Ten Mile Interchange Specific Area PlanAcknowledgements
Terry Sackman, Executive Director, Meridian Chamber of Commerce
Cheryl Brown, Economic Development Coordinator, City of Meridian (Charrette Phase)
John Overton, Lieutenant, Meridian Police Department
Joe Silva, Deputy Chief Fire Prevention, Meridian Fire Department
Bruce Freckleton, Development Services Manager, Meridian Public Works
Bob Adams, Track Manager, Idaho Northern and Pacific Railway
The Public and Area Stakeholders
Brad Janicek
Jim Jewett
Peter Oliver
Ryne Stoker
Mirazim Shakoori
Jim Zeiter
Shane Jimenez
David Turnbull
Ron VanAuker
Larry VanHees
Eric Davis
Meridian Residents
Area Property Owners
Planning Team
City Staff
Anna Canning, Director, Planning Department, City of Meridian
Matt Ellsworth, Associate City Planner, Planning Department, City of Meridian
Steve Siddoway, Comprehensive Planning Manager, City of Meridian, (Charrette Phase)
Pete Friedman, Comprehensive Planning Manager, City of Meridian
Consultants
Mark Sawyer, Project Manager, HDR
Miguel Gaddi, Planner, HDR
Don Galligan, Planner, HDR
Oliver Kuehne, Urban Designer, HDR
Maria Martinez, Landscape Architect, HDR
Audra Manion, Planner, HDR
Diane Kushlan, Principal, Planning and Management Services
Beau Webber, Logistical Marketing
Knight Martorell, Architect
i
Meridian Mayor, Council, and Commission
Tammy de Weerd, Mayor, City of Meridian
Joe Borton, City Council, City of Meridian
Charles Rountree, City Council, City of Meridian
Shaun Wardle, City Council, City of Meridian, (Charrette Phase)
Keith Bird, City Council, City of Meridian
Dave Zaremba, Chairman, City Council
Michael Rohm, Chairman, City of Meridian Planning and Zoning Commission
Keith Borup, City of Meridian Planning and Zoning Commission
David Moe, City of Meridian Planning and Zoning Commission
Wendy Newton-Huckabay, City of Meridian Planning and Zoning Commission
Steve Siddoway, City of Meridian Planning and Zoning Commission
Local Representatives and Participating Departments and Agencies
Jana Kemp, Representative, Idaho State Legislature, (Charrette Phase)
Shirley McKague, Representative, Idaho State Legislature
Gerry Sweet, Senator, Idaho State Legislature, (Charrette Phase)
Pete Friedman, Planner III, Ada County Development Services, (Charrette Phase)
Leslie Toombs, Planner II, Ada County Development Services
John Cunningham, Principal Planner, Transit, COMPASS
David Bivens, Commissioner, Ada County Highway District
Craig Herndon, Studies Coordinator, Ada County Highway District
Don Kostelec, Planning Supervisor, Ada County Highway District
Chris Danley, Comprehensive Planner, Ada County Highway District
Bruce Harral, Project Manager, Connecting Idaho
Lance Giles, Stakeholder Coordinator, Connecting Idaho
Steve Alters, Segment Manager, Connecting Idaho
Sue Sullivan, District 3 Representative, Idaho Transportation Department
Daris Bruce, District 4 Representative, Idaho Transportation Department
Eric Shannon, District 4 Representative, Idaho Transportation Department
Nestor Fernandez, District 4 Representative, Idaho Transportation Department
Kelli Fairless, Executive Director, Valley Regional Transit
Vance Henry, Ten Mile Interchange Design Project Manager, HW Lochner
Katie Powell, HW Lochner
Rosemary Curtin, RBCI, Ten Mile Interchange Area Plan Public Involvement
Shelly Houston, Community Communications Coordinator, City of Meridian
Lori Jones, Meridian Chamber of Commerce
Chris Klein, President, Meridian Chamber of Commerce
Acknowledgements
ii
Mayor’s Message
iii
Mayor’s Message
iv
Table of conTenTs
v
Acknowledgements i
Mayor’s Message iii
Background vii
Guide to the Plan ix
Section 1: Executive Summary 1-1
Section 2: Outcomes 2-1
Section 3:The Plan
The Land Use Element: Sustainability and Opportunity 3-1
The Transportation Element: An Interconnected Street Network 3-17
The Design Element: The Look and Feel 3-31
Section 4:The Public Planning Process 4-1
Section 5: The Physical and Financial Context 5-1
Section 6: Action Plan 6-1
Glossary 7-1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of conTenTs
vi
Background
vii
BACKGROUND
The Background provides a summary of the history of
the project and the general reasons for undertaking
a specific area plan, placing the project in regional
and national context.
