'm not sure what follows it. It apparently ends with a K. Okay. She is in agreement
with what's been said. Thank you. You actually -- if you're just responding by raising
your hand, you don't actually need to give your address and everything. If you do have
something to add, then, I do ask that you come up to the microphone. But just -- just
kind of wave at me if you don't need to add anything. Christy Bollingberg.
Bollingberg: Christy Bollingberg, 3602 North Weston Way. I'm in the Sundance
Subdivision. And I guess the only thing that I wanted to add or disagree with is that if
there was a neighborhood meeting that took place, I did not receive notification and I
don't believe anybody in our subdivision did receive notification. And I also did not
receive the second notification that this meeting had been scheduled for this evening. I
would have not known about it, if my neighbors had not informed me of it, and I just
wanted to reiterate that I am concerned about the addition of the traffic that will be
added by opening up the road into our subdivision.
Zaremba: Thank you. And, then, you will all have to forgive me, I believe it's Alisa -- is
it Neilgard? Something similar to that? When we get to the end, if I have failed to call
your name and you think you signed up, I will ask you again.
Neberhitch: Is it Allison Neberhitch?
Zaremba: It could very well be. Allison Neberhitch.
Moe: You were close.
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August4,2005
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Zaremba: Do you have anything to add?
Neberhitch: No.
Zaremba: Okay. Thank you. She's agreeing with what's been said. Kathie Sherna.
Shayna. Okay. She agrees with what's been said. Letha Quinn. Agreeing with what's
been said. Okay. I've got to catch up here for a minute. Joe -- first name is Joe and
the last name starts with an L. Probably -- okay. He's supporting what's been said.
Okay. It could be Ed -- I can't read the last -- the rest of it. It looks like a short name,
three or four letters. Does that apply to anybody? Okay. I'm not identifying who that is.
Mary Jane Amey. She's agreeing with what's been said. Okay. Richard -- it could be
Whitesell or Woodside. Weedenhaf. Richard Weedenhaf. If you would come to the
microphone if you have anything to add, please.
Weedenhaf: Richard Weedenhaf. I live at 3479 North Curt. And I agree with both
gentlemen. My concerns are that back section with the density of the housing and how
important it is to keep perspective on how wide that street should be and I have
measured back there and it seems to me from their fence to my fence there is 125 feet.
You would be pushing that. And for a wide enough road and the footage for the
housing, I'm not sure how that can be done. And for safety sake and for the future of
the Ustick widening, I think it would be better to tone down the density of the housing
back there and do some landscaping, make it a nice area and for the kids and
everything. And as far as that Curt Drive cut in right there, all these kids go down to the
bus in the morning and that coming out, I know darn well that people don't look both
ways half the time, they look to the left, and they just turn and those kids are coming,
you know, back home or something, we are really concerned about that and --
Zaremba: Thank you.
Weedenhaf: That pretty well covers it. Thank you.
Zaremba: Okay. Thank you. Flo Whittaker. She's agreeing with what's been said.
Okay. Tony Peyer -- or it might be Perk. Okay. Agreeing with what's been said. And
Jody Perk. Agreeing with what's been said. Michael B. Morrison.
Morrison: Michael B. Morrison, 3405 North Curt Drive. The last time I stood before this
board it was in regards to AZ 05-012 and four, which happen to be here tonight also. At
that time you told the developer to go back and redo it, because of the interface
between existing neighborhoods and developments. That's all we are asking for now.
Mr. Zaremba -- I'm sorry with your last name.
Zaremba: Zaremba.
Morrison: Mr. Zaremba has made a comment, one of the goals of Planning and Zoning
and one of your jobs was to have the least amount of impact on existing neighborhoods.
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August4,2005
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I do appreciate that comment, because it does apply tonight. Okay. If the developer
had made these changes willingly and stuff, it wouldn't have been such of an issue. In
talking with us nothing much happened. Ada County Highway told them to go back and
make these changes. It wasn't willingly. They tried to push it through without it. I had
also attended those meetings. Okay. If the developer had come in and taken that
narrow strip and made a play area and stuff for the kids, safety wouldn't be an issue,
housing wouldn't be an issue. The request for small lot sizes wouldn't be an issue,
because they would have play areas, much safer for kids, okay? One of the
Commission's comments and stuff at the previous ordinances that they were trying to
get through, was not to create further issues. Okay. With the straight stretch down
there, everyone said they are going to use them, okay? I see no reason to make the lot
sizes smaller. I have multiple rental properties, okay? One of the things I look for is
safety and lot size. Why would I want to buy a small house on a busy street, they are
going to turn into rentals, property value will go down, I think that is one of the main
concerns of the people on -- in Sundance and stuff is the transients coming in and out.
The property values go down. Why would you want to buy a house and your property
values go down. Okay? I don't think the developer has done a good job. Most of the
information that we get has been less than stand up as far as I'm concerned. Every
time we come to one of these meetings something is said and it's like that's not what we
were told, that's not what we understood. Okay. I think that pretty much covers it. Do
you have any question?
Zaremba: Any questions? Thank you very much.
Morrison: Thank you for your time.
Zaremba: Jan Brockdale? Brockett. That could very well be it. Yes. Thank you.
Brockett: My name is Jan Brockett and I live at 3425 Curt Drive and I'm one of the lots
that backs up to that road. I'm the one, two, three -- third long narrow lot there. It backs
right up to that narrow strip. Okay. I have lived there for 30 years. It's been open and
farmland and I'm not against development, I'm not against our neighbor selling that
piece of property and getting their retirement from it. I'm not. But there are too many --
there is too much trying to be crammed into that one little strip. I have lived in that little -
- I have lived in this area, I know how big that strip is. With all those homes bordering
that long narrow strip, it's going to be nothing but a mess. How are those people going
to get out of their driveways? They are going to back out. And where are they going to
back out to? Right in the middle of that street. So, there is traffic and, if I'm wrong, I
think there was 15 or 16 homes backing out into that street. It's just not going to work.
There is too much being put into such a small space. That's alii have.
Zaremba: Thank you. Kelly Beeman.
Beeman: Kelly Beeman. I live at 3724 North Legacy Woods Avenue and -- go back.
