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PZ - East Ridge - DevCo Letter and Narrative 09.08.2017 signed 4824 W. Fairview Ave.  Boise, Idaho  83706 208.336.5355 September 7, 2017 Mr. Caleb Hood, Planning Division Manager Planning Division City of Meridian 33 E. Broadway Ave. Suite 102 Meridian, Idaho 83642 RE: East Ridge Estates East Lake Hazel Road Annexation, Zoning and Preliminary Plat Dear Mr. Hood: Attached for your review and favorable consideration are the applications for the East Ridge Estates Residential Community located on East Lake Hazel Road. We respectfully request approval of our Annexation, Zoning and Preliminary Plat applications. After Meridian City Council remanded the prior East Ridge Estates plat to Planning and Zoning Commission for R-4 zoning re-design, we met with Meridian Planning staff to review the City Council motion for a revised site design. After several meetings with City Staff, we held a neighborhood meeting with surrounding landowners and Blackrock Subdivision homeowners. Two layouts were presented to the neighbors, the first a typical R-4 neighborhood design, the second a design that incorporated estate lots with a “Patio Home” lot for “age restricted” residents, the “Village Layout”. The majority of neighbors favored the second design over a typical R-4 subdivision. Based on numerous meetings and neighbor comments we worked with the South Rim Coalition and Blackrock Home Owners Association to refine the East Ridge Layout. Enclosed is a project narrative that details the neighborhood and various aspects of our applications. Thank you for your attention to this matter and should you have any questions or require additional information please contact me by phone at 208.336.5355 or email, jconger@congergroup.com Sincerely, Jim D. Conger Managing Member September 7, 2017 2 | Page East Ridge Narrative DevCo LLC East Ridge Residential Community – Narrative East Ridge Estates is located in south Meridian and fronts East Lake Hazel Road just west of the South Eagle and Lake Hazel Road intersection. As you can see below; this community will be a positive addition of product mixes to this growing area. Location Map SUMMARY OF APPLICATIONS East Ridge community is a 139-residential home-site planned development on forty acres on East Lake Hazel Road in South Meridian. The Community will consist of two product types; the Estate Home-sites on the Rim will consist of 17,000 to 37,000 square foot home-sites. The Village will be an Age Restricted Neighborhood for the mature homeowner, the Village homes are structured as maintenance free which is inclusive of all maintenance and is managed by the home owner’s association. The traffic generated from The Village is less than 60% of a typical single-family home. September 7, 2017 3 | Page East Ridge Narrative DevCo LLC We are requesting approvals on the following applications: • Annexation • Zoning – From Ada County RUT to Meridian City R-4 & R-15 • Preliminary Plat • Variance – Irrigation Waiver Property Information Parcel Address Current Zone Proposed Zone S1132438500 E. Lake Hazel Road RUT R-4 & R-15 Adjacent Property Information Area Building Types and / or Uses: Zone North Residential R-4/R-8 South Abuts Lake Hazel Road and Arterial / Residential / Farming R-4 East Residential / Open Field RUT West Residential RUT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN The City of Meridian Comprehensive Plan designates the site as Low and Medium Density Residential. Along the western portion of the property, it is designated as Medium Density and the eastern portion is designated as Low Density. Under the Low Density Residential designation, the R-4 zoning is permitted. The Medium Density Residential zoning allows for R-8 zoning along with a step-up basis to R-15 zoning. September 7, 2017 4 | Page East Ridge Narrative DevCo LLC ANNEXATION / ZONING This property is currently zoned RUT (county). Upon annexation by the City of Meridian and as permitted by the Meridian City Code we are requesting the zoning designation of R-4 for the North and East portions of the site and R-15 for the Southwest portion. Meridian City Code allows for a step up in zoning designations and with that, we request the step up for the R-8 zoning to an R-15 designation. The blended overall density is 3.4 lots/acre, which fall well within the City’s Comprehensive Planning requirements. The zoning designations are only utilized for dictating the dimensional standards of the home sites. The development agreement will restrict the density to 3.4 lots per acre. September 7, 2017 5 | Page East Ridge Narrative DevCo LLC RESIDENTIAL DESIGN East Ridge Estates will consist of large Estate Home-sites on the Rim that will consist of 17,000 to 37,000 square foot transitional home-sites; which will consist of similar product to the adjacent Black Rock Subdivision. The Village will be a gated age restricted community that is designed around the older more mature homeowner. Based on City Council’s previous recommendation; we met for over two months of meetings and phone conversations with the Meridian South Rim Coalition, neighbors and City Staff to arrive at a plan that had the most support. All parties made concessions to arrive at a plan that would garner the majority of support and all parties