HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-01-04 David Palumbo January 8, 2021 RECEIVED
JAN 15 2021
Robert Simison Mayor CITY OF MERIDIAN
City of Meridian MAYOR'S OFFICE
33 E. Broadway Avenue
Meridian, Idaho 83642
RE: Amity Road and Eagle Road
Firenze Place TECC-2020-0002
Mr. Mayor Simison:
I have been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to read your comments regarding the enclosed letter I sent
you prior to your September 22 and 29, 2020 public hearings on the subject real estate project. To date,
I have not received any requested reply for me to eagerly read!
In regard to the 344'written notification development code....please consider the fact that more
residence outside the 300' notice area are impacted by a real estate development project than those
within the 300' area. Common sense concludes you,the planning&zoning commission, city council
and the project owners/developers are just as responsible to those outside 300'as those within 300'.
Are not those most impacted by a real estate project: ie, within and without any 300' limit and those
who utilize the area travel routes should be notified in writing to insure full intelligence is obrained
before making any rational decision on a real estate project or oither significant city activity?
The City of Boise is considering increasing the written notice requirement from 300'to 500'. I believe
this idea is a good start; however, does not adequately resolve the issue. Because more
residence/commercial property owners outside the 3007500' are impacted in any real estate project than
within those parameters. The City of Boise is also considering increasing and decreasing the size of
certain signage at potential real estate project sites. My conclusion is all signage needs to be larger
with increased readable print. It is very difficult to drive along a road at 25-35 mph and read those
signs. Typically, stopping to read the sign makes it very dangerous to the driver and other traffic.
Legal notices in the newspaper are a worthless option given the decline in readership and"who reads
the legal pages."
I have noticed real estate activity directly behind the storage unit project on the southeast corner of
Amity Road and Eagle Road. When was this development reviewed by the City's P&Z and City
Council? Why was the written notices of the public hearings not sent to me as an impacted resident?
Did you notice some of the concrete pads on the north side of the storage unit project are relatively
close to Amity Road? The required widening ofAmity Road will require those new storage units and
metal Idaho Power poles to be relocated.
Again, please do not atto`u my not living in the City of Meridian as a reason for your not seriously
considering my comments.
T von a d Big n Pea 1 New Year,
v' alumbo
11249 W. Highlander Road
Boise, Idaho 83709
Robert Simison, Mayor
City of Meridian
33 E. Broadway Avenue
Meridian,Idaho 83642
RE: Public Hearings scheduled for September 22, 2020 and September 29, 2020
Amity Road and Eagle Road
Firenze Place TECC-2020-0002
Ms. Mayor Simisow
This communication relates to your Public Hearings, scheduled for September 22, 2020 and September
29, 2020.. The specific agenda items relate to properties located on the.northwest corner of Amity
Road and Eagle Road.
I and my family have lived at 11249 Highlander Road,Boise, Idaho since April, 1979. This is
approximately I to 1.5 miles east of the location of the real estate under discussion at the two
referenced public hearings noted above. Given the proposed size and extreme proposed activity of this
development, the referenced Public Hearing and all other related meetings violates Idaho Code; Title
67; State Government and State Affairs; Chapter 65; Local Land Use Planning; which specifically
states".....and any additional area that may be substantially impacted by the proposed special use
determinded bthe commission....;" which relates to the mailing of notices of public hearings, etc. As I
am an active utilizer of Amity Road between our home and Nampa, and although we Iive more than
300 feet from the subject projects, these projects definitely impact us and our neighborhoods based
upon the amount of additional auto/truck traffic created and other effects of residential and commercial
development in southwest Boise/Ada County. I have witnessed the consistant violation of Idaho Code
by the City of Meridian,Ada County, City of Boise and ACHD. Any communication I have shared
with these entities have been generally ignored. Therefore, it must be concluded that my understanding
of Idaho Code is correct and these govermental agencies have consistantly chose not to honor and
respect the residents living and working in the Treasure Valley. Until communication regarding these
projects are sent to all the residents truly impacted (two/three or more miles in all direction from the
Amity Road and Eagle Road intersection); you mast discontinue deliberation of the merits/negative
impact of these and all projects on the citizens you were elected to serve. Please review the City of
Meridian's Mission, Vision and Values statement.
Additionally, the City of Meridian has violated the above Idaho Code on most of the real estate projects
on the eastern side of the City's boundries. It is evident this has become a willful decision to ignore
Idaho Code and the spirit of any meeting notice requirements..
I have previously written to the City of Meridian regarding developments in this general area
requesting projects be approved pending the full development of the needed roadways to support all of
the development in this general four/five mile area. The fact you and the Meridian City
Council/Planning&Zoning Division have ignored the need to provide written invitations to public
hearings beyond the insane 300 foot code/regulation/rule reflects a failure on your part to consider the
impact needs upon all residents to the referenced project location. The lack of sensitivity to existing
residences is a major deficiency of the decision makers witlrin governmental entities.
Common sense indicates most real estate developments seriously impact land owners beyond 300 feet.
It is apparent that projects are not evaluated to determine impact beyond the 300 feet. It is apparent
that project owners, engineers, planning and zoning commissions, city councils, county commissioners,
etc. do not want to know the true and full impact of real estate projects on land owners beyond 300 feet.
Gaining the necessary and complete intelligence to make the best decision does not appear to be an
important element of the decision makers. Notices in the legal section of newspapers(who is reading
newspapers these days?) and signage(cannot be read at 35 mph and extremely unsafe to stop on the
street to read) near project sites do not inform all of the land owners potentially impacted by real estate
development. This may be the codeAaw; however, does not satisfy the spirit of the code/law or the
"Mission and Values" of the decision makers. Please ehange the 300 foot written notice requirement to
a correct evaluation of proposed impact of a project in order for you to properly serve your consituents
and those living outside your City. To do otherwise reflects a serious lack of commen sense in
managing real estate development.
A fixture public hearing for a project called Pura Vida Ridge Ranch is of the size and impact that also
should require written notices to all propery owners two to three miles around the site.
I have never found a source where all commercial and residential projects in planning, approval and
under construction between Meridian Road and Cole Road south(to beyond the Snake River) of the
interstate has been fully detailed to understand the true impact on existing property owners of current
and future construction activity. This study must be done reflecting all communities and the County to
insure full understanding by all governmental decision and developers.
The fact that impact fees collected by ACHD will be placed into their"general' fund and not
specifically utilized for traffic chaos remediation at this intersection is a planning engineering"mortal
sin." The subject project impact funds being utilized to pay for previously approved projects in other
areas of Ada County and area communities hoping a future project in some other areas of Ada County
and other communities are collected to pay for the remodel of the Eagle Road/Amity Road intersection
and Amity Road east and west over the next five years is insane. By approving projects in this area
without requiring ACHD spending funds collected from the subject area projects,Ada County
Commissioners,ACP&Z,ACHD and area communities are materially and practically guilty of the
"lack of infrastruture" problems discussed by all living in the County. ACHD is committing the crime
of"diversion of funds" comparable to a Ponzi Scheme that would make Bernie Madoff proud.
Please s etter with the members of the City of Meridian Planning ing and City Council
memo eagerly await your reply of your plan to institute the above actions.
T ank you and Peace,
Mvid`E. Palum o
11249 Highlander Road, Boise, Idaho 83709
208-440-1736
cc: Kendra Kenyon, Chair of the Board, Ada County Commissioners,
200 W. Front Street, Boise, Idaho 83702