CC - Draft Phase 2 UDC Text Amendments REV 2
DATE: 05/20/2021
Proposed UDC Text Amendments
UDC Section Topic Reason for Change Proposed Change
11-2D-3B.4 Allow other height
requirements in the O-T
zone.
Further define building height allowances in the O-T
zone through the alternative compliance (ALT) or
conditional use permit (CUP) process. Currently the only
height increase is allowed through the CUP process (see
11-2D-4 below).
4. In the O-T district, additional height exceeding the maximum height allowed for the district requires
approval through a conditional use permit. In the O-T and TN-C districts, the additional height
allowed is limited as follows:
a. In the area defined as the city core in chapter 1 of this title, additional building height may deviate
up to twenty (20) percent of the minimum or maximum height in the O-T district subject to the
alternative compliance procedures set forth in chapter 5, “administration”, of this title. Proposed
building height exceeding twenty (20) percent of the maximum or minimum height for the district
requires approval through a conditional use permit. In no case shall the building height exceed
fifty (50) percent of the maximum height allowed in the district.
ba. Additional building height not to exceed twenty (20) percent of the maximum height allowed for
the TN-C district may be approved by the Director through the alternative compliance procedures
set forth in chapter 5, "administration", of this title. Additional height shall be allowed when the
development provides ten (10) percent of the building square feet in open space, courtyards,
patios, or other usable outdoor space available for the employees and/or patrons of the structure,
excluding required setbacks and landscape buffers.
cb. Additional building height exceeding twenty (20) percent of the maximum height allowed for the
TN-C district or when additional height is requested without providing the required open space in
accord with subsection (B)(4)ab of this section requires approval through a conditional use
permit.
DATE: 05/20/2021
11-2D-4 Increase OT height
maximum
Define min. and max. height requirements in city core
area of the Old Town District The standards for development in the Old Town District are set forth in this section as follows:
A. Building Height: In the area defined as the city core in chapter 1, any new construction shall have a
minimum height of thirty-five feet (35’) and a maximum height of one hundred feet (100’). All other
areas in the district, the Mmaximum building height is seventy-five feet (75').
B. Number of stories. Minimum number of stories for new construction is two (2) and/or as set forth in
the "City of Meridian Architectural Standards Manual".
C. Additional height. Additional height exceeding the maximum height allowed requires approval
through a conditional use permit.
CD. Streetscape improvements. Streetscape improvements within the city core shall be designed in
accord with the "City of Meridian Public Works Design Standards Manual".
DE. Residential to commercial conversions. Residential to commercial conversions within old town shall
comply with the established standards set forth in the "Architectural Standards Manual" (ASM) and
structure and site design standards set forth in section 11-3A-19 of this title. Where there are site
constraints that prevent a conversion from wholly complying with these standards, the applicant may
submit for a design standard exception as set forth in the ASM.
EF. Public and other urban open spaces. When proposed as part of a development, public and other urban
open spaces shall have sufficient pedestrian access and be integrated into the overall site design.
DATE: 05/20/2021
11-3A-6 Ditches, laterals, canals
or drainage courses
Recently came to the City’s attention that fencing may
not always be desired along open waterways by the
irrigation district, specifically as it relates to
maintenance of their facility. Staff is amending this
section of code to ensure the UDC does not conflict with
irrigation district standards as requested by the City
Council.
Surrounding property owners don’t need to be noticed
as the easement on the building lot(s) doesn’t affect
them – a Council waiver is sufficient. This would allow
the applicant to request a waiver during the final plat
process and not require a public hearing.
A. Purpose. The purpose of this section is to limit the tiling and piping of natural waterways, including but
not limited to, ditches, canals, laterals, sloughs and drains where public safety is not a concern as well as
improve, protect and incorporate creek corridors (Five Mile, Eight Mile, Nine Mile, Ten Mile, South Slough
and Jackson and Evan Drains) as an amenity in all residential, commercial and industrial designs. When
piping and fencing is proposed, the following standards shall apply.
B. Piping.
1. Natural waterways intersecting, crossing, or lying within the area being developed shall remain as a
natural amenity and shall not be piped or otherwise covered. See also subsection (C)(1) of this section.
2. Irrigation ditches, laterals, canals, sloughs and drains may be left open when used as a water amenity
or linear open space, as defined in section 11-1A-1 of this title. See also subsection (C)(2) of this section.