agreed that this development plan would be better than a typical R-4 subdivision. Based on those meetings we based our land plan on the following commitments that will be recorded in the City required Development Agreement: Overall Development: • The Development Agreement will restrict the total number of residential homes to 98 lots for the Village housing and 41 homes for the Estate Lots. • Zoning will be R – 4 for the Estate Lots and R – 15 for the Village housing. • Lake Hazel landscape to incorporate a 4 to 6-foot-tall berms. A majority (80%) of the berm will be the requested 6 foot tall. • Phase 1 will include the connection to Lake Hazel Road as required by City Council. • Construction access will be from Lake Hazel Road. • The neighborhood park will consist of park amenities and the park that was relocated towards Black Rock neighbors per the direction of the coalition and neighbors. • Domestic Water will be looped to E. Cyanite Drive which will improve current domestic water quality for existing homeowners on City Services. Village Product Area – This gated neighborhood encompasses 17.6 acres and will consist of 98 age restricted homes. The age restriction targets the more mature homeowner that places a value on a simple but secure lifestyle. The simple concept is based on an all-inclusive maintenance program as well as the community clubhouse that provides a gathering spot for social interaction. And as previously noted, the traffic generated from this housing product is significantly less than a typical neighborhood (5.8 vs. 9.52 average weekday trip counts). The following items are the concessions made on the Village Area throughout our meetings with the Coalition: • Wrought Iron Fencing on the property line boundary with adjacent neighbor (our west boundary). • A 1’ to 2’ berm for planting on our west boundary. • A deciduous tree with a caliper size between 2 to 2.5 inches every 60 feet / an evergreen (blue spruce) tree sized between 8 to 10 feet approximately every 60’ (i.e. a tree every 30 feet) with a maximum growth height of 15 to 20 feet. • A grouping of 3 shrubs between every tree. • All product in the Village area is to be single level with a maximum roof height of 25 feet. • All product in the Village area is to be age restricted. • Setback of housing product to be 20’ from western property line. September 7, 2017 6 | Page East Ridge Narrative DevCo LLC Estate Homes Area – This large lot estate neighborhood is on 23.3 acres and will have 41 custom homes that will be of similar nature to the adjacent Black Rock Subdivision. The lot sizes on the rim range from 17,000 to 37,000 square feet and the overall Estate Lots average size is 19,585 square feet. The following items are the concessions made on the Estate Homes Area during our meetings with the Coalition: 6 Estate Lots (Lot Nos. 1 – 3, Block 3 and Lot Nos. 16 – 18, Block 2): • Wrought Iron Fencing on the property line boundary with adjacent neighbor (our west boundary). • A deciduous tree with a caliper size between 2 to 2.5 inches every 60 feet / an evergreen (blue spruce) tree sized between 8 to 10 feet approximately every 60’ (i.e. a tree every 30 feet). • A grouping of 3 shrubs between every tree. • Set back of housing product to be 10’ from western property line. • All 6 lots to be single level (This will require the Baumgartner Property to deed restrict 100’ of their adjacent property to single level) with a maximum roof height of 25 feet. • Rear Setbacks for Lots Nos. 1, 2 & 3, Block 3 shall be 45 feet. • Side yard setbacks to be R-4. Rim Estate Lots (Lots Nos. 6 – 23, Block 1): • Adhere with the preliminary plat which includes specified lot widths. • Rear Setbacks for Lot Nos. 6 – 23 shall be 45 feet. • Side yard setbacks shall be 7.5 feet for homes on the Rim. The following is the Site Plan and Architectural Elevations of the proposed housing product: East Ridge Estates September 7, 2017 7 | Page East Ridge Narrative DevCo LLC SITE DESIGN: % of Site Devoted to Residential Lot Coverage Area 75.97% % of Site Devoted to Landscape Open Space / Common Areas 10.54% % of Site Devoted to Roads / Parking 13.49% Total 100% Estate Homes - Architectural Elevations September 7, 2017 8 | Page East Ridge Narrative DevCo LLC The Village - Architectural Elevations September 7, 2017 9 | Page East Ridge Narrative DevCo LLC AMENITIES: Estate Lots • Neighborhood Park • Open Field Sporting Area • Shade Structure • Sitting Areas Village Lots • Clubhouse • Sitting Areas • Open Space In addition to the onsite project amenities, residents are able to take advantage of the planned South Meridian City Regional Park. The park will be located on approximately 77 acres of land directly across East Lake Hazel Road to the southwest of East Ridge. East Ridge neighborhood is adjacent to the Regional Park and our residents will be able to take advantage of the parks features and amenities. Park construction is scheduled to begin in 2018. South Meridian Regional Park September 7, 2017 10 | Page East Ridge Narrative DevCo LLC PUBLIC WORKS: As part of these applications, we request a waiver for a pressurized irrigation system. Meridian City Code, 11-3A-15, C. Waiver of Requirements: The requirements for pressurized irrigation may be waived upon proof that any particular property does not