HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-03-21 Regular Minutes Meridian City Council March 21, 2023.
A Meeting of the Meridian City Council was called to order at 6.01 p.m. Tuesday,
March 21, 2023, by Mayor Robert Simison.
Members Present: Robert Simison, Joe Borton, Brad Hoaglun, Luke Cavener, Jessica
Perreault, Liz Strader and John Overton.
Also present: Chris Johnson, Bill Nary, Bill Parsons, Sonya Allen, Berle Stokes, Joe
Bongiorno and Dean Willis.
ROLL-CALL ATTENDANCE
Liz Strader _X Joe Borton
_X_ Brad Hoaglun _X_ John Overton
_X_ Jessica Perreault _X—Luke Cavener
X Mayor Robert E. Simison
Simison: Council, we will call the meeting to order. For the record it is March 21 st,
2023. It's 6.01 p.m. We will begin this City Council meeting with roll call attendance.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Simison: Next item up is the Pledge of Allegiance. If you would all, please, rise and join
us in the pledge.
(Pledge of Allegiance recited.)
COMMUNITY INVOCATION
Simison: Next up will be the community invocation, which tonight will be delivered by
Doug Connelly of Stonehill Church. If you would all, please, join us in the community
invocation or take this as a moment of silence and reflection.
Conley: Thank you for allowing me to do this tonight. Dear God, we thank you, we love
you and we are so thankful for all that you have given to us, whether it be our life and
our breath. Lord, we thank you for a country we get to live in where we have the
freedom to worship you and we have the freedom of -- of speech and so many other
freedoms and we also thank you for the community that we live in. We thank you that
we live in Meridian and truly blessed with the city, with so many great things, but most
importantly so many great people. We thank you for the leaders of this community and
-- and all that they do to serve it both day in and day out as they do their best to see the
City of Meridian continue to be a great place. So, I pray for them. Lord, I lift them up
tonight. I lift up the Mayor, God, that you would give him the strength and wisdom to
lead in the way that you want him to lead. God, give him the strength and what we think
of the City Council Members as well and, God, thank you for them and their service and
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their willingness to -- to do this. Lord, we just pray that you would continue to guide
them and give them wisdom and clarity in all things, Lord. We lift up the city staff and
other city officials and -- and workers and first responders, Lord -- God, as they -- as
they work hard and as they serve this community, God, would you bless them as they
serve our -- our people on a daily basis and give them what they need. And, then,
finally, Lord, I pray for the residents of our community and just help us, Lord, help us to
do the things that we need to do to step up and to serve our community, Lord, whether
it's the service or voting or -- or whatever it would be, God, that we would -- we would
add to this -- this place and -- and help us, Lord, to be what we need to be. God, would
you be in this City Council meeting tonight in all of the decisions they have to make
would you guide them, God, give them direction and wisdom and clarity, Lord, and -- on
the things that, Lord, you want them to do and -- and how to handle those decisions,
Lord, and just help it to go smoothly tonight. So, we thank you, we love you, and we
thank you for this opportunity, in Jesus' name, amen. Thank you.
ADOPTION OF AGENDA
Simison: Thank you. Council, next up is adoption of the agenda.
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
Hoaglun: We do have one change in tonight's agenda. We have an Executive Session
at the end of our meeting, but we want to make sure we do it the right way and that is
we are just doing a little bit alphabet shuffle. Instead of (a) we are going to go into
Executive Session per Idaho Code 74-206(d). So, that is the only change I move to
adopt the agenda. So, with that, Mr. Mayor, I move approval of the agenda as
amended.
Borton: Second.
Simison: Have a motion and a second to adopt agenda as amended. Is there any
discussion? If not, all in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed nay? The ayes have it
and the agenda is adopted.
MOTION CARRIED: ALLAYES.
CONSENT AGENDA [Action Item]
1. Settlers Park Subdivision Sanitary Sewer and Water Main Easement
No. 1
2. Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law for Sagecreek Subdivision
(SHP-2023-0001) by Mason and Associates, located at 1554 S.
Labrador Way
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3. Approval of Sole Source purchase of Allen Bradley Products from
Consolidated Electric
4. Agreement for Use of Kleiner Park for Capital Church Community
Egg Hunt
5. Memorandum of Agreement between the Idaho Transportation
Department and the City of Meridian for Meridian Police
Department's Use of Department of Motor Vehicles Motor Vehicle
Registration Information
6. Resolution No. 23-2378: A Resolution of the Mayor and the City
Council of the City of Meridian Approving City Council President's
Appointments of Meridian's Representatives to Community Planning
Association of Southwest Idaho and its Executive Board; Providing
an Effective Date; and Affirming Other Appointments
Simison: Next item up is the Consent Agenda.
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
Hoaglun: I move approval of the Consent Agenda and for the Mayor to sign and Clerk
to attest.
Borton: Second.
Simison: Have a motion and a second to approve the Consent Agenda. Is there any
discussion? If not, all in favor signify by saying aye? Opposed nay? The ayes have it
and the Consent Agenda is agreed to.
MOTION CARRIED: ALLAYES.
ITEMS MOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA [Action Item]
Simison: There were no items moved from the Consent Agenda.
PUBLIC FORUM — Future Meeting Topics
Simison: So, the next item up is Public Forum. Mr. Clerk.
Johnson: Mr. Mayor, we just have one. Sally Reynolds.
Simison: Good evening, Sally.
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Reynolds: Good evening, Mr. Mayor, Members of the City Council. I'm happy to see
you all here tonight and in the best spirit possible I'm glad that Council Member Strader
is not here and I hope that she is either had or will have a happy family occasion very
soon. Oh, no. Wait. Wait. What am I looking at?
Simison: She's on the -- she's on the --
Reynolds: Oh. You're there. Oh, I'm sorry. You are there.
Strader: I'm still here, Sally.
Reynolds: Well, bless you, Council Member Strader, for being so dedicated to your city.
Thank you so so much.
Strader: You got it.
Reynolds: Stuck in olden times. I forget we have Zoom. Anyway, I just -- you can raise
your hand -- I know I am not totally up to date on all of what the Council is considering.
So, if this is already under consideration just stop me, but with the growth of Meridian
city I would love to see our Planning Department expand a little bit. So, if you would be
willing to take into consideration an additional hire in the Planning Department and
budget for that, I will watch when the budget comes up, I would be happy to come testify
to that for our budget. I just think that with Meridian's growth and everything that they
need to do that that could use some more for buttressing. Yes, it's already under
consideration? Oh. Oh. Okay. I thought it was -- I just -- one of the things I will just tell
you, I was preparing my remarks tonight and I saw one of the things had been uploaded
last night at 10.30 p.m. and, number one, no one should be doing their job 10-30 p.m. at
night and number -- so, it shows the dedication of our staff. And, number two, it would
just -- to have everything there and everything complete would really give the residents
and the Council ample opportunity to review those and I know that sometimes when
public testimony comes up and it can maybe seem or come off as the public as, you
know, complaining or not, but I think that if we can have that information, then, we can
really prepare factual remarks that can speak to the applications having them in a timely
manner. So, thank you.
ACTION ITEMS
7. Public Hearing for Proposed Summer 2023 Fee Schedule of the
Meridian Parks and Recreation Department
8. Resolution No. 23-2377: A Resolution Adopting the Summer 2023 Fee
Schedule of the Meridian Parks and Recreation Department;
Authorizing the Meridian Parks and Recreation Department to Collect
Such Fees; and Providing an Effective Date
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Simison: Thank you, Sally. With that we will move on to our Action Items this evening.
First item up is public hearing for a proposed summer 2023 fee schedule of the Meridian
Parks and Recreation Department. We will open this public hearing with a brief
statement from staff.
White: Mr. Mayor, Members of Council, thank you for having me tonight. Like Mr.
Mayor just mentioned, these are the fees proposed for the summer activity guide. With
that I will stand for questions.
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor, we have a -- to meet noticing requirements we are going to have
to continue this. So, Garrett has opened the public hearing and so we are going to
continue the public hearing to March 28th, so we can meet those noticing requirements.
So, I would move, Mr. Mayor, that we continue the public hearing for proposed summer
2023 fee schedule and Resolution No. 23-2377 to March 28th.
Cavener: Second.
Simison: Have a motion and a second to continue Item 7 to March 28th. Is there any
discussion? Do you want to do them both at the same time? Does the second agree to
also include Item 8, which is Resolution No. 23-2377? Okay. Is there further
discussion? If not, all those in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed nay? The ayes
have it and we will continue it to next week.
MOTION CARRIED: ALLAYES.
9. Public Hearing continued from February 14, 2023 for Sagarra (H-
2022-0027) by Accomplice, located on the south side of W. Orchard
Park Dr., west of N. Fox Run Way and east of N. Linder Rd
A. Request: Planned Unit Development for a residential community
containing a mix of single-family detached, single-family attached,
townhome and multifamily units with a reduction to the setback
requirements in UDC Table 11-2A6; and two private streets.
B. Request: Preliminary Plat consisting of 114 building lots and 16
common lots (including 3 private street lots) on 17.49 acres in the
R-8 and C-C zoning districts.
Simison: Next item up is Item 9, a public hearing continued from February 14, 2023, for
Sagarra, H-2022-0027. We will continue this public hearing with comments from staff.
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Allen: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, Members of the Council. So, since the last hearing the
applicant has submitted revised plans, a preliminary plat, a landscape plan, open space
exhibit, site amenity plan, parking diagram, setback diagram and concept elevations for
the single family residential units to address items of discussion from the previous
hearing and I will just go through those real quick. And just a side note, I did put in a
copy of the approved concept plan that's included in the development agreement for this
project for the future development area -- future residential development. It's hard to
see, but it did show some very light lot lines on these. But, anyway, just wanted to
include that for review if you are interested. And this is a copy of the previous
preliminary plat and this is the revised plan and I'm just going to run through them
quickly. I imagine the applicant has a presentation that they will go into more detail with
you on the changes. This is the landscape plan. Proposed reductions to the R-8
setbacks. Staff did prepare a table that you received in an e-mail and is also here
before you and I can scroll back to that when we are -- we are done here. The common
open space exhibit and site amenity exhibit and parking diagram and, then, the new
concept elevations for the single family homes and I can go back to any of those at
anytime if you would like to review them in more detail. And I just go through the
changes to the plans. The changes include two common lots that have been added,
three building lots -- or, excuse me, three buildings with nine multi-family units have
been removed and two single family attached units have been added for an overall
reduction of seven units, resulting in a decrease in density from 8.35 to 7.95 units per
acre. Removal of on-street parking where the road curves and updated elevations for
the single family homes that represent a better architectural quality. The reduction of
units increase the qualified open space by .11 of an acre. With the reduction of seven
units and reconfiguration of parking, a total of 25 extra off-street vehicle parking spaces
are proposed and with the removal of on-street parking spaces on the curves, a total of
76 on-street spaces are available. The updated setbacks diagram depicts the portions
of buildings that are nearest the property line where reductions to setbacks are
requested through the PUD application and the standard R-8 setbacks required by the
UDC. Overall the proposed project exceeds the minimum parking open space and site
amenity standards and is consistent with the density desired in the medium density
residential and mixed-use community future land use map designations and with the
minimum density required in the development agreement of six units per acre. In
summary, staff is supportive of the proposed changes to the plan and overall planned
unit development, as staff believes it is -- provides an opportunity for exemplary site
development that allows for innovative design that meets the purpose and findings
required for a planned unit development as noted in the staff report and the applicant is
here to provide a more in-depth -- a narrative of the proposed changes and overall
development. Thank you.
Simison: Thank you, Sonya. Council, any questions for staff?
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
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Perreault: Thank you, Sonya. That's -- that summary was very helpful. One quick
question about the parking. Where is their parking -- parking that was removed from the
curved public road, was there additional parking added, then, to the other public
portions to the south and the east?
Allen: The -- the previous plan, as Mayor and -- Mayor and Council, Council Woman
Perreault, the previous plan is shown there on the left. The revised plan is on your right
there. The parking that I noted that was removed was on the curves. I believe all the
other parking remains the same that was shown on the plan previously.
Perreault: Okay. Mr. Mayor, I have one more question.
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: Somewhat significant changes in -- that were made. Did any of these
changes cause the conditions of approval to change in the staff report that would be of
note for us to know this evening? I saw the recommendations made by the
Commission, but is there anything else that you wanted to point out to us specifically?
Allen: Nothing else -- no. Nothing else. Thank you.
Strader: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Strader.
Strader: Thanks, Sonya. I -- you know, I recall we have a rule that we need all of the
changes and materials in -- I think it's at least two weeks before the hearing. I just want
to make sure we received everything with an adequate amount of time for you to review
and feel comfortable and for the public to review and feel comfortable. This one feels
like a little bit of -- a little bit of a scramble. I'm amazed that you pulled it off getting all
this information together and these setback tables, et cetera. But I just -- I don't like
feeling like we are rushing through something when it feels like it's respectful of
everyone's time to have enough time to sort of review staffs analysis of the changes.
So, if you just want to comment on that.
Allen: Yeah. Mr. Mayor, Council Woman Strader, Council, admittedly staff is a bit
stretched these days as you know being short staffed and just the amount of
applications and the applicant did turn in I believe all of the revised plans the 15 days
prior to the hearing as required. The one plan that I was waiting on was the -- the one
that you noted specifically that you would like to have, the comparison between the
standard R-8 dimensional standards and what was proposed. That was the plan we
were waiting on. It came in Friday afternoon and it -- it didn't quite detail what I know
you were asking for, so that was the kind of mad scramble on staff's part before the
hearing today to try to get that side by side for you and, you know, we -- we always like
to have more time, but I -- I do feel confident that we are there on this project and that
the applicant is complying and actually exceeding our -- our minimum standards. So,
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staff is okay with it if -- if Council and the public is okay with it. Having said that, the
most time possible is always desired. But thank you for your patience on that. It is
appreciated.
Parsons: Mayor, Council, if I may just piggyback on some -- some of Sonya's
comments for you real quick. So, I -- I want to just let the -- this body know that I
actually did meet with the applicant on February 27th after the public hearing and we
went through a lot of these changes that you are seeing tonight. So, although they
didn't technically meet the -- giving us the revised plans within that 15 day window, we
felt that what they were proposing was adequate for us to make a recommendation to
share that with you this evening. Now, I know as part of that discussion with the
applicant on the 27th they were -- they had informed me that they were also going to
meet with Sally to talk about some of these changes, too. So, I'm hoping that some of
that has occurred and they can share that information with you tonight as well. But I just
at least wanted to give you that background information that they -- they are trying to
meet what you asked them to do a month or so ago when you wanted to see the
revision. So, hopefully, that adds to some of the discussion tonight.
Simison: Council, any additional questions or comments for staff? Okay. Then I will
invite the applicant to, please, come forward.
Tsang: Tony Tsang. 6518 North Fairborn Avenue. I represent Sagarra in this
application. So, if we can -- do we have the presentation? And I will start off by talking
about that we -- we do have that slide. We do have that side. I know that we had -- we
didn't have that slide -- staff didn't have time to prepare that slide, but we prepared one
also. Hopefully they -- they should jive completely. All the -- all the forms that we did
want to submit for our application we did -- we did get done in time in the 15 days. The
one slide that -- that staff so kindly did produce we were planning on producing for you,
so we can just put them side by side. So, they should reflect the exact same counts. A
couple things I want to address before we go too far is parking. I think parking was a
question. After our last Council meeting Sally -- Sally and I actually went down to ACHD
-- they had a -- we were able -- we were planning on speaking in front of them and
luckily their head -- head lead counsel was there and I happen to know him through golf
and he pulled me aside and said, hey, I don't see you on the docket. So, we spoke to
them about the parking on the curves and I said, hey, we don't want this parking, we
want to speak in front of ACHD to get the parking removed and he said, well, it's not our
decision, it's a decision of the city and both Sally and I -- we said what? So, I grabbed
Sally -- I said, Sally, come here, you got to hear this, because if I tell you this you are
not going to believe me. So, he told me it's a city's decision as long as the neighbors
and the developers agree that there should be no parking, they are responsible for
putting up the signs and we said, well, what's the next -- well, Sally said what's the next
step? He said we will have to reach out to you and we will give you the process of
asking for them to be no parking and the ACHD will, in fact, put the signs up. So, that
was kind of a surprise to me. I always thought it was ACHD's decision. They informed
us that it was the city's decision. So, I stand a little confused. I don't know if it is the
city's decision -- whose decision it is, but the process has been started. Sally was there.
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She can, hopefully, testify to the fact that that's exactly what happened. But we don't
want the parking there. We removed it from our diagrams. We don't need the parking.
All the street parking was extra anyways. We are self parked. And the earlier question
was has the parking counts changed and the ratios have gotten better because we
remove some units. We did remove some parking stalls, but because of the number of
units we removed the parking ratios got better. So, we actually created more parking on
a ratio basis, but we reduced the parking, because we lost seven units. So, I just want
to make sure that's clear is that ratios got better, actual parking counts went down. We
are still overparked on site and none of the parking on the street was a requirement
anyways and that's -- I wish that that process was done now, but it wasn't done yet. We
are in the process of getting ACHD to put in no parking signs and originally it was going
to be in the two curves, but, then, during our meeting with Sally and the neighbors they
mentioned another, Director, they wanted the two spots taken out, so we removed
those. Then I notice on the north side -- northeast side there is another curve and we
took those out also. So, hopefully, that settles some of the parking questions. So, just
wanted to clear those two things up. Staff did a great job talking about what we have
changed. I know -- I'm sure everyone was hoping for a bigger change. We went
through our plans. We got rid of seven units. It was related to us that, hey, get the --
get the density under eight. You guys are playing games doing 8.35. Let's get under
eight. I know it's 7.9 and change, but we lost seven units, got under -- got under eight.
We did meet with the neighborhood again. Nick Grove, director of the Meridian City
Library, was kind enough to open the library to us and serendipitously he was there to
answer some questions. So, it was kind of a really cool format. We met at the library.
We were able to present what we had and we didn't expect them to love it, because I -- I
know that everyone was probably hoping for a bigger change. This is all we can -- I
can't say all -- this is all we can do on our pro forma and this is what we can do and we
presented. Neighbors were nice. And, then, they met on their own with Nick there.
Nick was sucked into it and they were able to ask Nick some -- you know, have his
opinion and he's, obviously, you know, pretty nonpartisan. So, he was able to answer
all of their questions. We were involved in a portion of that meeting. The neighbors
themselves spoke. Unfortunately we had to cut the meeting short, about an hour and a
half, hour and 45 minutes. I had a previous meeting -- engagement we had to run to.
But we did present our new plan. We asked them not for necessarily their support, we
asked them to be agnostic. We asked them to say, look, we are trying our best. I think
we -- we put our best foot forward. I -- I really do like it. I know that it's not for
everybody, like we said before, but let me go through some of the slides. So, a lot of
this is going to be redundant, because I think staff did a good job of talking about
reducing the density. We have the ACHD solution for the parking. We updated some of
those elevations. That was my fault that we put in there that -- that example. Where --
you know, a lot of this is taking a big step back at what we are trying to do. The site
does have some limitations. I know we talked about the PUD process and why we are
using PUD and I will go through all the points. I think Councilman -- Council Woman
Strader asked why are you using PUD -- PUD. So, we listed all the reasons why we are
using it and we will go through those slides. And this site does have one issue that
makes it a little hard to develop, because on the south side we did have the irrigation
ditch and there is a 40 foot easement. So, as you can see the shape of that -- the
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shape of the parcel on the -- on the west side is a little narrow. Now, you take away 40
feet from us it gets really really narrow and then -- so, for us to, A, agree to do single
family homes as they border Paramount, not agree, but comply. So, we are doing the
single family homes. It leaves us so little space because of that 40 foot easement. So,
that just caused some challenges. Part of the reason why we pursued the PUD process
is because we want to feather single family to townhomes to multi-family, because as
you approach the commercial space we just felt that having single family homes right
abutting to commercial space didn't really make a ton of sense to us. So, that's part of
our reason why we did it. Now, here are the reasons a PUD exists is that it allows us to
do some building -- building clusters. Okay. Here is what the PUD allows for. We have
smaller lot sizes. So, as all of you probably -- I'm sure you know with R-8 zoning 4,000
square feet is a minimum lot size. By using a PUD it lets us have certain lots -- have
lots that are under 4,000 square feet and -- and the idea of -- the bigger idea of the PUD
was to cluster some of the homes a little tighter, so we can create bigger and more
usable gathering spaces and open spaces. You know, I was looking at the Paramount
Subdivision, which is awesome, and, you know, they have almost a square mile of land,
640 acres. They have one clubhouse, which is a great clubhouse, with a pool, some
walking paths and a park. We have 17 acres to work with, which is a -- percentage
wise, what, three or four percent and I would love to go through our amenity package,
too. Because what we want to do is create an environment with more amenities, but to
do that you have to need more contiguous open space and so our amenity package I
think is really nice. We have that tool shed. We have the -- we have our clubhouse with
a really nice pool. We have here -- I think we -- I can show you. Michael knows the
amenity package a little better. But -- and we will go into that a little bit. So, smaller lot
sizes, zero lot lines, back to clustering. We allowed for the multi-family use for us to
feather up to the commercial and private drives and staff can probably comment on that.
That's what we caught of what does not -- and, then, Council Woman Strader asked
give us a list of everything you -- you are using this PUD for that deviates from the R-8.
So, we go to bad, this is what we are doing. The setbacks, here is our -- sorry. Here is
our presentation there to staff. You know, did the proposed and what we are deviating
from, so you guy can compare them side by side. I'm sure that they should be pretty
exact, because all we did was pull the code of what needs to be done and, then, use
our numbers of what we are proposing. And, Michael, if you can come up and talk
about the amenity package that would be appreciated.
Slavin: Michael Slavin helping present. Live at 424 East Thurman Mill Street, Garden
City, Idaho. Thank you. So, I will jump if you need a little bit more. And what -- the
point Tony was trying to drive home is when you have 17 acres versus let's say 500
acres and you are trying to produce the same amount of amenities, some of which were
required, like a community clubhouse, I believe that between the tool shed, a multi-
family clubhouse, and -- and the clubhouse next to pool, we actually have three on the
site. So, we are cramming a lot of amenity uses in a much smaller space and that that's
one of the advantages of a PUD and that's why we are working hard to create an
exemplary site plan where you are -- by clustering homes you have a lot more
community space. Besides that -- and we actually putting that would want to emphasize
as well is that these are actually plans we have -- we commit to. By submitting this, you
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know, to planning staff we have to build these things. These aren't ideas. These are --
and that's why they are somewhat granular. But we thought it was somewhat of a
disservice to the bigger plan of the site. So, there are some drill downs on the site, so --
and walk through these fairly quickly. You can see on the western portion of the site we
actually have, you know, community garden space with actually raised bed planters.
Here, you know, nice pocket parks on this side, which are pretty comparable to larger
subdivisions, even though we are working with less space. The other requirement of a
PUD is a lot of connectivity. You can see here that we do have the multi-use pathway.
We do have interstitial pathways in between a lot of the homes, which are -- you know,
create that -- that great walkable environment. You see bike parking spaces here. You
can see another pocket park here, which they can, you know, jointly enjoy -- I think that
one of the things that's underappreciated, but you can see more here at scale. This is
in the very center of the development connecting to Orchard Park to the north and this
is actually we intend to -- to put a crosswalk in across Orchard Park Drive -- is we
actually have enough space here for a place to throw footballs and -- and hang out and
play spike ball, things like that. But we also have fire pits. You see these little
groupings of chairs is actually, you know, hanging out amenity space next to a
clubhouse. It's actually in this multi-family structure. I mean you can see here -- this is,
actually, a shared amenity space. A tool -- tool, library, et cetera. People are living in
smaller spaces. They don't have the luxury of a huge garage. But they also want a
place to go work on their -- their bikes or, you know, skateboards, what -- what have
you. So, we feel that's a great amenity in a living environment like this. Moving down --
of course we have another pocket park here. We are not including a -- what .7 acres to
the east, because it's kind of out of the way. I think a lot of people actually enjoy
walking their dogs there. But it's not contiguous space in our view, so we are not trying
to overinflate what we are doing. And then -- sorry. Here is -- here is the last space.
This is in the large triangle. The triangle is actually just over an acre and we do have a
couple of these bolder homes sitting within it, but for the most part this acre is fairly
open with -- with quite a few opportunities for people to hang out and grab a picnic or do
what they want to do and, then, of course, we have enough room for a soccer field right
next to the -- the pool and community clubhouse here. So, you can see -- when you
think on -- on an amenity level I would say that less than -- less than, you know, ten
percent of any subdivision in the country has this many amenities, you know, per -- per
the rooftops involved in a subdivision. So, we just -- we are pretty proud of it and put a
lot of work into it and feel that we meet the standard that -- thank you. Bill is saying that
we did. So, I think that's it.
