PZ - Applicant's Response to Staff Memo for 8-20
KENT BROWN
PLANNING SERVICES
August 18, 2020
City of Meridian Planning and Zoning Commission
c/o Joseph Dodson
Meridian City Hall
33 E. Broadway Ave
Meridian, ID 83642
RE: Applicant’s Response to 8-20-2020 Staff Comments
Modern Craftsman at Baron Black Cat (H-2020-0022)
Dear Commissioners and City Staff:
The Baron team provides this response to the 8-2-20 Memorandum from Joe Dodson to the
Commission with staff’s comments and new proposed conditions of approval. We appreciate the
planning staff’s continued work on and support of the project. We are agreeable to the new
proposed conditions of approval except that we ask for more flexibility on the corner commercial
building height. Staff’s proposed condition 1.i, states:
The proposed commercial building located near the intersection of N. Black Cat Road
and W. Chinden Boulevard (SH 20/26) shall be constructed as a two-story structure as
depicted in the submitted concept renderings and as noted on the revised CUP Site Plan.
We proposed multiple building concepts for the corner commercial lot, including one and two
story elevations, to illustrate scale and architecture. Our concept for a single-story building could
accommodate 13,070 SF of usable commercial space, and our concept for two-story building
could accommodate 19,450 SF of usable commercial space. Either option provides striking
architectural features, functional space that can accommodate multiple users, a distinctive corner
and street presence, a design that opens up and integrates to the site, and ample parking. We ask
the Commission for flexibility in these building options to respond to market demand so that it is
viable and can attract the best mix of users.
At the July 9th hearing, the Commission asked Baron to increase the C-C zone area and to
increase the space available to serve commercial uses. We have done that by all of the following:
The C-C zone area is now 4.23 acres, up from 2.26 acres.
The corner commercial lot can now accommodate approximately 13,000 - 19,500 SF of
leasable commercial space and a revised parking layout.
Baron will construct a new 2-story vertically-integrated product with 6 units and 5,070
SF of usable ground-floor commercial space and second-floor residential, which
complies with the specific use standards in UDC 11-4-3-41 for vertically integrated
residential projects.
Baron will construct a commercial pop-up building with 4 units and 2,362 SF of usable
commercial space.
3161 E Springwood Dr Meridian, Idaho 83642 Tel.: 208-871-6842
Baron will construct a clubhouse that includes 1,050 SF of office space to provide a
flexible working environment for in-person and/or telecommuting demand for Modern
Craftsman residents.
Baron has thoughtfully designed and is prepared to construct the vertically-integrated
commercial-residential building, the commercial popup building, and the clubhouse with the
office space concurrent with construction of the multi-family development. These buildings will
immediately make available approximately 8,500 SF of commercial and office space. With the
additional commercial space on the corner lot, the C-C zone on this site can accommodate a total
of 21,500 – 28,000 SF of commercial and office uses. Baron will market the corner commercial
lot to find compatible commercial and office uses allowed in the C-C zone to serve this area,
such as a coffee shop, yoga studio, and day care.
We appreciate the Commission’s comments on the project’s innovation and design. We are
excited to bring the Modern Craftsman community to Meridian, and we believe the updated
plans provide substantial commercial opportunities to serve our residents and our neighbors and
complement the non-residential uses in Fairbourne and other surrounding properties.
Thank you for your consideration of these comments. We look forward to answering any
questions you may have at the August 20 hearing.
Kent Brown
Planner