HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC - Narrative Narrative Re: Commission Review of H-2024-0021 as presented by Perry Coles, owner of East
River Valley Street, LLC.
We are requesting a review of file H-2024-0021 described as:
"Raising Cane's Drive Thru Restaurant that will consist of one building, associated parking and
landscaping, and two drive thru lanes with an extended escape route."
The concerned party, East River Valley Street, LLC, owner of the Copper Canary property
located at 2590 N Eagle Road. This business is located 2 parcels south of the Raising Cane
applicant's property. We are requesting a review by the City Council of Meridian due to the
following concerns:
The safety and mobility on Eagle road will be affected greatly and negatively if this project is
allowed to develop. The access road leading to the proposed development from Eagle is very
limited in size; both width and length, and is also both ingress and egress for access to multiple
businesses and high density residential and commercial. The likeliness of this narrow access
road (25 feet in width, two lane) becoming backed up due to the volume of drive-thru patrons
will make this road unusable to other businesses and residents. The access road can hold a
maximum of 9 cars (180 feet/ 20 feet per car in que) before vehicles begin to back up onto
Eagle Road, the busiest road in Meridian. Residents, visitors, and business patrons will be
unable to access their homes or preferred business establishments if this road becomes
inaccessible.
Beyond the issue of limited usability caused by this access road, the applicant has serious
concern for the safety of motorists and pedestrians when incurring an unexpected back up of
vehicles on Eagle Road due to the blockage Raising Cane's would create. Patrons wishing to
enter this establishment, or any other homes and businesses which are currently serviced by
this roadway, will have no alternate choice but to que on Eagle road when this access road
becomes fully blocked with only 9 vehicles.
Also important to the commission's consideration; this access road has already been committed
to extended service by providing ingress/egress for other establishments in various levels of
development including a 120-room Wyndham Hotel, a 340-unit apartment complex, and a
460-unit apartment complex, and another lot that is pending sale.
We are requesting the council reconsider approving this application in favor of: protecting
surrounding residents who call this area home, protecting the surrounding businesses from
being unreachable by their customers, and through an abundance of care for the safety of the
majority of Meridian citizens who rely on Eagle Road for transportation.
The Vision statement of Meridian is as follows: "By 2035, Meridian will be the West's premier
community in which to live, work and raise a family." We're requesting the esteemed council
reconsider if allowing this business will make this area better in terms of this vision. The
frustrations surrounding mobility and ease of access of Eagle Road is a constant contention
amongst the citizens of Meridian. Please reconsider if allowing road accidents, a leading cause
of injury and death, and also increased mobility issues on the busiest and most relied upon
arterial street in Meridian make this city a better place to live, work, and raise a family?
East River Valley Street, LLC is proposing the following solutions:
-Have application H-2024-0021 reviewed by Planning and Zoning to discuss changes which
may lighten or mitigate the concerns brought forth. For example, requiring an additional stacking
lane for overflow.
-Require the applicant to conduct a traffic study signed by a licensed engineer, which will allow
Planning and Zoning to have clear and complete information to take into consideration on the
approval or denial of this project.
-Conduct an internal traffic study on Eagle Road to identify the types of infrastructure which
must be put in place to ensure a safe and productive roadway; as well as identifying which types
of businesses are appropriate to be streetfront.
- Use this review request as an opportunity to review and revise standards and regulations
regarding drive-thrus; in particular, defining the different types of drive thru establishments, and
setting standards for distinct uses.
-Set a precedent for considering the quantifiable influence of very large businesses when said
business would have a draw too overwhelming for a particular area's infrastructure.