Tsang: We can stand for any questions.
Simison: Council, any questions?
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
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Perreault: You can always count on me to have questions. I have about three
questions for you. First, you referenced the parking question that I had for staff and I
want to clarify what my question actually was. The question was did you move some
anticipated street parking from those curved areas to the straight sections of public road
on the south side or are they the same -- the -- the two side by side photos -- again, it's
hard to see on the small screen, but it looked like maybe there was more parking in the
street sections of public road on the south side than there was prior.
Tsang: No. We -- all we did was -- everything -- every parking space on public -- public
road was just a removal. We didn't add any extra parking spaces.
Perreault: My concern about having -- so, you said you were overparked and that those
spaces are not needed, but because it's a public road of course folks are permitted to
use that as parking. My concern about those long straight sections of road where you
have cars parked on both sides -- there is a lot of opportunity for pedestrian accidents,
from people walking out from behind cars, you know, soccer balls running out into the
street and when you have it double parked on both sides I think that creates for more
issues with safety problems on a -- on a straight stretch of road and that's a pretty long
straight stretch of road. You have a stop sign in between those two stretches, but that's
a pretty long stretch and people tend to speed up on those; right?
Tsang: Yes.
Perreault: So, I'm wondering if there might be -- if you considered the possibility of just
doing the parking on one side or the other or -- it doesn't sound like you are going to put
signage on that -- those stretches at all, it's just going to be seen as a parking street.
Tsang: I mean we were open to it. I mean we don't -- because we don't need it it's
whatever the community -- back to what we were informed. Again, I don't know if that
information is correct. If the -- if the city wants it and the community wants it. You know,
we are open to any of -- the parking issue for us -- we meet our parking standards. So,
if the community says, hey, we want single loaded streets for parking and that makes
sense for everyone and, again, based on some clarification if it's a city's decision, we
will work with the city. I mean we -- we -- we feel that with the -- the crosswalks that we
want to put in it should be decently safe. Maybe what we do is -- as a -- as an idea is
maybe move some parking spaces away from the crosswalk, so there is more visibility
around the crosswalks, so when people do want to cross it's not like a -- a car, a
crosswalk, and a car. Maybe remove some of those. I think having some extra parking
in the street -- streets are -- is a benefit. But, again, open to work with the city.
Absolutely.
Perreault: Thank you. I appreciate that. Obviously, it's not something that we are going
to condition, because you met the standard, but I would appreciate considering the
safety elements of having it parked on both sides and how close the lot -- the -- the
spots are to each other.
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Tsang: Yeah. And I think if you guys -- if everyone likes the idea -- I mean it's coming
off the top of my head, but creating a gap where the crosswalks are might -- if that's
sufficient, if everyone agrees with that, I would prefer that. But if it's a, hey, it's got to be
single loaded, we can talk about that, too. Just love to have an open forum about that.
Perreault: Thank you. I will -- I will -- I'm sure my other Council Members can share
their thoughts on that. That's just my thought on it. Secondly, the section that has the
curve right in the middle where there is a green space on -- on the northwest side and
there is the tool shed -- is that what you called it -- kind of in the southeast --
Tsang: Yeah. Yes.
Perreault: -- section?
Tsang: Off of Bergman.
Perreault: Can you pull up that --
Tsang: Sure. Michael.
Perreault: -- that zoom in -- and just as you are doing that I want to -- I want to just
share some feedback for future applications for you. These documents were really hard
to read.
Tsang: I know.
Perreault: There was a ton of zooming in, zooming out, zooming in, zooming out and I
struggled. Okay. So, what -- have you made any consideration -- again, not a
condition, just a question. Have made any consideration of maybe putting some brick
or a different pavement product between -- across the street from those two areas, so
that it kind of identifies, hey, you are in a public use area. It would encourage people to
slow down as they were coming upon a different design and, then, also maybe tie those
two common areas more together.
Tsang: Yeah. I --
Stavin: That's a great comment. What we are able to do is do stamped concrete, use
ACHD is like brick. But just so you know, if you see stamped concrete that would be
why.
Tsang: And there is a certain part of the engineering -- once we get our construction
plans -- I have done a couple of developments here in Meridian -- there is a good
chance we have to put pavers in anyways for stormwater retention -- for storm -- the
stormwater mitigation. So, if -- if we are -- there is a good chance we have to put some
pavers in, too. So, whether we like it or not I think we might have to.
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Perreault: I'm guessing that will be an area where a lot of folks will cross.
Tsang: Yeah.
Perreault: Okay. Thank you. Just one more quick question on the amenities. What --
what was the original reason for wanting to create such an amenity heavy
development? It -- it -- it kind of sounds like that's almost burdening you to some extent
in how you are designing this.
Tsang: And I think we have addressed this last Council meeting is that, you know, I'm --
I'm going to be an empty nester next year. Michael is a single guy lives in a townhome
community with no front yards, no backyards. And I'm coming from a larger property
and I -- maybe because I'm lazy, I just don't want a big yard maintenance. I want to lock
and go. But I still want to work on my bike and still want to go to the pool and have
some open space and sometimes we shoot ourselves in the foot by designing
communities that we want, but we have to make sure other people want it, because we
have to sell homes. But I think there is a demographic here and there is a lot of people
moving in here that are empty nesters and want less. So, our motivation was to have a
little different product. Not the usual, you know, R-4, big yard, you have your gardens,
your dogs. You still have your dogs, because we have plenty of places to walk your
dogs and exercise and get out and after we sat down -- when we designed this
community with Pivot North, our big thing was a walkable -- almost -- and because we
are part of Orchard Park we know that there is going to be so many amenities that there
-- I picture myself living there, because I can -- not have to attend a yard. I have a place
to work on my stuff. I have an open space and I can go across and get coffee. Now, I
don't think I'm representative of everyone or most people, but I think there is a -- we
only have 140 some units. I think there is enough people that might want to live that
way, but we are betting on it.
Simison: Council, additional questions for the applicant?
Borton: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Borton.
Borton: Tony, I -- I was appreciative of the application last time and I think you both
have made it certainly better. I love the PUD concept. I wish we would see more. I
think it -- it allows you to do what you are doing here. It provides more innovative and
unique layout and design and product. So, I just appreciate everything you both have
done on this. I think it's really well done.
Tsang: Thank you.
Borton: And I don't make -- I'm going to get your reaction to this, because when you
remove seven units, that's a big deal.
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Tsang: Yeah.
Borton: From the amenities. It's a small project and the amenities you are providing -- I
want you to react briefly to that -- that impact on your development with -- I mean your
hard costs don't change. Your infrastructure costs don't change. And -- and sometimes
a change in unit count doesn't get highlighted as much. That's a big deal and it's a big
impact on your ability to deliver. So, I just want to get your brief reaction on that. It's a
big concession, which is appreciated, but we also understand and don't highlight
enough the economic reality of -- of your project being liable when that -- when that
happens.
Tsang: Yeah. Of course, we had to work that pro -- pro forma a few times and that's
kind of where we -- we got to with the -- the community. You know, we went in there
with -- I know that it doesn't feel like much when it comes to 146 units down to 139. It's
-- I know on the surface it doesn't feel like a lot, but it's a lot to us. When you hit a -- that
was the disappointing part. I mean I think we had a great community. The neighbors --
the neighbors came out and I think they were just looking for more and I just -- and I
finally said, honestly, this is all we got. If we have to do any more it doesn't make sense
for us to do this anymore and it wasn't a threat. I know some people took it as a threat.
It's just the reality of development and as -- we all know, we live in Meridian, we live in --
our -- the prices are coming down and interest rates are higher. So, it's a double
whammy; right? You know, construction costs are still decently high. Values are going
down. We are losing units. But we still love this development and we have the -- we
have the advantage -- I keep saying the advantage of Orchard Park. You know, this is --
if we were just developers and we had bought this land and we want to build them to
sell them and make a profit, I will tell you guys, seven units, I would have told Michael
it's not worth the risk, you know. We have the bigger picture. We need to -- we want
this part of Orchard Park to be as beautiful as possible and control the environment and
have high-end renters, because we want -- we want the commerce at Orchard Park. I
will be honest. It's all economically placed. I'm not going to sit here and tell you it's
because I'm -- it's -- we need this to be beautiful to insure that the development at
Orchard Park is successful also, so --
Strader: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Strader.
Strader: I have a few questions. Can you go to the original plans and just start by
highlighting which units were removed?
Tsang: Sure. We -- Sonya, do you mind pulling up the original, because we didn't -- we
didn't have the original in our presentation. Yeah. Just -- yes, please. If you go down --
I know -- I can control it here I think; right? It's I think the third slide down. Not that one.
One more. Number seven. Okay. I know if we can zoom in or not, but the -- we did it --
we did some alterations. We had some really good advice about -- we had a bolder unit
-- a multi-family unit here on the south; right? Oh, this mouse. Here. That we
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converted into a townhome. We got rid of this bolder unit on the corner here. We got
rid of this bolder unit on the corner here. So, it was -- those were three unit -- multi-
family units. So, that's three there. Three in the top northeast corner, and this three unit
down here in the southeast corner became a two unit townhome versus a three unit
multi-family.
Strader: Got it. So, you lost some garden -- were they kind of garden style -- how many
units were in them? I don't remember.
Slavin: They were three units each. So, there are three units --
Strader: Okay. They were triplexes?
Slavin: Technically they are -- yes. They are -- they are -- they are multi-family. They
are vertically aligned.
Strader: Okay. Got it. Okay. So, you lost those three and, then, you added two single
family attached. So, where are those?
Slavin: Yeah. Sorry. We -- we replaced one of the locations that -- both are -- and this
mouse tracks a little funny. It's in the -- the lower -- here we go. This corner. Can you
see the circle I'm highlighting. Not really highlighting, but circling.
Strader: Yeah. Okay. So, you are saying you put two single family there instead?
Slavin: That's correct.
Strader: Got it. And, then, the other two you just lost and they became open space.
Slavin: That -- that's correct. Yes.
Strader: And, then, can you guys go -- sorry to have you jump around. Can you guys
go to the slide that has the comparison with R-8 and all the different setbacks? Yeah. I
just want a minute to take a look at this. So, I guess my feedback would be -- it sounds
like these changes are really positive. I -- I think what concerns me at this point is that
the materials we had to review -- basically we didn't, in my opinion, have a lot of time to
-- to review. I think it may be more our issue than your issue, but I am concerned also
to hear from the neighbors, obviously, whether they feel they have had time. But just
looking at this -- I mean just for comparison purposes, you know, if you were under the
R-8 setbacks, how many units would you be able to fit in this development? That was
one of the questions that I had.
Tsang: If you are asking based on the current design -- we haven't ever -- we, as a --
the developing team have never looked at it as an R-8 design. If we had the time to go
redesign it we can give you a number, but we just haven't gone through that exercise of
doing the normal R-8 yet.
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Strader: But you couldn't even -- with sort of like the lot size and the amount of
developable land, you couldn't even like take a swag at it?
Tsang: We -- we could. I mean we just haven't. We would be --
Strader: It kind of surprises me that you --
Tsang: Well, because -- and it's -- not trying to be cute, but we designed this from day
one as this. This has been our vision since day one. It's -- we never had a Plan B. So
we could. I mean the pure math is -- you know, I guess we can do some quick math of
how many acres the streets take up and using 4,000 square foot lots and the setbacks
-- I mean we could -- you just --
Strader: That's kind of where I was going. Yeah. Just back of the envelope
understanding that that wouldn't really be totally correct; right? But at least it would be a
-- a swag. And part of the reason I'm asking is I -- I have not been convinced that this
merits a PUD. So, that's part of the reason for me asking that question.
Tsang: Yeah. I don't know how to respond to that in the sense of -- I think -- I think the
word merits a PUD confuses me a little bit, because I don't think there is -- there is
qualification to be a PUD and, you know, we were hoping that we demonstrated some of
the qualifications. Michael could speak on that point a little bit.
Slavin: Yeah. It's -- excuse me. And -- and it's somewhat related to never performing
an exercise for a typical R-8 lot. Looking at -- they said the constraints, we did give
away -- Orchard Park Drive is a condition of the original development agreement -- was
quite a bit of land as well and the way it was shaped connecting, essentially, in front of
the Firehouse to Fox Run created a technical condition that was pretty tough and so
how many of these developments go is we go into the planning staff for a pre-app
meeting and we talk about what's possible and knowing that we had a minimum
standard -- at least R-6 to hit, we thought it would be much wiser just to actually pursue
a PUD. So, we worked quite a bit with planning staff that are, you know, pretty
sophisticated in this. This is their passion to go to school to do and work a lot with them
hand in hand from a guidance perspective and -- and producing these plans it costs a
tremendous amount of time and effort and energy and resources and -- and capital and
so we rely a lot on that guidance, to be honest. And so when we, you know, get a level
of comfort that we qualify for a PUD based on the amenities that we are offering, you
know, the level of design we are offering, we get a lot of conviction and go forward with
it and so, hopefully, that helps provide more context in why we -- we pursued a PUD
and -- and as well didn't really spend much time looking at R-8 standard lot
development.
Strader: It does. It -- it just -- frankly, it does not satisfy my question, which is I believe
when we use a PUD we should have an accurate comparison between what we are
getting and what we would have had under the traditional zoning. But, you know, if you
guys can get a chance to sort of do that back of the envelope, I think that's helpful. It
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doesn't mean -- by the way, it's not like that's the decision point, it's not like that -- less
units is better, but it's like I just think dancing around it is silly. I think we should be able
to -- as a City Council look at what we would have under the traditional process and,
then, compare it, you know, accurately with the PUD. All right. Well, I will -- I will quiet
down now, Mr. Mayor, and -- and maybe we will hear from others.
Simison: Council, any additional questions for the applicant?
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: Could you go to the next slide where it shows the comparison of setbacks in
the R-8 zone? There is another one that had -- that was provided. Keep going. I
think --
Slavin: Excuse me. That would have been our presentation.
Tsang: Is that -- the one with the graphic on it?
Perreault: Yes.
Tsang: Oh, yeah, it's on ours.
Perreault: So, was that staff's presentation we were looking at?
Tsang: Yeah.
Perreault: Okay. Sorry. Yes. In your presentation. That -- that is a document I would
have really liked to have had. I don't know -- I didn't see it in the file. I just wanted you
to leave it up for a few moments so I can review it, because you went through it really
fast.
Tsang: Yeah. No problem.
Perreault: I didn't have a specific question related to that. Thank you.
Simison: Would you like to hear from other people while you look at that? I think you
guys can sit there and we will go to testimony from the public. So, with that, Mr. Clerk,
did we have anybody sign up to provide testimony on this item?
Johnson: Mr. Mayor, we do. First is Sally Reynolds.
Simison: Okay. Good evening, Sally, again.
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Reynolds: Good evening, Mr. Mayor, Members of City Council. Sally Reynolds. 1166
West Bacall Street, Meridian, Idaho. First just wanted to thank you all for listening so
closely to the feedback from the public last time and for hearing that. I am really
pleased to see a number of things have been explained or changed and in particular
that PUD qualification a little bit more. With regard to the parking, just want to back up
what Tony said. The ACHD lawyer told us Meridian city is the parking authority on
residential streets. So, if you could put that in your motion as a condition of approval
that Meridian city does not approve parking on Arliss, Bergman, or Director and that the
applicant should -- the applicant should work with ACHD to get whatever studies or
signage is necessary to make that happen that would be great. I think the developers
have tried hard to give us a pleasing development in this fluctuating real estate market
that will meet Meridian's changing demographics. I have no objection to the
development as it has been presented tonight. I believe the applicant has been
transparent and communicative with the public. They have made an effort to reduce
units. While it's not close to 120 units I would like, any other developer could come in
here and put about the same number of units under R-8 standards is what I personally
think I would have loved to have, but like Council Member Strader said as comparison,
but by my best guess, using the PUD maybe they would have had 15 more units and so
by losing seven I feel like they kind of met us in the middle. They are trying to make
them blend with the commercial area and they are feathering density in a small area.
They are doing that well. And they are the developer who has the most vested interest
in making this community a quality place to live, which they are doing through the
amenities. I still don't love the condominium units here. I would have preferred to see
those built in a zoning area where they truly fit the zoning, but they are not overrunning
the development or making a huge difference in the total number of units, so I am not
opposed to this application. However, I would like it stated on the record why Council
believes this development meets the requirements of a PUD, so there is a very narrow
window other applications can reference to justify zero foot setbacks on certain lot lines
and around the perimeter of the plat. PUDs are handled on a case-by-case basis and
as long as you are on the Council you will know how an application compares to this
one, but future council members may not unless it's stated. My take away from this
application is that from the optics point of public sometimes it seems like staff is giving
coaching on how to use loopholes in the city code to be creative and get around things
and I understand that when a developer comes to city staff and says this is what you
want to do it's city staffs job to say here are the options we have available to you, here
are some of the things that we can do, and that's great and they can explore those
options. But, then, when those suggestions are taken and presented by city staff by
recommendation, it seems there is not a -- I guess ranking on how strong that
recommendation is if they have used those tools properly given our city code. So, one
last -- and I will just -- a suggestion for that, for example, with this application, since they
were applying for a PUD it would have been awesome if in the staff report it had the
PUD from the city code, that section of code in the staff report saying this is what a PUD
is. It's just a great refresher and you would have had it right there to read at your
fingertips. Thank you. Any questions?
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Simison: Thank you, Sally. Council, any questions? I think you are good. Thank you.
And if there is anybody online and you would like to testify on this item as well, please,
use the raise your hand feature, so we can put you in the queue. Up next, Mr. Clerk?
Johnson: Next is Kelly Carpenter.
Simison: Good evening, Kelly.
Carpenter: Good evening, Mr. Mayor and Members of the City Council Member --
Members. Kelly Carpenter. 5991 North Arliss Avenue in Meridian. Tonight I'm coming
to you exhausted. I'm exhausted by my daily life and attending yet another Sagarra
meeting where I feel that developers haven't truly listened. Yes, they have reduced the
number of units, but does this number of units they have still really make sense? There
is no reason this development should be granted PUD. The developers were the
decision makers in how to divide the land in the first place. We all love our community
of Meridian and that is why we are here today. Per our last neighborhood meeting we
made suggestions to lower the building height, change multi-family units into a larger
community center or a clubhouse, but, no, they are not willing to budge. Unfortunately,
our time together ended the same as the previous two meetings. Michael and Tony
showed their plan, listened to our feedback, then, left with a, well, this is it, take it leave
it attitude. Orchard Park has not been what it was promised -- promoted to be thus far
and this residential section I feel will not be either. These units will be shoved right up to
the sidewalk and road. Nightly I am witness to people drag racing down Orchard Park
Drive. I can't imagine when one of those cars slams into a residential building and takes
a life, because the buildings do not have the proper setbacks. I would love to have the
developer start building on their land immediately. I'm tired of the rodents and the
weeds that are constantly infiltrating my home. This development needs to be right for
the community. My suggestions would be to eliminate the multi-family units that backup
to the park and the intersection of Bergman and Orchard Park Drive. Not only are these
units out of place, they do not have the proper parking. These units that were removed
are on the east side of the development and the two multi-family units are on the west
side. So, the parking spots added by reducing the seven units does not help that
situation. Additionally, I would ask that the developer would need to follow the -- the
standard setbacks. I appreciate your time. Any questions?
Simison: Thank you. Council, any questions?
Hoaglun: Kelly?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor. Kelly, just a question. I mean there is going to be houses here.
Carpenter: Absolutely.
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Hoaglun: And it's just a matter of what kind and what that looks like. I mean one of the
options truly is if they sell and it goes to -- someone comes from out of state and they
just slap up, they increase the lot size a bit, but the homes are not quality, I -- I don't
think that benefits Paramount at all. Paramount is a beautiful subdivision. So, what we
are trying to attract here is a quality development befitting to be beside Paramount and,
then, feather into that as -- as they use the term development, because it is hard to
have really nice homes and that's why you see multi-family up closer to commercial
properties. I mean that's the other option is -- is, you know, you got a bird in the hand
here or do you -- do you go to Option B and we don't know what that is and it could be
worse. Your advice, please.
Carpenter: Council Member Hoaglun, thank you. I agree. I love many components of
this development. I do believe the developers have worked hard. Again, I feel that they
have had these meetings with us, but it has been this is what it is and we, too, want a
quality development and I feel per what fellow Council Members have stated tonight that
there needs to be a little bit more thought, a little bit more documentation, a little bit
more time put into this. I wish it was built tomorrow. Like I said, I'm truly tired of living
next to a field with dust and rodents and weeds. Tired of listening to the drag racers at
night. I'm sure if there were homes there, then, I wouldn't hear it, as well as there are
probably be more police out there policing the road. And so, yes, I truly do want Tony
and Michael to build. I think this will be great. But I think that the small pieces that they
are focusing on, the tool shed, that dog washing, good -- that's good community, let's
get more, bigger, why couldn't we take away one of the multi-family units at a minimum
and put in a bigger community center. I have been in this community for over ten years.
I am a mom of three. I'm a homeschooler. My kids -- I have two other kids that go to
brick and mortar schools. I have constantly talked to moms who want gathering
community to be together and I know that they are speaking about young professionals
that want to lock up and go, but that's not going to be the only people that purchase
these. There will be young families with one child just starting off that can't afford a
home. Maybe they can afford a nice condo, though, or a nice townhome. You know,
they are going to want that -- and I know they keep talking about these bits and pieces
of little green space. I just feel like it's not enough. It needs to be just a little bit more
and if that means eliminating even one of the multi-families, what they are calling the
Turtle Head and the Turtle Tail, why can't we eliminate one of those?
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
Hoaglun: Follow-up, Kelly. I appreciate those comments. Helpful and -- but they have
removed three multi-family. One of them was replaced with two -- I believe they are
townhomes. But I mean that -- that is, from our understanding and knowing how the
developers work and, you know, how some of the costs are, that -- that was a big
concession. Understand that, so -- and I -- I do believe -- I did hear that there is a
community center there of some sort?
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Carpenter: Uh-huh.
Hoaglun: So, I mean they have the tool shed, yes, but there is a community center. If
you guys could make sure that -- I heard it correctly, so -- yeah. Because we definitely
look at those things as what are the amenities, especially places that are -- where it is
more compact, so -- but your comments are greatly appreciated, because we do want
things to be quality, especially over where you live. It's -- it's a very nice. I have friends
who live there and it's -- it's a -- it's a great neighborhood.
Carpenter: Uh-huh. Absolutely. Yeah. Thank you so much.
Borton: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Borton.
Borton: Quick follow up question. Sally's comments and your comments and, then,
Council Member Hoaglun's questions, do you look at it and do you provide comment
from the perspective of whether or not as presented it would be popular and in demand
for that future customer and you are concerned that without these changes it might not
be as attractive for the individual who is going to reside here or is it not that and,
instead, just from the perspective of, you know, an adjacent property owner, a member
of Paramount, who is concerned that even -- even if it's in high demand as presented,
we think it should have some adjustments to it.
Carpenter: Right. Thank you, Council Member Borton. I honestly come to it from both
sides. Again, I am a member of the community. I love our community. This is an
amazing community. My husband and I chose to raise our children here. I want to be
able to befriend these people and if they are, you know, young professionals or they are
families or maybe they are retired people. I just want a good community and,
absolutely, adjacent neighbor -- I mean do I want a four story -- you know, I'm not saying
that this is, but like -- you know, do I want a huge building? Of course I don't want that,
you know. But I just -- again, the concern is like just the amount of units, the crowding
and the pushing. You know, I go, honestly, anywhere in Meridian there is -- there is so
many little shopping centers popping up and not Orchard Park specifically, but the
parking is a problem. Specifically Linder and McMillan across the street from
Walgreens where the Mike's Subs is at, there is Loose Screw Brewing, there is a
workout place in there, there is an Italian place and there is a huge dirt lot and it is
chock full of cars. What's going to happen when they build there? And I just think in
general as the City of Meridian, as a community, we can focus on more planful and
better parking. So, that's, again, a concern. I know they are saying that they have
enough. I have gone through and counted and those multi-family units, I personally
don't feel like they have enough parking. So, again, it's not my job. Just a personal
kind of gut look at the numbers, know who moves into multi-family units, not typically
two people with two cars, it's typically more than that. So, just kind of my feeling on that
and doing well for the community. Yeah. Yeah.
