2021-06-01 Jon Wardle -�* BRIG HTGN
May 11, 2021
Mayor Robert Simison
Meridian City Council
Re: UDC Text Amendment(H-2021-0002)
Dear Mayor Simison & Meridian City Council:
First, I apologize for this late submission to you. I have been part of the UDC Review Committee, and
was included on the open space/landscape focus group. Due to travel, I was unable to attend the
Planning&Zoning Commission meeting. Meridian Staff took many goals and aspirations from the
Comprehensive Plan process, and created a document that attempts to achieve quality over quantity.
These new standards will enhance and elevate community design throughout Meridian. These are
positive improvements! And Staff should be commended.
Generally,we believe that many of the proposed changes to landscape, common open space, and site
amenity requirements are very good. However, as I have evaluated two specific requirements, I am
concerned that the application will actually hinder great design. Specifically, the requirements are:
11-3G-3.B.1a. Open grassy area of at least fifty feet by one hundred feet(50'x 100')in area
and is surrounded by the front yards of lots on at least 50% of its perimeter.
Intervening local streets may be located between the open space and front
yards of the lots,
11-3G-4.C.7. Commons of at least twenty thousand (20,000) square feet, which is
surrounded on all sides by the front yards of lots. Intervening streets may be
located between the open space and lots.
In order to "test"this concern, I reviewed the Paramount common areas against these two sections, and
found that most all of the common areas meet the 50 x 100 and/or 20,000 square feet. However,
these parks do not meet the new requirement for"front on"yards (50%and/or 100%). 1 have attached
examples of Paramount parks showing the variety of spaces, and the design elements. Please note the
following sampling:
Park Area Perimeter Front % Front Q OS Q OS 50% Q OS Q OS 100%
SF LF On LF On 50X100 Front ON 20,000 sf Front On
Clubhouse 135,471 2280 789 34% Yes NO Yes NO
Crosby 144,619 1835 753 41% Yes NO Yes NO
Gable 23,522 751 260 35% Yes NO Yes NO
Kingsley 71,438 1182 456 38% Yes NO Yes NO
Laughton 48,787 1021 298 29% Yes NO Yes NO
Lange 64,904 1278 533 42% Yes NO Yes NO
Archerfield 5,227 310 125 40% Yes NO NO NO
Brimley 12,196 480 44 9% Yes NO NO NO
Channing 6,534 357 148 41% Yes NO NO NO
BRIGHTON—Creating GREAT Places—2929 W. Navigator Drive,Ste.400, Meridian, ID 83642
www.brightoncorp.com 208-378-4000
June 1, 2020
Page 2
Based on my review, NONE of the Paramount parks could be classified as "Qualified Open Space" under
the new UDC standards found in these two sections.
The draft UDC states that the overall open space quality requirement for projects:
"The development plan shall demonstrate that the open space has been integrated into
the development as a priority and not for the use of land after all other elements of the
development have been designed. Open space areas that have been given priority in the
development design have direct:
(a) Direct pedestrian access
(b) High visibility
(c) Comply with Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)standards
(d) Support a range of leisure and play activities and uses
Open space shall be accessible and well connected throughout the development. This
quality can be shown with open spaces that are centrally located within the
development;connected by a pathway and visually accessible along collector streets;or
are a terminal view from a street
The open space promotes the health and well-being of its residents. Open space shall
support active and passive uses for recreation, social gathering and relaxation to serve
the development."
The requirement to have 50% and/or 100%front on housing is neither attainable, nor practical to be a
standard for qualified open space. Yes, having a central park with 50%to 100%front on housing may be
proposed, but often times these areas are under-utilized because they are surrounded on all sides by
roads.
We would propose a modification to both as follows (deleted text.New Text):
11-3G-3.B.1a. Open grassy area of at least fifty feet by one hundred feet(50'x 100') in area
and is surrounded by the front yards of lots on at least 381°0r30% of its
perimeter. An amount less than this standard (but not less than 25%) could
be considered if a pathway on the opposite side connects to another street.
Intervening local streets may be located between the open space and front
yards of the lots;
11-3G-4.C.7. Commons of at least twenty thousand (20,000) square feet, which is
surrounded eig Gil sides by the#ept yGr-ds ef'ets by the front yards of lots on
at least 30%of its perimeter. An amount less than this standard(but not less
than 25%)could be considered if a pathway on the opposite side connects to
another street. Intervening streets may be located between the open space
and lots.
June 1, 2020
Page 3
This adjustment seems dramatic, but taken in the context of Paramount, an already built community,
this modifications clearly demonstrates that the goals to prioritize and ensure quality will occur. Thank
you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Brighton Development, Inc.
Jonathan D. Wardle
cc: Bill Parsons
Meridian City Clerk
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BRIM LEY Data
• Area: . 28 Acres / 1Z 196 SF
• Perimeter: 480 Feet
Feet Front On. 44 Feet
tit
f • / Front On:
9%
Y QUALIFIED OPEN SPACE
11 3G 3. 8. 1 a.
{� YES 50 x 100' in area
NO Surrounded by the Front Yards
4 � of lots on at least 50/ of its
� F
j2erimeter.
_ • 11-3 -4. C. 7.
4
NO 20,000 sf
NO Surrounded by Front Yards on
all sides
Does Not Qualify
CHANNING I • I
* Perimeter: 357 Feet
I- k * Feet Front On: 148 Feet
Front On: 41
QUALIFIED OPEN SPACE
NO Surrounded by • Yards
of lots on at least 50% of its
erimeter
,. o -• _ •
NO • • • • sf
NO Surrounded by Front Yards on
Does Not
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ARCHERFIELD Data
* Area: . 12 Acres / 522 7 SF
* Perimeter: 310 Feet
* Feet Front On: 125 Feet
Front On: 40%
. ..... QUALIFIED OPEN SPACE
� W
YES 1 x 100' area
NO Surrounded by the Front Yards
of lots on at least 50% of its
•
+ � y /
N 0 Surrounded by Front Yards on
Does Not
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