It's right -- that lot right there. Our concern -- and I don't speak for a group. Our
concern is the entrance to this subdivision from Washaki. And we have got a further
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August4,2005
Page 28 of 57
concern, which is a long-term issue, I will guarantee you my wife and I will -- rather than
turning left on Washaki and going out onto Locust -- North Locust Grove, will turn right
on Washaki, go straight down through this, and onto Ustick Road. Again, I don't know
exactly what the size of that small strip is, but it certainly appears to be questionable. I
have never been aware of a neighborhood meeting. And the only reason I came tonight
was a great big red and white sign put at the end of the road right now, which is blocked
right here, and it appears to have been put by Ada County Highway District. And so
that's the only reason I came tonight. A longer-term concern in our subdivision is right
now most of the people up here -- is this Sundance? Is that the name of the
subdivision? Okay. Many many residents of Sundance come through Heritage
Commons, turn right on North Locust Grove, and, then, turn left into that. And, then, it
even gets worse. As you go north into Copper Canyon -- Copper Basin, I think as time
goes on that North Locust Grove -- or our street, Heritage Commons, North Heritage
Commons, is going to become very very busy and this only further complicates it,
because of the Washaki connection within -- people from the other subdivisions, rather
than going out, will simply turn left, go through that Washaki -- onto Washaki and
straight down to Ustick. So, for that reason I oppose this proposal. Do you have any
questions?
Zaremba: Thank you. Questions? Thank you very much. Okay. That is pretty much
all the names that have signed up. The only one I'm missing, if you signed up and the
first initial of your first name is an E and I didn't call you, you are the name I'm missing.
Is that you, sir? If you have something to add, please, come to the --
Spirk: Yes, I do. And I think it's really -- well, excuse me. Let me, first of all, introduce
myself. I'm Paul Spirk. I live at 3544 Curt Drive.
Zaremba: Would you say your name again, please?
Spirk: Paul Spirk. S-p-i-r-k.
Zaremba: Not the one I'm looking for, but you're welcome to speak.
Spirk: Okay. I -- one of the things I wanted to mention has to do with our restrictive
covenants in Curt Drive and Weaver Acres and the restrictive covenants are on the
records for 40 years. Well, that's 11 years more before they can make any changes
and that affects Weaver Acres, because the fact that they are cutting a road into that
subdivision. So, we need to check on that to see what the restrictive covenants apply to
Weaver Acres in reference to a road cutting into Curt Drive. Thank you.
Zaremba: Thank you. One thing we need to clarify, cities do not enforce restrictive
covenants or CC&Rs, that's a legal issue among the property owners to enforce against
each other and the cities don't take a part of that.
Spirk: Yeah, but you need to be aware of it.
Meridian Planning & Zoning
August4,2005
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Zaremba: We try to be aware of them, but we are not responsible for them. I'd like to
find the person whose first initial is E that hasn't come up. Okay. Let me go on. And
the meeting is open to those who did not sign up as well. And we will now go through
some of those. You do need to identify yourself, please.
Glass: My name is Julie Glass. I live at 3306 North Weston in Sundance. I apologize I
was late, so I didn't sign up. My concern is not only just the road going through, but
those are small small homes. They are asking to reduce the space of the size of the
lots by over 2,000 square feet and they are going to have small driveways and you're
going to have a lot of rentals for sure. Those people are going to park on the street and
that street's already narrower than it's supposed to be. So, if they do what they
propose, you're going to have all kinds of hazards, people parking there, the kids driving
there, too many cars going down the road, as small as it is, the whole thing is just going
to end up being a big mess. Thanks.
Zaremba: Thank you. Let me ask -- before I ask for more speakers, let me ask staff --
that narrow section across this middle throat, which is drawing a lot of attention, if I'm
interpreting the preliminary plat correctly, the lot depths are 80 to 81 feet and, then, the
street section is like 36 feet, so we are --
Borup: Forty, I believe.
Zaremba: Forty. So, that whole section is only like 120 feet -- somebody said he paced
it at 125, but it looks like it's a skimpy 125.
Canning: One hundred twenty-one, it would appear.
Zaremba: Something like that. I just wanted to confirm that, because it's been part of
the discussion.
Canning: They have 33 foot back of curb to back of curb and a 40 foot right of way, so
it's 40 plus the 81.
Zaremba: Okay. All right. Again, people who didn't sign up, if you have something to
add. sir. Come forward.
Martin: Shawn Martin, 3620 North Weston Way. If you could go back to the preliminary
plat. My concern -- my general concern is streets that are this long, 1,400 foot,
approximately, in length, that connect directly to Ustick Road, normally are residential
collectors with no front-on housing. For instance, you know, the Sundance is on the
one side and Heritage Commons, even Arrow Way on the south side of Ustick has the
same principle with no front-on housing. They have attempted to do what the Ada
County Highway District has told them to do. However, as the gentleman said, you
know, you really don't need the traffic islands on the curves themselves. The intention
was more for along on that straight piece of land or somewhere along there. You can't
really get a good close up of the islands from there, but the first island as you come in it
Meridian Planning & Zoning
August 4, 2005
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really almost forces you into the curve, more so than on that lower right-hand. There is
really no tangency between the end of the island and where the road goes. Really, the
only thing it's going to cause some possible accidents is forcing people into the curve as
they go around there. One of the concerns of the Sundance residents from the
beginning was putting the road next to them. They did put it to the other side.
However, as you see at the end of it they have put it back to the Sundance side for the
last couple of people along Weston, which one of them would still have a road behind
them. The other problems I see are the island on Washaki, the first one coming from
Heritage Commons, you can see the -- people just drive around the island. And the
ACHD report had one traffic calmer for the Heritage Commons side, one for Sundance
side is how it was written. The second one, as you see -- I don't know how that does
anything for the Sundance people. It helps, you know, people who are in Heritage
Commons will come down, they will turn left, they'll go by three islands, and people
turning from Sundance, they have no island to go around, except for one that's come
down just right at the very end of Arrowwood Way. You can't really see it on here
either, but the road does wind back to Washaki at the very tip. The roadway doesn't
have any -- basically, it's coming in at an angle, which will also create some problems
trying to get in and out of there as far seeing really need of about a 3D-foot tangency
according to ACHD regulations at the intersection. That's really alii have.
Zaremba: Thank you. Questions? Thank you. Anybody else care to speak? All right.