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Simison: Council, any additional questions? All right.
Carpenter: Okay. Thank you so much for your time.
Johnson: Mr. Mayor, there is no one -- those were the only people that marked they
wanted to speak.
Simison: Okay. Is there anybody else present that would like to come forward and
provide testimony on this item? If so come forward now or if you are online, please, use
the raise your hand feature. Seeing no one coming forward or raising their hand, if the
applicant would like to come forward to close.
Parsons: Mayor, this is Bill. If -- if the Council would like me to indulge the audience on
what a PUD is and how that all works, I'm happy to do that. I think there are -- just
looking at the last hearing and tonight's hearing, I think there is some -- I don't think
everyone really understands what it -- what it is and what we do as staff when we -- we
work with the applicant and -- and guide them through the code. So, again, if you want
me to do that I'm happy to -- to go through that exercise and share kind of our feedback
and our review of how we analyze this project when we prepare our recommendations.
Borton: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Borton?
Borton: I think that's helpful. I think the Title 1175 findings, which are part of the
analysis that -- that we should discuss openly, I think that's helpful for all of us for sure,
as well as the public.
Parsons: Thank you. So, first of all, I just want to give you some context that Sonya
and I have been working with this applicant well over a year and what we do when we
meet with an applicant is we go through their previous approvals and make sure that
they are meeting their requirements of their contract. In this particular case the
applicant had a bubble concept plan that Sonya shared with you this evening and there
was a requirement for a minimum amount of density on this R-8 piece. The DA says
you have to have a minimum of six dwelling units to the acre on this site. The comp
plan calls for three to eight dwelling units to the acre. The applicant came in and met
with us and said we want to -- we want to develop this consistent with the MDR
designation. We don't want to go through a Comprehensive Plan map amendment, we
don't want to rezone this, what can we do in order to get -- develop this three to eight
dwelling units to the acre and still meet the spirit of this development and that's where
we started the dialogue of a planned unit development. In looking at the site, in looking
at the development agreement for this particular project, it was very clear that this was
to be part of this development and integrated into this development. As part of that the
applicant was required to build an entire backage road as part of phase one. They were
not to have a direct connection into Paramount, which resulted in the S-curve of that
road that tied into the collector road that they were required to build and they were
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required to work with Brighton Development to the east to provide a connection to Fox
Run, so that we can get people out to the light. So, when you put all of that into context
in tonight's discussion you are left with this irregular shaped piece of property that is --
meets the eligibility requirements of a PUD. You put into context that there is actually a
40 foot wide irrigation easement along the south and east boundary that had to be piped
and relocated at the expense of the applicant and the fact that they were able to work
with the irrigation district to landscape that to make it an attractive amenity for the
community and tie in with Linder Village bodes well it's a PUD. Now, according to the --
the applicant or some of the testimony that you have heard on this, a lot of the
neighbors are -- keep speaking to the setbacks along the periphery. The applicant is
keeping with that spirit. In the staff report we made a finding that because of that
irrigation facility these lots don't necessarily back up to Paramount. That 40 foot
setback is -- or that landscape buffer along that perimeter -- it's the transition. We often
talk about that at public hearings is when we have smaller lots against county residents
we always often talk about a transition and the comp plan contemplates that. In this
particular case that is a great transition, not only for this community, but also for the
Paramount community. The applicant is also working with the neighbors to address the
fencing on that southbound. So, there is another attribute to the applicant working with
them. Now, when you get into the PUD findings, when you look at Chapter 2 of the
code, it's -- it's -- we know this is R-8 zoning. That's what they were annexed in with.
The -- Chapter 2 of the code says you can have multi-family in an R-8 zone if you go
through the PUD process. So, when we start that conversation with the applicant we do
go through the code with them and say you have to make these findings and you have
to meet these standards and so quickly I will run through that. So, here is what we do to
check the boxes for you -- and we provide that analysis in the staff report, as well as the
findings at the end of the staff report. So, here is one of the general standards for
PUDs. Deviations from the underlying district requirements. It says they are allowed as
long as it's not along the perimeter. The periphery. Well, the applicant -- Sonya and I
looked at the plat -- sorry. Excuse me. Staff has looked at the revised plat. All of the
lots up along Paramount are over 4,000 minimum lot sizes. So, they don't necessarily
need to do that, but they have done that and the only deviation from their setbacks are
the rear setbacks where they are asking for a ten foot setback, instead of a 12 foot
setback. Staff found that was appropriate. When you look at the landscape buffer
along the collector roadway that has been installed with the development of the
property. That's a 20 foot buffer. The conditions of approval in the staff report says you
are going to enhance that buffer and make it even nicer as part of this development.
The applicant has agreed to that. So, in context when we are really talking about a
PUD and how this relates, it's really that internal portion that you see here and when
you actually have a 40 foot landscape buffer that narrows that portion of the site and so
to Council Woman Strader's comments, why didn't you do a typical R-8 development.
Well, if you would have you probably would have got half a -- half the density of four
dwelling units to the acre, you would have got a cookie cutter development, and you
would have never met the requirements of the DA and that's where staff and I -- or
Sonya and I met with the applicant and said let's try to keep with the intent of what it
was intended for from their -- from the onset when it was in front of you. The other one
is allowed uses. Applicants may request specific conditional accessory uses allowed in
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the district -- be allowed as principally permitted uses. Again, multi-family.
Interconnected uses. Again, this is integrating not only with Paramount, but also the
commercial to the north with interconnected pathways. The applicant shared that with
you in their presentation tonight and they showed you how that was going to be
accomplished. They brought up building clusters. You cluster the buildings -- in this
particular case central into the development so that you can have greater amenities and
more open space. They have done that. Private open space. Their condition that each
one of these units has to have 80 square feet of private open space. That will be
verified when they come in for building permits. That's a requirement. And, then, it says
in-fill development -- it says this is -- again, it's in-fill, but not necessarily five acres or
less. So, that one's not applicable. But it goes on to say that you need to comply with --
maintain the density of the underlying district or the Comprehensive Plan and they are.
They have not asked for density -- density bonus as part of this project. Technically
they could have, because if you look at the overall development they had a library, they
had public spaces as part of that approval. Technically they could have asked for higher
density for you to consider as part of this application, but they -- again, they wanted to
meet the spirit of the development agreement and their original approval and meet with
the neighbors and work with them to get something that was closer to that eight dwelling
units to the acre and that's what they have tried to do tonight. So, in looking at all of that
and looking at the standards of the code, that's where staff has landed and we found
that it was consistent with the PUD standards and it did meet the required standards
and that's how we got in front of you tonight. So, happy to elaborate anymore on some
of those standards, but in our minds this is -- this is a planned unit development. It does
meet the requirements of the code.
Simison: Council Woman Strader.
Strader: I think it's really important to go through the eligibility requirements. Can you,
please, discuss those in terms of it being an irregular piece of property and what that
bar is under code?
Parsons: Mayor, Members of the Council, Council Woman Strader, are you -- are you
referring to the applicability section or are you referring to the standards?
Strader: The applicability. The eligibility for a PUD.
Parsons: It says the planned unit development can be developed -- developed in any
district. It shall be unlawful and a violation of Unified Development Code for any person
use, construct, real -- so, basically, it says it's -- it's allowed and you have to follow the
rules.
Strader: Okay. But what I'm getting at is the piece where we talk about how we would
not give this to just any property, it needs to be an irregular piece of property. And the
reason I'm bringing that up is that the other examples I can think of for a PUD have
been -- where we have -- especially where we have changed setbacks so dramatically
-- have been a piece of property where we had like a state highway coming through it or
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something pretty major and maybe that's where my disconnect is. But if you can just
help me understand why it makes sense here and the other properties where I have
seen something similar where we are changing setbacks to this extent have been like
major obstacles.
Parsons: Mayor, Members of the Council, Council Woman Strader, just right to the east
of this development is Paramount Director, which went through the PUD process, and
it's right along Chinden. So, Brighton has done three of those developments as part of
the PUD process to deviate from our dimensional standards. And, again, you see here
that -- if you compared this develop -- this development in front of you is 196 units at 5.5
dwelling units to the acre and that was a PUD. So, again --
Strader: Okay. And so --
Parsons: -- the idea is -- the purpose statement says preserve natural scenic historic
features of major importance. Well, I can tell you not a lot of those properties exist in
Meridian. Number two. Allow for innovative design that creates visually -- visually
pleasing and cohesive patterns of development, including, but not limited to residential
development at great -- densities greater than eight dwelling to the acre where design
guidelines are in place for development and where garage doors are generally not
fronting on the street. So, in this particular case, because the requirement for keeping
the periphery consistent with the adjacent development, they have to be garage
dominated per the PUD standards. But when you get to the internal portion of the
development, they are all fronting on the street and all the parking is internal onto
private streets or shared driveways, which is, again, meeting the purpose statement of
the PUD and it's -- and it's -- it is not the intent in the PUD process to be used solely for
the purpose of deviation from the dimensional standards.
Strader: Right. That's -- that's where I'm getting hung up.
Parsons: And it's not. So, in our -- in our -- and I think from staff's perspective when
you look at the amount of open space that they are providing in excess of code, they
are still meeting the parking, they are having a higher amenity package than what you
see with your typical R-8 development. We are making that finding that this is an
exemplary design. It is trying to keep with the spirit of the law of their development
agreement and meeting the requirements for a PUD and that's -- that's how we look at
that. It's -- it's a whole -- looking at the whole PUD code section comprehensively, not
just a portion of it, and saying this applies, it doesn't apply. It really -- you have to look
at everything comprehensively and, then, make that determination and that's where staff
landed on recommending approval of this project with what you are seeing tonight.
Strader: So, if someone asks me what -- what the bar is for future development to
warrant a PUD, so far what I'm hearing the answer is is if you have more open space
and the periphery of your project meets our requirements -- and that's the bar. Am I
missing anything else in terms of what -- what someone would take away from an
approval on this?
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Parsons: Council Woman Strader, it's exemplary design -- so, again, you have to look
at the design of the units, the fact that there is going to be private open space
associated with that. You have to note that there are higher --
Strader: Amenities.
Parsons: -- amenities -- yes. Amenities have increased above what code requires and
there is a mix of residential product types. I think that's the -- the whole -- it's all of
those factors that come into it, so -- to say that it's a PUD. It's not just one thing.
Strader: Okay. Thanks for the feedback.
Parsons: Yeah. Thank you.
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: Thank you, Bill. I would like you to touch on the mix of residential product
types. I don't know that I have ever seen one before us with six different residential
types and -- and I -- that is one of the larger parts of this that I'm struggling with. It -- it
doesn't -- it feels very divided and not cohesive. So, maybe that's just because I'm
looking at a two-dimensional drawing that's small and I don't have, you know, something
to give me more context. But was that something you discussed with the applicant to
maybe not do so many product types or is that a benefit from the staff's perspective?
Parsons: Yeah. Mayor, Members of the Council, Council Woman Perreault, a lot of the
language you are seeing tonight is marketing by the applicant. In our -- and when --
when staff analyzes this project we look at our definition of our code and we are like
what are these units. So, the single family units along -- Paramount they are just that.
They are single family detached in our code. The duplex units -- they are single -- we
call them single family attached units. So, there is your second product type. And,
then, the third product is the multi-family. So, in this particular case you have single
family attached. You could -- you have some townhomes, which are the three units and,
then, you have -- so, you actually have four product types and you are not six. They
have -- they have labeled it as six, but in the context of our code and how we define
them there is actually a total of four as part of this development, which, again, meets the
standard of the PUD and it's allowed in an R-8 district.
Borton: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Borton.
Borton: To close the loop on that, whenever -- I think that explanation -- you walking
through that should be part of the initial presentation for PUDs, because they are great
questions and that very site specific context is really an important part of the story and --
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and as I understand PUDs -- and as outlined in our code is they are intentionally not set
out with a specific box parameter. There are -- they are purposely flexible and the
standards have some mush to them intentionally to invite creativity. It makes it difficult
perhaps to draw a line what's -- what makes one sufficient and another one insufficient.
Very very fact specific and subjective. One of the elements that comes up in these PUD
discussions of setbacks -- the way the code uses the word solely to me is important. It
can't be solely for the purpose of -- of eliminating some or all setback requirements.
That's always going to be a component in every PUD. But it has to have all those other
elements. Some -- some context to it that the initial purpose elements that you
described. So, it's one of the explanation reasons to Sally's question that's articulated
on the record. That is sufficient in my eyes. But it's really helpful to explain it and -- and
talk through that in detail like you did. So, I appreciate that.
Parsons: Mayor, Council, I will also let you know -- as you -- as you are aware we -- we
try to amend the code throughout -- every year and PUD standards are definitely one of
those items that we want to review this year and make it a little more clear as how they
-- how they function and when they are -- they are applicable. Or at least define that a
little bit better. So, just wanted to go on the record and share that with you as well. We
are working with the UDC focus group on that.
Simison: Council, anymore questions for staff at least on that information? Okay.
Before we ask the applicant to come up and close I will see if there is anybody else in
the community who would like to come forward and provide additional testimony based
on the stuff that was heard. We have one person that would like to come back up who
mentioned this in her statements. Sally, if you would like to come back up.
Reynolds: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, Members of City Council. Sally Reynolds again.
1166 West Bacall Street. I appreciate you giving me an opportunity to come back and
address you. I thought that Bill's explanation would be part of the staff report. So, I
appreciate the opportunity to -- I guess respond to that a little bit. And I do think I -- I will
just back him up and agree -- I agree with solely for setbacks is kind of where I got hung
up on this application the very first time and the amount of amenities that they are
providing I could, then, see kind of why it was a PUD, especially with the DA agreement
trying to say you have to have absolutely R-6. Where -- I mean -- and it is -- I guess the
periphery that I -- the periphery one that I do struggle with a little bit that I take a little
issue is not the one on my side. It's the north end. And I know it's zero percent
setbacks -- zero feet setbacks only at certain points. But, then, what it's kind of counting
on is the buffer from that point out to the street, which that's okay. If the Council finds
that that's okay and they can use that even though it's not part of their plat -- in their plat
as using it as a buffer to satisfy that requirement, then, please, state that, so that other
developers don't come in and say we have a zero percent setback and there is nothing
there, you know what I mean? And, then, as far as -- what was the other one? Just
refresh my memory. Yeah. And, then, the -- the multi -- the multi-family units. The only
thing that I will have to say about that is R-8 does allow for the single family and single
family attached -- well, detached and attached and townhomes. And so looking at the
periphery there is 32 along the periphery of single family detached; right? So, if those
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became attached or if they all became townhomes or if they all became -- I think that we
would kind of be looking at the same number of units, but I do agree that adding those
extra diversity types makes it feel a little bit hodgepodge and that's where -- are they
used in the PUD just to do that or to really be innovative and so I would just encourage
you to say that in your findings, so that future PUDs that come before you can take that
into consideration. And, then, also just -- I wouldn't have brought up the PUD if I felt like
those were really addressed in the staff report. They were there, but, then, I felt like as
a resident I had to go through the code and find out it's solely not for setbacks and that's
where the optics didn't look good is that I had to bring that to Council's attention that it
wasn't there in the staff report. And, then, there were suggestions of how to get -- or not
-- there were suggestions on -- originally they wanted to waive the 80 -- 80 square foot
of private space open for every unit and one of the suggestions was, well, if -- if you
apply for an urban label, then, you can. Okay. Well, that's a great suggestion. But if
that -- if they are going to actually do that, then, I feel like somewhere in the staff report
the term urban needs to be defined and why they actually met that. Does that make
sense? That's -- that's where I'm at with the PUD. That's why I came before you one
time saying this doesn't qualify as a PUD and now I'm not necessarily opposed,
because there has been a little bit more explanation and that's been on the record now,
so I feel more comfortable with that. But I'm not comfortable when there is suggestions
from staff with no meat behind it, that makes the residents feel we have to go dig into
the city code ourselves to find out if this is really substantiated.
Simison: Thank you, Sally. Council, any questions?
Borton: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Borton.
Borton: Can -- as to your first point on the setbacks on the north -- I don't know if Sonya
or Bill can comment on it. You were asking for some clarity in the discussion or findings.
But I don't -- I apologize, I might not have been tracking what you were looking for.
Reynolds: No. That's okay. As I understand in the staff report, Bill, there is only -- on
that northern side there is only a few points where they are asking for zero -- zero foot
setbacks and it is on the periphery. So, technically, in the code it says that when you
have a PUD there is no changes in setbacks along the periphery, which that would be a
zero percent -- you know, technically it's part of the plat. That other 20 feet of space to
the sidewalk and to the road isn't part of their plat. I mean through no fault -- no fault of
their own they had to do that collector road and I understand that. But it's just -- I feel
like that kind of is walking a fine line.
Sonya: Mr. Mayor, if I could respond to one thing. This project is a little unique in that
the subdivision plat was approved a while back and it was under a different code. It has
been amended since then to allow the 20 foot wide street buffer along the collector
street to be in an easement, rather than a common lot. Our old code required it to be in
a common lot. So, then, setbacks are measured off of the -- the lot lines. So, if it -- if
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this were reviewed under the current code today, then, there wouldn't be any need for a
deviation to that setback. So, just to -- you know, kind of explanation on the old code,
that this was kind of -- kind of falls under the old and the new, but there are existing lot
lines that required, then, that kind of do affect -- affect developments today on this and --
and I appreciate your comments, Sally, on the staff report. It's always good to hear
feedback on what -- you know, what the public and -- and the Council likes to hear it's
always a fine line that staff walks as to how lengthy to make the staff reports and how
much of city code to regurgitate, you know, in the staff reports and it's -- you know,
nobody wants the la, la, la, la, you know -- an extremely long staff report and -- anyway,
I appreciate your comments and -- and Council's comments as well on this.
Reynolds: And, Mr. Mayor, Council Members, and -- and city staff. Thank you. I
appreciate that explanation. It really does help and I think that you explaining that on
the record will hopefully be there also for future applications. So, I appreciate that very
much.
Simison: Thank you. Would the applicant like to come forward?
Slavin: Mr. Mayor, Council. Excuse me. I -- it's -- I love this type of process and when
there is a lot of tension usually that's spurned becomes of creativity and -- and thank
you so much. I wish I could speak as eloquently as Bill about the application of a PUD.
For the record this is my -- what, my third in the valley. Two of which are in Garden City.
And I know it's somewhat of a new living style. The waterfront district that everybody
probably knows about -- is the first I was involved in, what, 13 years ago. It's now the
coolest neighborhood in Garden City and nobody wanted to be -- nobody wanted to
actually admit they lived in Garden City 13 years ago. So, it was pretty edgy for its time.
But what it's done is it's brought a community together. I still live in that community by
choice. I love living there. I'm not going anywhere else. And, then, we actually have
another PUD just up the street and they are a little bit confusing. It's not trying to be
tricky, we are really being innovative. And, again, I think the waterfront district is -- is a
perfect testament of how this works out in time with several different living styles right
next to each other and how you can build a fantastic community out of it and -- and
that's our hopes for this project. I -- I think that -- the only other question that came up is
parking. I know that parking is a big concern and this is more speaking specifically to
Orchard Park and -- and -- and there is certain standards that we need to -- to adhere to
for code compliance, essentially, for -- for what we are building. But I will say that we
are going through a stringent process with our co-declarant being Winco on the site,
that we are actually offering you ten spaces per thousand square feet for the
restaurants. So, we are actually very confident that we are offering a lot of parking
holistically on the site. And the last thing I would like to point out is just a testament to
our conviction is that when you look at other branch libraries throughout the valley
typically they are in strip malls and we have spent a tremendous amount of money and
resources to provide a fantastic facility for the Meridian library district that, you know, it
wasn't an obligation of ours, it was something we really wanted to do. So, I just hope
that that stands as a concrete testament to our conviction to do nice projects.
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Tsang: I have nothing else to add. Just that I -- I hope everyone understands that, you
know, it — it somewhat was depicted that we just kind of said take it or leave it. We
worked really hard on this and I know that's part of our jobs, you know, we -- and Sally's
been awesome to work with. She's educated me on certain things and I have met with
her. I feel like I have gotten to know her really well, because two, three hour meetings,
four or five times with the community, I really enjoyed that part of it, honestly. It's -- it's --
it's interesting hearing the feedback and you also realize that you can't please everyone.
But I hope that you guys feel that we have done a good enough job, that we have tried
hard, you know, so you guys can approve this project.
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
Hoaglun: A question. Can you comment about your community center, your -- your --
Slavin: Yeah. Sure.
Hoaglun: -- whatever you call that.
Slavin: Certainly. Yeah. And -- and, you know, funny enough, because of the multi-
family requirement we -- we have two clubhouses. There -- there is one in -- what is
known as the Turtle Head. It's adjacent to this nice seating area and -- and, you know,
common walkway actually up to Orchard Park. So, it's kind of this little pink object.
There's a clubhouse in -- oops. Oh. We need a little laugh. It's good. So, there is
actually a clubhouse in here. But, then, we also have another clubhouse. The pool isn't
depicted. Yeah. We can actually go to a much larger detail.
Tsang: Actually, it's on our presentation.
Slavin: That's okay. You kind of see it here.
Tsang: Yeah.
Slavin: It's really small. I'm sorry, Council Woman Perreault. This is really small. There
is -- you can see there is a pool back in the clubhouse here and what's interesting is,
you know, even one of these clubhouses -- Paramount has one clubhouse for 500 acres
and, you know, on this site we actually have two and a tool shed -- tool library, dog
washing stations and it's pretty highly amenitized. We are pretty excited about it.
Simison: Anything else? Council, any questions? Okay. Thank you.
Tsang: Thank you.
Slavin: Thank you.
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Simison: While you all ponder I could go through my little -- you know, my life is a song
sometimes and this reminds me of the great facts of life song from the day, you know,
where you taking -- whether she takes the old, you take the new, you put them together
and there you have the PUD today. I mean -- and that's what -- really what this comes
down to in a lot of ways. You know, you are taking a lot from different concepts and
trying to put them together and there is pluses and there is minuses and it doesn't look
like you would like it to look with those things all considered. Kind of like buying a car
sometimes, too.
Borton: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Borton.
Borton: We will get some --just some comment before we close the public hearing. But
-- but I appreciate the work that's gone into this and the discussion between the
applicant, staff and the public. I do see it with the -- the flexibility that it's intended to
have, but I look at -- not only the prior approvals and the -- the entitlements on this
property, but also the -- the Title 11, Chapter 7, not the purpose and the findings of a
PUD and plat application that's before us and in this one I think it's -- it's met and it's --
it's pretty clearly met for me. Don't really see -- I see bad. I see more -- more -- the
phrase I would use is tradeoffs -- that by having some adjustments in some of these
standards that would otherwise apply it opens the application up to be unique and
creative, something that we don't see as often and, then, all of the reasons that -- that
the staff report articulates that this application presents, from robust amenities to unique
site design and layout, all to me clearly warrants approval. I think it's going to be a
beautiful project and it's not in a vacuum, on an island, it is a part of this integrated
region and -- and we can be pretty sure that a lot of these folks will be pedestrian
accessing libraries and shopping centers directly to the north. So, that's exactly what
we had hoped would happen. I think a PUD serves its purpose -- specific purpose in
code is met here. So, it's an application as updated by the applicant with today's
application I'm wholly supportive of.
Overton: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Overton.
Overton: You know, when they first came through I read all the neighbors' comments
and read through everything you guys have done and I -- first thing I realized is what a
-- not horrible, but really a tough piece of ground you guys were trying to develop and to
meet all the standards that were being brought forth and to meet all the requests that
were being put upon you. But as we sit here today and I look at what you brought
forward and I look at the fact that you met with the neighbors again and did a follow-up
meeting, my biggest area of concern at the very beginning was the transportation part.
It was the parking. It was the parking on the curbs. It was the concern of several of the
neighbors. And you eliminated that. I think you have done a fantastic job on giving as
far as you can and still keeping this to be the high quality project that you presented
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when we first heard it. I think it's going to be a great buffer between Paramount and the
whole complex, the library and all the restaurants. I'm -- I'm totally impressed with what
you are doing on this piece of ground. I support it very much and I would just say it and
I say this a few time now is -- if we didn't approve this what would we end up with in this
spot and I think at least what we are looking at right now -- I know we are looking at high
quality and I know we are looking at innovative design and I think you have done a very
good job on trying to bridge that gap between those two. I would like to add one other
comment for staff, because this is the first time I have ever seen a PUD and I -- because
they have almost some different amount of flexibility built into them, different from a lot
of applications, I would sure like to see a lot of that explanation of the PUD brought into
those future staff reports, so we can look at that and get a better understanding each
time we deal with one. This time you did a fantastic job and -- and my hat's off to -- to
staff, applicant, and the neighbors, especially Sally, thank you so much for everything
you have done. It's -- this is the culmination of a lot of hard work and I will be in support.