Project Initiation
The City of Meridian initiated this plan as a means
of setting a course for the future of the Ten Mile
Interchange Area. Located immediately adjacent
to I-84, the only Interstate highway traversing the
region, with plans being developed by the Idaho
Transportation Department for a new interchange at
Ten Mile Road and I-84, with lands being developed
in a variety of ways, and with proposals for a wide
array of projects, it was clear that it was time to
reassess the future of the Ten Mile Interchange
Area. Was what was contemplated by the City’s
Comprehensive Plan right for the area? Were there
untapped markets and opportunities? How would
this area fit with the community’s vision of being
the best place in the Treasure Valley to live, work
and raise a family? Are there important parts of
the area to preserve? How do we avoid creating
the transportation system problems we see at so
many other interchanges in the valley? Would Ten
Mile Road become another Eagle Road? Should
we approve the annexation and development
proposals from the private sector? How do we
properly evaluate development proposals for the
area? How do we make the development approval
process more predictable?
With so many questions, the Mayor and City Council
determined that a closer look was needed. It was
time to assess the situation, work in cooperation
with the Idaho Transportation Department, Ada
County Highway District and private property
owners to determine what the future of the Ten Mile
Interchange Area should be and how, through well
considered planning, the community could preserve
the performance of our transportation system and
develop a future that represented the community’s
goals and expectations.
The Reason to Plan
Beyond any of the particular reasons that planning
for the Ten Mile Interchange Area was initiated, a
specific area plan makes sense. Good planning
involves citizens in determining the proper land uses,
economy, transportation services and infrastructure
for an area. The planning process enhances the
community’s character and quality of life by
considering the interaction between land use and
transportation and their cumulative effect on the
built and natural environments.
City and Regional Context
The City of Meridian sits in the middle of the Treasure
Valley. Lying squarely between Nampa and Boise
and bordering I-84, providing interstate access
for Eagle and Kuna residents, Meridian has been
growing rapidly for the last decade, and that growth
shows no sign of stopping for the next several
decades. Growth projections for the Treasure Valley
over the next twenty years may vary widely, from a
total population of less than 750,000 to more than
1.5 million, but whatever the growth, Meridian is
positioned to absorb a significant share of it.
The Dilemma: The “Do Nothing”
Scenario or Status Quo
The City of Meridian has made every effort to plan
for the future, but has been frustrated with some of
the quality of new development and the influences
of unfettered markets. The City and its residents are
concerned about the various types and scales of
development proposed in recent months in the Ten
Mile Interchange Area and the limited innovation
the market has shown in developing integrated
communities, providing for complete transportation
systems, and stepping away from dated commercial
site plans and residential subdivision designs.
The City knows that this is one of the last remaining
large, contiguous areas of highly visible, easily
accessible, and developable land within the City
of Meridian’s Area of Impact. While the City is not
required to refine the plan for this area, it decided
to look at the area to see if there might be an option
available other than doing nothing.
The Comprehensive Plan: The Sum
Total
The City’s Comprehensive Plan currently provides
very limited land for a variety of what may be
important markets for Meridian’s future. Some of the
issues identified in the City’s Comprehensive Plan
that are addressed by this study include:
Industrial lands are located well off the major
transportation corridors and many have been
absorbed into various forms of retail development
due to their location and the cost of land in these
areas.
The City has no land designated to accommodate
higher density office or that meets the demand
for employee accessibility while offering high
visibility.
A large block of land for the newest trends in
mixed use commercial development that meets
the siting criteria of high end retailers is currently
Background
viii
unavailable and the plan fails to offer a land use
designation that easily accommodates such a
use.
Generally, the plan only facilitates the
development of lower density suburban
development. Higher density multifamily
development is not accommodated.
Are there opportunities that are being missed? Does
the City’s Comprehensive Plan provide for a strong
jobs-housing balance that will ensure Meridian will
be a complete community as it builds out? These
questions and others needed to be addressed in
planning for the Ten Mile Interchange Area.
The City’s Vision: Live, Work and
Raise a Family
Like many cities around the country, Meridian is
committed to make every effort to be a community
that people identify with, that people call home--to
be a place where you can not only live but work.
Meridian desires to continue to be a place where
you don’t just live, but you feel confident about it
being a great place to raise a family.