have water rights in an existing irrigation district. The property does not have irrigation water rights, we have contacted three irrigation companies that provide water to adjacent properties and have been unable to secure any irrigation rights for this property. An Application for Inclusion of Land was submitted to the New York Irrigation District and at the July Board of Directors Meeting, the board made a motion to accept the application and place the property on a waiting list for water rights. Additionally, application for ground water was submitted to the State of Idaho Department of Water Resources. Although approval of a ground water permit would not be sufficient for irrigation water for al 40 acres, it would be possible to water the common areas of the development. Several meetings with Meridian’s Public Works Department determined that sanitary sewer service is limited in this part of Meridian. The Public Works has recently updated their committed sewer capacity model with lower unit flows for residential development. The Public Works Department recommended submitting a request to review available capacity as part of our application submittal. This application officially requests sewer service for the first two phases of the development or approximately 67 lots. East Ridge will connect to the existing sewer service in the Blackrock Subdivision and stubbed at the north property boundary. Water service is also stubbed at the north property boundary at the East Cyanite Drive road stub. With the recent approval for the 98.35 acres, 278 single-family residential lot, Sky Mesa Subdivision, access to increased sewer capacity is imminent. Based on discussion with the Meridian Public Works Department, the city is in the process of securing needed utility easement for water service that will be located in Lake Hazel Road that will serve the new regional park, which will be located on property to the southwest of East Ridge. East Ridge is the resolution to the poor water quality in the Blackrock Subdivision. East Ridge Estates will connect the existing dead-end domestic water service to the planned water main in Lake Hazel Road. This connection will eliminate the negative water issues currently present in Blackrock. The adjacent Blackrock Subdivision currently has only one point of access and egress via East Taconic Drive. Once East Ridge is completed, a second means of egress will be available for Blackrock residents providing an emergency secondary access that is required by fire code of more than 30 homes. TRANSPORTATION / ROADWAYS: In October of 2016, a Traffic Impact Study (TIS) was conducted and we are currently in the process of updating the daily traffic counts to reflect the proposed “age restricted” housing product; the traffic study prepared by Thompson Engineers concludes that the development as planned does not have any negative impacts as it relates to ACHD policy and codes. The TIS determined the intersection of Lake Hazel Road and Eagle Road will operate at LOS D under total traffic conditions in the build out year. The intersection of Lake Hazel Road and the site entrance will operate at acceptable levels of service under total traffic conditions in the build out year. Lake Hazel Road and Eagle Road are anticipated to operate below the maximum recommended volume for LOS E under existing traffic conditions. September 7, 2017 11 | Page East Ridge Narrative DevCo LLC East Ridge will generate eastbound traffic as determined by the traffic study for Taconic, (which is higher than westbound) the peek pm daily traffic count is 52 trips. Based on this peek pm daily traffic count, Taconic operates at approximately 13% of the maximum directional hourly volume. According to the traffic study, at build out East Ridge will account for about 5 additional trips on Taconic. Trips generated by East Ridge along Taconic will be approximately 4.3% of the total traffic. The intersection of Taconic and Cyanite will operate at LOS A under background traffic conditions with development of East Ridge and total traffic conditions in the build out year. Classified as a collector roadway, the minimum level of service required by ACHD policy for Taconic is LOS D with a maximum directional hourly volume of 425 vehicles per hour on a two-lane road. Traffic counts for the Village Layout are significantly less than a typical single-family residence with counts for the Village product to be 5.8 and 9.52 average weekday volumes for a typical single-family residence. PRE-APPLICATION MEETING & NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING The pre-application meeting was held with the Meridian City Planning and Development staff on February 23, and October 31, 2016. The neighborhood meeting was held on November 14, 2016, and May 31, 2017 at 6:00 pm at Hillsdale Elementary School. Numerous meetings were held with the Meridian Southern Rim Coalition. CONCLUSION DevCo is respectfully requesting approval of the annexation; R-8 and R-15 zoning designation; and preliminary plat applications for this spectacular new community located in South Meridian. This project will provide a quality mix of products and desirable homes at allowable densities while maintaining compatibility with Meridian City Codes as well as the surrounding properties. Thank you.