2021-09-28 Cami Donahue
Charlene Way
From:Camy Donahue <mijotriplet@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, September 28, 2021 11:55 AM
To:City Clerk
Subject:10/7/21 Comments against proposed rezoning application for Intermountain Wood
Products Expansion AZ, CPAM, MDA H-2021-0042
External Sender - Please use caution with links or attachments.
Hello,
My name is Camy Donahue and I am the property owner at 336 S Truss Ln., Meridian, ID, 83642. I am unsure if I will be
able to attend the public hearing on 10/7/21 due to my work schedule, however, I would like to provide comments for
the Intermountain Woods Product Expansion AZ, CPAM, MDA H-2021-0042 for which I received a public hearing notice
postcard in the mail. I am opposed to all parts of the application because I see potential for increased noise,
traffic/traffic congestion, possible commercial traffic and large vehicle (which brings additional noise not normal to
residential areas), artificial night lighting which will impact homes on the outer edges of our neighborhood directly
across the street, as well as the aesthetic deterioration we will experience being immediately next to this type of
development. I am encouraging the city of Meridian to deny every piece of this applications in order to protect myself
and my neighbors from all of the negative spillover effects we would most certainly be subjected to by being across the
street from such a development.
I am adamantly opposed to designating 355 and 255 S Locust Grove Rd from Mixed-Use Community zoning to Industrial
zoning. According to the City of Meridian’s website, industrial zoning should be discouraged from adjacent residential
districts. I am also adamantly opposed to designating 385 and 381 S Locust Grove Rd from Mixed-Use Community
zoning to Commercial zoning. In addition, I am extremely concerned by the request to remove a requirement to provide
an internal landscaping buffer and strongly encourage the city to deny all of these requests. My neighborhood,
Brookside Square, happens to have an entrance immediately opposite from the property/application in question. A
rezoning of this nature would bring unwanted industrial traffic and noise to our neighborhood and negatively impact
quality of life and enjoyment of each of our homes. I certainly do not want to listen to large trucks pulling in and out of
the lots across the street at all hours of the early morning and evening. If I can hear the cars at the Meridian Speedway
1.2 miles from my home, I’d be hard pressed to believe I wouldn’t hear industrial traffic noise, or commercial traffic
noise, directly across the street from my own home.
I’m also extremely concerned about increased traffic. We have a very small neighborhood with one entrance. We are
located immediately across the street from the proposed entrance to this business expansion. With increased traffic
comes increased noise, as well as congestion issues, and increased risk to children and pets in our neighborhood. When
each of us purchased our homes, we didn’t have the worry of large industrial and heavy commercial traffic immediately
across the street to contend with. If part of the property is designated as industrial use, I am worried we will be
contending with large vehicle traffic, which bring with them additional noise at all hours of the day and night.
The city of Meridian’s own site states that Industrial zoning “is generally discouraged away from or buffered from
adjacent residential districts”. The existing location on Adkins is buffered and away from our neighborhood, but
allowing a rezoning and move into Locust Grove will negatively impact our community, as well as the neighborhoods
next to our own. The city’s website further states that Commercial zoning is “also more likely to negatively impact
adjacent residential districts and uses”. I do not understand why the city of Meridian would entertain an application
that, by its own verbiage, would negatively impact the use and enjoyment of our homes and impact residential areas in a
negative manner. I am extremely concerned by the request to remove requirement for a landscape buffer should the
rest of this request be approved in poor taste, as the city’s website states that Industrial zoning should be buffered from
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residential districts. Removal of buffer requirements, in my opinion, would be detrimental to aesthetic, noise, as well as
property value.
I have saved my most pressing concern to end this email. I am extremely concerned about how a rezoning of this nature
would negatively impact my property value. I just sold a home to relocate to this area. I love the Meridian area and I
love my new home, however, I made an investment in this property and planned to be here for the long term. I feel that
the city of Meridian should be mindful of this when reviewing this application. I should not be held liable via loss of
value (and enjoyment) of my home for a business expansion project that seems poorly thought out in a residential area.
There are studies that show that home values do drop within 1/3 of a mile of proximity to industrial land use; the same
holds true for the value of homes that are within 1/3 of a mile of commercial property. These studies propose that a
distance outside of that adds value to homes, however, our neighborhood is located immediately across the street just
steps from this proposed rezoning. My home value without a doubt will be negatively impacted. I’ve worked hard to
attain a home with the value and equity of my current property and I do not believe that I, nor any of my neighbors,
deserve to have that wiped out by a rezoning.
I’m strongly urging the city of Meridian to deny both rezoning requests, and to deny the modification to the
development agreement to keep the existing landscape buffer requirements intact in order to protect the residents
surrounding the project area, and to protect our homes and property values.
Thank you,
Camy Donahue
336 S. Truss Ln, Meridian, ID, 83642
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