HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-10-21 Kayla Nelson
Charlene Way
From:Kayla Nelson <nelson.kayla15@gmail.com>
Sent:Thursday, October 21, 2021 2:34 PM
To:City Clerk
Subject:Centerville Development concerns and opposition
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To whom it may concern,
Regrettably, I will be unable to attend the in-person hearing this evening and express my opposition regarding the
Centerville Development on the corner of Amity Rd and Hillsdale Ave. I grew up on 5 acres just half a mile from this
proposed subdivision at the end of E Zaldia Lane. My parents still live on their 5 acres on Zaldia Lane. When my parents
first built their home 20 years ago, South Meridian was nothing but corn and wheat fields.
I realize that growth in the area is unavoidable. However, it is the amount of high density housing proposed in the
Centerville Development that concerns me. Hillsdale Elementary is already crowded. The Centerville Development can't
guarantee that there will even be room at the surrounding schools to handle the influx of students, having stated before
that "it may be necessary to bus students to available classrooms across the district".
An additional concern is that the Centerville Development will not match the existing character of the
surrounding neighborhoods. To the east is Rock Hampton, which homes were built over 20 years ago. The Rock
Hampton homes that will border the proposed Centerville development sit on lots that range from 8,000 sq ft to over
10,000 sq ft. To the south of the proposed Centerville Development is Hillsdale Creek, which homes are situated on
quarter acre lots and are valued at close to $1 million. According to the new Centerville development plan that was
recently published, the median lot size for single family areas is 5,500 sq ft. The homes being built around the valley by
this developer will not match the quality and craftsmanship of the existing homes, particularly the 3,000+ sq ft homes
that are on large lots in Hillsdale Creek and Century Farm. With the R-15 zoning already not matching the surrounding
neighborhoods, I believe that townhomes will be even further out of place in this area. On the newly proposed plan by
Centerville Development, only 38% of ths homes will be R-8, which is not even close to the city's plan for 75% R-8 for this
area. For these reasons I would argue for a further reduction in density for the Centerville Development.
Additionally, significant work would need to be done to the surrounding roads in order to handle the increase in traffic
to this area. As it is, Amity Rd and Hillsdale Ave are not equipped to handle the influx in daily cars, especially as it's a
school zone.
Infrastructure also needs to be improved to support more development. Landowners' wells are running dry and the
current subdivisions in the area are struggling to support their own residents with irrigation. Emergency services are not
equipped for the increase in homes.
Ultimately, I understand that development is going to continue to happen in South Meridian. However, I wholeheartedly
oppose the idea of high and medium-high density housing in the Centerville Development. I sincerely hope that
the City of Meridian takes into consideration the concerns of the public when approving this development.
Thank you for your time,
Kayla Nelson
208-863-0767
nelson.kayla15@gmail.com
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