Cavener: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Cavener.
Cavener: Yeah. Happy to -- to chime in. That's why I love public hearings. I walked
into our meeting tonight, frankly, not supportive of this project. I think in our last meeting
I asked a question -- I didn't get a satisfactory answer -- is how does our community
benefit from this project. Because that's -- that's the threshold for me. And I think like
Council Member Perreault, I -- I saw too many types of housing projects. Like, oh, we
are just trying to fit so many different things here to maximize every square inch. I -- I
didn't see it necessarily as benefiting our community and I think it's something that
Meridian has really been faced with is a lot of diversity of housing and our community
responds in many different ways about diverse housing. Some people love it. Others
who have lived here our whole lives we struggle with it; right? And I have definitely
fallen into that latter. But I appreciate, frankly, staffs, you know, overview of the PUD
process. To Council Member Overton's comments, I think -- I have been on the Council
ten years. I think this is the third one that we have seen and each one has been
uniquely different. So, while I agree with the recommendations about greater
information in the -- in the staff reports around these PUDs, I also -- Mr. Mayor did some
forecasting when he talked about future meeting topics. At the end of tonight's meeting
I'm going to ask for a workshop with maybe a -- a further presentation from staff about
PUDs and things that Council should consider, because I think we need to be better
equipped to handle these types of requests, because I think we are going to see more
of them. Back to the -- the application itself. I -- I think I have -- I have changed my
opinion, because I -- you are investing your dollars on this and so you believe this
diversity of housing -- this mix will work really well. It's a micro community is really how
I'm looking at it. And I -- I think with a challenging piece of dirt it would be easy just to
do the same mold that we have seen all over the place and so the fact that you think
that this could be successful for our community and you have invested the time and the
feedback from our -- our neighbors, who I hold their opinion in high regard, seem to, for
the most part, appreciate what you are trying to accomplish. I think I'm going to be
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supportive tonight and just want to commend you and the neighbors for working as
collaborative as you can. You know, it's -- if it was easy it would just always be the way.
It takes time and challenge and effort and I appreciate you and the neighbors putting the
effort to bring this forth to us.
Strader: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Strader.
Strader: I'm going to probably fall outside of the group on this one. You know, for me
the -- the bar just wasn't met. I needed a lot more leg work done here to get
comfortable. You know, I had requested several times a comparison with the R-8
standard. I feel it took a long time to get that and I kind of view Councilman Borton's
point -- I do view it as a trade off. I view it that there is a trade off between innovative
design and a deviation from our dimensional standards and I don't feel that the design
was sufficiently innovative to justify the extreme deviations I believe from our normal
dimensional standards. So, that's one piece for me. And without I think a lot more work
in terms of the design and, frankly, even additional updated elevations -- like I
appreciate getting the update on the single family elevations, but I took issue with many
of the elevations and didn't see any updates and for me the bar was just not met in
terms of knowing that we are leaving kind of R-8 land and giving a PUD and that we are
going to get truly innovative beautiful design at the end of the day. I didn't feel that that
legwork was met to prove that and so for me I -- in the absence of that defaults to
assuming that the purpose of the PUD is to increase the density and I feel that that was
the primary purpose, so it doesn't mean I couldn't have gotten there, but I just -- for me
on these going forward, I'm going to need, you know, those comparison charts up front
and -- and a lot more of that leg work done to meet the bar for me to grant a PUD.
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: Usually by this point I have really good clarity on my thoughts on this, but,
you know, we have a couple layers now of conditions to consider and in addition to that,
of course, we are going to talk about what's most important for our -- and most
beneficial to our community, as well as what we want to be here for a very long time and
I really lean more towards sharing the same concerns as Council Woman Strader and I
-- I'm not going to reiterate all of those, because I think you have -- have understanding
of -- of what the concerns are. But, specifically, I -- I have had a really hard time -- if you
-- if-- if you are presenting a unique development to our community, giving us a vision is
a really important part of it and I -- I -- I just struggled with getting that vision from you
that was -- obviously, you know, we -- we are -- we would be approving a plat and
potentially a concept plan with the DA, but, you know, you are not obligated to provide
elevations to us, you are not obligated to show us what you will specifically use, but it
certainly does help us as we get questions from the public about what we saw when we
said okay to a project that was really super unique. So, I don't know where I -- I want to
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leave that in terms of whether -- at this point I'm not sure I a hundred percent would --
would encourage asking for more information and continuing this, so that we can put it
into something that is different. If -- if my fellow -- if there is enough support from my
fellow Council, then, I'm glad for your success. At this point in time I -- I can't be in
agreement with this particular application.
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
Hoaglun: I appreciate all the conversation that we are having and insight and inputs.
It's always valuable. I appreciate the work of -- of the community members who put so
much time and effort and -- and, Sally, Ms. Carpenter left and probably three
generations, but tell her, you know, it's not a win-loss type of situation that we are in and
the key take away is you made a difference. All the people who are here at the hearing
a couple weeks ago, the people who went to the meetings there, you made a difference
and that's what we want to have. We want to make things better. Where ever possible
let's make them better and I -- I think that's -- that's the good thing about it. So, this site
does have its challenges. It -- it had some certain things baked into this particular piece
of property that we had to deal with that work around and it makes sense that a PUD
was used here. You know, is it perfect? Do we like everything about it? No. But it's --
it's workable. I love the fact that there is a transition and how you feathered -- your term
feathered out that. You know, we get a lot of places where we have the neighbors come
and it's not a one to one lot line match necessarily and you get three houses up against
one and people are upset. You guys put some effort into that to what -- plus the
easement that was there, which, you know, we kind of take for granted, but to reroute
that and that is a waterway that impacts the development. It really limits and modifies
what you can do up against it and I think you used it well, though, to make it work. So, I
-- I appreciate the effort that's gone into that and -- and one other thing, Mr. Mayor, I
want to -- I want to mention and this might be taken political, but, you know, you use the
library. Brand new library there. Right there at that Orchard Park. You know, libraries
are more than about books. They are about community and how we can use them and
everyone benefits from them. So, there I said it. I support our libraries but it's -- it's
something that -- that's what they are there for and I really appreciate Nick in opening
that up and having you guys able to have those meetings and whatnot. So, that's --
that's a good thing. So, anyway, Mr. Mayor, I -- I'm supportive of this. I think a lot of
folks put a lot of time and effort into it and I think we have a project that we can say is
quality and I'm excited to see how it develops. Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Borton.
Borton: Move we close the public hearing on Item 9, H-2022-0027.
Hoaglun: Second the motion.
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Simison: Have a motion and a second to close the public hearing. Is there discussion?
If not, all in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed nay? The ayes have it and the public
hearing is closed.
MOTION CARRIED: ALLAYES.
Borton: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Borton.
Borton: In light of the -- the discussion amongst my colleagues here, I will make a
motion to approve H-2022-0027 with the updated elevations and adjustments as
presented and addressed in the staff report of March 21, 2023.
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor, second the motion and discussion -- for discussion.
Simison: Have a motion and a second. Discussion? Councilman Hoaglun.
Hoaglun: Yes. Mr. Mayor, I support the motion, but I just wanted to follow up for -- to
the maker of the motion about the no parking request on Bergman and Director and
having the no parking as it was designated on curves of the applicant's presentation. I
didn't know if you wanted to include that in your motion.
Borton: Include both of those.
Hoaglun: Okay.
Strader: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Strader.
Strader: I would recommend you include Arliss as well. Up to you.
Allen: Mr. Mayor, if I may. There is a condition of approval currently, number eight, that
states the applicant should coordinate with ACHD on installing no parking signs on the
public streets where the S or 90 degree curves are located, i.e., Bergman Avenue,
North Arctic Fox Way and North Arliss Avenue. Thank you.
Simison: Thank you. Okay. Is there discussion on the motion? If not, Clerk will call the
role.
Roll Call: Hoaglun, yea; Borton, yea; Cavener, yea; Perreault, nay; Strader, nay;
Overton, yea.
Simison: Four ayes. Two nays. And the motion is agreed to.
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MOTION CARRIED: FOUR AYES. TWO NAYS.
Simison: Council, let's go ahead and take a ten minute break and try to resume at 8.00
o'clock. So, technically a 12 minute break.
(Recess: 7.47 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.)
10. Public Hearing for Meridian OZ Apartments (H-2022-0073) by Realm
Venture Group, located at 1475 E. Franklin Rd.
A. Request: Development Agreement Modification to the existing
Development Agreement (Inst.#99121334 AZ-99-005 Cobblestone
Village) to remove the subject property from the agreement and
enter into a new agreement for the proposed multi-family
development.
B. Request: Conditional Use Permit for a multi-family development
consisting of 60 dwelling units on 2.39 acres of land in the R-40
zoning district.
Simison: All right. Council, we will go ahead and make our way back from our recess.
Our next item up this evening is Item 10, public hearing for Meridian OZ Apartments.
OZ Apartments I assume. H-2022-0073. We will open this public hearing with staff
comments.
Allen: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, Members of the Council. Getting my presentation up
here. The next application before you tonight is a request for a development agreement
modification and a conditional use permit. Oh, still not on the right slides. Just a
moment. There we go. This site consists of 2.39 acres of land. It's zoned R-40 and is
located at 1475 East Franklin Road, off the southwest corner of Franklin and Locust
Grove Roads. A little history on this property. It was annexed with an R-4 -- R-40
zoning district back in 1999 with a development agreement that includes a concept plan
for a 96 unit multi-family residential development on the subject property and the
adjoining property to the east. It's now owned by ACHD containing a drainage facility. A
conditional use permit was also approved for a multi-family development, which has
since expired and this is the concept plan that I just referenced on the left here. And,
then, this is the proposed plan on the right. The Comprehensive Plan future land use
map designation for this property is mixed-use community. A modification to the existing
development agreement for Cobblestone Village is proposed to remove the subject
property from the agreement and enter into a new agreement for the proposed
development. This is being done because the abutting property now owned by ACHD is
not part of the development plan. The applicant proposes to update the concept plan in
the agreement consistent with the development plan proposed with the concurrent
conditional use permit application. Staff recommends the provisions pertaining to
outside lighting, perimeter fencing and drainage be carried over to the new agreement.
New provisions are recommended requiring a future development to be generally
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consistent with the development plans proposed with this application and vehicular and
pedestrian connectivity to be provided to the property to the south for future
interconnectivity. A conditional use permit is proposed for a 60 unit multi-family
residential development on 2.39 acres of land in the R-40 zoning district at a gross
density of 25 units per acre. Five 12-plex structures are proposed with a mix of one
bedroom, 30 of those, and two bedroom, again, 30 of those units. Access is proposed
via South Locust Grove Road. No access is proposed or allowed via East Franklin
Road. Because this property and the property to the south is designated mixed-use
community and no local street access exists to this site or the adjacent property, staff
recommends a cross-access ingress-egress easement and driveway with a pedestrian
walkway is provided to the property to the south for future interconnectivity. Off-street
parking is proposed in accord with UDC standards with three extra spaces. Compliance
with the specific use standards for multi-family residential developments is required,
which includes standard for open space, private and common, and site amenities. A
minimum of 80 square feet of private open space is proposed for each unit as required.
A minimum of 13,500 square feet or .31 of an acre of qualified open space is required to
be provided. A total of 14,416 square feet or remove .33 acres is proposed, exceeding
the minimum standards by 916 square feet. Based on the number of units a minimum
of three qualified site amenities are required from each category. The quality of life,
open space and recreation. The applicant proposes enclosed bike storage, a
community garden, and a children's playground from each category. A pathway along
the perimeter of the development was originally proposed, but was removed due to site
constraints. Conceptual building elevations and perspectives were submitted as shown
for the proposed three story structures. Building materials consist of fiber cement
panels between the windows, stucco and synthetic wood cladding in neutral colors.
Final design of all structures is required to comply with the design standards in the
architectural standards manual. The Commission recommended approval of the
proposed conditional used permit. I will go through a summary of the Commission
public hearing. Jorre Delgado, the applicant's representative, testified in favor. Ann
Witherell and Lynzey Uechi -- I apologize if I misspelled -- or mispronounced your name
-- commented on the application and written representing was received was Travis
Perrin, representing Intermountain Wood Products. He is in opposition to the
application. Key issues of discussion -- discussion by the Commission are as follows:
Intermountain Wood Products that exist three parcels to the south has safety concerns
due to the proximity of their proposed access via Locust Grove to the Locust Grove-
Franklin Road intersection and conflicts between the residential traffic from the
proposed development and their tractor-trailers and trucks that come and go from their
distribution center multiple times per day and concerns with safety and trespassing from
future residents on their property. Relocating the trash enclosure from the southwest
corner of the development. Privacy fencing along the southern boundary. Public safety
concerns with this development surrounding an ACHD drainage facility. And limited
access from Locust Grove Road. The Commission made the following changes to the
staff's recommendation and they modified the DA provision 1-A to encourage Council to
determine if the proposed density was appropriate for this property. The Commission
modified DA provision 1-D to have the applicant explore other fencing options along the
west boundary and the ACHD drainage facility to mitigate impacts from the industrial
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uses and the existing barbed wire fence around the ACHD property. Commission
modified Condition 8-N to relocate the trash enclosure in the southwest corner to a
more appropriate location as determined by Republic Services. There are no
outstanding issues for Council tonight on this application. Written testimony has been
received from Jorre Delgado, the applicant's representative, and she is in agreement
with the conditions in the staff report. Staff will stand for any questions. Oh, one thing I
would like to add. I kind of touched on this, but this property is entitled with R-40 zoning
and a development agreement for, like I said, more units than they are proposing. So, I
did just want to touch on that and Bill Nary can answer any questions you may have on
that. Thank you.
Simison: Thank you, Sonya. Council, any questions for staff?
Cavener: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Cavener.
Cavener: Sonya, I will -- I will start with you and, then, I may -- may pivot to Mr. Nary.
So, one, talking about the history -- and this may be my first time I get to say it. This
thing was annexed when I was in high school. So, that's kind of unique for me. Maybe
the first of many times we will hear that over the next couple of years. So, help me
understand. They annex in and, then, the highway district builds a drain while still
having the residential annexation. That was the process back then or that -- they were
eligible to do that? Help me understand how a property owner annexing in and, then,
the highway district built to drain and now they want to come back and do residential.
I'm just -- I'm missing pieces in this game of --
Allen: Well, Mr. Mayor, Councilman Cavener, Council, I'm not sure if I'm stating the
obvious or missing the point of your question, but they were -- they were entitled with
multi-family development. They let their conditional use permit expire. After that time
ACHD came in and bought a large corner of that property, left them with an L-shape
and that's all they have left and it's a pretty constrained site to develop now. But they
are entitled with the zoning -- you know, they already have that entitled and with the
development agreement with the concept plan. Granted, the -- the proposed
development is not consistent with their -- their concept plan, but that is why they are
proposing a modification and there is no way feasibly for the applicant to develop
consistent with their concept plan. So, anyway, did I answer your question or not? Or
did I just state the obvious?
Cavener: You answered one question that I asked and, then, you answered the next
question I was going to.
Allen: Oh, good.
Cavener: I appreciate you for anticipating.
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Allen: Thank you.
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
Hoaglun: I just want to say I was pretty impressed with that response, because she was
in grade school when this was annexed, so --
Simison: Council, any additional questions for staff? Okay. Is the applicant online or --
Delgado: Good evening. My name is Jorre Delgado. I'm with Realm Venture Group.
1109 West Main Street, Boise, Idaho. I think that Sonya did a really good job with the
staff report and as she mentioned, after reviewing all the conditions that were placed on
this application, we are in agreement with all of the conditions that are in place. One
thing I would like to know about the fencing around the ACHD drainage facility -- it did
come up by the neighbors at the last Planning and Zoning hearing that there was some
safety concerns about the type of fence that is currently there, which is just a chain link
fence, six feet high, with barbed wire around the top of it. We do intend to change that
and we have actually changed that to an eight foot fence and we are going to do an
eight foot vinyl fence, so it's fully enclosed. Vinyl fences, obviously, are not as easy to
climb as chain link fences, so I think that it kind of addresses some of those safety
issues that the neighbors might have had and we are also going to continue that vinyl
fencing around the rest of the property to -- just to match that. But outside of those
safety concerns for the fence from that neighbor, I also just want to touch on
Intermountain -- their issue, potentially, of the traffic coming in and out of the
subdivision. There -- again, there is -- we are kind of constrained with this piece of
property. There is not a lot of ways that we can come in and out and I know that we
tried an entrance in and out on Franklin, we tried keeping them both open, and it's just --
there is not really -- like this -- this just happened to be the best option for us and we do
have plans to put -- to make this a forced right turn. So, we will have a concrete barrier
in here that forces that right turn, so that people aren't trying to go across all four of
those lanes or into the center divider. So, we are going to do what we can to force that
right turn and stripe it and put signage. But, again, that's -- that's all we can do to
address that safety issue. Other than that I don't have any new comments. So, I'm
open for questions.
Simison: Thank you. Council, any questions for the applicant?
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
Hoaglun: Yes. Ms. Delgado, so ACHD would not even allow a right-in, right-out on
Franklin Road?
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Delgado: So, we were told no entrance or exit on that and we tried it, but it did come
back that we were not allowed to use Franklin at all. So, we are now putting a berm on
that side, so that it's going to be fully landscaped and look more presentable from that
side of the road, so people know that they can enter and exit on that side and we will be
removing that curb cut on that side that's currently there.
Hoaglun: Okay. Thank you.
Strader: Mr. Mayor?
Allen: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Yes, Sonya.
Allen: Excuse me. I would just like to clarify with the applicant on the record. She
mentioned that an eight foot tall vinyl fence was proposed. Our city code restricts the
fencing height in the residential districts to six feet. So, they would either need to
provide a six foot fence or they could request alternative compliance. I'm not sure that
we would have any issue with alternative compliance given the drainage facility, you
know, that way, but Mr. Overton might have some comments on that from a police
background if he would feel that would be appropriate or not. But, anyway, just wanted
to mention that in the record. Thank you.
Simison: Thank you.
Strader: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Strader.
Strader: Could you just walk us through the distribution of the parking on the site?
Delgado: Yes. So, we have parking spaces in between for each of the buildings on this
side, as well as a row of parking in front of each building and all of the parking spaces
along the front are all covered parking spaces. I believe we have 61 covered parking
spaces total and the reasoning for pushing all of our additional parking over here, which
would essentially be our guest parking, is that it was hard for us to have parking right up
here along the front of Locust Grove when this is going to be our in and out. So, we --
and after trying to lay out the buildings in numerous different ways just because of the
constraints of the shape of this property, the parking kind of felt best back here, but,
again, these are all self parked for the actual buildings in front of them. So, these
residents won't have to be walking back here, they will have a dedicated spot with their
unit numbers on them and a designated additional space if possible and, then, this will
just be an overflow and if we could we would put some parking up here and maybe shift
the buildings a little bit, but I don't feel that parking right along there is -- is best.
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Strader: Okay. So, it's all self parked around the buildings and, then, it's really -- this is
you are saying overflow. So, will people have to pay extra for that dedicated space or
you are confirming that you will dedicate a space to every unit?
Delgado: Every unit will have a dedicated space. Since we aren't providing actual
garages, these are going to be covered carports that will have their unit number
associated with it when they sign a rental agreement.
Strader: Got you. And, then, I assume there is no parking along this little kind of drive
aisle.
Delgado: This -- I'm not sure if you are able to see my mouse, but there is not any
parking. All the parking is along the buildings.
Strader: Okay. Got it.
Delgado: So, it is all landscape buffer.
Strader: Okay.
Delgado: And, then, on the bottom portion of the property to the south, that's where we
are going to be putting the easement for a future connectivity that was noted in the
conditions for any future developments that happen to go there, so that we could share
the driveway and that's our main reasoning for putting the buildings on that side of the
property. I know it's not ideal to have them next to the ACHD drainage facility, but that
works out well if there is -- happens to be a property developed next to us and, then, we
can share a drive aisle.
Strader: Thank you.
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: It was difficult to tell from the drawings if there is a dedicated walkway from
the building farthest from the grassy area on the north to that common area. Would
folks be walking through the parking lot to get there or is there some sort of pathway on
the north and east sides of the buildings where you see all the landscaping?
Delgado: So, we do have a pathway along the front of the buildings. So, between the
front of the building and the parking there is a sidewalk there. Our drawings are hard to
see that and I was hoping that we could have some better renderings of that prior to
this, but I wasn't able to get them. We did have to remove our walkway along the ACHD
drainage facility along the back. So, we are using the front walkway of the building as
the access to that common area from all the buildings. And it is a little bit hard to see,
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but these back units do have a small walkway back there that does allow them to get to
their set of stairs.
Simison: Council, additional questions for the applicant? Okay. Thank you very much.
Mr. Clerk, do we have anybody signed up to provide testimony on this item?
Johnson: Mr. Mayor, we did. First is Ann Witherell.
Simison: Good evening, Ann. If you could state your name and address for the record.
Witherell: Good evening, Mr. Mayor, City Council. I'm Ann Witherell. 215 South Locust
Grove Road. I don't know where to begin with this one. I'm -- I'm -- I would have loved
to have taken my concern to the developer, but I went to both of the neighborhood
meetings. I was the only one that showed up, other than a representative from the
pumice factory across the road. I was the only one there. I understand that city staff --
sorry. I'm a little nervous. City staff was told that the neighbors didn't show up. It was
kind of disrespectful. I was hoping to -- to meet with her -- to see her tonight. She's not
here. I'd like to meet this person. Or developer. To have some of my concerns
addressed by the developer. It hasn't happened. I do appreciate that there will be a
vinyl fence around this wonderful drainage thing. Around the front a 13 year old with a
bolt cutter can get in. It would be 13 year olds with bolt cutters they. There are bolt
cutters. There are 13 year olds in the neighborhood. Not all of them are well behaved.
Most are. But it is still a drowning hazard. It is a hazard to children on that road. There
is nowhere for them to go. You can't fence them off. And who lives in one and two
bedroom apartments? Not families with mature children. Small children. Section eight
possibly. I don't think the police will be happy with that. Again, I would like to take
some of my concerns to the developer, but I only have you. The location of three story
apartment buildings. It sticks out like a sore thumb on that -- that corner, whereas,
industrial type development or the -- the one that is behind and like the -- the wholesale
wood people. They would fit in. But if you put a three story -- tiny apartments crammed
in there -- I mean I just -- the only thing missing is to shoehorn. That -- now -- I'm sorry,
I -- it just gives me nightmares thinking about it. Not to mention how many are going to
be coming along the -- what's supposed to be a 20 foot easement between the
residential and the industrial -- light industrial. Not 20, but still -- they can get on there.
They can just kind of walk right into my property from behind. There is no security
there. I have lived there for 45 years. I mean I really don't want to put bars on my doors
and windows at night. That's not Meridian. That's not the Meridian I know. Not the
Meridian I moved to. It may have to be the Meridian I move -- move from. I would hate
for that to happen. I have got some great neighbors to the north of me. The -- the wood
wholesalers are great neighbors, which is something not everyone can say. But my
concerns, gentlemen, I just will leave with you, because if I go on and on we will be here
all night.
Simison: Thank you. Council, do you have any questions?
Cavener: Mr. Mayor?
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Overton: Mr. Mayor? Sorry.
Simison: Councilman Cavener.
Cavener: Yes. I have got a couple of questions if I may. And I appreciate you coming
and giving us your testimony tonight and no need to be nervous, we are -- we are all
neighbors here and it's not a big deal.
Witherell: Well, this isn't my first rodeo either.
Cavener: Fair enough. So, here is the second rodeos and beyond. My -- my question
for you is -- you had mentioned that you went to the neighborhood meetings --
W itherell: Yes.
Cavener: -- but that the applicant told staff that nobody showed.
Witherell: Yes.
Cavener: But, then, you also said that you wish that you had a chance to voice your
concerns to the applicant.
Witherell: Right.
Cavener: Did you not feel that you had the opportunity to do that at the two
neighborhood meetings or you --
Witherell: There was no -- I was the only one there. I'm standing here in front of a
backhoe and a vacant building and I looked. Nobody is there. Just me.
Cavener: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Cavener.
Cavener: So, what I'm -- what I'm hearing is you -- you -- what you are saying is you
went to two neighborhood meetings and from your opinion the -- the applicant wasn't
there.
