HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-08-31 Craig Bock
Charlene Way
From:Craig Bock <cbock1988@gmail.com>
Sent:Wednesday, August 31, 2022 5:26 PM
To:Clerks Comment; Amber Mayne
Subject:Bridgetower Multi-family CUP H-2022-0047 - Comments
Attachments:C Bock Comments CUP H-2022-0047.pdf
External Sender - Please use caution with links or attachments.
Please accept the attached comments regarding the referenced Conditional Use Permit (CUP).
Kind Regards,
Craig Bock
970-817-4211
1
Meridian City Council
Council Members
33 E. Broadway Ave,
Meridian ID 83642
RE: Bridgetower Multi-family CUP H-2022-0047 Comments on Proposed Project
Dear Council Members:
My name is Craig Bock. My family and I live and play in the Bridgetower West community south of
McMillan Road. I have two children attending Pleasant View Elementary School and one attending Star
Valley Middle School. We are a family that believes in doing the right thing and caring for those around
us. We do our part to ease traffic and reduce expenses by riding our bikes as much as possible and
reducing trips where we can.
I'm opposed to the proposed Bridgetower Multi-family CUP H-2022-0047 (Project). My concerns
primarily revolve around the safety of my family and fellow residents, and the capacity of area schools
my children attend.The proposed Project will negatively impact the safety and lives of my community in
the ways outlined in this document.
Safety at McMillan Road
Ensuring that citizens have access to safe right of ways and crossings which increase their comfort and
encourage the use alternate modes of transportation is a sustainable and legitimate pillar of suburban
planning. Not to mention for some, with increased fuel costs, reducing auto trips is a means to help
balance their budget. I am encouraged to see the comments
Safety
from organizations like COMPASS addressing pathways and Lev el of Stress measures how safe and
comfortable a bicyclist or pedestrian
connectivity with existing biking and walkway infrastructure. would feel on a corridor and considers
multimodal infrastructure number of
Their analysis shows the proposed project reduces the safety vehicle lanes and travel speeds.
for pedestrians and bicyclists, which is not consistent with the Pedestrian level of stress
goals of the long-range transportation plan for Ada and Canyon Bicycle level of stress
Counties. It is unfortunate that comments and conditions from
Meridian Pathways address only sidewalks and pathways adjacent to the project area but neglected to
analyze or discuss crossing McMillan. With the current state of traffic, it is HAZARDOUS for pedestrians
and bicyclists to cross McMillan at N. Vicenza and N. San Vito Way.
The proposed project will increase the traffic congestion on McMillan at the intersections of N.Vicenza
and N. San Vito Way,further degrading conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists. Many residents of
Bridgetower West south of McMillan walk or ride bicycles with their children to Pleasant View
Elementary School daily.The timing of the school commute (8:30 am and 4:00 pm) coincides with peak
or near-peak traffic times that will only be intensified with hundreds of autos exiting and returning to
the proposed Project at these same times. It is UNACCEPTABLE the project review does not incorporate
analysis of crossing McMillan in the project area. Furthermore, it would be egregious for leadership to
approve a project that will erode the safety of its residents that chose to (or must) use alternative
means of transportation. Responsible leadership would deny the proposed project or, at a minimum,
delay the project to allow time for infrastructure to be built that protects its residents and children that
walk or use bicycles.
Safety along W. Gondola Drive
A roadway connection with N. San Vito Way is proposed for the project.This connection will allow
residents of the Project to exit onto N. San Vito Way and proceed south to McMillan Road or north to W.
Gondola Drive.The additional traffic exiting from the project and proceeding to W. Gondola Drive will
increase the traffic congestion at Pleasant View Elementary School during times coinciding with the start
and end of the school day.This increase the hazards posed to pedestrians, many of which are young
children.
Children of many families in the adjacent communities walk or ride their bicycles to school.The Traffic
Impact Study, and comments received from ACHD, Meridian Pathway,West Ada School District and
COMPASS do not address the impacts the proposed project will have on W. Gondola Drive and the
nearby elementary school.There are multiple crossing points for W. Gondola Drive where young
children are walking or riding to and from school. Daily, my two young children and I ride bicycles to and
from Pleasant View Elementary School along N. San Vito Way and W. Gondola Drive.There are multiple
crossings and frequent encounters with automobiles along this route. Encouraging increased traffic
along this route to school will increase the stress level and reduce the level of safety for bicyclists and
pedestrians. Reducing the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists is unsafe, counterproductive and
encourages parents,for the safety purposes,to drive their children to school.
School Capacities
The West Ada School District(WASD) comments outlined the current and projected enrollment of the
schools serving the area the development will be built in.The WASD stated that NOT CONSIDERING the
proposed project,the area schools are projected to be AT CAPACITY for elementary schools and ABOVE
CAPACITY for middle and high schools.The proposed project is estimated to have 94 additional school
aged children to be placed into schools that are currently near capacity or over capacity.
Approved MF Projected
Approved lots per units per Students from
Enrollment Ca aci attendance area attendance area Approved Dev.
Pleasant View Elementary 608 650 3534 100 787
Star Middle School 909 1000 10218 357 1033
Owyhee High School 1823 1800 6531 137 1136
School of Choice Options
Chief Joseph Elementary—Arts 523 700 N/A N/A
Barbara Morgan STEM Academy 435 Soo N/A N/A
West Ada School District supports economic growth.Assuming the area's student generation rates remain the same and
the developments build out as projected,the capacity of the elementary schools identified above are projected to be at
a maximum capacity upon completion of the previously approved lots.The middle and high schools are also projected to
be operating above building capacity and full utilization of educational spaces upon the completion of the previously
approved lots.These projections do not take into consideration the impact of additional seats provided by education
organizations outside of the West Ada School District,such as charter schools,private schools and homeschools.
The call for cautious responsible planning, regarding education and development, is not new to the
Council. In November 2021 Amy Johnson,then West Ada Board Chair, warned the council that the
district will experience a "significant amount of pain" if city leadership and the district don't reconcile
the pace of the development with the funding of schools.
Approval of the proposed project would be detrimental to the surrounding communities. It is
IRRESPONSIBLE for city leadership to continue to approve housing projects without heeding the call
from educational leadership to reconcile this kind of development with the critical infrastructure needed
for education. Responsible leadership would deny the proposed project or, at a minimum, delay the
project to allow time for educational infrastructure to be built that can accommodate the additional
school-aged children.
Conclusion
Safety and security of the residents of Meridian are required to be paramount while considering any
project and developing any plans for the city.Approving the Bridgetower Multi-family CUP H-2022-0047
at this time will:
• Directly REDUCE THE SAFETY of pedestrians and bicyclists at the N. San Vito Way and N.Vicenza
intersections of McMillan Road,
• Directly REDUCE THE SAFETY of pedestrians and bicyclists along the routes of N. San Vito Way
and W. Gondola Drive,
• Indirectly REDUCE THE SAFETY in the vicinity of Pleasant View Elementary School by increasing
congestion in the area during the beginning and end of school; and
• OVERCROWD schools servicing the project area with a projected 94 school-aged children.
Residents of Meridian are requesting that the Meridian City Council deny the proposed project or delay
any further action until each of the above points are addressed to maintain our safety and wellbeing.
Sincerely,
Craig Bock
Bridgetower West Resident