HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter from Rose CrandallNovember 12, 2009
City Clerk's Office
33 E. Broadway Avenue
Meridian, ID 83642
Re: Cabela Creek Subdivision Billboard Sign
To Whom It May Concern:
RECEIVED
NOV 181009
CITYOFGCi~ ,,rn;r
CITY CLERKS OFFICE
My name is Rose Crandall and I live at 1319 E. Observation St. in the Cabela Creek
Subdivision. Our subdivision is zoned R-4 and minimum dwelling space is 1400 square
feet. I am aware that the new developer, Mr. Thomas Coleman, has applied to re-zone to R-
8 so he could build 1271 sq. ft. homes in the subdivision.
I am writing to you about the billboard that has been posted outside the subdivision. It was
originally advertising minimum of 1271 sq ft and then I made phone calls and visited the
Meridian City Clerk's office and research what out subdivision is zoned for and what
minimum living space. I then found out that we are zoned R-4 which is a minimum living
space of 1400 sq ft. I then contacted the Planning and Zoning about the sign on our
subdivision and I was referred to talk to Mr. Bill Parsons. I gave him the whole history of
our subdivision being sold and the houses being built are now smaller in size. I also
explained to him that we already lost money on our property due to the economy and the
fact that the houses being built around us are smaller and to go down to 1271 sq ft is so
unfair to us and the other homeowner who were told that the minimum square footage of
the houses in the subdivision will be no lower than 2400 sq ft on a two storey and no lower
than 2200 sq ft on a single level home. I asked Mr. Parsons if it is legal for Mr. Coleman to
put up a sign that advertises 1271 sq ft when, at that time, he has not applied for the re-
zoning yet. And even if he had, it has not been approved and yet he has signs advertising
for 1271 sq ft. Mr. Parson's reply was that he should not do that, but, they can't control
what sign he puts up. I don't understand that because if the City has a certain requirement
on a specific zone, why can't it be enforced that no developer should be able to advertise for
a living space for a home that has not been approved yet.
In the interim, he covered the 1271 sq ft sign and put 1500 sq fi and then sometime in late
August (maybe) he took the 1500 sq ft down and put exposed the 1271 sq ft again. So we
asked the real estate agent representing the subdivision how come the sign states 1271 sq
ft when it has not been re-zoned yet and at that time Mr. Coleman has not submitted the
application yet. His realtor's reply was that Mr. Coleman is confident that he will get the
City to re-zone the subdivision to R-8. His sign has been up for over 2 months. How can he
be confident and assured that he will get that approval even before submitting his
application? This has bothered me. I know that he is keeping the subdivision maintained,
but, he also needs to understand the earlier homebuyers who had to sign a CC&Rs that
stated the size of the homes in this subdivision will be 2400 sq ft minimum on a 2-storey
and 2200 sq ft minimum on a single level. We have already taken a loss due to the economy
and another loss due to the houses that is being built around us and then to go down even
lower than 1400 sq ft. is so unfair to us. He was aware of the CC&Rs from the previous
developer so he cannot say that he did not know about the home sizes in this subdivision
prior to his purchase of the land.
As a homebuyer, I never thought that we have to do such due diligence to research the
zoning of our subdivision. I don't know of anybody who had to do that to purchase a home,
but, in this case, I had to research everything to preserve whatever value my home has. I
don't want the value of my home to continue to go down and Engineering Solutions letter
states that is not the case. You can ask anybody or any realtor for that matter and if he is
honest, he will tell you that the smaller square footage home built next to a bigger home
will devalue the bigger home. It will appreciate the value of the smaller home, but, it will
bring the value down on the bigger home. I know he wants to sell his houses, but, like Mr.
Coleman, we, the existing homeowners also want to protect and preserve our investment.
This is our home and this is not an investment for us. This is where we live, where our kids
play and this is basically our life savings. This is not one of our investments amongst
many. This is it for us and we did not envision having smaller houses around us, but,
unfortunately, the previous developer has fallen in bad times due to the economy and he
had to sell the subdivision. We had nothing to do with his misfortune and yet, here we are,
having to settle for the new developer's idea for the subdivision. We already took a hit with
the houses he is building. Instead of going down to 1271 sq ft, why can't he design a house
that is 1400 sq ft which is the minimum of the current R-4 zoning instead of keeping his
1271 sq ft floor plan on his Garden Series? I know that his floor plan goes from 1500 sq ft
to 1271 sq ft. He does not have anything in between so why can't he adjust his floor plan to
accommodate the -1400 sq ft and maintain the R-4 that the subdivision is currently zoned
for right now?
I have so many things that I want to write, but, I will submit it during my testimony on
Nov. 19. I just want this to be part of the legal document at your end that this has been my
concern that Mr. Coleman was allowed by the City to put up a sign advertising for a square
footage that has not passed and been approved yet. I also do not understand how his
realtor can say that Mr. Coleman changed the sign back to 1271 sq ft because he is
confident that he will get the subdivision re-zoned prior to even submitting the auplication.
I hope to get an explanation from the Planning and Zoning about the zoning rules. Thank
you very much for taking the time to read my letter.
Yours sincerely,
L~ „
~~'
Rose Crandall
1319 E. Observation St.
Meridian, ID 83642