Thank you. We will ask the applicant to come back up and respond to issues that have
been raised, please.
Nickel: Thank you, Chairman, Commissioners. Appreciate the neighbors' comments.
ACHD, we did --
Canning: Shawn, hold on for a second
Zaremba: Getting too much feedback from the microphone.
Nickel: Again, Mr. Chairman, thank you. We were told by ACHD to provide two to three
calming devices along that stretch -- north-south stretch. We did work with their staff
and came up with those two chokers, in addition to those islands. Islands were,
actually, optional, they gave the opportunity -- the choice whether we wanted to put
those in or not and we chose to put them in just more -- thinking that it was going to be
more of a traffic calming. Obviously, the final design will have to go through ACHD for
approval and if they determine that those islands on the north and south are not safe or
don't meet their policy, we will not be able to build them. But they focused on those two
chokers, which will have landscaping as they choke in. They will have two trees. And
so that was the traffic calming that they approved. We did take that back per their
request. My engineer worked with their staff and that's what they came up with. So, the
highway district has made that decision on that -- on that roadway. And just to clarify,
because I think it's kind of being misunderstood, that is a full 33-foot road section, which
is the same street section that's in most of the subdivisions surrounding this property.
The thing that's been reduced is the right of way. It will still have sidewalk on both sides
Meridian Planning & Zoning
August4,2005
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of that road and it will be a 33 foot wide paved surface. So, we are not reducing the
travel way, we have reduced the right of way within that -- within that strip. Now, the
lots themselves are going to 80 foot in depth, but we are not asking for any reduction in
setbacks through the PD. So, we are still going to have a 15-foot rear, five foot side,
and a 15 foot front yard setback, so --
Borup: Fifteen to the house, 20 to the garage.
Nickel: That is correct.
Borup: So, you have a 20-foot driveway.
Nickel: Fifteen to the living area and 20 to the garage. So, you will not have cars
blocking the sidewalk. ACHD determined that was not to be built -- or necessary as a
collector street. They did insist that that be connected north to south, otherwise, we
would have proposed a cul-de-sac with lots and we wouldn't have connected it through.
Same goes for the Curt access. That's a requirement of ACHD. They want
interconnectivity -- they want interconnectivity to subdivisions. If the folks would like to
go back, I will go back with them and we can try to get that removed. But ACHD is
requiring those connections. So, I tried to help the neighbors go through and get the
access onto Ustick to try to calm some of the traffic on Curt. Apparently I -- apparently
my -- it wasn't appreciated, so that's fine. As far as the speed -- you know, some people
saying they are going to speed down that road, well, that road's going to need to be
connected regardless if those houses are there or not. Again, ACHD is going to require
that connection north and south. Regarding the neighborhood meeting, again, I did
have a neighborhood meeting. I had 21 people show up to this room. I got the list from
the city, so it's the same list that goes out to all the neighbors for this meeting. So, I just
want to confirm that. And, again, the request for reduction in lot sizes is consistent with
what has been approved in the subdivisions -- the three subdivisions that surround it --
that are surrounding this site, which I will also ask for an R-8 with a PD and those did
have the ability -- I know that Heritage Commons did reduce some of their lots within
their -- within their development through that PD process. So, we are not asking for
something that's out of the ordinary. We are providing six percent open space. We do
have a pathway connection into Heritage Commons. I think the real issue is that middle
area and, again, we are reducing the -- we are asking for a 50 foot wide width and the
reduction in the depth to 80 feet and that's still plenty of room to put a full size house
and meet the setbacks. So, that's alii have. I'll stand for any questions.
Zaremba: Commissioners, questions?
Borup: Mr. Chairman, I do have some.
Zaremba: Commissioner Borup.
Meridian Planning & Zoning
August4,2005
Page 32 of 57
Borup: And I don't know if you could answer this or staff, but I want to explore the idea
of a cul-de-sac on that narrow strip. You said you did talk to ACHD? And is there is
maximum length in their requirements on a road that terminates with a cul-de-sac?
Nickel: Oh, it would be probably a city requirement. A fire department requirement,
more than anything else.
Borup: Okay.
Nickel: 'lIlet Anna address that.
Borup: Two hundred and fifty feet is within --
Canning: I believe our standard is no cul-de-sac can be longer than 450 feet.
Borup: Okay. That would be well within -- like you say, they did pursue that with ACHD
on having a cul-de-sac or --
Nickel: No, we did not address that. But they did say they wanted the interconnectivity.
Borup: Well, I know they always want interconnectivity and I certainly agree with you
there. You know, we are only talking about 56 lots at this point here total.
Nickel: Correct.
Borup: It looks to me like there is enough access with the other roads coming from the
north and the south that a cul-de-sac could be feasible.
Nickel: Again, I would have no problem going back to ACHD and requesting that. We
were told initially they want interconnectivity. So, that would be up to them to make that
determination.
Newton-Huckabay: That's what our report says, that ACHD is -- wants the Curt Drive
connectivity in the report and, then, the connectivity to Ustick, so -- but I have to agree
with you.
Borup: Well, that would seem to certainly answer the majority of the concerns for the
neighbors. You may lose a lot or two, I don't know, but, you know, it would have to be
worked out in the design, but --
Nickel: I'm not as worried about that as much as I am the highway district.
Borup: Your cul-de-sacs go down and probably have two lots backing against each at
the ends and those would be a hundred or more apart.
Meridian Planning & Zoning
August4,2005
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Nickel: Right. It does sound like that would -- that would satisfy a lot of the
neighborhoods' concerns if that street didn't go through. I don't know what we want to
propose, because we have already gone through ACHD and they have already made
their decision. I hate to table it again and have to bring everybody back. You know, we
can -- I don't know what you want to propose here.
Canning: Chairman Zaremba?
Zaremba: Can I ask for a second for a view that shows as much of this whole square
mile as possible in orienting where this is in there? What I'm trying to -- okay. That
shows Locust Grove to Meridian. The center point of that mile is about where the word
Ustick Road is. Okay. This to the left of that. That's what I wanted to see. Thank you.
Okay. Commissioners?
Canning: Chairman Zaremba, Members of the Commission?
Zaremba: Yes.