Witherell: Right.
Cavener: That's why you didn't have anyone to talk to. So, the applicant did say
anybody was there and you didn't see the applicant and so, therefore, you weren't able
to convey your feelings.
Witherell: Right. So, it's kind of like --
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Cavener: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Cavener.
Cavener: It feels a little bit like that, that you -- it sounds -- and, again, we will hear --
I'm sure we will hear from the applicant on this. I just want to get some clarity about
why you didn't feel you had the opportunity to convey your concerns to the applicant
and the reason you weren't able to do that is because they weren't there.
Witherell: That's -- right.
Cavener: Got it. Thank you very much. I appreciate that.
Witherell: Thanks.
Simison: Councilman Overton.
Witherell: Anybody else?
Overton: Mr. Mayor, that was the exact same question I was going to ask.
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor?
Witherell: It reads like a Monty Python.
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
Hoaglun: Yes. Ma'am? Ma'am? I have -- I have a softball question for you. Okay.
Simison: Just get in front of the microphones, please. There you go.
Hoaglun: So, you have lived there 45 years?
Witherell: Yes.
Hoaglun: Do you know Gene and Bernadine Presley?
Witherell: Yes.
Hoaglun: Okay. They are -- they are still around, so just wanted you to know.
Witherell: Well, tell them hello for me.
Hoaglun: I will. Thank you.
Cavener: That's a better question.
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Simison: Anyone else sign up?
Johnson: Yes, Mr. Mayor. And I apologize if I mispronounce this as well. But Lynzey
Uechi.
Simison: Good evening. You need to state your name and address for the record,
please.
Uechi: My name is Lynzey Uechi. I live at 1376 West Whitehall Drive.
Simison: So Council Woman Strader can hear for certain.
Uechi: Okay. First and foremost, thank you to the Planning Department for the ease of
access and transparency on the ongoing developments in our city and to Mayor
Simison and the City Council for providing the opportunity to voice concerns about
proposed developments. The proposed development Meridian OZ Apartments does not
meet -- barely meets and misrepresented meeting several of the standards put forth by
Meridian officials, who intended to develop a premier community. The current
development does not meet the standards for open space and buffering. It is not
compliant with sidewalk requirements. It is not compliant with setback requirements. A
representative was not present at any of the three rescheduled neighborhood meetings.
The applicant misrepresented having no input from neighboring landowners. The
submitted record of survey dated October 22nd marks a house which was demolished
three months prior. Standards set by our city officials have been consistently
disregarded entirely or met at an extreme minimum. In addition to the disregard for
standards, I would also like to address the industrial buffer on the western edge of the
development. There is no physical barrier on the southern edge of the landscape
buffer. The treeline zone will allow unimpeded access to the new 180 northern
neighborhoods into the backyards of the single family homes. Of larger impact I urge
the Council to be open minded when considering the safety and well being of the
proposed renters, who will have only one way to access their homes, moving into a
parking area, which has merely three spots above the minimum requirement. The
residents will further have no option for street parking within a quarter mile. Should any
one of the 60 proposed households have three guests, a resident will not be able to
park within a reasonable distance of his or her home. Should a vehicle accident or an
emergency vehicle be parked near the sole entrance and exit, there will be no access
out of the development. What would be the impact in the event of a fire or serious
crime. The single right-in, right-out onto Locust Grove creates enormous traffic and
safety concern. If a law abiding citizen is intending to travel east towards Eagle Road,
the only legal path would require one to one and a half miles of additional travel. I
would ask the Council to consider realistically if this will be regularly abided by and, if
not, consider the road conditions created by motorist attempting an illegal left-hand turn
out of the complex and into a small section of a turning lane, which is also being used
by northbound traffic to turn into the apartments. Is this a reasonable risk that you can
stand by allowing at a major arterial intersection? The mission, vision and values put
forth by the City of Meridian states a dedication to a more vibrant, livable and connected
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city. Does this development create more vibrance? Does it create a higher standard of
livability? Does it create more connectivity for the residents, landowners and business
owners of Meridian? Before you make up your mind I urge you, please, follow your gut
feeling. I acknowledge that this is a difficult parcel to develop, but there is a better way
than allowing five three story apartment buildings to be wedged behind a barbed wire
fence surrounding a drainage pond with only one way out. I sincerely appreciate Mayor
Simison and the Council's valuable time and very strong consideration to upholding the
standards which protect Meridian.
Simison: Thank you, Lynzey. Council, any questions?
Overton: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Overton.
Overton: Lynzey, did you say there were three meetings that were rescheduled and the
applicant -- or the applicant was never there?
Uechi: It was rescheduled twice. So, there was a total of three meetings and the
applicant was never present.
Overton: At any other meetings?
Uechi: Correct.
Overton: Okay. And I didn't catch where you -- do you live close and --
Uechi: I own the property directly south. 185 South Locust Grove.
Overton: Okay. Are you familiar with the traffic as it flows currently out of the
apartments across the street, the Shadow Creek Apartments?
Uechi: Yes.
Overton: Okay. I will talk about that later.
Simison: Counsel, any additional questions? Okay. Thank you. That's everyone who
signed up. Is there anybody else who would like to come forward and present
testimony on this item? Or if you are online use the raise your hand feature.
Borton: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Seeing no one -- Councilman Borton.
Borton: Several things don't make sense in this application. But one is how does
ACHD acquire a portion of this property without a DA modification to allow it to put the
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drainage in? I mean there has got to be prior public hearing context where the things
we are wrestling with right now would come up as part of approving a modified --
modification to a 1999 DA, that wouldn't also address this remnant parcel, because we
would have said in '99 what in the heck are we going to do with the remnant parcel?
So, what did we say back then that gave Council comfort that we are missing today?
Allen: Mr. Mayor, Councilman Borton, Council, I'm not sure that the city was ever
asked. I -- it may have been, but I have a feeling it was possibly a taking here. Just a
purchase of some land and --
Borton- But --
Allen: I'm not aware of anything with the city if there was.
Borton: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Borton.
Borton: Am I incorrect that procedurally they should have -- they should have applied to
modify a DA to do what they did and that would have brought all this to light? I mean
how do they -- how do they acquire -- how do they even split off that parcel to, then, put
a -- without city approval? And I'm not trying to put you on the spot.
Allen: More of a legal question, Joe, for Bill. I'm really not sure if they are held --
Bolton: Yeah.
Allen: -- to that same -- I mean it would seem it's a legal agreement between the city
and the applicant that this is how the property is going to develop and it's not. We
agree.
Borton: You can't -- yeah. You can't put -- you can't put stormwater drainage facilities
in R-40.
Allen: Yeah. It is public -- public infrastructure -- infrastructure improvements, which
may fall outside of that. I'm not sure.
Borton: Okay. Thanks.
Simison: Well, we have three attorneys in the room and land use -- I'm sure that that's
at least a 3,000 dollar question after we debate it. Sorry.
Borton: I don't have an answer. I just have a question.
Simison: Yeah. Council, further --
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Parsons: Also, Mayor and Council, if I can just speak to that point a little bit. Don't have
a -- I don't know the specifics. It was before -- before my time, obviously, but, typically,
ACHD, when they are doing road projects, they do coordinate with the city as you were
and I don't know who was the planner at the time that -- that coordinated on that
intersection improvement. But there is a couple of things to keep in mind here. I know
-- I wish Kyle was here tonight, because he has a lot of input on the Five Mile Creek and
this -- I think if you look at the statics of the area you can see that it does almost look
like a wetland or tries to look more natural than a majority of their stormwater retention
facilities, minus the chain link fence with barbed wire. But I think that was the intent
here is that we were trying to get something attractive and we were trying to make it part
of an integrated open space along that creek. So, that's probably one component of it.
But the second part of that is typically when ACHD acquires a property, if they don't
deem that they necessarily need all the property, they will do a record or survey and
they will grab the portion that they want to purchase and, then, they leave the remnant
piece out. But to your point, the DA doesn't go away. It does run with the land and as
soon as they assume that -- presumably you would say, yes, you are in -- you should
have come back to the city. So, I don't know if ACHD worked with city staff when they
acquired that to make those improvements, so that it could enhance the creek area. I
wish I had more information on that for you. But that's speculation on my part.
Allen: Mr. Mayor? I was just made aware that Kyle from Public Works is online. So, he
may have some answers to that question.
Simison: Well -- and we also have another phone a friend with this Ms. Inselman from
ACHD on the line, who may have -- be able to shed some light on their normal process
when they come on these issues.
Borton: Mr. Mayor, while we see who pops up, the reason for that question is in the -- in
the normal sense the applicant could take this concept plan and go pull a permit and
they have got zoning and entitlements and go try and get it built. But they never could
have, even if they wanted to, so --
Simison: Mr. Radek, you -- he is there with his hand raised. Go ahead.
Radek: I'm sorry. I didn't mean to raise my hand. I -- can you hear me?
Borton: You're up now.
Radek: Okay. Well, Mr. Mayor, my only knowledge of the -- of the pond project is -- I
believe it was done in conjunction with the Franklin Road ACHD project and that was
done in 2004 and that's before I started working here. So, I really don't have any
knowledge of what happened there.
Simison: Okay. Christy.
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Inselman: Mr. Mayor, this is Christy Inselman with Ada County Highway District. I don't
have any additional information on this corner. I know it's fairly typical -- we have to
accommodate the drainage from the roadway when we do the roadway expansion
projects and we do -- we do have some that we do on the corner. As far as the
process, similar to Kyle, it was pre my time. So, I'm not really sure what process was
included to develop that.
Simison: Christy, do you have a process that you would normally -- say this was to be
done tomorrow, do you know how ACHD would go about implementing this in this
situation?
Inselman: My -- my best guess, Mr. Mayor, would be coordination with the city staff. I
don't -- I'm long range planning, I don't work on the development of the individual
projects, but I do know that city staff and ACHD work together closely on all of our
projects and they sit on all of our project teams. So, they would -- all would be heavily
involved into what process would need to occur to -- to landscape and to acquire land
for drainage facilities.
Simison: Okay. Thank you, Christy.
Inselman: You are welcome.
Borton: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Borton.
Borton: Punt to legal with the question being -- in, again, a more traditional sense, a
council may elect to deny a DA modification, because the original existing concept plan
is preferred. So, build what you are already allowed to build and on we go. In this case
are we somehow hamstrung to act on a DA when the original concept plan itself is
already not viable?
Nary: So, Mr. Mayor, Members of the Council, no, you are -- you are still -- you still
have discretion on -- on not granting this development agreement modification. Yeah. I
-- I couldn't tell you -- and I don't recall a conversation regarding this parcel, but in
looking at the staff report -- and I just want to make sure with Bill and Sonya, the ACHD
parcel is a separately owned parcel that's not part of this development agreement any
longer. Is that correct?
Allen: Mr. Mayor, Mr. Nary, yes, that is correct.
Nary: Okay. So, the conflict you have that I think is the concern here is that remnant --
that parcel -- that's the remnant parcel. So, that was taken out and that was separated
out of this -- out of the original DA, but nobody altered the original DA, so the R-40
zoning, because it was supposed to incorporate that entire parcel, never got changed.
That's why the 96 units are still listed as the viable -- or as the DA allowed development.
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But because clearly things have changed and the property size and location and the
access and all those things have changed, the Council doesn't have to agree to this
particular one and I agree with you, it is slightly different, because normally, you are
correct, the reason this Council doesn't agree with the DA is they want them to build
what they had already been provided. Here they can't build what was provided in the
existing DA, nor can they -- nor do they -- can you -- you have to agree that they can
build this. They could build something different. You know, again, there are other
issues that were raised. But certainly you don't -- you do have the discretion to still say
no -- even if what you are proposing isn't adequate for this based on safety and some of
the other concerns you have heard.
Borton: Thank you.
Simison: Thank you. Are we ready to hear from the applicant for final comments?
Strader: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Strader.
Strader: Just a comment. I'm sure that the applicant understands how important, but
just to underscore how important it is for the applicant in their final comments to address
that the neighbors feel that the developer has not met with them, which is one of our
requirements and extremely important for us.
Simison: I would agree. Thank you, Council Woman Strader. Ms. Delgado?
Delgado: I would like to address the two neighbors that spoke about the neighborhood
meetings. This came up during the Planning and Zoning as well. We did have multiple
neighborhood meetings and I waited probably over an hour for anybody to show up.
Granted, there is not a long neighborhood list that needed to be sent out, so I knew I
was only waiting for a few people. So, I made sure that I waited an extended period of
time for those individuals to show up. The first meeting was actually when the tenants
of the house still lived there. So, I do know that they were there for that meeting, too, as
was 1. So, I -- I'm not sure -- I don't know if it was a passing where we missed or if they
came after the meeting was ending, but I can say that I was there for at least an hour
each time and I can try to pull -- if Sonya doesn't have those in her file -- the dates and
times of the beginning of the meeting and the end of them and send those in to you
guys and the list of people that was -- that it was sent to each time. But other than that
that's the only way that I could address their comments on that. And, then, as far as the
safety for that ACHD drainage facility, we are open for any suggestions around that.
We do want it to be as safe as possible for the residents there and proposing the larger
fence was what our first and -- our first instinct was, just so that people weren't able to
climb over it and there wasn't easy access into it, but other than that we are open for
suggestions on safety measures to take -- to keep people out of that.
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Simison: Thank you. Council, additional questions, comments, follow up with the
applicant?
Cavener: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Cavener.
Cavener: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. So, your -- your comments said that this also came
up at the Planning and Zoning Commission. Is that correct? That -- the concern about
the neighbors not being in communication with you? Is that -- was that accurate?
Delgado: Correct.
Cavener: Mr. Mayor, follow up?
Simison: Councilman Cavener.
Cavener: In light of that did -- did you make any effort after the Planning and Zoning
Commission to, then, connect with those residents to hear their concerns?
Delgado: I did not. But I do -- I have spoken with Lynzey prior and I know that she
noted that -- I noted that I hadn't spoken with her, which I have spoken to her prior to the
Planning and Zoning meeting. I had not spoken with Ann. I -- I didn't know prior to that
that she had any -- any concerns regarding this project. I had only heard from Lynzey.
But, again, I'm open to hearing all of her safety concerns for that ACHD drainage facility
that she does have and I understand those and, like I said, we are open for any
suggestions to help meet her comments and concerns about that.
Cavener: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Cavener.
Cavener: Thanks, Mr. Mayor. So, I appreciate that you -- you heard from neighbors
that they were concerned and -- and, again, it sounds like that you heard that they were
frustrated that they hadn't been able to connect with you and so, again, I guess a real
simple question is, then, why did you choose to not reach out to them?
Delgado: I figured that by the time we came back to City Council that I would be able to
address some of these issues better. But, again, a lot of it has to do with ACHD --
Cavener: Okay. Thank you.
Delgado: -- drainage.
Strader: Mr. Mayor?
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Simison: Council Woman Strader.
Strader: You know, we run into this occasionally and thankfully not that much where it's
kind of a he said she said on neighborhood meetings taking place, not taking place. But
it's not just one person, it's two people that say they haven't had that meeting and that's
just really unacceptable and I wonder, you know, is this a situation where we need to
have like planning staff or the city clerk organize a meeting at City Hall to make sure
that the process happens correctly and everyone can agree on a date and show up?
But I just don't -- I -- it's -- I'm like having an allergic reaction to even considering moving
forward on an application where the neighborhood meetings have not taken place or
possibly have not taken place and so, yeah, I just want -- I'm just talking out loud, but
I'm -- you know, I'm sort of struggling here. Maybe miscommunication. Maybe things
happen. But I want to make sure that that process happens.
Overton: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Overton.
Overton: I would like to absolutely back up everything Council Woman Strader just
said. I agree. It seems pretty unacceptable in this date and time that we are having
those type of issues and when there are -- the opportunity is presented at the Planning
and Zoning meeting it still doesn't happen and here we sit tonight and the neighbors still
haven't had a chance to have that talk. Secondarily, I live fairly close to this and
currently you have the Shadow -- or Shallow Creek Apartments across the street. One
way in, one way out. Exactly what this is going to be. Probably almost similar densities.
Every day traffic stacks coming out of that one way in and because ACHD runs a traffic
barrier back, we have vehicles -- because I have had their headlights head on on my
lane -- they can only turn right, right-in, right-out, but they turn left and drive in opposing
traffic lanes until they can get far enough over to get onto Locust Grove. That one,
combined with what this would do, would be extremely terrible traffic congestion that
close to that intersection, because you got two of them, high density, coming right
before that intersection and Locust Grove is getting busier and busier as we continue to
grow. I don't think this is a good location for that. I think the one way in is -- is not
acceptable. This just looks like it's a hazard and I try to remember when this might have
been built and I do think I do know when this ACHD property was built. It's when Locust
Grove was rebuilt and regraded before the overpass was completed. That's when it
was put in. Because I lived by that and watched it happen and the fence went up,
because the deer were in there. So, I have a little history with how that all happened.
But I would not be supportive of moving forward on this application. There is just too
many red flags right now.
Hoaglun: And Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
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Hoaglun: Yeah. And Mr. Overton was in college at the time. But, anyway, I digress.
Mr. Mayor, a couple of paths we could take on this and like people to weigh in. You
know, one is, obviously, I think there has to be a cure to the neighborhood meetings not
being -- being held in some form or fashion, that -- we have to have people talking. But
the other one is -- I think there is a lot of unease about this project and the access. I'm
surprised -- it's probably because it's very close to the intersection, but a right-in, right-
out just to -- to have people be able to go north. But, anyway, be that as it may, you
know, I don't want to waste people's time by -- we delay it and have another meeting in
April after they meet or do we talk about this and have suggestions for the applicant on
-- of alternatives for the -- for this site? So, I guess that's -- that's kind of where I'm
struggling is what direction to go with something like this right now.
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: I was thinking about the exact same question as Council President Hoaglun
and I think it would be beneficial if we continue the discussion about other elements of
the application to give the applicant direction, so that when they come back we can
answer all potential questions. Unless — well, you know, unless we hear a motion for
denial or something along those lines, so -- thank you.
Simison: Yeah. One of the questions I was going to ask staff -- throw out the zoning,
what would you recommend for this location -- or throw out the existing entitlements, but
with the changes of how -- what would make sense here in this location from your
standpoint now with where the city is are going in size?
Allen: Mr. Mayor, Council, the -- the site is designated mixed use community. Office
uses I think would be a nice use in this location. Personal services maybe.
Professional services.
Parsons: Mayor, Council, if I can add. I have — Sonya inherited this project from some
-- from other planners that actually pre-app'd with it. So, I want to step in a little bit,
because I have been part of other conversations that she hasn't been privy to. So, as
you recall, Intermountain Wood Products went through the comp plan change and did
industrial. As part of that process we did some analysis that said by us approving this
industrial we are carving -- we are reducing the mixed use community designation in
this area, which will make it harder for those properties to develop as such with the
three land use types that we envision as part of the Comprehensive Plan. So, when we
have met with applicants we have -- we have felt it should really go industrial. I mean
that's kind of the -- that's what you have to the west of the project and that seems to be
the -- the natural progression to do that. But, of course, in order to change the plan and
work with that, typically we like to work with the neighbors. So, when I have worked --
when I have -- when -- and during the other pre-application meetings we told them we
may be able to support multi-family if you were to acquire more property to the south, so
that you can get cross-access, so you can get farther away from that intersection, so
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you can have -- spread that density across a greater area, so you can get a more
attractive site plan. One of the struggles that Planning and Zoning Commission had
with this site was the fact of density and that's why it ended up in your lap tonight,
because if you look at the original approval and its the concept plan that's on the left
here, that's 15 dwelling units to the acre and the reason why -- you know, it's because
there was more acreage. Well, ACHD came in and did a record survey, converted that
pond to right of way, they own the property and now we are left with a development
where they want 25 dwelling units to the acre and the applicant was asked at the
Planning and Zoning Commission can you do two story? Can you go down to 15
dwelling units to the acre and be consistent with the MUC designation? And if I'm not
mistaken, I believe she testified, no, they needed to get this density. So, long story
short, in the long term -- right now we have an entitlement, but to Mayor's point, if I were
to take all that aside and someone wants to come to me and ask me what -- what we
would think would be appropriate here, to Sonya's point, I think office can work or a
commercial component or potentially doing a Comprehensive Plan map amendment
changing that to industrial and finishing out that -- that corner consistent with other
developments in the area. At least what's happened to the west side. I think this -- this
Council is aware that we need more industrial land and here is an opportunity to do that.
But, anyways, just giving you some feedback on some of the previous conversations
that I have had.
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: I have a question for staff. So, it's been a while since I have driven by and
really closely paid attention to that corner of the intersection. Is there not some
geographic -- geographical -- geographic — what is the right word? Geographical. It's
9.00 o'clock. Limitations on that site as well? Doesn't it slope down because of the
drainage and is that going to limit what goes there?
Parsons: Mayor, Members of the Council, you are correct, there is some -- some
topography on the site, but the area that's able to develop could still be developed. It's
not impacted by the topography. But your -- to your point it -- and to what the resident
said, the pond is down and the three story apartments are going to be elevated above
the pond site. So, it is going to contribute to the height in the area for sure because of
that elevation change.
Borton: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Borton.
Borton: I don't know how I could move forward on this application. It sounds like the
best long-term solution — in short term it -- it's difficult, but maybe appropriate to deny
the -- the CUP and the DA modification in light of these unique circumstances and invite
and encourage the applicant to, you know, submit a rezone and -- and try and use this
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parcel in the way that it's unique design will allow. You touched on some of those
components and it's just not an R-40 parcel now and I know it is technically, but, you
know, it never would get that zoning if it was presented today. It's just a very difficult
situation. So, I don't know how you go forward without -- quite frankly, if they can't do
what's originally approved, which I don't think they can, they should be encouraged to
rezone it and have a different use there. Just being blunt and honest, so nobody
wastes time.
Simison: And even going a step further, I'm not saying, you know, the access unless
there is -- dependent -- you know, unless the access is somehow resolved to working
with the neighbors to the south or back with ACHD for additional places, it just does not
seem to be able to support a use of this nature and I don't even know personally if
putting a dentist office and others is — talk about commercial viability, right-in, right-out
only in this location, is that -- maybe, you know, destination locations, but you still have
to figure out how people are going to get in and where they are going to come from and
there is -- that's just going to be a challenge.
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
Hoaglun: Yeah. You know, when -- talked about that drive aisle on the south, if the
property to the south develops and -- well, that drive aisle would be expanded and that's
the -- the exit for that development. I mean to Councilman Overton's point in his
example of the other side having that, now you have got even more cars doing that.
You just compound the problem. So, yeah, for -- for what is being proposed this site
just doesn't work for that. I think that there should be other uses, other plans. Maybe if
they do acquire more property to the south, then, we can look at something that was
similar before. But, again, access is I think always going to be an issue there. But
that's just -- this particular one just doesn't -- doesn't work for that particular site. And I
feel for the developers. It's what was left over, but at the same time it's -- it is what it is
and we want to -- like we said earlier, quality development and something that works, of
course, so -- I don't see that here.
Overton: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Overton.
Overton: I'm kind of an out-of-box thinker, because we are kind of saying something
about shutting it down and trying to find an alternative way this can turn into something.
Is there any way this could be moved to industrial and have any type of access back to
the west, so it does not need Franklin or Locust Grove?
Allen: Mr. Mayor, Councilman Overton, there is currently no access available to this site
from the west. There may be some kind of agreement that could be worked out, but
there is not an existing access.
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Parsons: Mayor, Members of the Council, if -- Bruce scared me, so -- it caught me off
guard here as I was formulating a response for you. But, essentially, when that
development to the west went in there was a DA provision for that landscape buffer to
be put along that buffer. So, to Sonya's point, there would have to be some
coordination between that industrial user and the owner of that common lot to allow that
access to occur. Just more -- more history for you to digest. There is a lot happening in
this area as you know.
Borton: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Borton.
Borton: I will make a motion that we close the public hearing on H-2022-0073.
Cavener: Second.
Simison: Have a motion and a second to close the public hearing. Is there any
discussion? If not, all in favor signify by saying aye. Those opposed nay? The ayes
have it and the public hearing is closed.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Borton: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Borton.
Borton: Good difficult conversation. Difficult site. We all -- we all want to get into what
this is or could be, but for today it just seems to be clear what it's not and this
application is just what it's not. For the reasons stated by the public and the staff and
the staff report and fellow Council Members have all hit on the same concerns that this
requested modification and the CUP that goes with it just doesn't work. As presented
it's not in the best interest of the city. So, I'm going to make a motion that we deny H-
2022-0073.
