HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-07-19 Amy Naseath
Charlene Way
From:Amy N <amynaseath@gmail.com>
Sent:Monday, July 19, 2021 7:17 PM
To:City Clerk
Subject:High Density Development across from South YMCA
External Sender - Please use caution with links or attachments.
To the City of Meridian Council Members, Zoning and Planning Committee Members, Mayor, et al;
I am deeply troubled about the current application filed by Engineering Solutions regarding the property located on
Amity Road and Howry Lane/Hillsdale Avenue. There are several points of concern for me which I will list below.
First, the application submitted claims that there are 2 crosswalks to Hillsdale Elementary. This is not the case. There is 1
crosswalk in the Century Farms neighborhood directly in front of Hillsdale Creek Elementary; Hillsdale Creek
neighborhood children walk to this crosswalk in order to get to school. There is a HUGE blindspot in the road for people
who jaywalk in front of the YMCA and this will be a problem for children coming from high density housing because it is
a problem now for the pedestrians who traverse there regularly throughout the day despite speeding cars and delivery
trucks and construction vehicles who do not have the ability to stop safely to avoid hitting a child in the road. If one is
crossing the street by the Hillsdale Creek entrance it is impossible to see if there are southbound cars in front of the
YMCA. If one is crossing in front of the YMCA it is impossible to see northbound cars in front of the Hillsdale Creek
entrance. Having high density housing there will only triple the chances of a pedestrian-related car accident because
there is no safe way to cross to the school without walking all the way to the Century Farms crosswalk.
Second, there is a worsening drought in the state of Idaho; lack of rainfall and snowfall has decreased available water in
warm months for heavily populated areas. Underground water reservoirs have not been able to recharge for 2 reasons;
first, there is decreased precipitation with no sign that Idaho will see an increase in precipitation any time soon and
second, increased asphalt, cement, and buildings which cover the surface of the earth on open land block precipitation
from being absorbed into the earth. With the recent population boom Meridian has seen an increase in buildings and
roads which translates into a loss for ability for underground reservoirs to recharge. Residents in Meridian and Boise and
other cities in Treasure Valley are reporting an increase in the number of wells that have dried up, and the number of
homes which are waterless with no relief in sight.
I understand that fields slated for buildings will be built upon; however, higher density housing covers more of the earth
than lower density housing. Homes built on Amity decades ago have wells and many of those residents are now on fixed
incomes. What will be the city's response to them when they wake up to find their home has no water availability due to
the underground reservoir being dried up and the well diggers are scheduled 9-12 months in advance with a minimum
cost of $300,000 per well? Will the city pay for water utility extensions to these older properties? Please consider the
long-term ramifications of high density housing on everyone, including those who were here first even decades ago.
Single-family homes with front and back yards have more availability for precipitation to be absorbed by the earth for
recharging underground reservoirs. Drought-savvy landscaping and xeriscaping offer little tax on water systems while
still allowing the natural water cycles which have occurred here for hundreds of years to continue. High-density housing
means one thing in this regard: little or no room for precipitation to be absorbed, and increased tax on available water
supplies due to the fact that there will be so many households crammed into the housing space.
I thank you for considering these concerns.
Amy Naseath
Hillsdale Creek subdivision resident
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