Canning: If -- if the applicant were to take it back to ACHD -- I believe this came up, but
the original proposal they didn't want the connection to Ustick, so if the applicant comes
back with a proposal for a cul-de-sac, the likelihood of them approving the connection to
Ustick is pretty small. And I think we have heard a lot of testimony about how they
didn't want traffic coming that way. I just -- I guess I just wanted the Commission to be
aware of that and some of the public, that if those do go to cul-de-sacs, then, some of
that will be coming out onto Curt Drive, more than likely.
Zaremba: ACHD is going to want some trades here and there.
Canning: Right.
Zaremba: If they lose the access to Ustick.
Canning: That's our --
Zaremba: The traffic count would go down considerably if it's cul-de-sacs.
Canning: Right.
Nickel: And there was talk -- Commissioners, there was talk that that would -- that
would be a good location for a future traffic light if the two -- no. The one where we are
Zaremba: You're speaking to east --
Meridian Planning & Zoning
August 4, 2005
Page 34 of 57
Nickel: No one has promised there is going to be a traffic light there, but they -- there is
a quarter mile section from Locust Grove -- or from Meridian and I guess that's -- but
that's future consideration.
Newton-Huckabay: It would stand to reason for me that down the road that this access
here, Curt Drive, go away and, then, everybody would access here, if there is a light.
Nickel: That's correct.
Newton-Huckabay: And that -- so, you wouldn't have access onto Ustick Road from
Curt Drive anymore.
Nickel: That was the discussion at some point with someone, I recall.
Rohm: I guess my question, Shawn, would be do you have any kind of traffic calming
alternatives that you would be willing to step forward with that would address the
concerns that we have heard from all the other people in the audience? Do you have
any ideas that might be acceptable to your developers?
Nickel: I don't. Anything -- I think anything short of not connecting this north and south,
which would be a major deterrent.
Newton-Huckabay: Can I -- Mr. Chair? May I make a suggestion?
Zaremba: Commissioner Newton-Huckabay.
Newton-Huckabay: My suggestion -- other than I have to tend to agree with
Commissioner Borup that a cul-de-sac -- but, then, again, you do lose what some day is
going to be, you know, a good flow through here. What about putting the islands down
this road, doing some bump outs -- bulb out -- whatever the technical highway term is
for that and maybe you would probably have to lose a couple lots in here, but I think you
would -- that would calm traffic -- I know these -- this is similar to what's over in Cedar
Springs -- is it Cedar Springs that's got the -- at the entrance. Yeah. And you, basically,
have to stop, you know, to get around them, but -- I mean they do slow you way down
there, but maybe some more island type things down the middle.
Nickel: Commissioners, I initially thought the highway district -- that that's what they
were referring to when we did go back, was to do islands and was, actually, surprised
when they decided to go with the choker. So, I guess we could go back and relook at
the possibility of putting the island in the middle that would, you know, act more of a
roundabout, I guess. I mean we don't have room for a real roundabout there, but --
Newton-Huckabay: Right.
Nickel: But I think to answer your question, I think that's the only -- probably the only
thing we could do. And I still don't know if that's going to satisfy the neighbors, having
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that island -- it probably would be better than what we have proposed or what the
highway district has approved, but --
Zaremba: Just pure logic to me would seem that it would make more sense to have the
islands where the pinchers are and not have the pinchers and probably not have islands
in the curves. That almost strikes me as potentially dangerous. I'm surprised at ACHD
for --
Nickel: Mr. Chairman, I guess for the sake of my developer, I guess we need to know
where you're leaning. If you believe that you cannot approve or recommend approval of
this, because of the -- that specific and you would like to make some recommendations
to us, either as a condition or you would like us to bring it back and show, I think that's
probably the proper way to do it. If your intent is to have us put an island or two in
there, I guess that's what we need to -- where we need to head on this. And, then, we
can go back and take a look at that and see if that's possible and if that will even do any
good.
Zaremba: Well, I think we are all understanding the struggle is this narrow strip of land
and what does any developer do with 120 -- or 121 feet. The northern section and the
southern section are pretty typical, but the struggle is this connecting strip in here.
Nickel: And just one further thing, if you do decide to table this for two weeks or
whatever to come back and show you that, maybe in your motion you could also put
that in that time I can go back and address the issue of the cul-de-sacs with the highway
district. Our appeal period is up and so we can't go back and -- to the commissioners,
but we can at least talk to staff and see if they would be supportive of cutting that off. I
already know the answer, but we can do that within that time frame, if that's what you'd
like.
Zaremba: Commissioner Rohm.
Rohm: Personally, I would like to see a little common area, like right here and right
here, and just bump the road out and so it's got a little bulge in it, so that you don't have
that straight stretch through that whole area and I don't know that you would lose lots
specifically, but you --
Borup: Sure, you would.
Rohm: And you probably would.
Moe: I guess what I would anticipate is you would lose a few lots and at that point,
then, you are actually enlarging a few others, you know, to make some difference. I
think some of these lots are fairly small. Maybe we could get a little bit of participation
both ways, we get the islands in there and we lose a few lots and make the others a
little larger and try and take care of a couple concerns here.
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Nickel: So, if I'm understanding you, 'more of a -- kind of a snake --
Rohm: Exactly. Because as long as you don't have that straight stretch the entire
length, you're not going to be able to have that speed -- as much of a speed concern.
Nickel: What thing I would again -- and staff would need to examine this, but you would
lose the ability for the frontage on those. Just something to point out for future --
Rohm: It depends on how you position the -- as you see the lot lines running east and
west, you could have a bump out where half of it is on one lot and half of it is on the
other, so you still have a -- where the roadway actually is on the property line for a
portion of each of those lots.
Zaremba: If I'm interpreting the suggestion, there would be three sections where it
pretty well stays where it is and two sections where it's maybe 20 feet away from the
property line, so that there is --
Rohm: Exactly.
Zaremba: We are not talking about moving the whole road, we are talking about
making two -- somebody called them snakes.
Nickel: And this -- obviously, this line right here is permanent, that's where it's going to
have to stay and, then, at that point I guess it could come up here a little more before it
bends over. I don't know. My engineer will have to play with it and see if he can make it
work.
Newton-Huckabay: Well, Mr. Nickel, at this point it's awkward, it's a bad situation, but
that would be the direction I would lean, is I wouldn't -- I would not vote in favor of this
development as it stands today. And my only problem is with that long neck there.
