PZ - Applicant's Response to Staff Report
Via email
December 30, 2019
Sonya Allen, Associate Planner
City of Meridian, Community Development Department
33 E. Broadway Avenue, Suite 102
Meridian, ID 83642
RE: Sky Mesa Highlands Annexation/Rezone, and Preliminary Plat Staff Report
Dear Sonya,
We received your Staff Report on December 23, 2019. We want to thank you for all of
the time and effort put in to reviewing our applications. We appreciate your
recommendation of approval for the Annexation and Rezone, and the Preliminary Plat.
However, we do have a few comments that we would like to have entered into the
record.
1. Conditions of Approval A.2.a and A.3.a require the removal of the existing driveway
access to the existing structures located on Lot 29, Block 1 from S. Eagle Road unless
the City Council waives this requirement. This parcel of land is currently improved with
a single-family home and three detached accessory buildings.
The current owner of the land being subdivided will retain ownership of this parcel
after the subdivision is recorded. There are no changes proposed to the use of this
parcel at this time. As such, we request that the existing access to S. Eagle Road be
allowed to remain. We respectfully request that these conditions be rewritten to read:
729 S. Bridgeway Place – Eagle, ID 83616 boisehunterhomes.com (208) 577-5501
The existing driveway access via S. Eagle Road on Lot 29, Block 1 shall be
allowed to remain in its current configuration until such time as this lot is
redeveloped. At that time the access to S. Eagle Road shall be removed
and access to the redeveloped lot or lots shall be provided from within the
existing subdivision.
2. Section V.I of the Staff Report states “There are no multi-use pathways required on this
site per the Pathways Master Plan”, and Section V.N states “Approximately 675 linear
feet of pedestrian pathways are proposed; however, they do not count as a
“qualified” amenity because they do not connect to an existing or planned
pedestrian or bicycle route outside of the development as designated on the
Pathways Master Plan per UDC 11-3G-3C.3”. The proposed pathway was shown to
be located approximately five feet away from the rear property lines of the homes
located along the Lot 14, Block 3 common lot. The rear fence along these lots lines
must be an open vision fence because it is located adjacent to a common open
space lot (UDC 11-3A-7.A.7.b). Due to the following reasons we are proposing that
the pedestrian pathway located in Lot 14, Block 3 be removed from the plan:
A. A pedestrian pathway located five feet from the rear lot line of residential lots with
open vision fencing will reduce the privacy of these lots in the rear yard; and,
B. The pathway is not required as there are no multi-use pathways required on this
site per the Pathways Master Plan; and,
C. The pathway does not count as a qualified amenity because it does not connect
to an existing or planned pedestrian or bicycle route outside of the development
as designated on the Pathways Master Plan.
Since the pedestrian pathway located within Lot 14, Block 3 will be removed from the
subdivision conditions of approval A.2.e, A.3.d, A.3.f, and A.3.h which pertain to the
pathway should be deleted.
3. We did not submit a Phasing Plan with the initial application as we planned on
developing the subdivision in one phase. However, after further consideration we
have decided that we will develop the subdivision with two phases. I have attached
the Proposed Phasing Plan to this letter as Exhibit A. Phase A will be located on the
southwest portion of the subdivision and will consist of 53 buildable lots and seven
common lots. Phase B is located on the northeast portion of the subdivision and
consists of 22 buildable lots and six common lots.
4. Condition of Approval A.8 requires the Grimmett Lateral that lies along the west and
north boundaries of the site to be piped as required by Section 11-3A-6B of the UDC
unless waived by the City Council. We are proposing to pipe the lateral as it runs
along the north boundary of the subdivision, and have requested the lateral remain
open as it runs along the western boundary of the subdivision. We are in agreement
with Condition of Approval A.2.g that requires the irrigation easements depicted
along the west and north property boundaries of the subdivision to be located within
common lots outside of a fenced area. As such, we believe there is a possibility that
the waiver request to leave the Grimmett Lateral open along the west boundary of
the subdivision is no longer needed. Section 11-3A-6B.2 states that irrigation ditches,
laterals, canals, sloughs and drains may be left open when used as a water amenity
729 S. Bridgeway Place – Eagle, ID 83616 boisehunterhomes.com (208) 577-5501
or linear open space, as defined in section 11-1A-1 of this title. The definition of a
“Water Amenity” provided in Section 11-1A-1 of the UDC is:
Any body of water either natural or manmade, which either exists or is
proposed to be improved as a part of the development, in which its banks
in all places adjacent to and located on said development are no steeper
than one foot (1’) vertical per every four feet (4’) horizontally and which
has a depth and velocity in all places adjacent to and located on said
development such that the product of the maximum depth (feet)
multiplied by the peak velocity (feet per second) does not exceed four (4).
The portion of the Grimmett Lateral located along the western boundary of the
subdivision might comply with these standards. However, it will take more detailed
analysis of the existing lateral to determine if it can be left open by right. As such, we
request that the waiver request be granted that would allow the existing open lateral to
remain open.
Conclusion
We are in agreement with the terms and conditions of the Staff Report with the exception
of items 1-4 as detailed above. We request approval of the submitted applications with
the following modifications to the Conditions of Approval:
A.2.a – The existing driveway access via S. Eagle Road on Lot 29, Block 1 shall be
allowed to remain in its current configuration until such time as this lot is
redeveloped. At that time the access to S. Eagle Road shall be removed and
access to the redeveloped lot or lots shall be provided from within the existing
subdivision.
A.3.a – The existing driveway access via S. Eagle Road on Lot 29, Block 1 shall be
allowed to remain in its current configuration until such time as this lot is
redeveloped. At that time the access to S. Eagle Road shall be removed and
access to the redeveloped lot or lots shall be provided from within the existing
subdivision.
A.2.e – Delete
A.3.d – Delete
A.3.f – Delete
A.3.h – Delete
A.8 – Delete
Sincerely,
Todd Tucker
729 S. Bridgeway Place – Eagle, ID 83616 boisehunterhomes.com (208) 577-5501
EXHIBIT A