HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter from Alan Lance Sr.
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February 28, 2006
Mayor and City Council
Meridian City Hall
33 East Idaho Avenue
Meridian, ID 83642
RE:
March 21, 2006 Hearing
Application Number AZ05-064 Bear Creek West Subdivision
Mayor and City Council:
I am the owner of 1370 Eggers Place Meridian, Idaho which is bench property above the
Ridenbaugh Canal and detrimentally impacted by the subject property which is the topic of a
hearing on March 21 in application number AZ 05-064 Bear Creek West Subdivision. The
general situation is somewhat unique and familiarity with the area is helpful in evaluating my
objections and the application. This is first and foremost a safety and fairness issue.
A drive by Ada County Highway District personnel and City of Meridian council
members and planners at 7:30 AM. and 5:30 P.M. in the general area will substantiate my point,
but if that drive is in the summer in the afternoon when "Roaring Springs Water Park" on
Overland Road is operational, it will emphasize the unique and critical problem I am about to
describe.
The major objection is not to the development of the land, but to the R-8 request. The
road system as currently configured cannot support R-8 development. You may recall, the only
Interstate access point is the Meridian-Kuna highway. There are no other signaled intersections
for residents in the large populated area (about 10 square miles) until Amity Road two miles
South. Victory Road is presently not signaled and even if it were, it would not relieve the
congestion on Overland Road. You must keep in mind that Overland Road dead-ends into Ten
Mile Road, Ten Mile Road has no access onto the Interstate. Linder Road dead-ends into
Overland as does Stoddard Road. The substantial traffic on Overland Road is exacerbated by
this unique configuration which creates a "box canyon" effect on residents of that area. That
problem is further complicated in the summer months by the high volume of traffic to and from
Roaring Springs amusement park. Motorists exiting Roaring Springs wishing to access the
interstate or travel East (the majority of patrons) have to cross West bound Overland Road traffic
lanes to execute a left hand turn. You may want to check the number of accidents in the past two
years. The bottom line is, R-8 is just too many homes with too many cars. I am unsure of the
pre-sent Western Ada County average, but I suspect the number of vehicles per home averages
three (3) which means 24 more motor vehicles per acre for this development. Until or unless
another interchange is built to alleviate the above mentioned problem, the road system cannot
absorb that many vehicles during peak usage hours. Already at 7:30 a.m. citizens attempting to
access the Interstate are lined up on East bound Overland for at least Yz mile and more. Adding
lanes to Overland does not solve the problem because the left hand turn on the Meridian Kuna
highway is limited to the right lane for purposes of Interstate access East, the maj ority of traffic.
That is only ONE lane and the majority of Eastbound Overland traffic needs to negotiate a left
hand turn, merge into the right lane within 1/8 of a mile to access the Interstate. It just does not
work. By widening Overland Eastbound and adding lanes, you are merely trying to compress
more lanes into one right turn lane at Meridian-Kuna and 1-84 and attempting multiple lane
compression into one lane and doing it while turning and within 1/8 of a mile. You do the math,
but it does not work. Anyone who claims it will work has not driven that area during peak a.m.
hours trying to go East on the Interstate. The continuous traffic flow during peak hours on
Overland Road at the intersection of South Linder and Overland already is a hazzard for those
trying to turn right onto Eastbound Overland Road, and an impossibility for a left hand turn onto
Westbound Overland.
Given the established nature of the neighborhood and the problems inherent in granting
the Zoning and Annexation request, a zoning ofR-2 would be more in keeping with the realities
of the problems faced by this area of Ada County. Once another Interstate access point is
established at Linder or Ten Mile Road, then the dynamics ofthis request would be substantially
altered, however, R-8 at this time in that "box canyon" area of Ada County would create
substantial and immediate safety hazzards, would be devoid of any common sense and would be
a grave disservice to long time and existing property owners in the area.
This issue is a major safety concern and one which should not be ignored. To make the
present proposal feasible, there would have to be three (3) left turning lanes at the intersection of
East bound Overland Road and the Meridian-Kuna Highway and all of those lanes would have to
be capable of simultaneous left hand turn and immediate right hand turn access onto the
Interstate access ramp. This is not in the plan and therefor the request for re-zoning should be
rejected or held in abeyance until and unless the overpass and access ramps are completed at Ten
Mile Road and South Linder Road and 1-84 or the density reduced to R-2. ..
The density proposed is out of character with existing and established properties, most of
which are on one acre or more parcels. One ofthe objectives of zoning should insure
compatibility with existing properties and neighborhoods. An R-8 density could not be further
from the R-l character of the surrounding property and should be rejected on this basis alone.
Respect~I~/~7ritt:~:::,- '",
:-,,~<JJ)(7' í/-<:.í?/ ~
Alan 6 :Lance, S;"
Owner of 1370 Eggers Place
Meridian, Idaho 83642