Although, I do feel cutting out Curt would have been a good idea, but I think that
something like a snake or a traffic bulb out is a better --
Nickel: As opposed to have big island in the middle?
Rohm: Right.
Nickel: Okay.
Newton-Huckabay: You know, either one of those would -- you know, you're talking
about 400 feet -- was it 900 feet, approximately? A thousand? So, at the 500-foot
mark, about?
Moe: Eight fifty-two.
Newton-Huckabay: Eight fifty-two? So, 426.
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Nickel: Yeah. I don't know if we have the ability to -- even to bulb that out in the middle
and do a one way going around -- one way going the other way or not. I guess you
need to make a decision as to, you know, how you want us to proceed and let us go
back -- either let us go back or --
Borup: Mr. Chairman?
Zaremba: Commissioner Borup.
Borup: A couple questions. Are you familiar with any of the ACHD studies on which is
most effective on traffic calming? And I know the chokers work from the reports I have
read. I don't know if a circle -- you know, a large bulb out, if it works better than the
chokers, or they are about the same. Staff didn't mention anything on what's most
effective.
Nickel: I wasn't at the last meeting. They are the ones that made that recommendation
for the chokers and it was their commission's instructions to slow down the traffic.
Borup: Right. I know they do that. I mean I read the reports where they do that.
Nickel: Yeah.
Borup: I don't know which one -- which one works better than the other. There might
be somebody in the audience that does.
Moe: Mr. Chairman?
Zaremba: Commissioner Moe.
Moe: I think the applicant's engineer is raising his hand. He may have some comment
to this discussion. Can we have him come up?
Zaremba: Well, let's ask a question. Would you, please, identify yourself.
Erickson: My name is Ross Erickson. I'm the developer's engineer. I'm at 1854 East
Lanark in Meridian. Mr. Chairman, Members of the Commission, I can speak towards
kind of how those chokers came about. I met with ACHD development services and
traffic and we looked at different alternatives as far as putting islands in there and the
challenge is getting an efficient shift. In order to calm traffic with an island, you have to
shift, you know, at least probably ten, eleven, twelve feet with each lane to get an
effective measure and they felt that the chokers would be more effective in this
application than trying to put islands in. The challenge is each time you try to swerve
that road out and get -- you know, meet your radius and your tangent design
requirements, you end up eating up -- you probably couldn't even fit two in there
meeting the requirements with the length that we have, as far as trying to get the
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geometry for the roadway. So, their staff, actually, suggested that we put those in and
landscape them with some trees. They said they have been effective in other
developments and we ran with it, we thought that it was a good fit for this project, since
it is such a unique strip along there. There is just not a lot of options in what we can do.
Like Shawn mentioned and ACHD traffic staff felt that, you know, leaving those islands
at the ends would help a little bit, although it wasn't required. We left them in there. We
thought it did offer a little bit more of a circuitous route for the cars, you know, at each
end. I think if you look at the tangent length there between the south end of the top
curve and the north end of the south curve, it's about 870 feet and in that length we do
have two chokers, so if you break that down to, you know, 200 and some feet between
the chokers, so it doesn't really give an opportunity for, you know, vehicles to speed
excessively, although I'm sure people will, as they do down every street. But I think
ACHD staff recognized the conditions and kind of the hindrances of this strip and what
we can do with it and what we can't do with it and they felt that using the chokers would
be the best application for this. They actually preferred the chokers over the island.
Rohm: Possibly an additional choker right in the middle, then?
Erickson: You know, that's something we can look at. You know, if -- the chokers are
easy to adapt on this other development. It's an in-fill project, we are dealing with a
narrow strip, and you try to get a significant curvature in a road, it really limits what you
can do and presents hardship for what you can do for lot layouts, common lots, and
even just the roadway geometry in meeting some of the standards. If we needed to, we
could add, you know, another choker -- we could add two more chokers in there if that --
you know, if the Commission thought that that would enhance the traffic calming on that
strip. The chokers that we show now, like I say, they are common lots, they will be
landscaped and irrigated, so they are not going to be eye sores, they will look nice
and -,;,
Rohm: I think the -- to encapsulate the concerns of the public has been that this stretch
is too long without any calming -- traffic calming device and if you can put additional
chokers in -- if, in fact, chokers work as well as islands, then -- and Ada County
Highway District knows this probably better than we, but if you can put additional
chokers in that will do that traffic calming that will help alleviate some of the concerns of
the public.
Erickson: I think it will. The reason why we went with two is that's what came from the
discussion with ACHD staff. They thought that two would be necessary on this tangent
length of road. So, that's why we ended up with two. And end up with, you know, 200
and some odd feet between them. If needed to add another and reduce that spacing,
we could certainly do that and provide even tangent sections between the chokers
along that stretch. And I don't know if you guys would feel more comfortable with one or
two or --
Newton-Huckabay: How wide is the choker, each one?
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August 4, 2005
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Erickson: There is a 20-foot clear between the faces of the curb, so you have got two
ten foot lanes at the choker locations. That's the fire department requirement for a
minimum width.
Newton-Huckabay: So, the choker is -- each one of them is like six feet wide? If you
reduce it from 33 --
Erickson: Thirty-three, twenty -- yeah. Six and a half feet.
Newton-Huckabay: Six and a half feet wide.
Zaremba: Review with me a little bit of the discussion that this --- and it was mentioned
by someone from the audience, whether you call this road a collector or not, it really
functions as a collector for not only the northern portion of this development, but the
surrounding developments, and the issue raised is the 17 or 19, I think it is, properties
that will have to back into this street and the point was made that on something we
really call a collector we don't allow driveways onto it and this, to me, seems to qualify
as a collector, even though it's not being called that. Review with me some of the
discussion that ACHD had with you about that.
Erickson: They, actually, just told me what the classification was and as far as their
collector classification, they recognize that there are homes fronting this road and they
didn't take it lightly either, you know, that they did suggest that traffic calming would be
necessary to try to keep trips or cars traveling down the street, the speeds down as
much as they could, and that's why you don't see a lot of collector-type streets with
traffic calming like this on roads. That's the purpose of the calming is to really make an
effort to get the speeds down of the cars coming through there and I think it's an
effective design. I think with the limitations that we have and the sizes and things and
the amount of traffic calming that we are -- that we can provide and, you know, if it
would make the public more comfortable, we could put a couple additional chokers in.