Meridian has developed this plan because we
believe that the effort we place on creating places
people want to be—places with character and
vibrancy, and an enthusiastic business culture—
will create a city where people can imagine new
possibilities and build new futures.
This commitment to being a great place, a place
where people can live, work, and raise a family
served as a core criteria in identifying a future for
the Ten Mile Interchange Area.
The Interchanges: Access and
Visibility
There are seven interchanges in the Treasure Valley,
a majority of which serve either big box retail
development or a single, specific use, as with the
airport. The land surrounding nearly all of the existing
interchanges has been committed to development.
It is difficult, then, to meet the community’s
changing needs by consolidating large blocks or
land for redevelopment. The proposed Ten Mile
Interchange is to be the only new interchange on
I-84 for at least 20 years, making the land within the
Ten Mile Interchange Area a very limited resource.
This proposed interchange will place new pressure
on the Ten Mile Interchange Area, but it will also
create new opportunities. As we learned in the
market analysis, the market will support nearly any
form of commercial or residential development
in the Ten Mile Interchange Area. The City must
consider carefully how to use this limited resource.
The Location: The New Center of the
Treasure Valley
Meridian is clearly the new heart of the Treasure
Valley. As the metropolitan region has grown,
most of the growth has occurred west of Boise City
along the I-84 corridor. Meridian finds itself and the
Ten Mile Interchange Area located squarely at the
geographic center of the region’s population.
The Use of a Limited Resource: A Key
to Prosperity
As described above, the Ten Mile Interchange
Area has a number of unique and highly desirable
attributes that make the land in the area a key
resource for the City of Meridian’s future. Meridian
has one area left within its Area of Impact with the
access and visibility this area offers. The area is a
key to Meridian’s long term prosperity. Meridian is
the next community in the Treasure Valley to run
out of land for future development. Hemmed in by
Boise and Garden City to the east and northeast,
Eagle to the north, Nampa to the west, and Kuna
to the south, Meridian has a limited land base with
which to secure its future. How should the land in
the Ten Mile Interchange Area be used to support
Meridian’s long term prosperity?
guide to the plan
ix
GUiDe tO the PlAN
This document details what is intended to be an
integrated land use and transportation plan for
development of the Ten Mile Interchange Area. The
Ten Mile Interchange Specific Area Plan focuses
on developing an area that has an identity of its
own, but which links to the nearby development.
The plan emphasizes the community’s support for
higher densities and mixed uses to create a vibrant
and economically strong Meridian, as articulated
through the public process. The plan also stresses
the community’s commitment to good site planning
and design as a means of establishing a place
everyone can be proud of and one that protects
the interests of future businesses and residents.
The transportation component specifies future
through-connections as they relate to the overall
transportation network and collector street network.
Street design elements integrate walking, biking,
transit, driving, and delivery routes. Conceptual
renderings depict streetscape improvements,
commercial, civic and mixed use areas as
they relate to the overall use and development
concept.
The Plan Organization
The plan is divided into seven major components:
Section 1: Executive Summary provides a brief
description of the entire plan. It describes the place,
and the look and feel the city is trying achieve.
Section 2: Outcomes explains how the public and
private sectors must work together in order make
the plan happen. This plan establishes a new
paradigm for how the development community
and the City do business. It encourages innovation
and cooperation between the City and other
agencies, as well as between developers and
land owners.
Section 3: The Plan is comprised of several
components that constitute the core of the overall
plan.
The Land Use Element expresses the desired future
land use pattern, which takes full advantage
of what might be the most important future
economic development area within Meridian's
Area of Impact. This element will be used to
guide development approvals within the Ten
Mile Interchange Area.
The Transportation Element serves as a
foundation for ensuring the long term
operational performance of the area's roadways
and the proposed interchange by providing
an interconnecting system of secondary
roadways and supporting transit service. This
element establishes the desired location of the
arterial and collector roadways, key pathway
connections, and the location of a regional
transit center. This section also will be used to
help guide the look and feel of streets within the
Ten Mile Interchange Area.
The Design Element of the plan builds on
Meridian’s best architectural and urban
qualities to generate buildings and spaces that
create an attractive, safe, and comfortable
environment. This element will be used as a
basis for generating specific design guidelines
for the Ten Mile Interchange Area or subareas.
It should be used by developers in developing
location specific design guidelines as a part of
securing their entitlements.
Section 4: The Planning Process describes how the
plan was developed through a charrette-based
process, how the public got involved, and how
the plan was refined to result in the plan that is
presented here.
