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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-01-13 Star JordanTo: Meridian City Commissioners Date: January 12, 2025 Regarding:Application #H-2024-0052 Apex Zenith Brighton Corporation From: Star Jordan, 447 W. Lake Hazel Road, Meridian Idaho, 83642 208-884-5396 I would like to comment on the proposed change of zoning and possible construction of a very large development area that would possibly include a Costco. The property is located at and by the intersection of Meridian Road (Hwy 69) and W Lake Hazel Road, Meridian Idaho. This proposed development is less than a mile from my home of 20+ years at 447 W. Lake Hazel Road. My true wish would be that the rezoning for this project and the high density development would be flat out denied. However, I know it will not happen because Brighton Corporation is big and extremely powerful. Where as, I am just an insignificant and powerless individual. The shortsightedness of mass growth is so sad. We still need farms!!! We still need open spaces! NO FARMS NO FOOD. I purchased 5 acres in 2003 with the expectation of living in a rural community. At the time it was a wonderful place to live. Full of open space and residence that truly appreciated the rural life. I wanted a place in a community that was not developed. I wanted to be able to raise livestock and irrigate my pastures. I wanted to live in a place not impacted by heavy traffic and urban congestion and noise. The 40 acre community that is the Lake Hazel Estates, which I am a part of, is a wonderful group of home owners that all have acreage and have the same expectations as I do about rural living. Many of us have been here over 20 years and some for 30-40 years. In the last 5 years there has been so much uncontrolled, uncoordinated mass building and growth that it has adversely impacted the living conditions of my community and surrounding residence in a distructive way. NORTH If the proposed complex is approved there will be a massive increase in the amount of traffic at the intersection of Meridian Rd (Hwy 69) and W Lake Hazel Road because it will be the only intersection from which to access the development for traffic traveling south on Meridian Road (Hwy 69). SOUTH NO CURRENT MERIDIAN RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY SHOULD INCUR TO THEIR PROPERTY ANY IMPACT FEES, TAX FEES OR ANY OTHER FORM OF FEES/TAXES OCCURING FROM THIS PROJECT. BRIGHTON CORP, ET. ALL, SHOULD BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ENTIRE COST, INCLUDING ALL IMPACT FEES/TAXES, FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT. The intersection of Meridian Road (Hwy 69) and W. Lake Hazel Road NORTH SOUTH The photo is NOT up to date. t does NOT contain the recent construction on E Lake Hazel Road on the east side of Meridian Road (Hwy 69) which has been widened to 5+ lanes by the Brighton Corporation in preparation for the huge development they want to build. An observation from a local 20+ year resident; It is interesting that Brighton Corporation was aloud to, and was finacially able to, find a way to go ahead and make changes to Lake Hazel Road to the east of Meridian Road (Hwy 69) even BEFORE the property they want to develop has been rezoned. It makes it appear as though Brighton Corporation has the power to predict the future in their favor. It is alarming to see Brighton Corporation has so much power it is able to impose it’s own mass growth ambitions onto the community with no vote by the community as to what happens to our neighborhoods. My understanding is the widening of E Lake Hazel had been slated to be done by Meridian and Ada County Highway Distract (ACHD) but not for a few more years and that the Brighton Corporation some how managed to get the go ahead from some where, maybe Idaho Transportation District (ITD) or ACHD, to do it in 2024, even before they have the rezoning approved. Brighton Corporation also did a minor change to the north west and south west corner of the intersection at Meridian (Hwy 69) and Lake Hazel with no indication that they plan on adding an acceleration and deceleration lane off of or onto the west side of Meridian Road (Hwy 69) at W Lake Hazel Road. This is unacceptable. In the photo you can see that there are NO protected deceleration or acceleration lanes on Meridian Road (Hwy 69) going north or south. It is becoming more and more life threatening to get on and off of Meridian Road (Hwy 69). It is even more dangerous in snow and ice conditions. For me, to get home when heading south on Meridian Road (Hwy 69), I have to turn right on to W Lake Hazel. I have to slow down to a safe speed, some times just 5 mph in icy conditions. This means the traffic behind me also has to slow down to avoid hitting me. Many times I have been fearful of being rear ended by a car traveling at high speeds because there is NO PROTECTED DECELERATION LANE. This is not just a problem at the intersection of Meridian Road (Hwy 69) and Lake Hazel. It is an issue all up and down Meridian Road (Hwy 69) from I-84 all the way into the city of Kuna. Meridian Road (Hwy 69) is becoming another Eagle Rd. The congestion, traffic, uncontrolled and uncoordinated growth and development along Meridian Road (Hwy 69) is a disservice to the entire community of Meridian and Kuna. Specifically, it is a tragic disservice to those who have had their personal property taken from them so Brighton Corporation could lay sidewalks and wider roads to a not yet approved development. The power of money has yet again over shadowed the individuals of a community. The fact that there are many places with NO protected lanes to exit or enter Meridian Road (Hwy 69) for a stretch of highway approximatly 10 miles long, also means it constantly impacts the flow of traffic during peak travel times of the day. This can make what used to be a 5 minute drive from I-84 to W. Lake Hazel Road into a 20+ minute drive at peak hours because so many of the new developments have not been required to provide protected deceleration or acceleration lanes on and off of Meridian Road (Hwy 69). As the traffic continues to increase, the danger to drivers entering and exiting Meridian Road (Hwy 69) increases. It is sad that the safety of the individuals in the community is such a low priority. I would like to make some safety recommendations that I hope will be considered when the Brighton Corporation’s application is approved. I don’t see any hope that it will be denied. The fact is, there has been no indication in the last 5 years that the uncontrolled and mass development of this area will slow down. So short sighted because Treasure Valley does not have the water and other resources to sustain more growth at this alarming rate. I would like to see Brighton Corporation and/or any other developer involved with this project to be required to build and pay for acceleration and deceleration lanes (protected turn lanes) for ALL access points along Meridian Road (Hwy 69) and W & E Lake Hazel Road that provide entrance and exit to the proposed complex. I would also like to see Brighton Corporation, et. all, be required to build and pay for protected deceleration and acceleration turn lanes on all 4 corners of the intersection of Meridian Road (Hwy 69) and Lake Hazel Road. The people of Meridian should not have to incur any of the cost to protect them from harm while entering or exiting any part of Meridian Road (Hwy 69). Not one tax dollar from Meridian should be spent on the installation of these lanes. It looks like Brighton Corporation is also proposing to add yet ANOTHER traffic light and intersection at Highway 69 and W Aristocrat Drive. This is completely counter productive to the concept of a Highway’s purpose of being a corridor for smooth unencumbered traffic flow between I-84 and the city of Kuna Idaho and further south. DO NOT ALLOW THE CONSTRUCTION OF ANYMORE TRAFFIC LIGHTS ON HIGHWAY 69. Meridian Road (Hwy 69), is in fact a highway. Please do not turn it into another Eagle Road!!! With every new port of access and traffic light that is allowed to be installed along Highway 69 the more dangerous and congested Highway 69 will become. This project intends to create two more ports of access on Highway 69 just south of W Lake Hazel Road, as well as ANOTHER traffic light at Highway 69 and W Aristocrat Drive. This is unacceptable. This development will interfere even more with the flow of north and south bound traffic on HIGHWAY 69. Again, Meridian Road is in fact a highway! Keep Highway 69 a corridor for open traffic flow that is unencumbered by an excess of traffic lights and ports of entry that create interruptions and hazards to the public traveling along HIGHWAY 69. Thank you for your time and consideration of my comments and requests. Star Jordan 447 W Lake Hazel Road,Meridian Idaho 83642 Land Line: 208-884-5396