Rohm: I'm not sure that additional chokes is as appropriate as where they are located
and if you were to move one of the chokers north to about here and bring this other
choker down to about here, theh, you're splitting the whole --
Erickson: That's where we have them.
Rohm: Oh, there is a choker right there? I was thinking it was right there. With
possibly an additional choker right here.
Erickson: I think if we were to add an additional choker, we would probably want to
push it north and south and distribute the tangents evenly. I think that's the point that
you're trying to make.
Rohm: The point is you don't want to give a long stretch that the traffic can speed up.
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Erickson: Right. Right.
Borup: Can you discuss any conversation you had with ACHD on the double cul-de-
sac? Was that even discussed with them or they said they wanted a through street and
it was dropped?
Erickson: Yeah. Commissioner Borup, from the word go with our predevelopment
meeting it was a through street requirement. So, that's kind of what we based -- I think
this is about the sixth rendition of this project and this is what we have ended up with
after a lot of meetings and a lot of planning and --
Borup: So, it sounds like it really wasn't discussed to try to be pushed, then?
Erickson: It wasn't pushed.
Borup: Okay. Thank you.
Newton-Huckabay: I think I would still like to see something in the center, some kind of
a knuckle of some sort. I mean I hate to do one --
Zaremba: I'm sorry, I'm not hearing you.
Newton-Huckabay: Some kind of an island in the middle of the -- that dissects that --
that 850 feet and, then, move the pinchers off north and south. I mean you could put
one --
Zaremba: Are you suggesting one island in the middle and the pinchers shift a little bit?
Newton-Huckabay: Yes.
Zaremba: Is that what you are --
Newton-Huckabay: Yeah. Or -- yeah. And take out -- you know, lose three -- take
three lots out and make -- you know, and, then, you get some bigger lots, because--
Zaremba: They'd still be 80 feet deep, but some of them would be 90 wide, instead of
55 wide or --
Newton-Huckabay: Right.
Zaremba: Seventy-five wide, something like that.
Newton-Huckabay: Right. And I think the -- that would be the most likely to flow with
the north and south development and --
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Rohm: Can you accommodate an island and still be able to split three lots into two and
be able to meet your radius that you're talking from a -- the curvature of the road?
Erickson: Commissioner Rohm, I think it's going to be more than -- you know, each of
those lots -- I believe they show up as 50 or 55 feet wide.
Newton-Huckabay: Yeah.
Erickson: They are probably going to talk about four or five lots in order give a
significant shift in the road. But that's why we steered away from islands in this narrow
stretch and the reason why is to have an effective island you need to have a major shift
in the road for traffic to actually have to look, turn, and turn around the island, or go
through a long curve. And that's why ACHD staff, they suggested not to do islands,
they suggested to do these chokers instead.
Borup: Can you do the same radius as you do -- as they do on the roundabouts?
Erickson: I guess you could. Roundabout radiuses are significantly larger than an
island.
Borup: Are they?
Erickson: Yeah.
Borup: They didn't seem much more than through an intersection. A little bit more, but
not that much more it didn't seem like.
Erickson: Yeah. It would be tough to fit the roundabout in that --
Borup: Okay. I thought maybe the roundabout radius might be smaller.
Erickson: No. Huh-uh.
Newton-Huckabay: Well, my original comment --
Borup: I don't mean a roundabout, I mean just the radius on a bulb out.
Newton-Huckabay: As it's designed today, I, myself, will be -- not vote to recommend
approval to the City Council. So, irregardless of whether an island is a good idea
according to ACHD -- you know, I don't like the way it looks, I think the homeowners
have good points. I'm not so against the idea of putting a parkway through there and --
you know, because like Chairman Zaremba said, it acts like a collector street, whether
you want it to be a collector street or not, you know, it's going to be a collector street of
some sort and so I think that it's going to warrant maybe a little bit of extraordinary effort
to make it, you know, a slow collector street and my -- without some change like that or
recommended change like that, I will -- I will not vote to approve it to City Council.
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Erickson: To make sure I understand what you're saying, Commissioner Huckabay,
you'd like to see an island in the center of that stretch.
Newton-Huckabay: That would be my -- and, then, move the two pinchers down, would
be I think -- you're the engineer, I'm the Planning and Zoning Commissioner, but
something like that. And, yes, you may have to lose some lots, but it's going to increase
the lot size, it's going to increase the lot value, so I mean at the end of the day I think it
could all work. That's what I'm saying. And end of comment.
Zaremba: And along that same line, just to consider this, if -- the way I'm reading it,
there are 18 building lots --
Erickson: There are 14.
Borup: -- the one at the north end is pretty sizable, but --
Newton-Huckabay: Those are common lots one, one in each --
Erickson: There are 14 along that--
Zaremba: Okay. So, we have -- that makes sense. It says common lot right next to
them. Sorry about that. So, 16 building lots?
Erickson: I believe there is 14.
Zaremba: Fourteen. And I agree that that -- even with the pinchers, that long stretch
and cars backing out there, it's terribly uncomfortable not to have some variation in it
somewhere and I think along the lines of what Commissioner Newton-Huckabay, is
about the center of it to either -- the difficulty with an island, it doesn't do anything for the
northbound lanes. Put an island in, the northbound lanes stay where they are.
Borup: That's if the straightaway --
Zaremba: -- so the lane shift. So, I -- my feeling is there needs to be a 20 foot shift in
the road right in the middle and widen a few of the building lots and maybe end up
instead of having 16 of them, there is 13 of them, but they are wider and that one spot
the road actually shifts and I realize you can't shift the road in two feet, it's going to take
the space of maybe three of these lots, but if they are making -- if we are making them
wider, it still leaves people backing out into the street, but if you calm it considerably, to
me -- and my instinct is we would not be doing the right thing for Meridian to approve it
as is, unfortunately. And our suggestions again -- well, let me get a consensus. If most
of us are comfortable with the north end and the south end, ACHD has said the cross-
road at the south end has to connect and I think that will, eventually, be an advantage to
the people outside of this subdivision as well, but our main concern is this difficult
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August 4, 2005
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stretch through the middle that's 121 feet wide. I see heads nodding, so we are all
focusing on the same area, otherwise, the other parts of it can be pretty typical.
