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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-02-25 Regular Meridian City Council February 25, 2025. A Meeting of the Meridian City Council was called to order at 6:13 p.m. Tuesday, February 25, 2025, by Mayor Robert Simison. Members Present: Robert Simison, Luke Cavener, Liz Strader, John Overton, Doug Taylor, Anne Little Roberts and Brian Whitlock. Other Present: Chris Johnson, Bill Nary, Sonya Allen, Nick Napoli, Scott Colaianni and Dean Willis. ROLL-CALL ATTENDANCE X Liz Strader X Brian Whitlock Anne Little Roberts X John Overton _X_ Doug Taylor _X_Luke Cavener X Mayor Robert E. Simison Simison: Council, we will call this meeting to order. For the record it is February 25th, 2025, at 6:13 p.m. We will begin tonight's regular 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: We had no one sign up for the community invocation. ADOPTION OF AGENDA Simison: So, we will move on to adoption of the agenda. Cavener: Mr. Mayor? Simison: Councilman Cavener. Cavener: Move we adopt our agenda as presented. Simison: With -- Meridian City Council February 25,2025 Page 2 of 10 Cavener: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. With the one noted addition of adding the Executive Session pursuant to Idaho State Code 74-205(1)(b) at the conclusion of our Action Items this evening. Cavener: Second. Simison: Have a motion and a second to adopt the 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 agreed to. MOTION CARRIED: ALLAYES. PUBLIC FORUM — Future Meeting Topics Simison: Mr. Clerk, anyone signed up under public forum? Johnson: Mr. Mayor, no one signed up. RESOLUTIONS [Action Item] 1. Resolution No. 25-2502: A Resolution Establishing the Appointment of Jimmy Smith to Seat 4 of the Meridian Arts Commission; and Providing an Effective Date Simison: No one signed up. So, with that we will move on to Item 1, which is Resolution No. 25-2502, appointing Jimmy Smith to Seat Four of the Meridian Arts Commission. As always sat down with the new chair of the Arts Commission and did interviews of two well qualified candidates. They actually had a former commissioner want to come back from -- one of the original members of the Commission, but he and decided to go work on a separate project together and that was great, because it gets two great people involved in the arts in our community. So, Jimmy -- he -- he is familiar with the people there. He has actually been -- he's actually shown up at some of the recent Arts Commission meetings and someone who has really shown a dedication to getting involved in the arts in Meridian. Always interested in having someone whose livelihood is around the arts. You know, sign painting is not maybe your traditional art in a lot of ways, but it's -- it's definitely an artistic component and he is going to be working on some of the arts across Treasure Valley that CBH is coming out. So, definitely, you know, being part of it, but he has already shown a dedicated interest in arts in Meridian by his -- by showing up when he has the time and interest in getting involved. So, know he will be a great addition to the Arts Commission and happy to stand for any questions or move forward with a motion on the resolution. Strader: Mr. Mayor? Simison: Council Woman Strader. Meridian City Council February 25,2025 Page 3 of 10 Strader: I don't have any questions. I don't know -- I would be happy to make a motion, though, that we go ahead and approve Resolution 25-2502, establishing the appointment of Jimmy Smith to Seat Four on the Meridian Arts Commission and providing an effective date. Cavener: Second. Simison: Have a motion and a second to approve Resolution No. 25-2502. Is there any discussion? If not, all in favor signify by saying aye. Opposed nay? The ayes have it and the resolution is agreed to. MOTION CARRIED: ALLAYES. ACTION ITEMS 2. Public Hearing for Pura Vida Ranch Subdivision (TECC-2025-0001) by South Beck and Baird, located at 3727 E. Lake Hazel Rd. A. Request: Time Extension for a two (2) year time extension on the preliminary plat and planned unit development (H-2020-0064), consisting of 157 buildable lots and 35 common lots on 26.34 acres of land in the R-8 and R-15 zoning districts with deviations to certain UDC standards, in order to obtain the City Engineer's signature on the first phase final plat and commence the use as permitted. Simison: With that we will move on to Item 2, which public hearing for Pura Vida Ranch Subdivision, TECC-2025-0001. We will open this public hearing with staff comments. Allen: Thank you, Mr. Mayor, Members of the Council. The first application before you tonight is a request for a time extension on the