Section 5: Physical and Financial Context briefly
describes the place today and the market conditions
that will influence its future development.
Section 6: The Action Plan summarizes Section 2 into
a matrix of actions that should be undertaken to
move the plan forward and implement the plan’s
development program.
The plan supports the City’s overall vision of being
the best place in the Treasure Valley to live, work
and raise a family.
guide to the plan
x
1 ExEcutivE Summary
1-1
SECTION 1 - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1 ExEcutivE Summary
1-2
Low Density Residential Medium Density Residential Medium High Density Residential High Density ResidentialParksCivic
exeCUtive SUmmARy
The Vision
The Ten Mile Interchange Area will look, feel and
function differently than a typical commercial area
or residential subdivision. Many residential uses will
occupy the second and third levels of buildings
above retail, office and light industrial uses on the
ground floor. In some commercial areas, residential
uses may occupy the lowest levels of buildings.
Unlike many commercial and employment
districts, the Ten Mile Interchange Area will not
empty out at 5pm when employees leave work.
For many employees, home will be upstairs, around
the corner, or down the street. This area allows a
range of land uses—from industrial to residential
to commercial—in close proximity to one another.
This mix, anchored by a lifestyle center, will create
an exciting atmosphere for residents and a unique
new area of Meridian.
The Process
The Ten Mile Interchange Specific Area Plan was
developed through a public process that involved
over 500 people including property owners,
developers, public and elected officials, designers,
engineers, planners, architects, economists,
citizens, and agencies. The input of all was used to
develop this plan.
The Plan
The Uses
The Ten Mile Interchange Area is focused around
a primary core immediately north of I-84 and east
of Ten Mile Road. Envisioned as an innovatively-
designed lifestyle center and anchored by a
transit center at its northern terminus and in the
south and southwest by a major office and mixed
employment district, this core area will be the
Treasure Valley’s newest and most fashionable
retail center. Integrating office and residential
uses and providing important and prominent
public spaces, the retail area will be designed at
a human-scale, be walkable, and create a sense
of place.
The area adjacent to I-84 is planned for an
employment district that will support the creation
of more than 20,000 jobs that will be offered
by a wide variety of employers. From new,
Land Use Continuum: A Framework for the Mixed Use Strategy
1 ExEcutivE Summary
1-3
Mixed Use Residential Mixed Use Commercial Lifestyle Center High Density Employment Mixed Employment Industrial
small, entrepreneurial firms to nationally and
internationally recognized leaders in finance,
research and development, technology, and
design, these firms will not only find a pool of
creative talent in Meridian and the entire Treasure
Valley, but an area that is built for living.
The neighborhoods in the Ten Mile Interchange
Area are proposed to include a variety of
housing styles, densities and prices. They will offer
easy access to recreation, shopping, services,
employment, and a range of transportation
options.
The Urban Design Features
Many of the basic rules of good design are
promoted by the Ten Mile Interchange Specific
Area Plan. These include:
buildings are built to public rights-of-way
building frontages, rather than surface parking
lots and landscaped areas, “hold the corners”
by framing sidewalks or public spaces
distinctions are drawn between ground and
upper stories
entries are announced through changes in
details, materials, and design compositions
storefronts offer wide expanses of transparent
glass for an enhanced pedestrian environment
doors to individual shops and restaurants open
directly onto public space
materials are durable and façades are simply
detailed and well proportioned
Implementation: The Private Sector Challenge
To implement this plan, a set of guidelines that
addresses the design goals of the plan and a series
of zoning code amendments will be developed
to facilitate and enhance the speed with which
development applications can be processed.
The development of sound design guidelines and
zoning to implement the plan will not happen
overnight. Knowing the private sector may want
to act more quickly to move the plan forward, the
City encourages developers and key land owners
to take the initiative and begin the implementation
program, bringing forward detailed design
guidelines and zoning, and infrastructure financing
proposals based on the concepts presented in this
plan. The City stands ready to support your efforts
and will be moving forward rapidly to implement
the recommendations in this plan.
The Challenge: Work with each other, form
partnerships, and think non-traditionally!
the facades of larger commercial buildings
should be broken down into short frontages
and “big boxes” should be wrapped in smaller
commercial, residential, and office uses
signage and lighting is restrained and designed
to complement the building’s design
service entries and loading docks are located
on secondary and tertiary streets and screened
from public view
The Systems
The plan has looked at the facilities needed
to service development within the Ten Mile
Interchange Area and recommends specific
means of funding and developing a collector road
system; this system will help ensure the integrity of
the transportation system, promote joint access
and effecient traffic flow, and see that property
owners can gain access to the road network.
