HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff CommentsMAYOR
RoherC D. Come
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
Tammy deWeerd
Keith Bvd
Cherie McCandless
William L.M. Nary
MEMORANDUM:
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Steve Siddoway, Planner II ~w~---
HUB OF TREASURE VALLEY
A Good Place to Live
CITY OF MERIDIAN
33 EAST IDAHO
MERIDIAN, IDAHO 83642
(208) 888-4433 • FAX (208) 887-0813
City Clerk Office Fax (208) 8884218
LEGAL DEPARTMENT
(208) 288-2499 • Fax 288-2501
PUBLIC WORKS
BUILDING DEPARTMENT
(208) 898-5500 ~ Fax 887-1297
PLANNING AND ZONING
DEPARTMENT
(208) 884-5533 ~ FAX 888-6854
R~~~~~~pr-18, 2003
APR 0 3 2003
CityOFMeridian
Re: Setter Cove Subdivision Variance ~iLy_Clerk ~~~
Request for a Variance from Meridian City Code (MCC) 12-4-5 (Block Lengths),
to exceed the 1000-foot maximum block length within the proposed Setter Cove
Subdivision, by MKH Development (File No. VAR-03-008).
7Yre Planntng and Zoning sta„~'has reviewed the applicant's submittal, and we offer the following
comments and recommendations:
APPLICATION SUMMARY
The applicant, MICR Development, has requested a variance from section 12-4-5 of the Meridian
City Code (MCC), which prohibits residernial block lengths from exceeding 1,000 feet. The
subdivision is a single block and will exceed the 1,000-foot maximum block length. The
applicarn has stated in their application that the property is surrounded by other approved
developmerns, which have no stubs to the subject property and do not allow the block length to
be broken up with additional stub-streets.
LOCATION
The property is located approximately'/4 mile north of Ustick Road, with frontage on west side
of Linder Road.
SURROUNDING PROPERTIES
North: Rural residential/agricultural properties, zoned RUT (Ada County)
West: Proposed future phase of Bridgetower Subdivision, zoned R-4
East: Proposed Linder Road Middle School, zoned R-4
South: Rural residential/agicultural properties, zoned RUT (Ada County)
OWNER OF RECORD
The property owner of record is Jim Hollister and he has provided notarized consent for
submission of this application.
Mayor and Council
Apri18, 2003
Page 2
REOUIREI) FINDINGS
According to Ordinance 11-18-1, Variances, the Council may authorize in specific cases a
vaziance from the terms of either the Zoning or Subdivision Ordinance. Specifically, the
Ordinance lists the following Findings (MCC11-18-3), all of which must be determined before
granting a variance:
A. That there are such special circumstances or conditions affecting the
property that the strict application of the provisions of this Title would
clearly be impracticable or unreasonable;
Summerfield Subdivision to the south and west has already been approved and
constructed, and provides no stub streets to the subject property. To the east,
Parkstone Subdivision is currently under consideration by the Meridian City
Council and, as currently drafted, provides no stub streets to the subject property.
To the north is a Joint School District #2 campus and arecently-approved
elementary school site. The public road platted as part of the school campus is the
sole access point for the proposed subdivision.
Therefore, staff finds that requiring additional stubs and/or commections would not
be reasonable or practical.
l3. That strict compliance with the requirements of this Title would result in
extraordinary hardship to the owner, subdivider or developer because of
unusual topography, the nature or condition of adjacent development, other
physical conditions or other conditions that make strict compliance with this
Title unreasonable under the circumstances, or that the conditions and
requirements of this Title will result in inhibiting the achievements or the
objectives of this Title;
As noted above, staff finds that due to the nature of existing and approved
adjacent development and a lack of existing stub streets connecting to the subject
property, strict compliance to the MCC 12-4-5 would be unreasonable. Further,
the hardship is not a result of the applicant's own action.
C. That the granting of the specified variance will not be detrimental to the
public's welfare or injurious to other property in the area in which the
property is situated;
Staff anticipates that the variance will not be detrimental to the public's welfare or
injurious to other properties in the area.
The City Council should listen to any public testimony offered concerning
whether or not the surrounding property owners feel that the requested vaziance
will negatively affect their properties.
Mayor and Council
Apri18, 2003
Page 3
D. That such variance will not have the effect of altering the interest and purpose
of this Title and the Meridian Comprehensive Plan.
Staff finds that the issuance of the variance to the 1,000-foot maximum block
length within the Setter Cove Subdivision does not have the effect of altering the
purpose and interest of the Zoning Ordinance. Granting the variance will not
confer upon the applicant any special privilege denied to other lands with a
similar situation. Staff bases this finding on existing circumstances created by
previously approved subdivisions with no stubs to the subject property.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends approval of this variance request.