previously approved preliminary plat and planned unit development for Peda -- excuse me -- Pura Vida Ridge Ranch. This site consists of 26.34 acres of land. It's zoned R-8 and R-15. It's located on the south side of East Lake Hazel Road, approximately a quarter mile east of South Eagle Road at 3727 East Lake Hazel Road. This property was annexed back in 2021 and a preliminary plat was approved consisting of 157 building lots and 35 common lots with certain deviations from UDC standards under a planned unit development. In 2022 the director approved a two year time extension allowing until January 19th, 2025, to obtain the City Engineer's signature on the first phase final plat and commence the permitted use. No additional conditions were imposed with that extension. The applicant submitted a request for a two year time extension on the preliminary plat and planned unit development to obtain the City Engineer's signature on the first phase final plat and commence the permitted use. The request was submitted prior to the expiration date as required. With all extensions the City Council may require the planned unit development and/or preliminary plan to comply with the current provisions of the UDC. The reasons for delay in moving forward with this development are continued Meridian City Council February 25,2025 Page 4 of 10 coordination with ACHD on drainage issues, completion of the Lake Hazel Road bridge -- bridge improvements associated with the culvert for Ten Mile Creek where it passes under the road and floodplain development requirements. The subject time extension until January 19th, 2027, is requested to commence the use, complete the infrastructure improvements currently occurring in phase one and obtain the City Engineer's signature on the final plat. Staff has reviewed the updates to the UDC since the time this project was approved pertaining to open space and site amenities and found the project exceeds the updated standards. Staff is recommending a new condition as a provision of the time extension that requires the seven foot wide sidewalk planned within the street buffer along Lake Hazel to be widened to ten feet in width consistent with the current standards. There has been no written testimony on this application. The applicant is in agreement with the staff report. Staff is recommending approval. Staff will stand for any questions. The applicant is here to present tonight. Simison: Thank you. Council, any questions for staff? Cavener: Mr. Mayor? Simison: Councilman Cavener. Cavener: Real quick. Sonya, making sure -- this is the first time extension request? Allen: Mr. Mayor, Councilman Cavener, no, this is the second time extension. The first one was approved by the director for two years. Cavener: Thank you. Simison: All right. Would the applicant like to come forward? Good evening. Williams: Good evening. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, Members of the Council. Mike Williams. I'm with South, Beck and Baird. Our location is 2002 South Vista Avenue in Boise and I'm also a resident of the City of Meridian, so I do drive into Boise for work, unfortunately. Sonya mentioned that requirement of a ten foot sidewalk adjacent to Lake Hazel. I want to let the Council know that that ten foot sidewalk has already been installed. We are in agreement with all the conditions that have been placed. The question regarding if this is -- what number extension this is. As part of the first extension the infrastructure had not been started on this first final plat. The infrastructure on phase one is complete with the exception of the installation of asphalt and as all of you are aware they shut down asphalt typically about November due to temperature and we are anticipating that the batch plants will come back online in March, so we can get paved. The applicant is already working with the City of Meridian, as well as ACHD to go ahead and do a surety, so we can get that first final plat signed. With that I would stand for questions. Simison: Thank you. Council, any questions? Meridian City Council February 25,2025 Page 5 of 10 Allen: Mr. Mayor, may I clarify with the applicant one thing, please? Mr. Williams mentioned that a ten foot wide sidewalk has been constructed. I'm a little concerned about that, because they were showing seven feet on their plans before. Was it recently constructed after my staff report went out? Williams: And, Mr. Mayor, Sonya, yes, it has. Allen: Okay. Williams: When we talked about it -- and I know when we talked about the staff report I reached out to the applicant, because I was kind of freaked out myself -- Allen: Yeah. Williams: -- and they had already installed the ten foot sidewalk