Rohm: And I guess along those lines, if, in fact, you put the -- if you put a swerve in the
road in the middle of that section, it almost eliminates the need for the chokers and you
can't -- over 300 feet, you're not going to get those higher speeds, so maybe that's kind
of the compromise going the other direction is that you put the -- change the road's
location and lose some lots and the chokers, I personally -- I think the chokers are a
traffic hazard myself. And so to change the location of the road might be a better
answer from everybody's perspective.
Zaremba: And just off the top of your head, if -- what did we say, the whole length of
this was 850 feet, something like --
Erickson: Yeah. A little more, but -- 70, 80 feet --
Zaremba: If we said the roadway had to shift, you wouldn't want it to shift, so that the
southbound lane ended up being where the northbound lane is. If you're going to shift it
at all, you need to shift it at least 25 feet.
Erickson: You actually look at the lane shift. It depends, you know, if we put an island
in or if we don't, if we actually add some curvature to the road. I think it sounds like the
goal here is traffic calming and with that the curvature of the road would accomplish
that.
Zaremba: So, that -- if the center of that curvature was at 420 feet up, how long does it
take you to get from the property line as drawn into that curvature?
Erickson: You're talking about lineal footage?
Zaremba: Tell me the curve from when you begin the curve to when you get to the
maximum --
Erickson: Shift?
Zaremba: -- displacement. Shift. Shift in the curb, how long does that need to be?
Erickson: It's really a function of how you shift. If we shift like say 11 feet or 12 feet or
until we do half the roadway, we do 16 and a half feet, we can look at -- I can talk to
ACHD staff and see what kind of a shift they will allow us to do and see if there is
something we can work out with them with their staff to get the shift as compressed as
we can, but yet still be effective to have a curve in the road.
Zaremba: I guess what I'm getting at is some kind of a -- if we are going to bother to
make a suggestion at all, are we going to have a 300 foot right of way and, then, 200
foot involved in this shift and, then, another 300 feet, is that--
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August4,2005
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Erickson: I'm just going to say it's going to take a couple hundred feet to do it. Probably
200 feet or 300 feet.
Zaremba: That works for me. That would mean there would be a couple lots there that
may end up not being build-able, but --
Erickson: Probably about six.
Zaremba: Nice landscaping would be a good addition. Is this the kind of -- would we
like to see something like that? Is that what we are talking about or are we even close
to --
Canning: Chairman Zaremba?
Zaremba: Okay. Mrs. Canning.
Canning: I'm sorry. You seem to be going a direction that worries me a little bit, in that I
think although -- I think Commissioner Borup pointed out that chokers are probably
more effective than a landscape island here. Part of that reason is that once you put a
landscape island in, you've got to get 20 feet for the fire department on either side. So,
you actually have a wider travel way that allows you to go faster. It seems
counter-intuitive, but, actually, putting the landscape islands in allows more room for
people to go -- the more room you give them, the faster they will go. If you suggest
changes that effectively eliminate the ability to have lots on this area, which I know the
neighbors are in favor, but those houses actually will decrease speeds. So, if you
effectively remove all the lots here by making them un-buildable, then, people will drive
faster along here, because there is no houses to worry about. There is driveways. It
would seem to me that the Commission could maybe just leave a little more flexibility in
their directions to the applicant to maybe work up a couple more schemes and bring
them back to you for further consideration, rather than trying to design it tonight,
because I think that once pencil is put to paper that we will find that some of these don't
work very good and there may be some other options. And that's all I was hoping I
could communicate.
Zaremba: Thank you for that, that is --
Borup: Mr. Chairman?
Zaremba: Commissioner Borup.
Borup: I have the same feeling on the island. I think a peninsula or, you know, a large
bulb out on one side, otherwise, you have just opened up more traffic area. I do have
another -- and this may be a little -- a little irregular and I don't know how much weight it
will carry with ACHD, but I would be interested in maybe just a quick show of hands
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from the audience if they would prefer a cul-de-sac and not have a through street, or
this large island or bulb out calming device. Just one or other. There are two choices.
Zaremba: I would be willing to ask that and let me phrase it this way: If that long
stretch was to be opposing cul-de-sacs, then, we assume the direct access to Ustick
goes away and they are going to use Curt as the entrance to the southern cul-de-sac.
Borup: It sounds like that's what ACHD is saying.
Zaremba: And with that is there a show of hands that anybody feels that's what they'd
like to see? I see not a single hand raised and see some --
Borup: The question was the double cul-de-sac; there is nobody in favor of that?
Zaremba: I'm sorry; we can't have discussion from the audience.
Newton-Huckabay: ACHD's statement is that access to Ustick would go to Curt if there
was no straight through. So, that is the only option.
Borup: I think we need to have both subdivisions vote separately.
Zaremba: So, we don't have support for the cul-de-sacs given the change.
Borup: So what's this vote on? I just didn't hear what your vote was -- what are you
asking for?
Zaremba: What I asked is assuming that the access to Ustick would go away and Curt
would be used, was there support for the two cul-de-sacs and I saw heads shaking no
and no hands raised. A couple of hands.
Borup: Four for the cul-de-sac.
Zaremba: Well, then, my suggestion would be -- it sounds like the consensus of the
Commission is that we ask for maybe two or three optional treatments for this or
reasons why ACHD won't accept them or -- and do we want to ask for further -- another
neighborhood meeting before it comes back to us?
Borup: To do what?
Zaremba: To discuss the treatment of the narrow section.
Newton-Huckabay: I think the neighborhood meeting -- the second neighborhood
meeting was pretty effective in the EI Gato situation and this isn't -- as Mr. Morrison
pointed out, that -- you know, I mean I expected when I saw EI Gato on the docket
tonight that here we go again and, obviously, that neighborhood meeting was very
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effective and I don't think it's a bad idea in this situation either. It might save us two
hours next time.
Zaremba: Let me suggest that the chair would entertain a motion to continue these
hearings and request that in the meantime the applicant hold another neighborhood
meeting -- first, provide some alternate suggestions is for the one strip that's in
contention, hold a neighborhood meeting about those suggestions, before it comes
back to us. I see some heads nodding. Is that a consensus?
