HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter from Dwayne Cope16 May 2008
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City Clerk MAY 1 9 2008
City of Meridian G!~`Y O F M E F~ ~ t~ IA N
33 East Idaho Avenue r= ~ T' ~~'> 1_ F R K(~ ~ r= ~~~_
Meridian Id 83642 -
Concerning Browning Plaza company annexation and rezoning. FP-08-001.
At your most recent Planning and Zoning committee meeting two different dates
were stated as being the next date of hearing. One date, stated in open meeting,
stated scheduled in Ju.ne and the other da.te sta.ted in the Meridian Newspaper
claimed the next date is in May.
Due to that confusion I request that you republish the open meeting dates by the
process of mailed notice to all interested parties.
The map sent to all parties is misleading as the large scale obscures pertinent detail
regarding Waltman Lane, Commercial street and Corporate drive.
When Mallards Landing was platted and annexed over 10 years ago that developer
(a retired judge) attempted to make Waltman Lane a through stree~ to }us financial
convenience. He used an excuse of fire track access as. one of his reasons,
completely disregarding ` previous impact surveys and p~anning by the highway
department. Also back then it was revealed that certain actions by the city and
developers must occur before a new roadway can be constructed. At that time an
impact statement was done and the city of Meridian published their intent to close
the east end of Waltman Lane off by closing the 50 foot of frontal road south of the
Commercial Street and frontal road section, north of where Waltman intersects the
frontal road, and to close the SO feet of Commercial street between what is now
Mai.n street and 1 St street. Please note that Waltman Lane does not intersect any of
the above mentioned roadways except to sand pile fronta.ge road. It was the
published in.tent that Commercial Street continue west of main street to West 5'~
avenue, thence crossing 10 mile creek and north to cross Waltman Lane at the 600
block. To that goa1, Corporate drive now crosses Main street, with a traffic light
installed, and proceeds past 5~` Avenue in preparation of bridging the creek, slightly
north of the e~sting Waltman Lane inadequate bridge: 'You will note that the west
end of Waltman Lane dead ends at a ctass III highway baricade and that 12 foot
wide ` fire-truck access lane e~sts, witll~ buried steel posts to prevent drunks and
vandals from using that foot path/fire truck access between Waltman and Loon
street. Several attempts were made to secure that access way against violators,
including cutting the steel pipes below ground level so that the truck could just break
the poles off. Unfortunately vandals continued to take advantage of common sense
so that the ~xisting steep posts are not cut, a.nd buried deeply.
The position that the city is now in is that impact statements have been completed an
appropriate number of years ago, a plan for access to the nearly land locked property
in question already e~sts however a bridge and short section of appropriate roadway
must first be constructed and the east end of Waltman be closed to any tra~c.
Johnson Lane and the first 400 addresses of Waltman will have to use the new road
and bridge. As corporate street from Redlands Photo company to the traffic light will
cease to eXist the city has an excellent opportunity to move their artistic sta.tute some
40 feet south and place it in the center where the road used to be.
I noted the developer's greedy comment that he wants everyone's money right away
but as the city clerk said, some have to give and take. The developer will have to
simply wait for the city to proceed in building roadways for his profit and
convenience or include the cost of a bridge and 40 foot wide roadway into his
development plans.
I don't know wluch of your city employees is responsible for presenting the
historically correct highway information that I mention above but I am disabled,
near paraplegic, and am physically unable to visit city archives to present documents
from one agency to another agency for their perusal in this matter.
In the past I mentioned that the existing Waltma.n Lane road surface is not adequate
high levels of tra~c. In the not distant past a company was operati.ng a heavy
equiptment compan.y in the 800 block of Waltman however the e~sting bridge
couldn't handle the heavy vehicle weights. Attempting to move something like a
50,000 pound concrete truck across that old bridge could well create a whole new set
of problems.
I also mentioned heavy traffic, some 640 vehicles per day over Waltman lane
between 8 am and 5 pm alone. Add to that another thousand attempting to access
main street 24 hours per day and creating a ira.ffic back log for a considerable
distance on two directions. In other words, if the developers greed holds sway in
this scenario, residents on Waltman and Johnson lanes will have difficulty backing
out of our driveways, and that onto a narrow roadway well pocked by holes.
I also mentioned not having any city services at all since the original annexation and
rezone 24 years ago. May we reasonably suspect that the city's lack of concern is
because they are aware that the sunset clause voided that action when I first
commenced legal action in 1986? If so, please refuud the $16,000 we have paid in
city taxes during the ensuing years.
Sincerely
e Cope
U AF, MSGT TD
335 Waltnnan Lane
Meridian, Idaho 83642