and the one thing that is sad about that installation is we are going to get to move it based on the fact of ACHD in their right of way -- something wasn't quite organized, so they are going to move a portion of that sidewalk based on what ACHD's requiring for their drainage, but we are going to construct that ten foot sidewalk. Allen: Okay. Thank you. I just wanted to clarify. I didn't want to have a condition requiring him to do one thing if they would construct it or otherwise, so -- thank you. Simison: Council, any additional questions or comments? I will just say I was actually surprised when I saw this on there, because I had driven by there and seen the work being done and so that's why I was like -- it was -- it was kind of like -- you know, you normally don't see work being done on one that you are doing a time extension on, so -- Williams: Mr. Mayor, I would agree. Before I retired from a certain city that's your neighbor after 19 years as being a planner, I was -- would have been as shocked as you, but, yes, they are close to completion. All we have to do is asphalt, a couple of retaining walls and they are actually changing a couple of the parking areas from asphalt over to concrete just based on -- they would rather do that and not have to worry about the maintenance in the future. Strader: Mr. Mayor? Simison: Council Woman Strader. Strader: Any issues with the second condition of maintaining the vegetation on the hillside? It seems like a safety concern. Williams: Mr. Mayor, Council Woman Strader, great question. As part of the preliminary -- original preliminary plat approval we are required to provide a WUI safety plan, because there is definitely hillside on this and that will be incorporated into the CC&Rs where the homeowners will be responsible for maintaining that. I have had -- I want to Meridian City Council February 25,2025 Page 6 of 10 say two or three conversations with one of your fire department staff, so we can work through that as well to ensure that that's inserted and we get all their concerns addressed. Strader: Thank you. Simison: Okay. Don't go anywhere. Mr. Clerk, anyone signed up to provide testimony on this item? Johnson: Mr. Mayor, no. Simison: Is there anybody present that would like to provide testimony on this item? Anyone online use the raise your hand feature. Does the applicant waive any final comments? Williams: No, sir. Simison: No final comments for the applicant. Okay. All right. Thank you. Strader: Mr. Mayor? Simison: Council Woman Strader. Cavener: This feels pretty straightforward to me. I'm happy to make a motion that we close the public hearing on Item 2. 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. Opposed nay? The ayes have it and the public hearing is closed. MOTION CARRIED: ALLAYES. Strader: Mr. Mayor? Simison: Council Woman Strader. Strader: Considering all staff, applicant and public testimony, I move to approve File No. TECC-2025-0001 as presented in the staff report for today's date, noting specifically the requirement for the ten foot wide detached sidewalk in lieu of the seven foot sidewalk along East Lake Hazel Road and maintaining the vegetation on the hillside to the Fire Department's standards. Little Roberts: Second. Meridian City Council February 25,2025 Page 7 of 10 Simison: I have a motion and a second to approve item TECC- 2025-0001. Is there discussion on the motion? If not, Clerk call the roll. Roll Call: Cavener, yea; Strader, yea; Overton, yea; Little Roberts, yea; Taylor, yea; Whitlock, yea. Simison: All ayes. Motion carries and the item is agreed to. MOTION CARRIED: ALLAYES. 3. Public Hearing for Chicken Bucket Subdivision (SHP-2025-0001) by Focus Engineering, located at 667 and 663 S. Main Street in a part of Government Lot 2. A. Request: Short Plat to subdivide an existing parcel consisting of 1.15 acres of land into two (2) commercial lots for ownership purposes. Simison: Next up is Item 3, which is a public hearing for Chicken Bucket Subdivision, SHP-2025-0001. We will open this public hearing with staff comments and dipping sauce. Napoli: Good evening, Mr. Mayor and Members of the Council. The next item on the agenda is the short plat for Chicken Bucket Subdivision. The applicant requests to subdivide an existing commercial property into two commercial lots for ownership purposes. This site consists of 1.15 acres of land, zoned C-G, located at 667 South Main Street. The property currently consists of two commercial buildings situated on a single lot with no proposed changes to the current uses or tenants. The two -- the two proposed properties meet the dimensional standards for the C-G zoning district, except for the required 35 foot