3. Except as allowed above, all other irrigation ditches, laterals, sloughs or canals, intersecting, crossing
or lying within the area being developed, shall be piped, or otherwise covered. This requirement does not
apply to property with only an irrigation easement where the actual drainage facility is located on an
adjoining property.
a. The decision-making body may waive the requirement for covering such ditch, lateral, canal, slough
or drain, if it finds that the public purpose requiring such will not be served and public safety can be
preserved.
C. Fencing.
1. Fencing along all natural waterways shall not prevent access to the waterway. In limited circumstances
and in the interest of public safety, larger open water systems may require fencing as determined by the
City Council, Director and/or Public Works Director.
2. Ditches, laterals, canals, sloughs and drains do not require fencing if it can be demonstrated by the
applicant to the satisfaction of the Director that said ditch, lateral, canal, sloughs or drain serves as or will
be improved as a part of the development, to be a water amenity or linear open space. If designed as a
water amenity, cConstruction drawings and relevant calculations prepared by a qualified licensed
professional registered in the State of Idaho shall be submitted to both the Director and the authorized
representative of the water facility for approval.
3. Except as allowed above, all other open irrigation ditches, laterals, canals, sloughs and drains shall be
fenced with an open vision fence at least six (6) feet in height and having an 11-gauge, two (2) inch mesh
or other construction, equivalent in ability to deter access to said ditch, lateral, canal, slough or drain,
which fence shall be securely fastened at its base at all places where any part of said lands or areas being
subdivided touches either or both sides of said ditch, lateral, canal, slough or drain.
D. Improvements. Improvements related to piping, fencing or any encroachment as outlined in
subsections(A), (B), and (C) of this section requires written approval from the appropriate irrigation or
drainage entity.
E. Easements. In Residential Districts, irrigation easements wider than ten feet (10') shall be included in a
common lot that is a minimum of twenty feet (20') wide and outside of a fenced area, unless modified
otherwise waived by City Council at a public hearing with notice to surrounding property owners.
DATE: 05/20/2021
11-5B-7C.3
CPAM amendments With adoption of a new Comprehensive Plan, limit the
frequency to which it can be amended. Make it clear that
Map amendments will be processed no more than every
6 months – cut-offs.
3. The City Council shall not consider amendments to the land use map of the adopted comprehensive
plan more than twice per calendar year. The application deadlines for amendments to the land use
map component of the comprehensive plan shall be June 15 and December 15 of every year.
11-6C-3D Common driveways Commission, Council and PW is having concerns with the
number of units taking access from a common driveway.
This impacts the extension of services, parking and trash
service. Staff is not proposing to reduce the number
dwellings served, but to expand on the requirements
when a greater number of units take access from a
common driveway. This will allow the City Engineer to
require a wider common driveway, if an applicant is
required to extend City mains underneath the driveway,
consistent with other easement requirements of the City.
D. Common Driveways
1. Maximum Dwelling Units Served: Common driveways shall serve a maximum of foursix (46)
dwelling units. In no case shall more than three (3) dwelling units be located on one side of the
driveway.
2. Width standards: Common driveways shall be a minimum of twenty (20) feet in width., unless a
greater width is required by the City Engineer. All common driveways shall be on a common lot.
3. Maximum length. Common driveways shall be a maximum of one hundred fifty (150) feet in length
or less, unless otherwise approved by the Meridian City Fire Department.
4. Improvement standards. Common driveways shall be paved with a surface with the capability of
supporting fire vehicles and equipment.
5. Abutting properties. All properties that abut a common driveway shall take access from the
driveway; however, if an abutting property has the required minimum street frontage, that
property is not required to take access from the common driveway. In this situation, the abutting
property's driveway shall be on the opposite side of the shared property line; away from the
common driveway. Solid fencing adjacent to common driveways shall be prohibited, unless
separated by a minimum five-foot wide landscaped buffer planted with shrubs, lawn or other
vegetative groundcover.
6. Turning radius. Common driveways shall be straight or provide a twenty-eight-foot inside and
forty-eight-foot outside turning radius.
7. Depictions. For any plats using a common driveway, the setbacks, fencing, building envelope,
landscaping and orientation of the lots and structures shall be shown on the preliminary plat
and/or as an exhibit with the final plat application.
8. Easement. A perpetual ingress/egress easement shall be filed with the Ada County Recorder,
which shall include a requirement for maintenance of a paved surface capable of supporting fire
vehicles and equipment.
9. Alternative compliance. The Director may approve or recommend approval of alternative design
or construction standards when the applicant can demonstrate that the proposed overall design
meets or exceeds the intent of the required standards of this section and shall not be detrimental
to the public health, safety, and welfare.