HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter from Engineering SolutionsIMERIIVG
planning and engineering communities for the future
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April 10, 2009
City of Meridian
Attn: Mayor and Council Members
33 E. Broadway
Meridian, Idaho 83642
1029 N. Rosario Street, Suite 100
Meridian, ID 83642
Phone: (208).938-0980
Fax: (208) 938-0941
Re: Zebulon Heights Subdivision No. 2 - PP-OS-008/CUP-OS-019 (City Council request for
Time Extension)
Dear Mayor and Council:
We have been required by staff to demonstrate the project meets the new open space requirement
often percent. We requested a deferral and provided drawings with detailed open space
calculations for staff review.
Based on my analysis the total acreage of the project was 72.85 acres. The project was approved
with an open space requirement of five percent or 3.64 acres. The development provided 7.58
acres of total open space of which 6.10 acres (8.37%) met the criteria of eligible open space.
We object to the application of the ten percent open space requirement on the entire project when
the first phase has been constructed and platted. The first phase consisted of 28.42 acres with .78
acres of open space. To meet the required five percent the first phase was deficient .64 acres. The
portion of the project that remains unimproved and unplatted is 44.43 acres. The application of
the ten percent on the remainder equates to 4.44 acres. The deficient amount needed for phase 1
is .64; therefore, the total required open space (10 percent standard) is 5.83 acres. Our calculation
of qualified open space is as follows:
• Park & micro-paths - 4.86 acres
• Arterial & collector buffers - 0.65
• Multi-use pathways -- 0.32
The remainder of the project meets the 5.83 acres without including the local street buffers for
the detached walks of 2.36 acres.
The imposition of new requirements on a project approved in 2005, and partially constructed and
platted in 2007 is in my professional opinion inappropriate. This project was approved on
April 19, 2005, the project was evaluated under the old ordinance, since the UDC was not in
effect until September 15, 2005. Therefore, the application of the UDC with different definitions
of what qualifies as eligible open space creates difficulty.
We appreciate your consideration in this matter and look forward to discussing this request at the
April 14~` City Council meeting.
Sincerely,
ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS, LLP
Becky McKay, Partner