Cavener: Second.
Simison: Motion and a second with the attorney weighing in.
Nary: I think -- I think there is enough on the record, but, basically, what I heard was the
-- if the maker of the motion was basically denying it because, again, the -- the site
cannot be developed into this form either, so it wasn't because of the original agreement
as we discussed earlier, but because this one doesn't work either for this size of the
parcel, the location, the safety, all of that -- is that what I understood?
Borton: It includes —
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Nary: That's what the record --
Norton: That's correct.
Nary: Okay.
Borton: Thank you for pointing that out.
Nary: And Mr. Johnson did have to step out, Mr. Mayor, so I don't know if you wanted
to call the roll on the motion.
Cavener: Yes, he does.
Simison: I didn't know that was my -- one of my other duties as assigned, as the case
may be. I have a motion and a second. Is there further discussion on the motion? If
not, I will call the roll.
Roll Call: Hoaglun, yea; Borton, yea; Cavener, yea; Perreault, yea; Strader, yea;
Overton, yea.
Simison: So, that is six ayes, zero no's, and the motion to deny is agreed to.
MOTION CARRIED: ALL AYES.
Simison: Okay. Staff, best of luck in working with the owners and neighbors to try to
come up with something that makes sense for this area or maybe we can get ACHD to
stage a couple of snow plow trucks there with a facility if they need to purchase some
more land for that in the community. Be a great location.
11. Public Hearing for Millwood Subdivision (H-2022-0089) by Epic
Development, located at 1975 E. Victory Rd.
A. Request: Annexation of 4.11 acres of land with a R-8 zoning
district.
B. Request: Preliminary Plat consisting of 17 building lots (including 1
for the existing home) and 2 common lots on 4.11 acres of land in
the R-8 zoning district.
Simison: Okay. I digress. So, moving on. We will move to Item 11, public hearing for
Millwood Subdivision, H-2022-0089. We will open this public hearing with staff
comments after Councilman Borton makes a comment.
Borton: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Borton.
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Borton: This is an application I have not seen, know nothing about, but I know that I am
recusing myself from it. Certainly won't be participating in any part. Haven't from day
one and will remove myself from it. So, thank you.
Simison: Thank you. With that we will turn it over to Sonya for staff comments.
Allen: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, Members of the Council. The next applications before
you are a request for annexation and zoning and a preliminary plat. This site consists of
4.11 acres of land. It's zoned RUT in Ada county and it's generally located south of
East Victory Road and east of South Locust Grove Road at 1975 East Victory Road.
The Comprehensive Plan future land use map designation is medium density
residential, which calls for three to eight dwelling units per acre. Annexation of 4.74
acres of land with an R-8 zoning district for the development of 16 new single family
residential detached homes and retention of the existing home at a gross density of
4.14 units per acre consistent with the medium density residential future land use map
designation. This property is part of a larger in-fill area surrounded by city annexed land
that has not yet redeveloped. The existing home is required to connect to city water
and sewer service within 60 days of service becoming available and disconnect from
private service in accord with city code. The existing home will also need to be re-
addressed, since access will no longer be provided from Victory Road. All access --
excuse me. All accessory structures will be removed from the site. The proposed
preliminary plat as shown there on the left consists of 17 building lots and two common
lots on 4.11 acres of land and the R-8 zoning district proposed lots range in size from
4,245 square feet, which is .10 acre to 6,799 square feet, .16 of an acre, with a 34,706
square foot or .8 acre lot where the existing home was proposed to remain. The
subdivision is proposed to develop in one phase. Access is proposed via an extension
of East Richardson Street, a local street, planned to stub to the west boundary of the
site with development of Teakwood Subdivision. ACHD is requiring right of way to be
dedicated, but the street not constructed for the future extension of Richardson from the
east side of Tamayo Court to the east property line with future redevelopment of the
property to the east. And that is this road right here. Access for the existing home
should be taken solely from Tamayo Court. Access via the easement from Victory
should terminate, except for emergency vehicle access only and bollards should be
installed across the driveway to prohibit public access. So, just a little more information
on that. This property, as you can see here from the maps, does not have any street
frontage on Victory Road. They do have an access easement that exists across the
neighboring DeChambeau property. Because this site is below five acres in size, UDC
standards for common open space and site amenities do not apply. However, the
applicant is proposing a total of .55 of an acre or 13.5 percent of common open space
for the development consisting of .18 of an acre of common area with a tot lot along the
west boundary of the site, with a pathway that stubs to the west boundary and the
landscape plan here on the right shows that area right here. And this common lot abuts
common area planned in Teakwood Subdivision to the west. Staff is recommending the
applicant coordinate with the developer of the adjacent property to not erect a fence in
that location, so that the common areas can be joined to form a larger overall area. A
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segment of the city's multi- use pathway system is required along the northeast
boundary of the site, along the Eight Mile Lateral, consistent with the pathways master
plan. The Parks Department recommends the off-site bridge across the lateral is
widened or a separate pedestrian bridge is constructed to accommodate the ten foot
wide pathway with NMID's consent -- within their easement with their consent. Excuse
me. So, the property where the lateral is located along the northeast boundary there is
within an easement and it is also owned fee simple by the irrigation district. Six
conceptual building elevation photos were submitted as shown that demonstrate what
future homes in this development will look like. A mix of single story and two-story
homes are proposed with a mix of building materials, including stone veneer accents
and architectural elements. The Commission recommended approval of the proposed
application and I will go through a summary of the commission hearing. Todd Lakey,
the applicant's representative, testified in favor. No one testified in opposition.
Specifically Mary DeChambeau did testify on the application. I won't make an opinion
whether it was in opposition or commenting. She can speak for herself. She's here
tonight. Written testimony was received from Delaine McLafferty. Key issues of
discussion were traffic concerns related to the proposed development. The access
easement that exists across the DeChambeau property to the east. Objection to the
existing home remaining on the property, because it doesn't fit with the surrounding
neighborhood. Request for the pathway along the east side of the development to be
fenced off from the waterway and the property to the east. The height of the homes
along the east boundary of the development don't fit with the rest of the neighborhood
and concerns pertaining to light impacts from the development on the property to the
east. Key issues of discussion by the Commission. Transitional lot sizes on the west
and south boundary. Continued use of the vehicular bridge as a pedestrian bridge.
Relocation or elimination of one lot taking access from the common driveway in the
southeast corner of the development. Commission changes to the staff
recommendation were as follows: At staff's request they included a provision in the
development agreement for construction traffic for the redevelopment of this property to
access the site via the future extension of Richardson Street from the west. Access via
the existing easement from East Victory Road across the DeChambeau property is
prohibited. At staff's request include a preliminary plat condition of approval for the final
plat to be amended consistent with the lot configurations depicted on the revised
common driveway exhibit in the staff report. At the applicant's request the Commission
included a development agreement provision to limit the homes on the southern lots to
single story only. Commission struck Condition 2-A removing the requirement to lots
along the west and south -- southern boundaries as recommended by staff. And they
modified Condition 10, which required coordination with the Parks Department to
determine if the existing bridge can be used for a pedestrian crossing. There are no
outstanding issues for Council tonight. A member of the Parks Department is here
tonight — he was here. Is he still? Maybe online. He might be available online to
comment on the -- on the bridge. Thank you. Written testimony has been received
since the last hearing from Monty Morgner and Mary DeChambeau. Staff will stand for
any questions.
Simison: Thank you. Council, questions for staff?
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Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: Given this late hour I apologize to ask -- for asking this, but would you mind
going over the key issues of discussion by the Commission and the changes that they
recommended using the slides that you referenced and, actually, show us the locations,
so I get it in my mind's eye. Because it's just a little more than usual for us to discuss if
we choose to discuss these recommendations.
Simison: And, Sonya, before you do that — Council Woman Strader.
Strader: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I apologize for interrupting, Councilman Perreault. Mr.
Mayor, something has come up and if it's okay with you I would like to be excused from
the meeting.
Simison: Please go take care of yourself. Thank you. All right.
Allen: That was the Commission changes to the staff recommendation?
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: Specifically I would like to have you show me — I struggle to see where the
pedestrian bridge location is and, then, the lot that was recommended to be removed on
the south side -- southeast corner. I didn't identify which lot that was. I looked at all of
the drawings, but couldn't figure it out. And, then, Commission change number two to
the staff report, they — let's see. They -- they want to include a preliminary plat condition
of approval for the final plat to be amended consistent with the lot configurations
depicted on the revised common driveway exhibit. So, if you could bring that exhibit up
next and show -- show us specifically where that is.
Allen: Yes. This is the common driveway exhibit right here. Bill may need to help me
with this. He actually presented to Commission on this. There was -- if I recall, Bill.
Correct me if I'm wrong. There was four homes adjacent to the common driveway and
those needed to be reconfigured. On the plat I believe. Is that correct? Thank you.
And, then, it --
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: So, Sonya, this -- this rendering that we are looking at here for the common
driveway exhibit, those four lots are -- there is a suggestion that those do not stay in that
configuration. Is that what I'm understanding?
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Allen: I apologize. This is the amended drawing that's before you tonight. So, it's been
handled. It always gets a little discombobulated sometimes when we tag team on
these, so apologies. So, let me back up here. I was just trying to look at my conditions
originally. I had requested that they remove a lot from the west boundary and the
southern boundary and I was trying to remember if I asked for that to be in a certain
location. It doesn't say I did not. So, the intention there was just to provide a little larger
lot sizes there to better transition to the existing neighborhood to the south and the
neighborhood that has been approved to the west. And, then, the pedestrian bridge.
So, there is an existing bridge right here, if you can see my pointer, that provides
access from the access easement across the DeChambeau property that I mentioned
earlier to the existing home. So, the pedestrian bridge would either be there with the
vehicular -- I personally don't think that the bridge is wide enough to accommodate
vehicles and pedestrians and I believe that was the opinion of the Parks Department
and so they had also said that it could be a separate pedestrian bridge, but they may be
available online.
Simison: Garrett's here right now.
Allen: Oh. He's back now. Thank you. So, was -- did I cover everything, Council
Woman Perreault, or did I miss something?
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: Thank you. Yes, mostly. Just two more quick clarifications. So, that I
understand whether you removed the recommendation or the Commission's one
recommended -- striking condition. The applicant did not remove a western or southern
lot; right?
Allen: This is the original plan.
Perreault: Okay.
Allen: They did not, no.
Perreault: Okay. And, then, the pedestrian bridge existing that you pointed to, that is
not on the subject property.
Allen: It is not, Ms. Perreault. It is on -- the adjacent property that I mentioned earlier is
owned by the NMID irrigation district, so -- it's kind of funky. You know, there is --
mostly those properties are in an easement, but this is in an easement and a -- and a
separate property. So, this — this requirement for a pathway, I just might mention, is not
intended to encourage trespass on the adjacent property and I know that is a big
concern and, you know, I would maybe recommend Council add that condition of
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approval, that if it's approved tonight that the applicant install a -- you know, this
pathway ends here. No trespassing beyond this point sign, something to that effect,
might assist in that. It's meant to extend in the future when and if their property
redevelops, but won't be for a while. Thank you.
Simison: Council, any additional questions for staff? Then would the applicant like to
come forward?
Lakey: Mr. Mayor and, excuse me, Council Members, for the record Todd Lakey.
Address 141 East Carlton, Meridian, Idaho. 83642. So, let me make sure I can go up
and down here. Okay. Good. Mayor and Council Members, would like to -- I guess
just start out by thanking staff for their analysis and their recommendation of approval.
We — Sonya did a good job especially with Council Member Perreault's questions. I'm
kind of walking through it all. I will just emphasize a few more things and we do have
our engineer here tonight in case you get out of the attorney zone and need to go into
the engineers zone on some of the technicalities. We do ask that you concur with the
recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission. We appreciated their
recommendation of approval and their modifications and I will talk a little bit more about
that. But the main one being -- with us not being required to utilize open space, we
incorporated the 13 plus percent open space into our design and the only response we
received from the owners to the south was to not include two story homes on that
southern boundary, which we asked to be incorporated into the recommendation as far
as conditions. So, that was included. And, then, we have the developer that is just in
the process of doing their project to the west and didn't have any objection from them
regarding lot size or configuration. So, I think that was the basis for their decision not to
require us to remove two lots. Going down. Council Members, the — the
Comprehensive Plan, as was mentioned, calls for medium density in this location and
that's three to eight dwelling units per acre. We are proposing 16 new, but 17 total
residential lots on 4.11 acres. So, that's 4.16 dwelling units per acre. So, we are at the
low end of what the Comprehensive Plan calls for for medium density and I think that
was another aspect of the Planning and Zoning Commission's decision not to require us
to remove lots, because we already are at the low end of the Comprehensive Plan
designation, in addition to the open space and the other things that I mentioned. So, we
can -- we can conform with the Comprehensive Plan future land use map. We are also
essentially an in-fill project on kind of an odd shaped lot. That -- that is supported as
staff analyzed and recommended and your Comprehensive Plan. We are also
compatible with the surrounding zoning. We are immediately adjacent to Teakwood,
which is R-8. We are proposing R-8 and there is clearly other R-8s and some R-4 in the
area. Teakwood is 33 lots on 7.4 acres. So, they are 4.6 dwelling units per acre. So,
again, we are just less dense than the Teakwood Subdivision. And we will be
connecting, as was mentioned via Richardson Street. Last I looked at the Google Map
it looks like their streets are in. I haven't driven out there recently, but those -- those
streets I think are ready for connection. And we will be dedicating the additional right of
way requested by ACHD for that future development to the east. There I think you can
-- but, Council Members, there is that Teakwood Road and, again, this is a little bit older
photo from the assessor's office where we will connect and there is the subject property.
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We will be — get this to go down. Well, it's not wanting to go down. I will just talk until it
makes up its mind. We will be keeping some of the mature landscaping that you can
see there from the aerial photo. That existing home that occupies the four plus acres,
had some nice mature trees on it and we will be maintaining some of those trees and
removing the old outbuildings that don't comply with the setbacks to make sure that it all
fits. And if there is any mitigation that's required for our taking some of those trees out
on your landscaping plan, we will do that. It's still not going down. Council Member,
you saw the — the renderings of our — our homes that we are proposing. They are an
example of the quality type design we will be using and, as I mentioned, we won't be
having any two-story homes on the southern boundary. Just to mention a couple of
things. The — oh, there it goes. So, just to talk a little bit more about that connection.
There is Richardson. And get the mouse to go there. Richardson Street, that's the
additional dedication. It won't be built to ACHD and we will be utilizing a license
agreement if we have any landscaping in that portion of the right of way that's
dedicated, but will not be constructed until it's ready to actually be extended. And, then,
we have just below that, that dark area, that's the emergency vehicle connection there
to be existing access for the larger home. There is the bridge that was discussed. So,
that's your access connection. That's another common lot just to the north of that, so
we are right next to a common lot as far as the location of that access. That will be a 20
foot wide emergency vehicle access. The bollards will go about 30 feet off of Victory to
make sure people aren't using that road regularly, just simple for emergency vehicles.
The pathway there along Eight Mile Creek will be the ten foot pathway with five foot
landscaping strips on each side. It does stop here at that bridge and that emergency
access. The pathway plan doesn't require us to extend it any further, so it's shown
here, but that won't actually be pathway. We will have perimeter fencing, four foot
open vision along the pathway and, then, six foot closed vision around the perimeter of
the remainder of the project. Just to talk a little bit about that bridge. Council Members,
that's an existing bridge. It's -- we heard testimony either 19 or 20 feet wide. Our desire
not to have to build an another bridge was the fact that -- as was mentioned earlier we
don't own that property, it's owned by the irrigation district. They generally aren't fans of
folks constructing additional things in their facilities and with that bridge being 20 feet
wide, 19 feet wide, and only used for emergency vehicles, it would be really easy for
pedestrians to be able to use that. You won't have emergency vehicles coming unless
their sirens are going on and the bollards are down. So, it seems like that's something
that could be shared. And the — the condition with the Planning and Zoning
Commission was to try to work with the parks on that. But there are some unique
circumstances to that bridge. It's outside of our area of control in it -- it is pretty wide
currently. The common lot space there down on the corner. Sonya mentioned that.
We will be aligning that with the common lot space to the west and there is the pathway
that goes through there. And, then, just to let you know the driveway for the existing
home will be here up at the top portion of that lot for the existing home, about three --
three quarter acre lot. So, with that, Mayor and Council Members, again, we would ask
for your approval of the recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission. I
would be happy to answer questions if you have them.
Simison: Thank you. Council, questions for the applicant?
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Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: Good to have you here, Senator Lakey.
Lakey: Mayor and Council Member, just Todd tonight. Or --
Perreault: So, my question is about the relationship with this property and the
Teakwood development to the west. Did I hear you say that -- that this is the same
developer or same owner? I thought I heard you say there was a connection between
the two in some capacity.
Lakey: Mr. Mayor and Council Member Perreault, the connection being a physical one.
We are not the same property owner-developer. The connection I was referring to is
this -- our common area here will match the common area and connect there -- the staff
was asking for an opening in our fencing to connect those two. So, there is kind of a
mutual amenity. That's what I was referring to.
Perreault: Mr. Mayor, follow up?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: Thank you. I apologize. I didn't hear that correctly. So, it's unfortunate,
though, that these didn't work together, because it would be nice to not have two cul-de-
sacs and two subdivisions side by side and to have had a through street, since it seems
like the cul-de-sacs are stopping it right about the same place on the south side of their
properties. Did -- was there -- has there been any conversation -- so, Teakwood is not
completed -- is not completed yet and there is not an HOA that has been a board that
has been signed yet; is that correct?
Lakey: Mr. Mayor and Council Member Perreault, I believe they were -- I think it was
final planted in November, but I — I can't say that they don't have an HOA. I don't -- I
don't know.
Perreault: Okay. So, you haven't had a conversation with any of the neighbors about
that fencing and whether it's, you know -- it doesn't -- I don't think we can condition it
necessarily. So, that's kind of what I'm trying to get at.
Lakey: Mr. Mayor and Council Member Perreault, we were simply agreeable to staff's
suggestion to leave an opening in the fence there that would coordinate with the — the
property to the west that has been developed. I don't think there is any homes or
anything there at this point. But we are -- we were just trying to be amenable there.
Simison: Council, any additional questions for the application?
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Cavener: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Cavener.
Cavener: Mr. Lakey — I struggle with the Todd piece. It's nice having you here. I know
this came up at Planning and Zoning. I think some members of the Planning and
Zoning Commission -- I'm one of them on the Council that -- I love common drives. I
think the -- the juice is often not worth the squeeze there. So, talk to me a little bit about
kind of circulation of the sub where you have got kind of the -- the large house on Block
2. Is there any proposed parking mitigation to stop people from parking, accessing --
and a quick look on the Google Map, it looks like that there is some access from that
cul-de-sac and I'm just -- I'm trying to understand how this is all built that people are
going to park and if there is a Super Bowl party, birthday party, cul-de-sacs I think are
great until the whole bunch of people want to get together and they can be really, really
problematic.
Lakey: Mr. Mayor and Council Member Cavener, so, again, we — we are dealing with
kind of an odd-shaped site. Thus the -- the common drives. Recognize that, you know,
there -- that they are there. That location -- I guess one of the positives about that is the
fact that we are locating that home -- that existing home on the portion there — if I can
get the mouse to work. You can see where it is. That existing home there on the east
side of Tamayo -- there aren't a lot of additional driveway accesses that if folks needed
to park there that they would be blocking and, then, we also have the common area
there on the other side of that cul-de-sac, which also wouldn't involve any blockage of
driveways or accesses.
Simison: Councilman Cavener.
Cavener: Mr. Lakey, kind of sticking with the theme of cul-de-sacs -- and I have seen in
some neighborhoods in south Meridian -- I think of kind of the Bear Creek they have a
lot of these very similar common drive, cul-de-sac with maybe some homes that are
more packed in. They have actually designed their cul-de-sac to be a little bit larger and
create some parking in the middle. Is that anything you and your -- your clients had --
had comprehended as a potential solution or do you feel like you have got enough — I
know you have got parking to meet code and that's there. Sometimes code requires
and what is really needed sometimes aren't always the same.
Lakey: Mr. Mayor and Council Member Cavener, I don't know that we have really talked
about that. I can ask my client. I think kind of what, you know, I described before where
we don't have lots -- a lot of lots abutting the driveway near that — or abutting the cul-de-
sac with driveways, there really does kind of help facilitate additional parking along that
side where we just stick, you know, two or three more spaces in the middle of a cul-de-
sac. We are kind of getting that with parking beside the road not having driveways
accessing there.
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Cavener: Okay. Thank you.
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
Hoaglun: Yeah. Just -- just to comment on that, because our -- my home and my in-
laws home are the same thing, existing homes now in the middle of a subdivision.
Although we are not on a cul-de-sac, straight street, our neighbors love it, because they
know if they are going to have lots of people over they can park in front of our house,
because it's a large property, both of them, and they are not blocking anybody. Our
houses are setback, so it's not like they are right in front of our house or anything. So,
that -- that definitely is an advantage to have that extra space there, because it — it
allows people to park and you are not interfering with anybody. So, it's just a unique --
unique feature. You are fortunate to have that.
Lakey: Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Council Member Hoaglun.
Cavener: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Cavener.
Cavener: One more, Mr. Lakey, and, then, I won't ask any questions. So, the existing
home, does it take access, then, from that -- the bridge or would they take access
through -- now the neighborhood and, then, come in and park in their home through that
cul-de-sac?
Lakey: Mr. Mayor and Council Member Cavener — see if I can get the mouse to
behave. So, currently it does utilize that access that goes out across the bridge and
onto Victory. As part of the approval and the conditions of approval we have to limit that
use across the bridge to just emergency only and, then, where the driveway will be
located — if I can get the mouse to cooperate. Essentially it will just go and run along
the northern boundary of that larger lot where the home is located. So, it pulls it out of
the cul-de-sac and puts it along that northern boundary.
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: There were two letters that came in today of public testimony. Just
wondering if you had had a chance to review those and, if so, I believe one of the letter
writers is here and we will probably hear from her. I'm guessing. But I'm curious if you
have any comments on those, because all three of the letters we received were filled
with neighbors' questions regarding effects on their specific properties. If you would like
to speak to any of those.
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Lakey: Mr. Mayor and Council Member Perreault, it might be more appropriate for me
to wait. I haven't had a chance to use those. I was familiar with -- I am familiar with
some of the comments that were made at the Planning and Zoning Commission from
some of the same individuals and a lot of those comments related to historic problems
with previous owners of the property and that access, which we no longer will be using.
But I'm happy to address them in rebuttal.
Simison: Council, any additional questions for the applicant? Okay. Thank you very
much.
Lakey: Thank you.
Allen: Mr. Mayor, if I could real quick, please, clarify something that I said to Council
Woman Perreault. You asked if they -- my -- my recommendation to remove the two
lots were in a specific area. They actually were in a specific area and that is in
Condition 2-A on page 19 of the staff report and it was in the areas between Lots 6 and
8 along the southern boundaries between these three lots right here and one lot -- let's
see. Between Lots 11 and 14. So, that was this one, this one, and -- sorry. It's kind of
between the -- these right here. So, anyway, just wanted to clarify that. Thank you, Mr.
Mayor.
Simison: Thank you. Okay. Mr. Clerk.
Johnson: Mr. Mayor, we have two people signed up. First is Monty Morgner online
and, Monty, you can unmute.
Morgner: This is Monty Morgner. Can you hear me?
Simison: Yes, we can.