landscape buffer along Meridian Road and Main Street. However, since this is an existing development with no proposed changes beyond the subdivision, an alternative compliance application is not required at this time. Future redevelopment with the subject -- with -- future redevelopment of the property will be subject to UDC 11-313-2, which permits phased landscape improvements as cumulative expansions occur. The city will monitor any future redevelopment, including additions, new construction to ensure compliance with these requirements. The parking is in compliance with the UDC for both lots. However, staff is recommending a shared parking agreement to be entered into between the two lots. Access to this property is provided via South Main Street and South Meridian Road and the plat note states that there is a blanket cross-access easement between the lots. Staff is recommending approval with conditions and has received written testimony from the applicant asking for some clarification on staff conditions. Staff and the applicant have coordinated on these and are in agreement. And I will stand for questions. Meridian City Council February 25,2025 Page 8 of 10 Simison: Thank you, Nick. Council, any questions for staff? Okay. Is the applicant here and like to come forward? Good evening. State your name and address for the record. Smith: Trenton Smith. 3773 East Berwick Drive, Nampa, Idaho. I'm with Focus Engineering and Surveying representing our applicant today and we -- Mr. Mayor and Council, we appreciate you taking the time to -- to review our short plat application for Chicken Bucket Subdivision, the best name ever. We appreciate working with Nick. He has been great to work with and I don't have anything to add to the -- to what he has presented to the Council. I do want to -- to add, again, that we have reviewed all of the comments and conditions and the applicant is -- is willing to address those and address those appropriately as we have worked with Nick to -- to make sure that we -- we understand how to move forward appropriately. So, again, I don't have anything to add and I stand for questions. Simison: Thank you. Council, any questions for the applicant? Whitlock: Mr. Mayor? Simison: Councilman Whitlock. Whitlock: Mr. Mayor and Trent, just out of curiosity, why is the desire to split that for ownership purposes? It -- it's -- it's not a big lot. Smith: No, it's not a big lot and -- and I'm not fully in understanding of -- of the ownership, but I think a portion of it is planned to -- to acquire a new owner and so this is preparing that lot to -- to do so. Simison: Any additional questions? Okay. Mr. Clerk, anyone signed up to provide testimony? Johnson: Mr. Mayor, no one signed up. Simison: Is there anybody present or online would like to provide testimony on this item? Seeing no one coming forward, no one raising their hands, do you have any final comments? You are waiving final comments? Final comments are waived. Okay. Council, what's your pleasure? Cavener: Mr. Mayor? Simison: Councilman Cavener. Cavener: Don't see anybody rushing to grab a microphone, so I'm happy to get things going. Again, I think it's a pretty clear cut request. So, I'm going to move that we close the public hearing on Item 3. Meridian City Council February 25,2025 Page 9 of 10 Strader: Second. Simison: I have a motion second to close the public hearing on Item 3. Is there any 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. Cavener: Mr. Mayor? Simison: Councilman Cavener. Just a shout out to staff doing a nice job tonight. Quick. Clear. Concise. We appreciate that. Mr. Mayor, I'm going to move that we approve application SHP-2025-0001, include all staff and applicant testimony. Strader: Second. Simison: Have a motion and a second to approve Item SHP-2025-0001. Is there any comments anybody would like to make or questions on that motion? If not, Clerk call the roll. Roll Call: Cavener, yea; Strader, yea; Overton, yea; Little Roberts, yea; Taylor, yea; Whitlock, yea. Simison: All ayes. Motion carries and the item is agreed to. Thank you. MOTION CARRIED: ALLAYES. FUTURE MEETING TOPICS Simison: Council, anything under future meeting topics? EXECUTIVE SESSION Per Idaho Code 74-206(1)(b): To consider the evaluation, dismissal or disciplining of, or to hear complaints or charges brought against, a public officer, employee, staff member or individual agent, or public school student. Cavener: Mr. Mayor? Simison: Councilman Cavener. Cavener: Move we go into Executive Session pursuant to Idaho State Code 74- 206(1)(b). Strader: Second. Meridian City Council February 25, 2025 Page 10of 10 - - By Luke Cavener, Council President 3-11-2025 -3-11-2025