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DEC 0 5 2007
City Of 1Vleridian
December 5, 2007 City Clerk Office
City of Meridian
Planning and Zoning Commission
c/o City of Meridian Planning Department
660 E Watertower Street Suite 202
Meridian, Idaho 83642
Re: Castle Rock Subdivision -Staff Report
i
Dear Commissioners:
On Friday, November 30th we received the staff report pertaining to the Castle Rock
development applications. Since that time we have had the opportunity to meet with planning
staff to discuss and resolve the issues raised in the staff report. Listed below are some areas in
the staff report that we believe require clarification or modification. We have discussed these
clarifications/modifications with staff and believe they are in compliance with our requests to
amend the staff report as described below. This is our official response to the staff report and
conditions of approval for the Castle Rock development.
ACHD Comments: As stated in the staff report on page six, the Ada County Highway District
had not provided official comments to planning staff prior to the print deadline for the staff
report. Since that time we have worked closely with ACHD to resolve the two outstanding issues
discussed in the staff report. After working out the details with ACRD we have committed to
provide two signalized intersections as part of this project, one at the entrance to the project and
one at the intersection of Eagle and Amity roads directly north of this project. ACHD staff has
also shown support for our proposed transit stop located on Eagle Road just south of the entrance
to our project. The signalized intersection at Eagle and Amity Roads and the location of the
transit stop were the only outstanding issues that remained with ACRD staff. We will go before
ACHD's commission on December 12, 2007 in full support of the ACHD staff report which you
should have received prior to the public hearing.
Castle Rock Dimensional Standards/Zero Lot Line: On page 18~ of the staff report several city
departments voiced concern about the eave overhangs across property lines that we proposed for
our zero lot line product. After discussion with staff we concur with city staff concerns. We
propose to shift the units on the zero lot line two (2) feet from the property line, to allow space
for the 16 inch eaves and rain gutter. To accommodate this change we are proposing to modify
the side setback for our zero lot line products, as proposed in the Castle Rock Dimensional
701 South Allen Street P: 208-433-8800
Suite 104 ~ F:206-378-0329 ~~
Merldlan, ID 83642
701 South;Allen Street P: 208.433-8800
Suite 104 F:208-378-0329
Meridian, ID 83642
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Standards, to be a minimum of 2 feet on the zero lot line side and 8 feet on the other side. This
does not fundamentally change the distance between the units and a minimum often feet will be
;maintained between all alley units with the majority of units at least 16 feet apart. We will form a
~` use and benefit easement to accommodate the 2 foot property strip that is created by this
configuration. In other words the primary home owner will maintain ownership of the two foot
' strip but it will be used and maintained by their neighbor.
h Condition 1.2.9: "Any existing building(s) shall be removed, prior to signature of the fmal
4 plat by the City Engineer."
There is an existing culinary booster station and irrigation pump house that exists on the site. We
~; request these structures be excluded from the above mention condition.
,, Condition 1.2.11: "Per UDC 11-3A-6, all irrigation ditches, laterals or canals, exclusive of
any natural waterways (Ten Mile Creek) that intersect, cross or lie within the area being
subdivided shall be covered. This requirement doe not apply to the Ten Mile Creek which
is classified as a natural waterway and must be protected as stated in UDC 11-6A-1H. This
requirement shall not apply to the Beasley Lateral if the applicant improves it as a linear
open space water amenity."
We request that reference to the Beasley Lateral as a water amenity be removed from this
condition. The Boise Project Board of Control has specifically requested that we do not refer to
their irrigation facilities as water amenities. Boise Project is not in opposition to improving the
area around the lateral as a linear open space, and they will allow us to make the lateral
attractive, but they are very protective of the waterways primary use as an irrigation facility.
Condition 1.4.5 and DA Provision: "Construction materials used on the wall surfaces of all
structures shall incorporate a minimum of 3 different types of materials. Materials may
include the following: vertical and horizontal siding, board and batten, shingle, shake,
hardboard, scallops, stucco, brick, or stone (per the Castle Rock Design Guidelines)."
After discussing this condition with staff we believe there needs to be some clarification as to
what qualifies as a "different material type". We request that other materials and architectural
features in addition to those mentioned above be allowed to qualify for this condition. The
materials and architectural features we would like to include are balustrades, architectural
columns; architectural accents such a trim bands, window shutters,. pop outs, porches, color
variations, texture variations, etc. We affirm that these architectural features provide the
' elevation with variety, depth and interest which should be the main goal of architectural
701 South Allen Street P:208-433.8800
Suite 104 ~ F:208-378-0329
Meridian, ID 83642
hubblehomes.com
"` requirements. With that said we recommend this condition and DA provision be amended to read
;, as follows:
~,
Construction materials and architectural features used on the front elevation of all structures
shall incorporate a minimum of 3 different types of materials or architectural accents. Materials
may include the following: vertical and horizontal siding, board and batten, shingle, shake,
~' hardboard; scallops, stucco, brick, or stone (per the Castle Rock Design Guidelines).
~~ Architectural accents may include the following: balustrades, architectural columns, trim bands,
' window shutters, pop outs, porches, color variations, texture variations, etc.
'' Condition 3.8: "To increase emergency access to the site a minimum of two points of access
will be required for any portion of the development, which serves more than 50 homes.
~~ The two entrances should be separated by no less than '/: the diagonal measurement of the
'` full development."
