HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-08-10 Brenda Blitman
Chris Johnson
From:Sonya Allen
Sent:Saturday, August 10, 2024 7:37 PM
To:Clerks Comment
Cc:Bill Nary; Bill Parsons
Subject:FW: Timbercreek application - Public Testimony
From: Brenda Blitman <brenda.blitman@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, August 10, 2024 6:39 PM
To: Sonya Allen <sallen@meridiancity.org>
Subject: Timbercreek application
External Sender - Please use caution with links or attachments.
Hi Sonya
I live 1/3 mile South of the corner of Columbia Rd & Locust Grove.
Our ability to use our back yard is impacted by the odor that comes from the recycling site. It's worse in the Spring & Fall
and has gotten worse in the past year. I was raised on a dairy and the smell is not a typical farm smell, it is more like
rotting flesh or human waste. I would estimate that 30 days in the past year the smell has been so bad that we do not
use our back yard. I am hesitant to host gatherings because the smell can be overwhelming.
Also there is a fine dust all over my house, it seems to be worse in the Summer. The color is more brown or white and
not like the dust that is dirt that comes from the farming activities.
We have lived at our home 8460 S Locust Grove Rd, Meridian, ID 83642 since Sept 2001, so 23 years. As the operations
of the recycling site have grown so have the odor and dust.
In 2019, I urged the Meridian City Council to require a dust mitigation and odor mitigation plans. Because the situation
has gotten worse, I am concerned that the plans are not effective.
In 2019, I understood that the Recycling operations would cease when the residential construction was 1000 feet away. I
have been watching the construction of houses at Lake Hazel/Locust Grove and thought that I would not complain about
the Recycling operations because it is clear that residential construction will soon be occurring within 1000 feet of the
operations.
In looking at the revised Development Agreement the applicant is asking that the requirement that they cease
operations when houses are being build close to the operations is being waived.
Also, the revised Development Agreement expands the list of waste that can be delivered. Previously the waste was
limited to green waste (tree branches, wood etc) and sheetrock.
I am concerned that the Recycling Operations are being conducted in a R-4 zone.
The R-4 zone is for residential houses and not an industrial facility that collects, grinds and composts green waste,
sheetrock, organic industrial waste, etc.
1
I am wondering if ACHD has evaluated the impact of the traffic from the Recycling site?
I ask that the city council not agree to this expansion & extension of the development agreement.
My concerns are:
Lack of proper zoning - conducting an industrial activity in a R-4 zone. - I wonder if this project should go through
the proper zoning and conditional use permit process. (The city could ask for a legal opinion if the use of an
Development Agreement is appropriate for this applicant.) This is a question of law and I am not an attorney,
the City has access to attorneys.
Lack of effective Dust Mitigation Plan - Has not been effective for the past 5 years, what assurances do we have
that the new dust mitigation plan will be effective.
Lack of effective Odor Mitigation Plan - Has not been effective for the past 5 years, what assurances do we have
that the new odor mitigation plan will be effective.
Lack of ACHD traffic study
Changing of original Development Agreement to extend operations for 5 years, expand the type of waste to
include organic waste (It's my understanding that the facility is receiving waste from a cheese processing plant,
which accounts for the recent increase in odor)
I appreciate and understand the need to divert waste from the solid waste system, there is a lot of industrial property
available and I urge the applicant to identify a suitable location that is zoned for industrial use.
Placing a level 2 Recycling Site in a R-4 zone with a lot of houses under construction and planned for the area and in
close proximity to a new school and neighborhood park seems like an incompatible use.
The Recycling site is impacting my ability to enjoy my back yard and I am concerned about the long term health
consequences of the fine dust.
Please include this in the package for the Meridian City Council.
My contact information
Brenda Blitman
208-846-8495
8460 S Locust Grove Rd
Meridian, ID 83642
2