HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter from Paul Geile
February 16, 2006
Meridian City Council
33 East Idaho
Meridian, Idaho 83642-23 00
RECEIVED
FEB1620œ
CITY OF MERIDIAN
CITY CLERK OFpr:
Dear City Council Members,
My name is Paul Geile and I am writing concerning development that is "lDlderway by the
Meridian School District at Meridian High.. My father owns the twenty--acre parcel
æljacmt to the West of tbis project.
For yom referençt; the agenda items that contain these issues are:
V AR0606003 - Application for a variance (ball field lighting)
AZOSO59 - Annexation and rezone of9 acres (RUT to R4)
CUPO50S3 - Conditional Use Pennit for the ball fields and technical center
The first issue of concem is the variance. I understand that the recently implemented
Unified Development Code places restrictions related to ligJuine that are unrealistic for
ball field lights. In principLe I am not opposed to the granting of a variance on the
"visible bulb" portion of this rule. As neigblms it impor1ant to get assurance from the
City Council that the granting of this variance does not lift the applicant's obligation to
make every other eIfort to limit light spillage on existing residential neighbors. Please
keep in mind tha1 residential uses are on t1nee sides of this project, my father's property
and Haven Cove to the West, Vineyards subdivision to the North and Amke subdivision
(under construction) to the South. .
Also with the subject of lights, Boise City Parks has operated for many years vvith 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 disturb8Dces and light spillage I am A!õ;1ring that an 11 :00 pro «lights
out" time be established and placed into the Conditional Use Permit. I understand
"J¡mni11g a little over" a few times per year is tempting to allow. but without very specific
limitaJion this will certainly be "abused. Proper planning and role makine has allowed
Boise Pmks to live comfortably inside this very reasoøable restrictiOlL
It is my undemanding that as part of the rezone the applicant will request that the
requirement 10 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 approxllnately
900 feet, extending westWard beyond the newly piped. portion. This section of the
existing open ditch fODDS a new portion of our common property line. While the City
Counçil does have authority to waive this requirement the applicant must show that "the
public purpose requiring such will not be saved and public safety can be preserved" It
is my view that this project cannot satisfy either of those criteria.
The public safety issues are as follows:
1) This annexation will c:reate approximately 900 feet of direct public school to open
canal ftontage that did not previously exist.
2) ßy the appIicanfs own admission other groups unrelated to Meridian High School
may be allowed to use these fields. This qeates the likelihood that children of
players and spectators will be present
3) The applicant has promised. a s1atted six-foot taU fence. While intended to protect the
stn(jPntc: ftom this hazard 1bis 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. If there is a problem in 1Iûs area it will be difficult to detect
or respond to.
4) Local developers I have spoken to "agree that gr1Wtiog of this waiver would be an
extraordinarily rare departure from Meridian City's 1Ieatment of other applicants.
It is tnle 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 respons1ole for the rule or the choice ofbaving a public neighbor. To
allow this applicant a waiver would not omy be unfair to previous applicants, it
wowd establish that a fence can serve as adequate "preservation of public safety"
even for this particularly vulnerable location. I would like assurance fÌ'Om the
Council that when my property develops a sim11ar waiver will be granted.
I am asking for discussion and your favorable consideration of the following points:
1) Do grant the variance request for the "visible bulb" portion of the rule with the written
understanding that all reasonable efforts to con1rol spillage are effected.
2) Do establish an "hours of opcmtion" 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 necessæy 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 tbat it is important that this
parcel be treated as any other parcel undergoing development.
Please feel free to con1act JI1e if you. have auy questions.
Thank you,
ê~~ .
Paul GeiIe, 4717 .. Boise Idaho 83703 (2011) 344-5269