We are in full support of this condition and will provide secondary emergency vehicle access to
~, this site with the first phase of the development. This emergency vehicle access will be provided
in the north west corner of the development through the site that was recently approved as the
~~ Whitebark Subdivision.
Condition 4.1: "The proposed development and/or plat do not offer natural surveillance
~' opportunities of the public areas. Prior to the next public hearing, the applicant shall meet
with the Police Chief and/or Planning Staff to discuss features that increase visibility,
. including but not limited to: doors and windows that look out on the public areas, front
porches, and adequate nighttime lighting [i.e. micro-path lighting in pocket parks (billing
shall be the responsibility of the HOA)J. The site plan and/or landscaping plan shall be
revised in accord with those discussions."
Condition 4.4: "Any interior fencing shall allow visibility from the street or shall not exceed
~' four feet in height if solid fencing is used. All micro-paths and'open areas shall have
~~ adequate lighting."
,, On December 4, 2007 we met with the Police Department and Planning Staff to discuss these
issues. During that meeting we agreed to provide lighting along the perimeter pathway and in
,, "dark" locations within our pocket park network. The lighting will be bollard style to reduce
impact on nearby homes. We also agreed to provide 4 foot closed vision or 6 foot open vision
' fencing adjacent to the pocket parks to allow for increased visibility in this area. The Police
~ Department and planning staff were in agreement with our proposal. We will continue to work
701 South 1111en Street P:208-033.8800
Suite 104 F: 208-378-0329
Meridian, ID 83642
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with the Police Department through out the process to ensure that the lighting and fencing
provided meets their needs.
~;. Condition 5.5-5.8: Recommendations concerning the proposed neighborhood park.
These recommendations were generated by parks department staff for the Parks Commission
' hearing on November 14, 2007. At that hearing the ten member Parks Commission
recommended some modifications to the proposed neighborhood park including the removal of
seven lots along the western boundary of the park. We have made those modifications to our
~~ plans and the current park size and layout is in full compliance with the Parks Commission
recommendation for approval that they have forwarded on to the City Council.
Condition 5.5: Lots Surrounding Park: The proposed park on Lot 22, Block 45, is
surrounded by lots on the north and east sides. Staff fmds that. the proposed layout
;, reduces the amenity value of the park, as it is hidden from view from citizens traveling
north and east of the park. It is staffls position that these neighborhood parks should be
highly visible landmarks, both physically and visually accessible to the maximum number
of residents within a neighborhood. Staff recommends removing the lots that wrap around
~. the park. This will enhance the public amenity value of the park and make it visually
accessible to more residents.
As mentioned above, and in regards to parks staff comment, the Parks Commission
j; recommended we remove seven lots along the western boundary of the park. We have already
!~ removed those lots to comply with the Parks Commission and increase the visibility and overall
amenity values of the park.
Condition 5.6: Hidden Areas: Staff supports the efforts of the Police Department to avoid
creating "hidden" areas that cannot be easily seen by patrolling vehicles. The park should
be designed so that it can be seen not only by patrolling police vehicles, but also to allow for
~' "community policing" of the park by having it open and visible to the public. Removing
lots as described above will accomplish this goal.
The modifications made to the park based on the Parks Commission recommendations removed
~~ any perceived hidden area. The revised park layout was reviewed by Police Department on
December 4, 2007 and they voiced no concern for hidden areas in the revised park design. Both
the Police Department and Parks Commission saw the value of leaving several homes adjacent to
the park to increase the "community policing" as described above.
701 South;Allen Street P:208.433.8800
Suite 104 F:208-378-0329
Merldlan, ~b 83642
hubblehomes.com
~` Condition 5.7: Park Size: Per the Meridian Comprehensive Parks and Recreation System
Plan states that Neighborhood Parks should be a minimum of 7 acres in size. Based on
'experience of park staff, an eight acre park may better serve a development of this size.
This issue was also resolved through the Parks Commission action: After removal of the lots and
other minor modifications as recommended by the Parks Commission the total contiguous area
of the park is 7.19 acres. This acreage exceeds the 7 acre minimum required by the Meridian
},..Parks and Recreation System Master Plan.
Condition 5.8: Contiguous Area: Staff fmds that the land that makes up the 7 acre park
~~ should be contiguous open space and not broken by neighborhood streets. Land to be
dedicated to the City as a park for public ownership and maintenance should not feel like it
~~ is actually part of the homeowners association landscaping. Proposed park areas to the
east and west of the main park site feel more like subdivision landscaping than like part of
~` the park. While such areas provide good pedestrian connections into the park, they
function as part of the subdivision common open space system, and not as part of the park
itself. Staff recommends that common landscape areas that are separated by a road from
the main park site be removed from the proposed park and remain under the control of the
'' homeowners association. The balance of the area needed to meet the 7 acre minimum can
be found by removing building lots, as discussed in item 1 above.
~;
;, As mentioned above the revised park design exceeds the 7 acre minimum. The non-contiguous
areas described are not included in the current park calculation.
Other than these minor revisions mentioned above we are in agreement with the conditions of
~` approval as listed in the staff report. We have made every effort through out this process to work
' with city staff to ensure that all issues were resolved in a timely manor. We appreciate your time
~i in reviewing this application and request your recommendation for approval to the City Council.
'~ Sincerely,
Justin Lucas
Entitlement Manager
Hubble Homes