2020-01-21 R. Steve Smylie1
Charlene Way
From:Chris Johnson
Sent:Tuesday, January 21, 2020 1:11 PM
To:Charlene Way
Subject:FW: CUP 15-019 extension request, opposition
For the record.
From: Robert Simison <rsimison@meridiancity.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2020 12:53 PM
To: R S <ssmylie5281@msn.com>; Liz Strader <lstrader@meridiancity.org>; Joe Borton <jborton@meridiancity.org>;
Brad Hoaglun <bhoaglun@meridiancity.org>; Treg Bernt <tbernt@meridiancity.org>; Jessica Perreault
<jperreault@meridiancity.org>; Luke Cavener <lcavener@meridiancity.org>
Cc: Chris Johnson <cjohnson@meridiancity.org>; Josha Iverson <jiverson@meridiancity.org>
Subject: RE: CUP 15-019 extension request, opposition
Trustee Smylie,
Thank you for your comments. We all appreciate you taking the time to put your thoughts in writing and we recognize
the constraints you have with your Tuesday evenings as well.
As you know, City Council is not able to comment outside of the public hearing for land use items. To ensure your
comments are included as part of the hearing record for this item I have copied our City Clerk.
Respectfully,
Mayor Robert Simison
City of Meridian
All e-mail messages sent to or received by City of Meridian e-mail accounts are subject to the Idaho law,
in regards to both release and retention, and may be released upon request, unless exempt from disclosure by law.
From: R S < ssmylie5281@msn.com >
Sent: Saturday, January 18, 2020 4:23 PM
To: Robert Simison < rsimison@meridiancity.org >; Liz Strader < lstrader@meridiancity.org >; Joe Borton
<jborton@meridiancity.org >; Brad Hoaglun < bhoaglun@meridiancity.org >; Treg Bernt < tbernt@meridiancity.org >;
Jessica Perreault < jperreault@meridiancity.org >; Luke Cavener < lcavener@meridiancity.org >
Subject: CUP 15-019 extension request, opposition
On January 28, you will have a request from GFI-Meridian Investments LLC to extend their conditional use
permit for an additional 2 years. I urge you to either oppose this or impose new conditions. This is for a
planned 336 apartment units on 16+ acres of land between Eagle and Records.
While I do worry about the effect of an additional 150 or so children on West Ada Schools (you need to
support a pedestrian bridge over Eagle Road to River Valley Elementary, since Ustick Elementary is nearly full)
the immediate concern for the neighborhood is that GFI does not adequately maintain the property as it is
now.
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Records Avenue is a connector road that many people have discovered to be a short cut to avoid Eagle Road.
The traffic is often backed up. The lack of sidewalks and the overgrowth of weeds is a problem, especially on
the west side of the road. GFI is not a good neighbor. While they contract out the main part to farm, no one
tends to the weeds along the edge and it's been an unkempt mess ever since Records Ave. was completed and
extended several years ago. The weeds are a hazard to pedestrians and a visual blight on the neighborhood,
right next to the crown jewel of our beautiful Meridian parks, Kleiner Park.
Please refer to the pictures I took today. This is what the property looks
like
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. No one trims the weeds or attends to the property, save the contract farming which pretty much ignores any
kind of maintenance beyond their specific operations.
Use this opportunity to hold the owners' hands to the fire. Make them commit to trimming the weeds at the
very least. I'm getting tired of getting goat heads in my bike tires when I try to go down Records, or when the
tumbleweeds blow into our yard, just a block away.
Please amend this request to require better maintenance of the property.
I apologize for my not being able to attend the meeting, since as a member of the West Ada School Board we
meet on Tuesdays as well.
Sincerely,
Steve
R. Steve Smylie
Educator, board member, former Representative
3662 E. Granger Dr.
Meridian, ID 83646
(208)377-5281