PZ - Staff Memo
MEMORANDUM
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Community Development 33 E. Broadway Avenue, Meridian, ID 83642
Phone 208‐884‐5533 Fax 208‐888‐6854 www.meridiancity.org
July 1, 2021
TO: Meridian City Council
Meridian Planning & Zoning Commission
CC: Cameron Arial, Community Development Director
Caleb Hood, Planning Division Manager
Bill Parsons, Current Planning Supervisor
FROM: Brian McClure, Comprehensive Associate Planner
RE: Summer 2021 Comprehensive Plan, Future Land Use Map Amendments
The Community Development Department is currently processing a number of applications for
Comprehensive Plan Map Amendments (CPAM). These applications are scheduled at different
public hearings this summer. This memo is intended to describe these individual application
requests in the context of their aggregated proposed changes, to the city-wide portfolio of future
land use designations.
Specific comments regarding the merits of each application is addressed in their individual staff
reports. Since current market-driven changes are not necessarily in the City’s best interest long-
term, this summary may help to understand whether the timing is appropriate for the proposed
changes, overall. In general, and from a city-wide perspective, the subject group of
proposed changes to the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) result in only a small change from
expected uses. Actions by the Planning & Zoning Commission or City Council on individual
applications may affect the analysis provided.
Table 1: Descriptions of Changes
CPAM ID Adopted Designation(s) Proposed Designations(s)
H‐2021‐0015, Woodcrest
Townhomes Sub
Commercial 2.11 Acres MHDR 2.11 Acres
H‐2021‐0041, WRRF Map
Amendment
MU‐NR 81.05 Acres MDR
Civic
40.30 Acres
40.75 Acres
H‐2021‐0042, Intermountain
Wood Products Expansion
MU‐C 5.17 Acres Industrial
Commercial
3.63 Acres
1.54 Acres
The largest proposed change relates to the Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF), and
the existing Mixed Use Non-Residential (MU-NR) designation around it. The MU-NR is a very
flexible land use designation generally expected to result in additional jobs or supportive
services. However, the WRRF has always been conceptually expected to grow in some fashion,
and the proposed change to Civic for properties north of the facility simply reflects what is now a
known reality with additional land acquisitions. The other two CPAM applications are similar in
size and result effectively in no city-wide impact. One project results in -2.11 acres of non-
Page 2
residential and the other results in +5.17 acres of non-residential (previously mixed use, but
could have had a residential element), with a net change of 3.06 acres of non-residential uses.
Table 2: Summary of Changes
Type Existing Acres Proposed Acres Change Acres
Non‐residential 83.16 5.17 ‐79.99
Residential 0 42.42 40.42
Mixed Use (not MU‐NR) 5.17 0 ‐5.17
Civic 0 40.75 40.75
The net change of these applications is summarized in Table 2 above. While the additional
households with reduced job potential in the WRRF application is not ideal, citywide, the City
has previously committed to re-examining these boundaries after the Public Works odor study
was completed. There are other limitations and considerations of the location and land use
configuration around the WRRF that should be explored and understood in the associated WRRF
staff report and as potential, additional future Map amendments are considered.
Lastly, please note that an approved CPAM application is a change to the FLUM regardless of
whether an annexation or rezone is finalized, or whether-or-not a development agreement is ever
signed. CPAM approvals for speculative or risky development applications may leave the City at
risk for future applications that are less desirable. Staff doesn’t necessarily think this is a major
concern with this group of proposed changes, but there is some risk changing the FLUM.
Table 3: Total Land Use Allocation (Adopted)
Designation Acres
Civic 1,639
Commercial 1,627
General Industrial 1,210
High Density Employment 77
High Density Residential 662
Low Density Employment 97
Low Density Residential 8,277
Med‐High Density Residential 911
Medium Density Residential 16,709
Mixed Employment 508
Mixed Use ‐ Interchange 254
MU‐C 1,921
MU‐Com 252
Designation Acres
MU‐N 1,048
MU‐NR 403
MU‐Res 68
MU‐RG 1,589
Office 315
Old Town 336
Grand Total 37,903
Note: See the 2021 City of Meridian Land Use &
Development Report for a breakdown of future
land use designations by annexation status. There
has been one previous CPAM approval since the
Report was published (H‐2020‐0111).