Morgner: So, my name is Monty Morgner. My address is 2015 East Victory Road,
Meridian, Idaho. So, I'm one of the owners of the property immediately to the east
across the canal and also on that side of the canal and you -- members of the Council
and Mayor, have to realize that this property is unique in the fact that Nampa-Meridian
owns the property. It's not like most places in -- in Ada county and other places that
they -- that they have -- they own that property and this project will be accessing their
property and once our property -- our old property comes -- which is near the existing
house, we own the property and we own the canal. I mean Nampa already has an
easement at that point. So, it's very unique. So, my concerns is, first of all, you say you
are going to put in pressurized irrigation, but as existing now it has to cross our
property. I'm kind of shocked that this is actually at this stage, because the easement,
all these other things have never been addressed with us, even though we have been
there for years and years. No one's ever come and talked to us about use of the
easement or any other condition. So, one of the things regarding the easement is that
the easement cannot adjoin another road. So, you -- you are advocating that the fire
department is going to use this easement for access, but under state law they can't do
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that. The easement cannot adjoin -- intersect with another road. That's just a condition
for easements and this one particularly. Another thing you brought up is this pathway
across the canal. So, where is this pathway going to go? Across the canal is either a
little bit of Nampa-Meridian's property, which they don't allow anybody on their property
and the rest of it's ours. Why would you even propose having pedestrians cross a
bridge to come to private property? You say you are not condoning trespassing, but
you are -- you are advocating trespassing for this position and so even if the -- the fire
department decides that they are going to use this easement, they cannot block the
easement. It's our property and there would have to be some kind of agreement with us
to make any kind of blockage on that easement, nor can they restrict our use of that
easement, because there was something they are proposing — the bridge could be no
parking on that. That can't happen. And, then, you are running into a problem that this
bridge -- it doesn't meet their code. Their code says it has to be 20 feet. The bridge is
not 20 feet. You know, I know Mr. Lakey is saying that it's 19, 20. Well, it isn't 20 feet
and that's required by the City of Meridian fire department to have that much area. The
other thing I have a concern with is houses that are two stories along the canal. You
are accommodating the people in the subdivision to the south, but you are not
accommodating us. It's going to be intrusive onto our property. There is going to be
light issues and not only that, the other people in this subdivision are now going to be
looking at houses that are two story and it blocks their view and doesn't seem to be a
very community friendly thing. And the other thing that concerns me is that this fence,
because Mr. Lakey -- or -- if I'm pronouncing it right. Hopefully I'm pronouncing his
name right. Says that the fence will end at that road. Well, to me this is one of the most
dangerous crises and most likely this subdivision, because it's -- it's -- it's more -- more
affordable for people is going to have kids. A bridge. There is a dam there in the canal.
It's a very -- and, then, it becomes a cement ditch -- is a very dangerous thing. This
whole subdivision needs to be fenced off from the canal for safety reasons. I mean you
required it everywhere else. There should be no way for anybody to have access to
that canal bank just for safety reasons. And my final problem is that this subdivision
and the other subdivision and the one that's already an existing, has, I believe, 77
houses. So, you are going to create what -- per your things that each house can have
two cars. You could have 154 cars hitting one exit onto Locust Grove at one time.
Technically you could be that good and you also have a new roundabout going in at
Locust Grove and Victory, which is going to limit -- there is never going to be a nice
stopping the flow of traffic and now you have up to 154 cars hitting one exit. I mean it's
-- your -- your planning on this thing is just -- I don't know. It just seems to be like
something -- somebody dropped the ball here, you know. Your — all — all your
conditions are --
Simison: Monty, if you can wrap up, please.
Morgner: Okay. All your conditions are to push all the traffic across to our place. Well,
we have no plans on developing and I find it ironic that you are putting pathways and
roads and everything into our place without involving us in the planning stages. So,
anyway, I appreciate your time. Thank you. I hope you consider what I have talked
about.
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Simison: Thank you. Council, any questions? Okay. Thank you.
Johnson: Mr. Mayor, next is Mary DeChambeau.
Simison: Good evening.
DeChambeau: Mary DeChambeau. 2015 East Victory Road. I live on the property.
Last, but not least. I know you guys are all tired. I'm tired and I'm exhausted. One of
the reasons we are so confused -- and, please, forgive me, but we didn't get some of
our answers until this morning. 8.00 o'clock. We have been e-mailing quite a bit and
I'm surprised at some of the -- our comments have not been included. When he talked
about historical problems, the historical problems are still there, because they were
some conditions of approval on that easement road that never got completed. Okay? I
have been to Planning. I mean Ada county developers over the years, over and over
again, asking for the engineer sign off, for the drainage, for the irrigation, because there
is a reason there is a weed patch there, like I said before, is because we haven't been
able to get any irrigation, because the easement road is blocking our ability to get
irrigation water. They never put the street signs up, you know, this kind of thing. So,
now they want to use it as a fire lane. They want to put this chain in the -- down by my
house 30 feet in from Victory. They also said in the plan that it was used by the Nampa-
Meridian Irrigation District. They are not authorized to use that road. They have -- they
can use their own canal and what my brother was trying to explain on the other side — it
would be the southwest side of their house, their fence line -- we actually own a little
sliver in there. The ditch goes across and the most — and most of these trees are on my
property, they are not on theirs. Okay? And what happens is the Nampa-Meridian
property kind of goes at an angle and, then, it comes into our property. So, there is just
a little sliver there. One of the reasons they did have the pathway there -- and originally
I thought they were supposed to have the pathway within their own property on that
corner and, then, connect up to Tuscany and years ago we sold off the corner of our
property so they could put a pathway and what did Tuscany do, they built a hole and put
a pond back there. Now, they could grade it down there and connect it back in there. I
mean if they wanted to put the pathway on their side of the fence, but they would lose
more property for a house. I understand that. But it would connect and, then, draw all
the people back into Tuscany. So, you might have to do some adjustments on their little
pond back there, but the thing that -- you know, the usage of that easement road we
found out through the years were never — it was never legal. They didn't do it correctly.
So, we are -- there is an Idaho statute law that says that if you have Parcel A, connects
to Parcel B, you cannot piggyback to Parcel C and that's exactly what we have here.
So, our property has been burdened all these years with this easement and now they
want to run another road and burden our property with another out? Because let me tell
you, when Tuscany went in I went and said -- I was complaining about the outs to the
south of my property with the rest of my farm and originally it was supposed to be one
out. I ended up with three outs in the back of my property. They put an out to
Patterson's place down on Locust Grove on the other side of Tuscany and, then, I went
in and I said, well, aren't you going to put an out on the back of the Richardson's place?
No, he didn't want one is what I was told. So, I don't know. So, the problem is if you --
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if they would have put -- like one of you I believe you brought it up. If they had put the
road out the back none of these problems would have happened and I brought it to the
attention of the Planning and Zoning staff, but, once again, nobody -- they just ignored
me. And so sure enough I pulled up an old -- an old map that somebody had thrown on
my property and I looked at it before Planning and Zoning last month and, sure enough,
they had that bridge going across the Eight Mile and I thought in 2003 and yet Tuscany
hadn't even been built yet. So, I think this is not an accident.
Simison: Mary, if you can wrap up.
DeChambeau: I know. I realize. I'm trying to -- it's late at night and you let everybody
else talk for a long time.
Simison: I did. I will let you go for a couple more minutes.
DeChambeau: You know, there is a lot of legal issues that these guys have not taken
care of and we are going to have to -- I don't know what the DA is going to say. I don't
know what the conditions -- because if the fire department -- I don't believe the fire
department can use that easement for their purposes, because they all have things like
no parking and everything and we use it on a daily basis and we parked on it all the
time. So, there is a real problem there and a lot of the comments and things I have
been kind of confused about. I have to look up the code. I am — I am trying to figure out
are they referring to which easement? Which access road? Is that ours or is it the one
that they are going to put out by the Richardson place going along the canal. Also one
last final thing. I have been in talks with Greg from Nampa-Meridian and he doesn't
know anything. He says I haven't seen any plans or anything. They haven't reached
out to them at all.
Simison: Okay. Thank you. Council, any questions?
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: So, you said that you are the resident that will -- that will -- that's part of this
property that — that you are -- you would now be on 8/10ths of an acre. Did you say that
you are the resident that's on this subject property that we are discussing or that you are
a neighbor?
DeChambeau. I'm the one where they are putting the bridge over to. I'm the one that
owns the real property of the easement road.
Perreault: On the east side of this development?
DeChambeau: Yes.
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Perreault: Okay.
DeChambeau: Yes. And that runs with the property. However, there were prior
conditions of approval that were never met.
Perreault: Okay. Thank you.
Cavener: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Cavener.
Cavener: Those prior conditions that you believe weren't being followed was through
the county, though?
DeChambeau: Yes.
Cavener: And you touched on — Mr. Mayor, if I may. A couple more. It sounds like that
you -- you have tried to bring these concerns to the county and they just -- they haven't
been receptive to your concerns or the -- their answers you are not satisfied with. Help
me understand that piece. Because I'm -- I know that this is something that's very real
to you that you have dealt with on a daily basis and I'm getting a snapshot of it. So, I'm
just trying to connect the dots. I think that maybe you are making sense in your head,
but I'm not smart enough to follow along.
DeChambeau: No. No. No. It's fine. The actions taken against me in the last six
years have been atrocious.
Cavener: I'm sorry.
DeChambeau: It's hard for me to even leave my house. We have gone to court. I have
been thrown in jail. I have been beaten. This has gotten way out of hand. And, like I
said in Planning and Zoning meeting, that if -- I don't like to talk about it, because that's
not what we are here to talk about. But if they would have just put that out in the back --
I have three -- this will make four outs and this road that comes through really doesn't
serve our property at all. It's all for the benefit of this property and I have been told that
they now want to take the easement that exits out for that little parcel onto Victory.
They are going to take that away. That's the plan. The rumors, you know, people
indicate, you know. I never thought things would get so crazy. The other thing that I
want to -- before I forget, you know, they are suggesting we put signage up. Well, prior
and present owners have removed all my signs on that road, because the easement
road that goes by my house is 19 to 18 feet away from my bedroom window. It's not
like it's clear across. It's right there. And so, you know, I put signs up and professional
signs made because of all the strangers that just come in. We are concerned about -- I
already have had 657 trespassers on my farm. One drowning and one five year old
near miss. If I hadn't been on the Ridenbaugh jumping up and down and a guy looked
at the crazy lady, we would have lost a five year old. He was able to nab him. So, I do
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know that there is problems with canals. I spend a good share of my time telling kids
they can't be there and the problem didn't get better until 1, the property owner, was
thrown in jail and if you are frowning you should hear the rest of the story. It makes a
great John Grisham novel and, you know, it's disturbing. It's -- I mean the whole thing
that's happened to me has just been disturbing. Because I used to throw great big
parties up there a lot and, you know, I have become sort of an expert on easement law
now, but if there is a private road you can only have 19 trips. That means eight cars,
you know, that kind of stuff, which is nonsense, but they don't ever abide by it. And
another thing the staff has recommended, is they don't use the easement road for their
construction equipment, well, they have been using it quite a bit for the last six months.
It's hard to tell what is a service person or their construction vehicles. I don't know what
else to tell you. I just -- they were not supposed to be given a permit until everything
was taken care of before they built that house up there. One of the things that -- you
know, there was all these things — irrigation-drainage water should not be impeded by
any construction on site. It was supposed to be verified by the county engineer. It
never was. This is the one thing I asked over and over from Ada county development.
And when I went in there a month ago they told me, well, Mary, we have to sacrifice one
-- one parcel. But here is the deal. They have been enjoying their parcel for all these
years and we still haven't even been able to use ours for what we bought it for and, to
tell you the truth, we bought it to save the historical oak tree, which is now so damaged
and so trimmed, that it will never look pretty again. But it's one of those -- what -- it's a
survey tree and if you don't know what an old ancient survey tree is, but they used to
put them on the survey lines back in the day and I -- we figured the tree is at least 200
years old. I have had it looked at by Idaho Power and they said it comes from the
Appalachian Mountains. Had to go all the way back there to figure and get it identified.
And that road runs right on its base.
Simison: You had your— okay.
DeChambeau: Okay.
Simison: Council, any other questions?
Overton: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Overton.
Overton: Just a clarification so I understand and I'm trying to grasp where your house is
in relation. I see the bridge currently that crosses Eight Mile and the road that goes up
— it looks like right next to your house. Who owns the land on the other side of that
road?
DeChambeau: I own both sides.
Overton: You own on both sides of that road?
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DeChambeau: And I own the land on -- the real property on the east.
Overton: Thank you.
Simison: Council, any additional questions? Thank you, Mary. Mr. Clerk, do we have
anybody else signed up?
Johnson: Mr. Mayor, we did not.
Simison: Okay. Is there anybody else present or online that would like to provide
testimony on this item? Okay. Garrett, would you mind coming forward and at least
addressing the pathway -- master path plan?
White: Sure, Mr. Mayor, Members of Council. So, the future -- or the master plan for
the pathways does depict a proposed pathway to cross the Eight Mile right there on a
bridge; right? Whether it be pedestrian or the vehicular bridge. It's Park's, you know
opinion that it should be on the pedestrian — on the vehicular bridge there and just get it
widened to where you can have a ten foot path. One reason for that is -- any kind of
bridge -- pedestrian bridge that goes across the irrigation district's property we have to
own after that. So, we would have to get an agreement with the irrigation district that
we would own that bridge at that point. We don't know what the integrity of that bridge
is. We haven't researched it. Haven't checked it out, those types of things. I don't
know if fire has, if it -- if it's an access there, but that's -- that's kind of the Park's opinion
on the -- on the bridge by itself. But it's just a proposed pathway at this point that goes
through there as -- per the master plan. So, with that I will stand for questions if need
be.
Simison: So, why not stay on the west side and follow it up to Victory and, then, if you
need to be on the east side you would cross over at Victory -- I assume you are -- I
assume it's going to continue on the path or is it going someplace else that I'm not
remembering? Was going into the subdivision on the streets separately?
White: Mr. Mayor. So, if I understand correct, it -- from that -- the vehicle bridge -- I
don't know if the mouse is working yet or not, if you can see it. I don't see the mouse.
But the proposed future vehicle bridge to the north there, it would go up to Victory.
Simison: Right.
White: From the south it originally looked like it was going to possibly go on the west
side of the canal there, Eight Mile, to kind of go down and connect into the lower future
connectivity for the lower subdivision. Looking at the space there wasn't enough room
for it to get through there. So, it got kind of projected to get -- put more to the east side
of that canal with a pedestrian bridge or vehicular bridge there, if that answers your
question.
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Simison: So, are you -- so, you are saying it's going to go north and south from that
bridge. Any particular reason why it can't stay on the west side? Again, I'm -- you are
going to -- you are going to hit the -- within ten feet or 20 feet up at Victory if you were to
stay on the west side. I'm just -- is that a specific reason?
White: To my understand it was spacing just on that -- on the west side there from the
property owners to that -- to the canal.
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
Hoaglun: Just looking at this, it looks like that residence along Victory -- along the Eight
Mile Canal or lateral, that's their drive -- it becomes their driveway. Is that the issue of
not continuing that on the west side of the pathway to Victory. So, when you talk about
spacing is that where we are talking about?
Simison: Their driveway is hidden by trees. So, it's not in — it's not at the canal location.
It's to the west 50, 75 feet. It may come close to that house, but it -- we typically -- my
point is we typically run our pathways within the easements for Nampa-Meridian, so it
should not impact any addition -- any property owner in that regards if it's in the
easement per our master agreement with them. I just don't know if that doesn't apply in
this case because of the type of facility or not.
White: Mr. Mayor, I honestly don't know that answer. I believe it is supposed to go
there and it could go east and kind of south there. That's why they wanted to cross it
there and there was already a proposal bridge, so it was just an easier way to get
across. If that answers that question.
Simison: It answered a question. You know, I think ultimately my -- my two -- two
thoughts on this process is that there is an easement -- is an access to this location. If
it's not going to be a planned regular road into this location does it make sense to exist
in this easement for the future? Secondary access for the property aside, but that's my
-- my two cents. I mean I have -- I assume that the bridge is adequate to put a fire
engine over. I'm -- I don't know that for a fact. But as -- but that's why the deputy chief
is on if he wants to speak to that point. But it's -- long term I'm going -- again I'm — I
guess I could be in a voting situation tonight, but the long-term access of this to this
location to me does not make a lot of sense from an easement, a road or, frankly, even
a path. I think there is other ways to handle the crossing in this area where you don't
have to even have the bridge there, but I understand it's also part of our pathway master
plan, but that's just my two cents of -- Council, additional questions at least for Garrett?
He is not going to go far. I know that. He doesn't want to go home. The family might
be asleep. Maybe not.
White: They are already asleep.
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Simison: All right. Thank you, Garrett. Is there anybody else -- Deputy Chief, do you --
do you want to weigh in on this at all?
Bongiorno: Mr. Mayor, Council, I'm happy to. I — I have driven that road. I have been
across the bridge. I met with the homeowners of that large house in the southeast
corner there. We met and we looked at the -- they were concerned about access to
their house. And, oh, gosh, this was probably pre-COVID. And so I have — I have
driven back there. I have driven the road. I have driven the bridge. I actually took my
tape measure out and measured parts of it. Some of it is not 20 feet wide. I think the
narrowest spot was maybe 16. 1 just had asked them to keep the branches cleared on
the trees up at — at Victory to make sure we could get through there. But other than that
I was -- I'm fine with everything. So, you know, I would be comfortable sending an
engine across that bridge. Like I said, I have driven it. This is -- again, this is
secondary access -- emergency access only. Are we going to need it? Hopefully not.
So, you know, in the future when this -- the neighbor's property develops, then, this is
going to go away anyway. Happy to answer any other questions.
Simison: And maybe a question for the applicant when they come back up. The
standards to which the bridge was built. I'm just curious. You know, is it built to a
roadway standard? Is it built to -- you know. Yeah. I mean if there is any information
you have on the bridge just for long-term viability, that would be very interesting to hear
from my perspective.
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor, I can help you out on that, having helped my father-in-law over
Five Mile building a bridge -- rebuilding a bridge from wood to concrete. It's built to milk
truck standards. So, a full milk truck can go over without falling through. So, that's how
we built them.
Simison: Fair enough. Okay. Well, would the applicant like to come forward?
Lakey: Mayor, Council Members, again, for the record Todd Lakey. 141 East Carlton
Avenue, Meridian, Idaho. 83642. So, I will try to hit some of the points and, then, be
happy to -- to answer questions. So, again, in regard to the property history, my clients
have owned the property -- purchased the property in the last year, so they have not
been part of any of the historical problems with the neighbors. They have been nothing
but gentlemen as they have pursued this application and owned the property. Council
Members, we are using an easement. There is an easement that exists for access to
and from that 4.11 acres. We are actually decreasing the burden on that easement. By
eliminating it to emergency vehicle only. The dominant estate still consists of the 4.11
acres. So, I don't see any issue with the easement itself. The pathway -- that's been
discussed. Mayor and Council Members, we are trying to comply with your plan and
that's not our plan, it's your plan, and that was put together I assume with lots of public
input and assistance with your planning staff. So, we are designing the pathway in
accordance with your standards and the location you request. It doesn't go any -- it
doesn't connect to anything right now. As far as further to the north there isn't a
pathway. We are building it for the future for the city's benefit. We have been
accommodating, as I said, to the property owners to the south. That was the comment
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that they requested, that we not have two story homes. The property owners that
testified don't represent those folks. That was our discussions with them. As far as the
bridge itself, it looks like -- we can't -- I'm not sure exactly when it was built. It's not
ancient. Perhaps when the home was built, maybe in the '90s, 2000s, would be our
guess from our engineer. But, again, I would rely on the -- the Fire Department in
looking at that. Also the Meridian — Nampa-Meridian Irrigation District knowing that was
for vehicular access wouldn't have allowed something substandard that might create
liability for them and their property. Council Members, I -- as I said, I can't really
comment on the lady's comments about the interactions with law enforcement and --
and her perspective on her history there. I don't know any of it. We weren't involved in
any of it. Didn't initiate any of those arrests or anything like that. The pressurized
irrigation, we don't need to do anything with the property to the east. Our pressurized
irrigation is going to come through Teakwood. So, we don't need any permission, any
access, we don't need anything from the properties to the east and we are staying out of
Nampa-Meridian's irrigation easement and respecting that in accordance with their
requests. Mayor and Council Members, I think we are going the extra mile in regards to
the emergency access. It was utilized for that existing home. If the bollards need to be
moved because they utilize it, that's -- that's fine. We can accommodate that where
ever the most appropriate location is for those bollards. I think they were initially
requested to be put out on Victory to keep people off the road and so we are -- we are
happy to put those where ever the city deems most appropriate. The development
agreement will include the conditions of approval. Our challenge we are trying to do our
best with the bridge. Our challenge is, as we described before, it's over Nampa-
Meridian's property. We don't control that and it is limited to emergency access. So, we
hope that it can be used for both. But we are a little concerned about having to build
something off our property for a plan and it's something that we don't control,
particularly if it needs to be owned by the city in the future. With that, Mayor and
Council Members, I would just refer back to the Planning and Zoning Commission
decision and staff's analysis. We meet the requirements for approval of this application
based on its Comprehensive Plan designation, the proposed zoning, the design of the
project we meet all the city standards. We would ask for your approval. I would be
happy to answer questions if you have them.
Simison: Thank you, Mr. Lakey. Question -- I don't know if this is for you or for Deputy
Chief as well. There is an existing secondary emergency access off a Victory that
comes in off of Arno in the -- essentially where the other subdivision ends and the one
that's Teakwood is under construction. Is that accurate, Deputy Chief?
Bongiorno: Mr. Mayor, Council, yes, that is.
Simison: So, is this other emergency access necessary under code?
Bongiorno: Mr. Mayor, Council, it — it is, because the problem is once you get past that
point we are past 30 lots and, basically, fire code says you -- if you are past 30 — if you
are past 30 lots. Sorry. Brain is still a little fuzzy from COVID. If you're past 30 lots,
then, you have to have secondary access. So, the other way around this is we would
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have to condition that the entire subdivision be fire sprinkler -- all the homes have fire
sprinklers in them.
Simison: So, essentially, the Teakwood access -- secondary access you can't have
more than 30 after that secondary access? Am I interpreting what you are saying?
Bongiorno: Correct. Yes, that is correct.
Simison: And how many are in Teakwood; do you know — anybody off the top of their
head?
Bongiorno: Let me look. I thought it was like 22. 1 can't remember. That was in --
Lakey: Teakwood? Let me go grab my notes. I think it's 33.
Bongiorno: Yeah. Maybe -- I thought it was 22, but I could — I could be wrong.
Simison: Well, if it's 33, then, what you said to me doesn't seem like it would meet
code.
Bongiorno: Yeah. In that secondary access -- again, because we -- I knew that there
was more coming and so I wasn't too concerned with it at the time, Mr. Mayor. I mean a
couple houses isn't going to make or break us.
Lakey: Mayor, I do have -- in my notes anyway 33 lots in the Teakwood —
Bongiorno: Okay.
Lake: -- project.
Bongiorno: I'm not sure if all those are homes, though, because I don't count empty
lots. The common lots.
Lakey: There, again, we are -- we are happy to make that easement available for
emergency vehicle access and, as was stated, you know, once that property to the east,
which is opened, develops, then, it --
Simison: And I'm hoping to go the opposite way, to see if there is a way that you can
vacate -- if the property owners were to vacate the access altogether. In order to -- not
need it from that standpoint. That's what I was trying to see if there was already a
secondary access in the area. And so that's -- that's my mental thinking is annexation
give up access --
Lakey: Sure.
Simison: -- in the area. That's -- so that's -- that's my mental thinking is annexation,
give up access to that and it doesn't sound like and it doesn't sound like it's something
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that your -- the development needs, you know, if the fire department feels like it would
be otherwise compliant, but I'm also curious, Mr. Nary, if we can -- you know, I know —
what is it 30 -- is it 30? Is that the hard number? Does he have -- does Deputy Chief
have the ability to waive the number or is it -- are there 30 residential lots and three
common lots that equals the 33? Do you have any idea?
Nary: Mr. Mayor, Members of the Council, I believe it's 30 residential lots. So, it is the
residential lots that count.
Simison: That's the number. Nothing else in this case that would trigger it. Okay.
Bongiorno: Mr. Mayor and Council, I — I do have in the county over off Sandy Court a
whole subdivision that was added and what we did there was we conditioned -- or the
county conditioned that said that any new construction had to have fire sprinklers put in
them and the builder was amenable to that and they -- they built all of the houses with
fire sprinklers in them. So, that -- that could be an option here. We could put fire
sprinklers on all the homes, less the existing home and, then, do away with that
easement and I would be okay with that.
Simison: Thank you.
Lakey: Mr. Mayor, if I might respond there. I think our preference is certainly just to be
able to utilize that easement. I — I have certainly had mixed reactions I guess from
clients on sprinkler systems and whether they are usable and maintainable and things in
the future. Certainly that would drive up the cost, which would be passed on, but it --
anyway, we would simply prefer to be able to use the access easement.
Nary: Mr. Mayor, I have the face sheet of the staff report from Teakwood up and it
shows on the final plat -- this is back from April 13th of 2021, it says final plat consists of
22 building lots and four common lots. So, I don't know where that 33 number comes
from.
Bongiorno: I thought it was 22.
Nary: It says 22 building lots and four common lots according to this staff report from
planning.
Lakey: If we can avoid the secondary access that would be great. Not to do the
sprinklers.
