HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo from Planning
Project: Gateway Marketplace Variance
RECEIVED
APR 1 8 2006
City of Meridian
City Clerk Office
Location: SE corner of Us tick and Eagle
Applications: variance
Highlights of Proposed Development: 2 access points to Meridian Road; 1 full, 1 RIROO. The
applicant is proposing two new access points to Us tick Road
Elevations:
No
Outstanding Issue(s) for City Council: Staff is recommending denial. Many of the same reasons as
expressed before:
1) DA clearly states that no access points were proposed or addressed as part of the
annexation application. DA between the applicant and the City requires either a public or
private street be constructed parallel to Eagle Road/SH55. ACHD has stated that the
applicant shall provide cross access south and east to connect to the future collector
roadway east of the site and the connection to the signalized access proposed south of the
site at River Valley Drive.
2) Access points do not meet ITD policy standards. ITD specifically stated their opposition
to access at this site in 2003 and the City of Meridian incorporated their recommendation
as a consideration for annexation. The letters received from ITD during the 2003-2004
annexation process make no guarantees that permanent access points would be approved.
ITD has said they will conditionally approve the access points IF the variance is approved
by Council.
3) ACHD may not construct Allys Way if additional access points are approved on Eagle.
ACHD staff have stated their opposition to access on Eagle Road as it diminishes the
classification and function of the future North/South collector roadway (Allys Way), if
excessive points of access are allowed to Eagle Road ACHD may change the road project
to a lesser classification or not construct the project at all. This project along with the
Una Mas Project east of the site will connect with Ally Street, a proposed public street
serving as a collector roadway to the entire area. The design received March 10, 2006
lines up at three points to the east as requested. The area plan (Una Mas Annexation)
shows private, internal driveways connecting to the future public street; such driveways
run mostly east/west connecting the Kissler site to Ally Street and ultimately Ustick
Road. Staff has required both the ACHD and Una Mas annexations to enter into a
Development Agreement with the City of Meridian to make the connection to Allys Way.
ACHD would also like for Council to consider asking the developer to modifY the DA to
include applicant participation in constructing the collector roadway. ACHD Staff notes
that the DA requires the applicant to construct a frontage/backage road, similar to what is
being done by the Winston Moore project on the NW corner of Us tick and Eagle. ACHD
has acquired property to facilitate the appropriate location and alignment of such
frontage/backage road, but they do not have funds committed for construction. It may be
appropriate to tie development of the subject property to construction of the collector
roadway.
4) City of Meridian Council Members are on public hearing record in 2004 opposing access
points to Eagle Road for the eastern side of the development and required a frontage road
access only. Council Member Bird made the motion with a contingency on the
extent of the approval that stated: "We are basically just annexing the property,
we are not giving any go ahead on anything or any designs, so with that said I
would move that we approve AZ 03-018, the annexation and zoning of Kissler,
Cobb, and Ruwe parcels and to take condition number three as per applicant's
statement."
5) Traffic Accident Data would support not approving the variance for safety
concerns. The greatest number of our accidents occur along Eagle Road.
6) These access points are not shown in the Eagle Road Corridor Study.
7) Eagle Road Arterial Study does not support additional access points.
8) The request does not meet the standards for access approval as required by UDC 11-3H.
No reference to prior access approvals from the City of Meridian was found in any
documentation
Findings:
Yes-for denial
Notes:
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