CC - Applicant's Response to Staff Report 1029 N. Rosario Street, Suite 100
EfGINEERING Meridian, ID 83642
planning and engineering communities for the future Phone: (208) 938-0980
Fax: (208) 938-0941
UTIONSUP E-mail: beckymken sol.org
December 17, 2020
Mayor and City Council
City of Meridian
33 East Broadway Avenue
Meridian, ID 83642
Re: Oakwind Estates Subdivision—H-2020-0093
(Response to Staff Comments)
Dear Mayor and Council:
We are pleased to present the Oakwind Estates project to the City Council as a
welcome addition to The Oaks North development. The property is currently zoned
R-15 (Medium High-Density Residential District), which allows up to 15 dwelling
units per acre. The applicant is requesting preliminary plat approval for 94 single-
family dwellings and 92 townhomes, which is an allowed use, with a density of 7.58
du/ac. A development agreement modification was requested to allow the developer
to lower the density and construct single-family and townhomes instead of apartments
and a mini-storage facility. The application meets and exceeds all UDC requirements
including standards applicable to open space, parking and common drives. The
Planning staff recommended approval of the applications, and there was no
neighborhood opposition to the project. During deliberation at the Planning and
Zoning Commission hearing,after testimony was closed and without support from any
staff or public testimony,the Commission added three conditions to require more open
space, additional parking and fewer lots on the common drives than is required or
allowed in the UDC. The Commission's new conditions are inappropriate considering
the property is already zoned and we meet and exceed all UDC requirements. The
conditions as proposed by the Commission are unnecessary considering the project
has over 20 percent open space when 10 percent is required; we have provided the
required off-street parking as outlined in the UDC, demonstrated that 60 on-street
parking spaces are available, and we have fewer lots on the common drives than are
allowed by City Code. Planning, Public Works and the Fire Department have all
approved the three proposed common drives. We respectfully ask the Council to
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December 17, 2020
Page 2
approve the development as recommended by the Planning Staff, without the three
conditions added by the Commission.
We have reviewed the conditions of approval from the staff report for the Meridian
City Council meeting of December 22, 2020, and have the following
responses/clarifications:
A. Planning Division
1. a. Understood.
b. The applicant will comply.
C. The applicant agrees with this modification.
d. The applicant will comply with the condition of approval.
e. The applicant will comply.
f. The Meridian UDC allows for a maximum of 6 residential units on a
common driveway. We respectfully request that a maximum of 4
residential units be allowed on a common driveway. The applicant
has provided design information to Meridian Public Works on the
utility service for the townhomes on a common drive, which they
found to be acceptable. The project only has one common drive with
4 units.
g. The applicant has provided a revised parking exhibit reflecting the
available parking within the townhome development. The townhome
area has 60 on-street parking spaces that meet the parallel parking
requirements of Meridian (9 feet by 23 feet). There are 184 driveway
parking spaces (two per dwelling unit)and 184 garage spaces (two per
dwelling unit). The total number of spaces provided is 428 spaces for
the 92 townhome units. That equates to a parking ratio of 4.65 spaces
per dwelling unit. Additional parking as suggested by the Planning
and Zoning Commission is not necessary for the development.
The total open space provided for the project is 4.97 acres, or 20.28
percent. The qualified open space with the development is 4.16 acres,
or 16.95 percent. The qualified open space includes the following:
1.07 acres of central common area with gathering area, which
includes an outdoor kitchen with barbeque facilities and outdoor
seating area; playground equipment and pathways; a mew area
consisting of 0.35 acres; pedestrian pathways which are 0.87 acres;
collector buffers equating to 1.28 acres; 50 percent of the arterial
buffer; and 0.23 acres of 8-foot-wide local street landscaped parkway
along W. Daphne Street. The project exceeds the minimum
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December 17, 2020
Page 3
requirement of 10 percent qualified open space and the proposed open
space requirement amendment of 15 percent qualified open space
We respectfully request Condition A.1(g) be removed. The parking,
open space and amenities exceed those required by the UDC and the
developer has designed above and beyond what other projects have
provided for similar projects.
2. a. The previous Lot 84, Block 1, has been combined with the adjacent Lot 17,
Block 1. The applicant has complied and submitted a revised preliminary plat
to the staff.
b. Traffic-calming features have been added to Marysville Street and Palustris
Avenue by incorporating chicanes on both streets. The chicanes are an
ACHD-approved traffic-calming measure. A revised preliminary plat has
been submitted to the staff incorporating the chicanes.
3. The landscape plan has been revised and resubmitted to staff.
4. Condition deleted.
5. The requested exhibit will be provided. The applicant respectfully requests
that the perpetual easements and maintenance requirements be included on
the face of the plat and within the CC&Rs instead of separate easements.
6. Understood.
7. The applicant has complied with the off-street parking requirements in the UDC by
providing two-car garages that are a minimum of 20 feet by 20 feet and two-car
parking on the driveways.
8. Understood.
9. The applicant will comply.
10. Understood.
11. Understood.
B. Public Works
1. Site Specific Conditions:
1.1 The applicant will comply.
1.2 Understood.
1.3 The applicant will remove the water main in McDermott Road as shown
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December 17, 2020
Page 4
on the utility plan.
1.4 The applicant's engineer will provide confirmation of appropriate sewer
slope and depth to Public Works.
1.5 Understood.
2. General Conditions of Approval
2.1 The applicant will comply.
2.2 Understood.
2.3 The applicant will comply.
2.4 Understood.
2.5 Understood. No structures currently exist on the property.
2.6 The applicant will comply.
2.7 The applicant will comply.
2.8 The applicant will comply.
2.9 Understood.
2.10 The applicant will comply.
2.11 Understood.
2.12 Understood.
2.13 Understood.
2.14 Understood.
2.15 The applicant will comply.
2.16 Understood.
2.17 The applicant will comply.
2.18 The applicant's engineer will provide the necessary certification.
2.19 The applicant's engineer will provide inspections and certification of
the pressure irrigation system.
2.20 The applicant's engineer will comply.
2.21 The applicant will comply.
2.22 The applicant will comply.
2.23 The applicant will comply.
Mayor and City Council
December 17, 2020
Page 5
We appreciate your review of this project. Please feel free to call me if you have additional
comments or questions.
Sincerely,
En ee olutions, L Ptr
ec y Men
Kay
Planner