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
Hoaglun: Looking at Google Earth I counted 35, but maybe those houses up there don't
count. But I don't understand from Deputy Chief Bongiorno -- you know, if we have a
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secondary access -- let's say whatever it is -- 33 lots on this one and we have an access
off of Victory that comes in at the point you were referring to and, then, takes in the new
property, so there is -- if the access on Locust Grove is blocked off, they can come in off
of Victory, I don't -- because all — all we are doing is moving it further west, as opposed
to come -- having the secondary off of -- between the property of Ms. DeChambeau to
come across there, so I'm not -- I'm a little lost on why that is an inadequate secondary
access. Chief, do you have any thoughts on that? Are we on the same page of where
we are looking at for that secondary access?
Bongiorno: So, Mr. Mayor and Councilman, the -- the way I look at secondary access is
the problem is that if you go all the way back to Locust Grove, that initial subdivision
that's out on the corner has more than 30 lots in it and it did not have secondary access.
So, that was pre me and probably pre Chief Palmer. So, that particular subdivision, if
you pull up your Google Map and go all the way back to the corner, that additional lot --
yeah. That initial sub has more than 30 in it. So, when Teakwood came along that
access was there, but nobody ever finished it. So, as part of Teakwood's approval I
said, okay, well, we need to -- we need a secondary access out to Victory and so the
problem is is I use the crashed airplane scenario. If you crash the airplane right there at
that emergency access that goes right out to Victory from — let me pull up the map here.
From Arno, if you plot -- if you crashed their plane right there you need that access to
the west that we are proposing for this subdivision to get in. Accesses have to be half
the diagonal of the property apart -- you know, they have to be separated and so if the
plane crashes at Arno and, then, emergency access, we have no way to get to these
subdivisions if grandma is having a heart attack or if one of these buildings is on fire, the
only way we are going to be able to get to it is via this access that I have requested stay
open for the subdivision. Are you following me now?
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
Hoaglun: Deputy Chief Bongiorno. Yes, I am.
Bongiorno: Okay.
Hoaglun: So, you need that access off of the DeChambeau easement we will call it that
comes up --
Bongiorno: Correct.
Hoaglun: -- to that area, so -- okay. I see what you are talking about now.
Bongiorno: We need that — we need that eastern most access to get us in the back
door so to call it --
Hoaglun: Okay.
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Bongiorno: -- because that one access kind of sits right in the middle of everything.
Hoaglun: Okay. Thanks for clarifying, chief, Mr. Mayor.
Bongiorno: Certainly.
Simison: Now, Deputy Chief, I just have one — one additional question. I know -- if the
code says 30 the code says 30. Is that intended from a distance standpoint as a typical
rationale that you are an R-4 and 30 homes and it's going to be -- take you so far in --
and I say this because 22 — this could -- this piece of property that we are talking about
-- me personally I have got a -- when I look at this I'm like I'm baffled at how many units
are being proposed for this space because it seems so tight with the existing home.
That's just a mental picture. But this is -- this is like one of the smallest drive aisles that
I have seen to surround so many homes. You know, we have got a couple homes off of
common drives. One giant home. Does distance make -- that's my point. Does
distance make a difference or is it just this pure residential number that is the most --
the more important factor in your mind?
Bongiorno: For me it's -- it's a number. The number is, because that's what code says.
Code says 30 residential lots. And, then, the exception -- the number one exception
under that is --
Simison: Sprinklers.
Bongiorno: Excuse me. If -- unless they are sprinklered.
Simison: Yep. Okay. All right. I'm -- I'm off my soapbox, but thank you.
Bongiorno: Sure.
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: Just thinking through conditions and emotion at some point. So, I want a
clarification from you. The Commission changes that were -- the Commission changes
that were recommended to staff, the first one being that there is a sign regarding
construction traffic. I just want clarification that you -- the applicant will be amenable to
that. Or if you don't feel it's necessary why -- why not?
Lakey: Mr. Mayor and Council Member Perreault, we are happy to put up whatever
sign you would like.
Perreault: Okay. I imagine you discussed that with them, but I just like to always make
sure I get it on the record before we finalize things. And, then, are you comfortable
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working with the Parks Department on a potential new location for the pathway
potentially on the west side, as the Mayor mentioned, prior to final plat recording? The
staff report says east side. Perhaps that's something that there is a discussion with staff
about. I don't -- I don't -- I want to be able to specify that condition this evening, but I
also don't want to keep it the way it is in the staff report. So, I think we need to get
clarification on that tonight before we were to make a motion.
Lakey: Council Member Perreault, I'm not sure -- I mean I -- the path is located on the
west side of the canal, the east side of the subdivision. Here where the mouse is.
Perreault: Uh-huh.
Lakey: So, I'm not sure what we are referring to.
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: I just pulled up the staff report and if I'm reading it correctly, the condition is
to have that pathway along the east side of the -- of the lateral. Staff can clarify if I'm
not understanding.
Allen: Mr. Mayor, Council Woman Perreault, I was just trying to find the exact condition.
Yeah. The -- the master pathways plan does depict the pathway along the west side of
the lateral — if you can see my pointer here -- up until this point and, then, it is planned
to crossover with redevelopment of the property to the east, if and when it redevelops
and, then, continue on to the south on the east side of the lateral. I'm just double
checking my condition right now.
Perreault: My apologies. I had a different screen up. Can you go -- can you show me
that again with your pointer?
Allen: Yes. So, this is the lateral here. This is the subject property. The pathway will
be on the west side of the lateral here and, then, it will cross over in the approximate
location of the bridge, either at the bridge or another pedestrian bridge and, then, it will
-- with redevelopment of the property to the east, if and when it redevelops, then, the
property -- or, excuse me, pathway will continue on to the south on the east side of the
lateral.
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: That makes more sense. Thank you.
Perreault: Okay. Then -- so, I misunderstood the Mayor's comments, then, regarding
the — a suggested new location for the pathway with —with the --
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Simison: That's because it was implied that it was going to be on the other side. So, it's
on the right side in my opinion, because this is where the development is occurring
now --
Perreault: Okay.
Simison: -- if that explains -- that explanation. So, we were both not clear.
Perreault: Okay. So, we are good. Awesome. Great.
Overton: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Overton.
Overton: Just some clarification -- and this may be staff, fire chief, and the applicant. Is
it common that we have an emergency access that we, the city, don't have any control
over that runs through the middle of a county parcel?
Allen: Mr. Mayor, Councilman Overton, Council, I wouldn't say it's common. I -- it's not
a desired thing for sure. I did talk to Ms. DeChambeau about it and I did ask for a copy
of the easement. I don't believe she was able to provide that to me. And the only
reason -- it's not my business to review it necessarily. I just -- I wanted to have our legal
take a look at it to see what that easement entitled them -- you know, if -- if it allowed
emergency vehicles, if it was specific to that resident or -- or what. But I don't have that
information to answer that.
Overton: Mr. Mayor, follow up.
Simison: Councilman Overton.
Overton: If we don't have a legal decision on where that easement stands, are we in a
position we could face where we approve this with an easement that legally we could
find out we don't have it and now we have put these houses in violation of Deputy Fire
Chiefs 30 house rule and now we don't have that secondary access, because we would
never did the homework and got the legal finding on the easement. Is that a concern,
Mr. Nary?
Nary: Well, Mr. Mayor, Members of the Council, Council Member Overton, it's a little bit
of a concern, because without us knowing -- obviously, we are not the benefactors of
that easement. It's the -- it's the property owner to the -- that's the existing house; right?
That's their -- that's essentially their roadway easement through that road to Victory
across that bridge. So, without us being the benefactor of it, then, technically, we can't
just use it to use it for a firetruck, even if it's usable. But Deputy Chief Bongiorno -- he
should probably weigh in -- said there are -- there could be other alternatives that could
work if we can't use that road, but that -- that would be more in line for him. But, yeah, I
would agree with you, Councilman Overton, without us being the benefactor of it and us
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knowing what the specifics of that easement are, yeah, I wouldn't be comfortable and
say just use it, so --
Overton: Thank you.
Bongiorno: So Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Deputy Chief.
Bongiorno: Mr. Mayor and Council, and, I'm -- I'm not a property rights person. That's
more in Mr. Nary's logs, but I do know that typically -- to answer your first question, any
easements that we have for emergency access do go through an easement process
and, you know, they are signed off by, you know, all the appropriate people, because I
do approve easements for emergency access. I -- in this particular case I also have not
-- I don't know anything about the easement. But, yeah, it would probably behoove
somebody to find out exactly what this easement says to see if we are legally able to
use it and if we can't, Bill Nary— or Mr. Nary had talked about other access -- I mean the
only other option would be to utilize the canal road and typically -- not always, but most
of the time the ditch company frowns upon 80,000 pound fire engines running up and
down the side of their ditches. So, that would be the other option. And, then, it just
goes back to, you know, the houses have to be fire sprinklered period.
Nary: Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor, I was just going to add one thing and I don't know if Mr.
Lakey knows more about this, but my assumption is is that although we -- we aren't a
party to this easement. That is our only way to get to the existing house. So, if that
house is on fire that's the only way we can get there currently, because that's the only
road that goes to the house that I can see. So, there may be something in the
easement that gives some right to access from the emergency, because, otherwise,
police and fire couldn't get there.
Lakey: Mr. Mayor, what I might suggest is either condition us being able to use that
easement and providing that and demonstrating that to the city that it is usable or, if not,
the fire sprinklers option. So, you could do it either way.
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
Hoaglun: Mr. Lakey, is that something you can -- do you need some time to look at?
Can we just continue this hearing to allow some research and —
Lakey: Mr. Mayor and Council Member Hoaglun, I'm -- I'm fine with an alternative
condition worded in that way.
Hoaglun: So, Mr. Lakey, Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
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Hoaglun: And — and those conditions, again, if -- the alternative condition -- one is
utilizing that easement as a secondary access or —
Lakey: And demonstrating the city's ability to use it.
Hoaglun: Okay.
Lakey: Or complying with fire code requirements for sprinklers.
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: Just to clarify, Council President Hoaglun, the -- utilizing the easement as a
secondary access -- wasn't that already a condition in the report and so that's not an
alternative; correct?
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor, Council Woman Perreault, yes, it's something that was already
approved and we are going to utilize, but now this gives us -- okay, what if, you know,
we can -- then if that is truly not the case, which I think the property owner has had this
easement from '90s to 2000, there should be evidence or legal process there that
shows that. Now, I don't know if splitting the property now creates any other dynamics
for that, but if there does, then, we -- they can demonstrate to us the city's ability to use,
that is an issue, or the final alternative would be to put in sprinklers, so --
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: Don't want to beat a dead horse here, but I'm just trying to understand why a
copy of the legal description for that easement wouldn't have been included in the
application materials to staff. It runs with the property. It's -- it's of record I assume.
Lakey: Mr. Mayor and Council Member Perreault, I -- I assume as well that it's part of
the title package. I don't know that that was submitted as part of the application.
Obviously, it wasn't if the city was still looking for it. So, we will find it, we will get it to
the city and we will go from there.
Allen: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Yes, Sonya.
Allen: May I make a suggestion, please, regarding the access easement. There is a
condition number seven in the staff report for access for the existing home to be
provided solely from internal local streets. The existing driveway via Victory Road shall
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be used solely for emergency purposes or emergency access. I would suggest you just
maybe add to that condition. You know, if there is a legitimate access easement there,
otherwise, the property should be -- or the property should be sprinklered. Thank you.
Nary: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Mr. Nary.
Nary: To be clear, if they have to sprinkler the homes, Mr. Lakey, the existing home has
to get sprinklered, too, because all of them in the subdivision have to be, then,
sprinklered. So, is that what your client's willing to do?
Lakey: If it's over the 30, yep. I mean if it's over the number it's over the number. So,
yeah, we have to comply.
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: In that case, then, would number seven be removed from the staff report and
replaced by the requirement to sprinkle — to sprinkler properties, so, then, we are no
longer discussing secondary emergency access?
Allen: Mr. Mayor, I would like to retract my comment. Sorry. I'm really tired. I was
looking at that condition and it doesn't really apply to this, so it doesn't make any —
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
Hoaglun: So, as I understand it then -- seven. Access for the existing home shall be
provided solely from internal local streets. The existing driveway via East Victory Road
shall be used solely for emergency access. If that becomes -- is no longer available
through documentation -- that the applicant will demonstrate the ability -- or the -- if
there is an issue -- I'm trying to think how to get this right.
Lakey: As -- if applicable at the end of that condition.
Hoaglun: Yeah. Access for the -- shall be solely used for emergency access if
applicable. And, then, we would require to demonstrate that ability to use if it's not
applicable -- applicable or sprinklers would be -- would be used.
Lakey: Correct.
Hoaglun: Okay.
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Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: Thank you. So, to clarify, Council President Hoaglun, you are
recommending a -- to proceed with staff's recommendation unless there — unless there
is findings that once we have the legal description — staff has legal description of the --
of the access -- or recording of the current easement they find an issue with access,
then, the applicant has an alternative method that they can choose to go forward and
not necessarily make it either/or in the conditions?
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor and Council Woman Perreault, yes. Correct.
Perreault: Okay.
Hoaglun: That gives them the option to still move forward in the next -- in the next
steps.
Simison: And can I throw another wrench into it? We had testimony from an applicant
-- from one of the property owners that basically -- even if you feel like you have the
right, then, maybe there -- if there is a legal challenge -- because under our
understanding of state law that says you cannot do A to B to C, so you may look at the
easement and say we have it and have a -- if there was a legal challenge to come
forward what would happen then. Is there an expectation that if you are legally
challenged and you lost the access because it's no longer set up the way it was, that we
would, then, also expect sprinkling to be done and what if that comes six years from
now? Because the courts aren't going fast.
Lakey: Sure. Mr. Mayor, I think my -- my wording was demonstrate to the city the city's
ability to use it. So, I guess it would have to meet Mr. Nary's approval that the city
legally can use it. I suppose anybody can challenge anything anytime, but --
Simison: Yeah. Because I'm just saying it's demonstrated, but, then, the court says,
no, now it's been undemonstrated from us and you have got ten homes built or 16
homes built -- and that's where I'm just trying to -- you know, how do we -- how do we
get to a point in time where we all feel comfortable if Ms. DeChambeau's interpretation
of the law were to be found correct down the road. That's -- down the easement with --
Overton: Mr. Mayor?
Nary: Mr. Mayor, I -- I'm sorry. Mr. Mayor, Members of the Council, I think what would
likely happen six years from now if somehow it was challenged, somehow that was
upheld, somehow the access went away and we didn't have it, we would not issue a
building permit to exceed that number. So, they couldn't build another house, because
they would have been building houses -- I see where you are going. They are going to
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build houses and they are not going to put sprinklers on them and five years from now
somebody says that access is gone. We wouldn't let them build anymore houses.
Simison: But they would all be built -- at that point in time we just eat it if that's what's
been —
Nary: Potentially.
Simison: I want --just want that to be on the record, Deputy Chief, everyone —
Nary: Yeah. I would say, Mr. Mayor, Members of the Council, that's probably true.
Probably the same rationale we lived with the fact that corner parcels only had one
access for many years.
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: What would make me most comfortable is for the applicant to find any
recorded documents related to the easement -- legal descriptions related to the
easement. Have that conversation with staff and just continue this until we have that. I
just think that to me it makes sense. It shouldn't be comp -- if it's recorded this shouldn't
be that complicated. Unless I'm missing something. If there isn't -- if the easement is
not -- has not been recorded and has been being used in that capacity all this time then
-- then there is different regulations regarding that that we don't need to discuss here.
But if we really want to solve this problem, we continue it, we give a couple weeks, let
them go find the document — the documentation associated and, then, we move
forward. And that might save our applicant a significant amount of cost. So, just --just -
- the applicant can comment on whether that's an option they are interested in.
Parsons: Mayor, Council -- let you get your thoughts out and, then, I had a suggestion
as well.
Simison: Councilman Overton.
Overton: My -- my biggest concern is I believe this variance to this property existed
prior to these -- the applicants being owners and we don't know how long and how old
that variance is and if it had a clause in it that said if at any time you subdivide your
property your variance is no longer any good. I mean there is all sorts of stipulations
that could be in that document. If the applicant wants to just say, well, if it doesn't
happen I have — here is Plan B, I want to sprinkler all the houses, I'm okay with that. It's
a Plan B, but we have to know that before I can proceed.
Parsons: Mayor and Council, if I can just interject a couple of technicalities here and I
don't want to -- appreciate the dialogue. I'm sure we are all looking out for the best
interest of the community. But to your point, Councilman Overton, that's some of the
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concerns we have is when some gets further developed and that easement is no longer
in effect, so we need to see that language. Two, this is annexation and right now if I'm
the planner and Sonya and I here -- I would recommend that you lean towards you shall
sprinkler the homes unless you can demonstrate the easement, because, then, you
have got it in place. There is -- if he doesn't have the easement, then, you at least know
you got the sprinkler component done. You have that -- you have that right there. If it
doesn't happen it's there and conditioned. The other part of is there is only 22 houses
to the west. So, technically, the applicant would only have to sprinkler, what, eight --
eight of the homes to get constructed before sprinklers were required. I don't want to
make that a technicality here, but that would be our preference that it would be put in
the DA that you shall sprinkler the homes unless you can demonstrate to the city -- and
if they can come back and do a DA mod and we have another conversation. At least
we get another bite at the apple with a DA modification and not have a plat condition,
because once the plat gets recorded it's going to be tough to unravel that condition.
Overton: Mr. Mayor, follow up.
Simison: Councilman Overton.
Overton: That's not a very good point and if the Deputy Chief is still on --
Simison: He is.
Overton: -- can we -- can we work the math that way? If there is only 22 homes in the
other development, are we only looking at everything over 30 once we get to this one?
Simison: Well, that's where I was trying to go earlier with my comments even about
common driveways. Can we count them as one? Because it's really -- but that's a
different issue. Deputy Chief, I will let you weigh in, since you have unmuted.
Bongiorno: Thanks. Mr. Mayor, excuse me, and Council, it -- I would hate to play the
numbers game saying, well, okay, who gets to pick who gets sprinklers or not. I would
just make the whole subdivision be sprinklered. It's easier that way. That way when the
water lines are run they will run the appropriate lines to each property and, honestly, it's
extremely expensive to retrofit houses for sprinklers. So, I would be okay with that
existing home not being sprinklered, but the rest of them -- anything new would be
sprinklered.
Lakey: Mr. Mayor, if I might respond. Appreciate that comment. We certainly would be
happy with that and I think staff's phrasing is a little more artful. We are okay with that.
If you say shall be sprinkled unless, we are okay with that.
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
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Hoaglun: So you switched up on me. So, we are going to keep condition seven.
Existing -- access for the existing home shall be provided solely from internal local
streets. The existing drive to East Victory Road shall be used solely for emergency
access and -- and utilize -- and if applicable -- or the applicant will demonstrate their
ability to use the existing drive for emergency access or the subdivision shall be
sprinklered. We had removed that shall be sprinklered -- or that phrase earlier, so — so,
I think -- are we just doing utilize if applicable or sprinkler?
Lakey: Mr. Mayor and Council Member Hoaglun, I think if applicable period. And, then,
I think the way staff worded it was the -- the subdivision will be sprinkled unless
applicant demonstrates the city's ability to utilize the easement for emergency vehicle
access.
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: To use that easement in perpetuity or some sort of statement that it's -- that it
can be used permanently. I don't know if we need that clarification. I think it would
make sense to -- unless there is just an assumption in every one of these conditions
that that's the case. But because it's possible, I assume, that there could be a legal
challenge to take that access away -- that secondary access away from the subject
property, we probably should make sure to clarify that in the condition.
Parsons: So, Mr. Mayor, Members of the Council, I appreciate you trying to wordsmith
that, Councilman Hoaglun, but you really need to add a new DA provision that says the
home shall be sprinklered, except for the existing residence, and then -- or the applicant
shall demonstrate they have the right to use that easement.
Lakey: That's what I was trying to —
Parsons: In perpetuity.
Lakey: -- get to in condition seven. Where ever you want to put it is fine.
Parsons: We want it in the development agreement. We certainly don't want it as a plat
condition. It's going to be easier for us -- we can -- if something happens in the future
and we need to reconvene the body and talk about this issue, then, the best method is
to do a development agreement modification and bring it up.
Nary: Mr. Mayor? To respond to the Council Woman Perreault's comment. I think -- I
think the easement has to remain as long as it's necessary, because as that
DeChambeau property may develop at some point in the future, there may be different
accesses into this property. So, it just needs to be able to remain as long as it's
needed, so --
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March 21,2023
Page 91 of 94
Lakey: Correct. There may be a secondary access when the property owner sells their
property and someone else's designed --
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
Hoaglun: If I could propose this. I think -- I think we are close. I think we need a five
minute recess to put some heads together and come up with that language to make
sure we are all on the same page and not try to do a motion and start and restart and
come back and try and fix it again. So, if you wouldn't mind, Mr. Mayor, is that
acceptable?
Simison: Yes. We will take a five minute recess.
Hoaglun: Okay. Thank you.
(Recess: 10.43 p.m. to 10.49 p.m.)
Simison: All right. We will come back from recess.
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
Hoaglun: I would like to give this a try for this application. After considering all staff,
applicant --
Simison: We close the public hearing.
Hoaglun: Oh, yes. Let's close the public hearing first, shall we?
Overton: Second.
Hoaglun: Excited. Move we close the public hearing.
Perreault: Second.
Simison: Motion and second to close the public hearing. All those in favor signify by
saying aye. Opposed nay. The ayes have it and the public hearing is closed.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
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March 21,2023
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Hoaglun: After considering all staff, applicant, and public testimony, I move to approve
File No. H-2022-0089 as presented in the staff report for the hearing date of March 21 ,
2023, with the addition of a DA provision, Item E, which reads. The applicant shall fire
sprinkle all new residences or demonstrate that the existing access can be utilized for
emergency access only with the final plat application.
Overton: Second.
Simison: I have a motion and a second. Is there discussion?
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: I don't know if the staff updated the report after the Commission hearing, but
it looks like we need to make sure that Condition 2-A was struck and clarify if Condition
No. 10 was already modified by staff or if that also needs to be addressed.
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor, I see 2-A as being struck and Item 10 -- it does have the addition
the applicant shall coordinate with the Parks to determine if the existing bridge can be
used as a pedestrian crossing, so --
Perreault: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Council Woman Perreault.
Perreault: Thank you, Council President Hoaglun. Also staff requested that there be a
provision in the DA regarding construction traffic signs. Does that need to be added as
an additional condition?
Allen: Mr. Mayor, Council Woman Perreault, it's already in there.
Simison: All right.
Cavener: Call the question.
Simison: The question has been called. Clerk will call the roll.
Roll Call: Hoaglun, yea; Borton, yea; Cavener, yea; Perreault, yea; Strader, absent;
Overton, yea.
Simison: All ayes. Zero nays. Motion is agreed to and the item is approved. Thank
you very much. Have a good evening.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
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March 21,2023
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FUTURE MEETING TOPICS
Simison: Councilman Cavener, anything under future meeting topics?
Cavener: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Cavener.
Cavener: Be great if you and the Council President can work to find a future workshop
day for a presentation from staff on PUDs. Thank you.
Simison: Duly noted. Anything else under future meeting topics?
EXECUTIVE SESSION 12. Per Idaho Code 74-206 (d) To consider records that are
exempt from disclosure as provided in Chapter 1, Title 74, Idaho Code
Hoaglun: Mr. Mayor?
Simison: Councilman Hoaglun.
Hoaglun: We are not done yet. I move we go into Executive Session per Idaho Code
74-205(d).
Cavener: Second.
Simison: Motion and second to go into Executive Session. Is there any discussion? If
not, Clerk will call the roll.
Roll Call: Hoaglun, yea; Borton, yea; Cavener, yea; Perreault, yea; Strader, absent;
Overton, yea.
Simison: All ayes. Motion carried and we will go into Executive Session.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
EXECUTIVE SESSION: (10.52 p.m. to 10.58 p.m.)
Hoaglun: Move we come out of Executive Session.
Cavener: Second.
Simison: Motion and second to come out of Executive Session. All in favor?
All ayes. Motion carried.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
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March 21,2023
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Hoaglun: Move we adjourn.
Simison: Motion to adjourn. All in favor? We are adjourned.
MOTION CARRIED: FIVE AYES. ONE ABSENT.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 10:58 P.M.
(AUDIO RECORDING ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS)
MAYOR ROBERT E. SIMISON
ATTEST:
CHRIS JOHNSON - CITY CLERK