HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter from Paul Geile
February 16,2006
RECEIVED,
FEB 1 6 2006
GITY OF MERIDIAN
CITY CLERK OF~'í':
Meridian City Council
33 EastIdaho
Meridian, Idaho 83642-2300
Dear City Council Members,
My name is Paul Geile and I am writing concerning development that is underway by the
Meridian School District at Meridian High. My father owns the twenty-acre parcel
adjacent to the West of this project.
For your reference, the agenda items that contain these issues are:
V AR0606003 - Application for a variance (ball field lighting)
AZ05059 - Annexation and rezone of 9 acres (RUT to R4)
CUP05053 - Conditional Use Permit for the ball fields and technical center
The fIrst issue of concern is the variance. I understand that the recently implemented
Unified Development Code places restrictions related to lighting that are unrealistic for
ball field lights. In principle I am not opposed to the granting of a variance on the
"visible bulb" portion ofthis rule. As neighbors it important to get assurance from the
City Council that the granting of this variance does not lift the applicant's obligation to
make every other effort to limit light spillage on existing residential neighbors. Please
keep in mind that residential uses are on three sides ofthis project, my father's property
and Haven Cove to the West, Vineyards subdivision to the North and Arnke subdivision
(under construction) to the South.
Also with the subject of lights, Boise City Parks has operated for many years with an
absolute lights out at 11 :00 pm policy, some fields are on timers. Meridian's Public
Disturbance Noise Time Period begins at 11 :00 pm. Due to the strong likelihood of the
co-existence of noise disturbances and light spillage I am asking that an 11 :00 pID "lights
out" time be established and placed into the Conditional Use Permit. I understand
"running a little over" a few times per year is tempting to allow, but without very specific
limitation this will certainly be abused. Proper planning and rule making has allowed
Boise Parks to live comfortably inside this very reasonable restriction.
It is my understanding that as part of the rezone the applicant will request that the
requirement to pipe a portion of the Rutledge canal be waived. The School had piped
some of the Rutledge but is intending to have the requirement waived for approximately
900 feet, extending westward beyond the newly piped portion. This section of the
existing open ditch forms a new portion of our common property line. While the City
Council does have authority to waive this requirement the applicant must show that "the
public purpose requiring such will not be served and public safety can be preserved." It
is my view that this project cannot satisfy either ofthose criteria.
The public safety issues are as follows:
1) This annexation will create approximately 900 feet of direct public school to open
canal frontage that did not previously exist.
2) By the applicant's own admission other groups unrelated to Meridian High School
may be allowed to use these fields. This creates the likelihood that children of
players and spectators will be present.
3) The applicant has promised a slatted six-foot tall fence. While intended to protect the
students from this hazard this fence would also isolates the space that contains a
hazard. This area will be visually isolated from the already limited security
efforts of the school. Ifthere is a problem in this area it will be difficult to detect
or respond to.
4) Local developers I have spoken to agree that granting of this waiver would be an
extraordinarily rare departure from Meridian City's treatment of other applicants.
It is true that public dollars will be used to cover this ditch. It is also true that the
reality has been "you develop, you pipe the ditch." As residential neighbors we
were not responsible for the rule or the choice of having a public neighbor. To
allow this applicant a waiver would not only be unfair to previous applicants, it
would establish that a fence can serve as adequate "preservation of public safety"
even for this particularly vulnerable location. I would like assurance from the
Council that when my property develops a similar waiver will be granted.
I am asking for discussion and your favorable consideration of the following points:
I) Do grant the variance request for the "visible bulb" portion of the rule with the written
understanding that all reasonable efforts to control spillage are effected.
2) Do establish an "hours of operation" time limit on the use of the ball field lighting
in their "full on" mode.
3) Do not grant a waiver for the tiling of the Rutledge canal. This is clearly a dangerous
location for multiple reasons.
Meridian High School is a necessary and important part of our community. From an
equally legitimate vantage point Meridian High School is one of the largest and most
intrusive commercial land uses in Meridian. A footprint of this size affects property
value and perhaps more importantly - quality of life. I feel that it is important that this
parcel be treated as any other parcel undergoing development.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Thank you,
ê_~~
Paul Geile, 4 71 ~w ~ Boise Idaho 83703 (208) 344-5269