Newton-Huckabay: Yes. For me.
Zaremba: The question would be for us where would we want to put that and, then, for
the applicant could they make some alternate drawings and have a neighborhood
meeting before the time that we suggest. Anybody want to propose a date?
Rohm: Well, before we propose a date --
Zaremba: Or do we want to --
Rohm: Well, I think that's the direction we need to go, but I also think that none of this is
of any value if we don't get concurrence from Ada County Highway District. So, if the
developer and the community meeting come to one conclusion and Ada County
Highway District doesn't buy off on it, you haven't moved forward, so --
Zaremba: Well, I think we can signal the ACHD that our Planning and Zoning
Commission is not buying this configuration. There needs to be something else.
Rohm: Okay.
Zaremba: So, that message can be --
Rohm: Yeah. I think the developer needs to get alternatives from ACHD that are
acceptable within that venue prior to having the community meeting, so that the
alternatives can be discussed. That would --
Zaremba: Be possible.
Rohm: Yeah. Would be possible.
Zaremba: That makes sense.
Rohm: So, with that being said, we should probably move it out--
Zaremba: Could we ask Mr. Nickel if he could suggest a time frame?
Nickel: When is your next--
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August 4, 2005
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Zaremba: We are suggesting that you provide a couple drawings, consult with ACHD
again and, then, hold a neighborhood meeting before the continuation date. How long
do you think some of that would take? And we are only talking about the strip in the
middle. The north and south portions are --
Nickel: Now, Mr. Chairman, when you say meet with ACHD, what are you expecting to
get from them? I mean we can't go back to their Commission, so it would be staff's -- I
guess staff -- a letter from staff, is that what you're indicating?
Zaremba: We would need their input on your alternates to this.
Nickel: Okay. We can do that in a relatively--
Zaremba: And I --
Nickel: . We could do that pretty quickly.
Zaremba: I realize they have -- as you say, there is a time for appealing what their
commission does.
Nickel: Right.
Zaremba: But I think the point is this Commission would recommend denial of it as is
and that's a point you need to make to them. That this section needs to be reconfigured
somehow.
Nickel: And I guess I need to restate myself. I know we can reconfigure it with staff and
get them to accept it. The only thing I am concerned with is if we were to do the two
cul-de-sac concept, because of their policy that requires --
Zaremba: Yeah. I didn't see support for the two cul-de-sacs.
Nickel: Okay. But -- I know we can get to staff -- ACHD staff and come up with an
alternative within that time fame, so --
Zaremba: And I think it's a consensus that you may end up losing not very many, but a
few of the 16 lots. I don't have a problem with making them wider, you know, to --
Moe: Quite frankly, a little additional square footage is going to help it out as well. It's
going to get it a little closer to, you know, your basic requirements.
Rohm: What date?
Nickel: Two weeks we can have this resolved.
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August4,2005
Page 48 of 57
Moe: The 18th is a little full. I think the 1 st of September would be the earliest we
would want to see that.
Zaremba: I'm trying to think of the stack of things I have -- that would be work. Yeah.
Newton-Huckabay: They are all this big.
Zaremba: Is the 1 st of September workable? Thank you.
Nickel: Mr. Chairman, Commission, with that time frame I'm hopeful that we can have it
resolved and when we come back it will be a quick meeting. In your motion, though, if
there is anything else in addition to that that you want to discuss, please, let us know
now, so if there is anything else we need to look at, we can have that addressed.
Moe: Mr. Chairman, I guess the other thing I would question -- because I did hear some
of the folks in the audience did not get notification of the meeting, so I kind of want to
make sure that all in attendance are given the opportunity to be at this neighborhood
meeting, so I guess that means we need to put a piece of paper out and so we get all
addresses or whatever. I want to make sure that they get that opportunity to be at this
neighborhood meeting.
Nickel: Mr. Chairman, I believe I could -- if I could get a copy of the sign-up sheet from
the clerk, we can use that as part of our mailing list, in addition to the 300-foot radius
that we already have.
Moe: Right.
Zaremba: Well -- and we encourage homeowners to include their neighbors. If you get
a notice, check and see if your neighbor did. There is a legal requirement to notify
people within 300 feet. If you live beyond that, then, you need to have heard from your
neighbors or, you know, tell the president of your homeowners association and hope
they will get the word out to it, so --
Borup: Or read the sign.
Zaremba: Uh?
Borup: That's another reason why there is signage out.
Zaremba: Yes.
Newton-Huckabay: But that wouldn't be for the neighborhood meeting, though.
Borup: No.
Zaremba: Okay.
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August4,2005
Page 49 of 57
Newton-Huckabay: Mr. Chair, I just have one more comment. Mr. Nickel just -- if this is
all we are going to discuss when we come back, to, please, make sure -- was there
something, Mr. Nickel, that you are concerned that we didn't address that we are going
to need to get to at the next meeting?
Zaremba: Yeah. I do want to make sure we have covered all the issues that -- so we
aren't raising new issues at the next meeting.
Newton-Huckabay: Right. And the only other one I can think of was the R-8 zoning,
which with the adjustments we have suggested, I am not overly concerned about it
myself, but I would --
Moe: I guess I would say I'm not too concerned with that either. And, not only that, we,
basically, are in an R-8 zone within that area in the Comp Plan, so I think the
combination of losing a few lots and we are going to gain some footage in others, I think
that's going to take care of that problem itself.
Newton-Huckabay: I agree.
Moe: So, having said that, Mr. Chairman?
Zaremba: Commissioner Moe.
Moe: I move that we -- what do I move? I move that we continue the hearings on AZ
05-026, PP 05-025, and CUP 05-033, to the regularly scheduled meeting of the
Planning and Zoning Commission of September 1 st, 2005.
Rohm: Second.
Zaremba: We have a motion and a second. All in favor say aye. Anyopposed? That
motion carries.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Zaremba: Thank you all very much. Traditionally, we take a break about 9:00 o'clock.
We will do so now and reconvene in about ten minutes.
(Recess.)
Item 13:
Public Hearing: MCU 05-001 Request for a Minor Modification of a
Conditional Use Permit to allow model homes to be constructed with zero
lot frontages for Paramount Subdivision No.9 by Paramount
Development, Inc. - south of Chinden Boulevard between North Meridian
Road & North Linder Road: