HomeMy WebLinkAboutObservation Pointe Subdivision VAR-00-006BEFORE THE MERIDIAN CITY COUNCIL
08-02-00
IN THE MATTER OF THE )
APPLICATION OF VICTORY 41, )
LLC, FOR A VARIANCE OF THE )
1,000 FOOT BLOCK LENGTH )
FOR PROPOSED OBSERVATION )
POINT SUBDIVISION LOCATED )
NORTH OF VICTORY ROAD )
AND EAST OF MERIDIAN )
ROAD, MERIDIAN, IDAHO )
VAR-O0-O06
FINDINGS OF FACT AND
CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND
ORDER OF DECISION
GRANTING A VARIANCE
The above entitled matter coming on regularly for public hearing before the City
Council on July 18, 2000 and continued until August 1, 2000, and Shaft Stiles, Planning
and Zoning Administrator, appeared and testified, and no one appeared in opposition at
the July 18,12000 meeting, and appearing and testifying at the August l, 2000, meeting
were Shari Stiles, Planning and Zoning Administrator, and Gary Smith, Public Works
Director, and appearing and testifying on behalf of the Applicant was Becky Bowcutt, and
appearing and testifying with comments or concerns were: Lee Segmiller, Boris Martinez,
and David Obarr, and the City Council having received the transmittal to agencies and
having received the variance application, having heard the testimony presented, being fully
advised in the premises does hereby make the following Findings of Fact and Conclusions
FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND -- Page 1 of 9
ORDER OF DECISION GRANTING A VARIANCE / VAR-00-006
VICTORY 41, LLC / OBSERVATION POINT SUBDIVISION
of Law and Order of Decision, as follows to-wit:
FINDINGS OF FACT
1. The City Council tal<es iudicial notice of its Zoning, Subdivisions and
Development Ordinances codified at Title 11 Municipal Code of the City of Meridian
and all current zoning maps thereof and the Comprehensive Plan of the City of
Meridian adopted December 21, 1993 Ordinance #629 -January 4, 1994 and Maps.
2. The requirements of Idaho Code §§ 67-6509, 6516 and Meridian City
Code §§ 11-15-5 and 12-11-3 as evidenced in the record of this matter.
3. The Applicant is Victory 41, LLC, whose address is 6874 Fairview
Avenue, Boise, Idaho 83704.
4. The owners of the property are Victory 41, LLC, whose address is 6874
Fairview Aven.ue, Boise, Idaho 83704, and Dean and Beverly Peterson, whose address
is 780 £. viCtory Road, Meridian, Idaho 83642.
5. The location of the subiect property is presently located in Ada County R-
T zone, but'the Applicant is requesting zoning of Low Density Residential (R-4), in
Case No. AZ-00-010, and which subiect property is located at 500 and 780 E. Victory
Road, Meridian, Idaho.
6. The legal description of the property appertains to the real property that
is included within the Vicinity Map as appears in the record of proceeds of this matter,
FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND -- Page 2 of 9
ORDER OF DECISION GRANTING A VARIANCE / VAR-00-006
VICTORY 41, LLC / OBSERVATION POINT SUBDIVISION
and is described as follows:
A parcel of land being the SE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of Section 19, Township 3 North,
Range 1 East, Boise Meridian, Ada County, Idaho, more particularly described as
follows:
Commencing at the southeast corner of the SW 1/4 (south 1/4 comer) of Section 19,
T. 3N., R. 1E., B.M., the REAL POINT OF BEGINNING of this description;
Thence S 89042'45" W 1,320.43 feet to the southwest comer of the SE 1/4 of the SW
1/4;
Thence N 0029'39" E 1,329.84 feet to the northwest comer of the SE 1/4 of the SW
1/4;
Thence N 89044'30'' E 1,322.27 feet to the northeast corner of the SE 1/4 of the SW
1/4;
Thence S 0°34'26" W 1,329.19 feet to the REAL POINT OF BEGINNING of this
description;
Said parcel of land contains 40.33 acres more or less.
7. The present land use of subject property is presently zoned as Ada
County R-Ti, but the Applicant is requesting zoning of Low Density Residential (R-4),
in Case No. iAZ-00-010, which subject property is presently developed with one single
family dwelling and accessory buildings.
8. The proposed land use of subject property is to develop the subject
property in the following manner: A 91 lot single-family residential development.
9. That a vicinity map, attached hereto as Exhibit "A", consisting of one
page, of the :proposed scale approved by the City Council showing property lines,
FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND -- Page 3 of 9
ORDER OF DECISION GRANTING A VARIANCE / VAR-00-006
VICTORY 41, LLC / OBSERVATION POINT SUBDIVISION
existing streets, proposed district and such other items as required have been furnished.
10. The Applicant seeks a variance of the following provision of the Meridian
City Code, § 12-4-5, BLOCKS, and in the R-4 zone if granted the re-zone, which
provides as follows:
12-4-5 BLOCICS:
Every block shall be so designed as to provide two (2) tiers of lots, except where
lots back onto an arterial street, natural feature or subdivision boundary. Blocks
shall not be less than five hundred feet (500') nor more than one thousand feet
(1,000') in length.
11. : All property owners within three hundred feet (300') of the external
boundaries have been notified by mail, and their mailing addresses may be obtained
from the list on file with the Planning and Zoning Department.
12. : The characteristics of the subject property which prevent compliance with
the requirements of the ordinance are that there are three blocks (Block 1, 2, and 3)
which exceed the maximum block length of 1,000 feet. The steep topography of the
parcel warrants a design with east/west streets running parallel with the contours. The
block lengths are excessive due to the inability to break blocks with a public street,
because of the cut and fill which would be necessary.
13. The minimum requirements of the ordinance that need to be reduced to
permit the Proposed use would be the elimination of the requirement that every block
should be designed no more than one thousand feet (1,000') in length.
FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND -- Page 4 of 9
ORDER OF DECISION GRANTING A VARIANCE / VAR-00-006
VICTORY 41, LLC /OBSERVATION POINT SUBDIVISION
14. The difficulty or hardship which would result if the requirements of the
ordinance were applied to the subject property is that the resulting streets would be
either too steep, or "cut" into the elevated topography.
15. The unusual or peculiar circumstances which indicate that regulations of
the ordinance should not be strictly complied with, and the special conditions and
circumstances that exist, are that it would be difficult to brealc up the block lengths
within the interior because of the topography of the parcel. The property adjoining the
west is a gravel pit.
16. A literal interpretation of the provisions of the ordinance would deprive
the Applicant rights because the development of the property would be difficult if no
flexibility on block lengths were allowed. The proposed street design minimizes the
amount of grading and disruption of the topography.
17. The existence of special circumstances or conditions affecting the
property is that the existing topography of the property is not a result of actions by the
applicant.
18. Granting the variance would maintain rights which would be afforded to
others in the same situation.
19. The Comprehensive Plan for the R-4 District is to permit the
establishment of low density single-family dwellings, and to delineate those areas where
FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND -- Page 5 of 9
ORDER OF DECISION GRANTING A VARIANCE / VAR-00-006
VICTORY 41, LLC / OBSERVATION POINT SUBDIVISION
predominantly residential development has, or is likely to occur in accord with the
ComprehenSive Plan of the City, and to protect the integrity of residential areas by
prohibiting the intrusion of incompatible nonresidential uses.
20. The variance would allow the applicant to maximize the potential site in
order to generate a fair return on investment and to offset the cost of the land and
development costs.
21. The granting of the requested variance will not be detrimental to the
public's welfare or injurious to other property in the area of the proposed plat, and, in
fact, the development of the plat in accordance with the conditions of approval and the
requirements of the Subdivision Ordinance will prevent the conditions which are the
source of the complaints raised in the public hearing of this matter.
22. The granting of this variance will not have an effect of altering the interest
and purpose of the Subdivision or Development Ordinance and/or the City's
Comprehensive Plan for the reasons stated above.
23. The applicant paid the fee established by the City Council for application
variance.
CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
1. The City of Meridian has authority pursuant tO the enactment of the Local
Land Use Planning Act of 1975 codified at Chapter 65, Title 67, and in particular, by the
FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND -- Page 6 of 9
ORDER OF DECISION GRANTING A VARIANCE / VAR-00-006
VICTORY 4i, LLC / OBSERVATION POINT SUBDIVISION
provisions of Idaho Code § 67-6516 to provide as part of its zoning ordinance for the
process of aPplications for variance permits.
2. The City of Meridian has exercised its authority of Idaho Code § 67-6516
by the enactment as a part of its Zoning and Development Ordinance variances, as set
forth in Meridian City Code § 11-18.
3. That the requirements for the processing of a variance request are set forth
in Idaho Code §§ 67-6509, 6516 and Meridian City Code §§ 11-15-5 and 11-17-5.
4. Application and standards for variances are set forth in Meridian City Code
§ 11-18-2, and the findings which are required are set forth in Meridian City Code § 11-
18-3, include required findings that there are special circumstances or conditions affeCting
the property that strict application of the provisions of Zoning and Development
Ordinance would clearly be impracticable and unreasonable, and a finding that strict
compliance with the requirements of the Zoning and Development Ordinance would result
in extraordinary hardship to the owner, subdivider or developer because unusual
topography, the nature or condition of adjacent development, or other physical conditions
or other conditions that malce strict compliance with the ordinance unreasonable under
the circumstances, or that the conditions and requirements of said ordinance will result
in inhibiting the achievements or the objectives of the ordinance, and that the granting of
a specified Variance will not be detrimental to the public's welfare or injurious to other
FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND -- Page 7 of 9
ORDER OF DECISION GRANTING A VARIANCE / VAR-00-006
VICTORY 41, LLC / OBSERVATION POINT SUBDIVISION
property in the area in which the property is situated, and that such variance will not have
the effect of altering the interest and purposes of the Zoning and Development Ordinance
and the Meridian Comprehensive Plan.
5. Meridian City Code, § 12-4-5, BLOCICS, and in the R-4 zone if granted the
re-zone, provides as follows:
12-4,5 BLOCKS:
Every block shall be so designed as to provide two (2) tiers of lots, except where lots
back onto an arterial street, natural feature or subdivision boundary. Blodcs shall
not be less than five hundred feet (500') nor more than one thousand feet (1,000')
in length.
DECISION AND ORDER
NOW, THEREFORE, BASED UPON THE ABOVE AND FOREGOING
FINDINGS' OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW, the City Council does hereby
Order and this does Order:
1. That the Applicant is hereby granted a variance from the block requirements
for Observation Point Subdivision in the proposed R-4 zone.
NOTICE OF FINAL ACTION
Please take notice that this is a final action of the governing body of the City of
Meridian. Pursuant to Idaho Code § 67-6521 an affected person being a person who
has an interest in real property which may be adversely affected by the issuance or
denial of a x~ariance authorizing a variance of the Block Requirements in the R-4 Zone
as provided lin the Section 12-4-5 and may within twenty-eight (28) days after the date
FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND -- Page 8 of 9
ORDER OF DECISION GRANTING A VARIANCE / VAR-00-006
VICTORY 41, LLC / OBSERVATION POINT SUBDIVISION
of this decision and order seek a judicial review as provided by Chapter 52, Title 67,
Idaho Codel
By action of the City Council at its regular meeting held on the
ROLL CALL:
COUNCILMAN RON ANDERSON
/-~-//"~d ay of
VOTED d:i~~d'~-
COUNCILMAN KEITH BIRD
COUNCILPERSON TAMMY deWEERD
COUNCILPERSON CHERIE McCANDLESS
MAYOR ROBERT D. CORRIE (TIE BREAKER)
DATED: ~_~"-/~'-~ ~
VOTED
VOTED
VOTED
VOTED
MOTION: '
DISAPPROVED:
Copy served upon Applicant, the Planning and Zoning Department, Public Works
Department, and the City Attomey office. ~'~"~*"-""'"',,,~
Dated:
FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND -- Page 9 of 9
ORDER OF DECISION GRANTING A VARIANCE / VAR-00-006
VICTORY 4i, LLC / OBSERVATION POINT SUBDIVISION
City Clerk ~' !