Letter from Betty Rossow
Mayor Tammy de Weerd
City Council
City Hall
33 East Idaho Avenue
Meridian, Idaho 83642
11 March 2006
.' tCEf~/.--
MAR 1 3 2006
City 01 Meridian
City Clerk OffiC"
RE: Red Cliff - Bienville project
..-. -- '-'- .. -
I've spent some time looking over the Bienville print out and I have some real concerns especially
about the proposed traffic flow. Because ofthis concern I spent time this past week getting input
from lTD. No matter what scenario I presented they said that they would deny any full access to
Eagle Road from that particular property. If you approve the full access cut then I would like to
suggest that you reconsider the right in/out cut for Landmark, Sadie Creek Promenade. It would
seem to me that for any reason ITD should go ahead with the full access approval that a right hand
turn lane be installed which could also serve Landmark. It would also seem to me that if ITD
. decides to approvethe_cuts,thenthe right hand lane could be included in the improvement of the. ---
Eagle intersection to extend to the Bienville cut and not to Leslie Dr.,. Having expressed that
concern I am also concerned about the traffic flow within Bienville. I do not understand the need
for a round about. In my opinion they were invented as a non-medicated way of population control
in the North Eastern u.S. This plan has a public roadway changing to a private roadway. The
traffic pattern from the twenty-two condos to the Ustick traffic light is unusual and looks to me like
it could cause a certain amount of congestion especially for those 13 homes it would impact.
I also have concerns about the location of the basketball, tennis and horseshoe courts. It is difficult
to read the small print on the plan but they appear to be placed directly next to the pathway which is
very near the back of several ofthe homes along Leslie Dr.,. I am sure that the noise from these
areas would not be appreciated by my neighbors or me.
My next concern, although it does not impact my property directly, is the resistance to the
installation of the masonry fence along the western property line of Bien vi lIe and the Leslie Way
neighbors. Red Cliff has said that they would erect the masonry fence as a continuation of the
Landmark fencing and now they are proposing a totally different type of fence. It is very difficult
for us to trust anything they say. I will give them credit for working with Nampa Meridian
Irrigation District and those of us who live along the Finch Lateral to keep the canal intact. I hope
we can count on their word on this matter. If this plan is approved and construction begins I would
ask that the see-through wrought iron fence be installed along the canal right of way with the
proposed landscaping, prior to the possession of any of the homes. This canal runs fast, though not
.-. much deeper than-three- teet; -it can-be dangerous. . -- - .. - - '.. - .'. -
One evening this past week, Rob Haggett from Red Cliff made house calls to some neighbors. It
seems that he did not make much of an impression. I am enclosing a copy of the e-mail, sent to me
from my neighbor, Lauri Beck, which she sent to Rob, concerning his visit with her. She has given
me permission to include the e-mail with my letter. I will leave it to you to make up your mind
about this situation. Lauri may not be able to attend the Council meeting as they are having a
medical situation in their family.
Thank you for your time and your concerns about our situation, we do appreciate all you do.
Sincerely,
Betty Rossow
2832 Leslie Dr.
Meridian, Idaho 83642
~~
Rob;
i appreciate your sending me a copy of the most current concept plan. as I requested. What I do not appreciate
is your veiled threat that if we do not support your Trex fence that yo I...! will put 1I1e volleyball c:oUli, basketball
court, and playground ìn close proximity of the Leslie Drive property lines. We both kno-,v that YOtl rr18(je tl1&t
statement because I told you that some of the primary concerns for the residents of Leslie Drive are trle privacy,
and subsequent peace and quiet that our properties currently offer, It was a mistake on your pari to assume that
I can be easily bullied.
if you plan on advising the Council that I support your Trex idea, I advise against it. I intend on tellirlg the
Council that I am in full support of Steve Grant and Betty Rossow whose propelties border your project, and that
rneans that if they want a masonry wall, I will fiqht with them to make sure it happens.
Furthermore, I plan to tell the Council that you told rne that if you are forced to put in a rnasonry wall, you will
make sure it is an unattractive one, You said that this was not to be spiteful; your own words prove the opposite
to be true. The night you were at my house, I was dealing with the recent news that my husband's father is in
~lrave condition in SLC. I was otJViously not thinking clearly or I would have irnmediately called you on Hlat
contradictory statement You tohj me that the reason you want to put in the Tre;.< is Blat you llOnestly )elieve it
- ,,~ " wUllo_ok better_a~1d [~is80Jhe.- p.foP.e.rty,value_s onbotb sides of the fence- If that is true, theJlwhY_wou(d you -
purposely choose to put in an ugly version if you are forced to put in a masonry wall? Such a move on your
part would harm your project and would only service to "punish" those who oppose your Trex fence. I now
understand completely why l11y nei!Jhbors do not trust YOl!'
See you Tuesday,
lauri Beck
Message -----
'From:
To: !.êur¡i.Þ!t.çJS;!,;lÇ?ê.Þ.Li:~"QJlE!Jli~
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 11:10 AM
Subjeçt: Bienville Subdivision
Hello Laur;,
Thank you velY much for giving me some time last night to explain our position on the fencing for our project
I have attached the concept plan for the subdivision so you can see the location of the club house and pool,
which is located in the center of the project, within the multi family residential. Currently, we show a volleyball
court, basketball court, and playground located on the south end of the development. However, if we are able to
-----'----' -~gel'sonle support.. for the trex:ferlee, I-don~t -seewhy weo can!'[fo'Cate'the§é"'elsewI1ere -iFiln-e'pr'òject:~----,. ,,--,~,-~--- . -----
Thanks again for your time last night. I hope to see you at the hearing on Tuesday.
Rob Haggett
VP Red Cliff Development
Office: (208) 472-9217
Cell: (208) 870-0710