The Program
The Program includes over 850 acres of mixed
employment and industrial land, over 140 acres
of land that will accommodate high density
employment, over 300 acres of mixed use lands
including commercial retail uses, and provision for
6,000-10,000 homes.
The Community Benefit
Through the implementation of this plan, a unique
place will be created. The Ten Mile Interchange
Area will be distinct in its region, making it a place
citizens can be proud of, and a place that will serve
as a cornerstone of the community’s prosperity.
Low Density Employment
1 ExEcutivE Summary
1-4
thiS PAGe iNteNtiONAlly left BlANK
2 OutcOmes - “Acheiving Results”
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SECTION 2 - OUTCOMES
2 OutcOmes - “Acheiving Results”
2-2
AChieviNG ReSUltS
Achieving Results describes how the plan should be
used by the private sector as a means of creating
projects that will be approved for development.
The section further describes the actions that should
be taken by the City and others to implement the
future envisioned by the plan and facilitate the
development of the Ten Mile Interchange Area.
Achieving results from the plan requires an entirely
new way of doing business for the private and
public sectors. The plan will not happen simply
through the filing of development applications on
behalf of the private sector or amendments to the
comprehensive plan and adoption of new codes
by the City. The plan calls for bold new actions
as characterized through the plan development
and its use of charrette in particular. Making the
necessary changes will not be easy. It will require
leadership on behalf of the City and a willingness
to innovate and collaborate with all the players
involved.
Public-Private Partnerships
As the map of property ownership clearly displays,
the Ten Mile Interchange Area comprises many
small and medium sized parcels, held by many
owners. None of the parcels of land within the
Study Area is large enough to affect the types
of development described as desirable and
appropriate to the community’s vision. To achieve
this vision as well as the critical mass necessary for
financial success in current development markets,
adjacent owners will need to collaborate on
development efforts.
To the extent that future development projects can
include larger, rather than smaller-sized properties,
the flexibility of development programs and
opportunities for success both increase. Certainly,
the potential projects described in this document
need sizable land areas in order to effectively
blend the right mix and mass of development.
At present, there is relatively little incentive for
adjacent property owners to collaborate with
each other. Only the City, working under the
auspices of a formally developed and adopted
plan, has the capacity to bring various owners
together and suggest the merits and benefits of
collaboration.
A strong public-private partnership is essential
for the plan to become a reality. For the plan to
happen, private interests must look not just for a
short term gain, but to the building of long-term
value. The community wants quality development
of a lasting value that may not always provide the
quickest rate of return for property investors. The City
must invest more in the planning function and find
incentives for the elements of quality development
that are desired. Innovation in the development
process, partnership with developers, and ongoing
commitment to the plan by the City’s leadership,
other public agencies, citizen interest groups, and
the broader community are all factors that will
contribute to success.
A public-private initiatives program will provide
benefits to both the public and private sectors. Such
a program will require dedicated City resources
on an ongoing basis to the Ten Mile Interchange
Specific Area plan. City staff, as a means of
ensuring the plan’s implementation, may even
occasionally advocate for private development
that is consistent with the plan.
One consideration for an initiatives program is the
model found in some communities of a downtown
development coordinator, who is responsible
for promoting and facilitating development in a
downtown area. With this development coordinator
on staff, implementation becomes someone’s job,
rather than being spread among many members
and departments of the organization. It also gives
the development community a “go-to person” and
can provide facilitation to the various development
interests. Finally, such a resource is critical in
providing leadership for managing the long term
investment in infrastructure needs for the area.
Public-Public Partnerships
Public facilities and services are provided to the Ten
Mile Interchange Area by a range of public and
quasi-public agencies. The City provides water and
waste water facilities and services; fire and police
service; and parks. Trash and recycling services
are provided by the City through a contractor,
Sanitary Services. Emergency medical services
are provided by Ada County paramedics. Public
schools are the responsibility of Joint School District
No. 2. Transportation is the responsibility of three
agencies: Idaho Transportation Department, ACHD
and Valley Regional Transit Agency. Intermountain
Gas and Idaho Power provide natural gas and
electricity to the area. Nampa Meridian Irrigation
District supplies irrigation water.
Efficiency in the provision of public facilities and
services is challenged by the fragmentation in
public agencies. A high level of communication,
interaction and cooperation is required to avoid
delayed decision making, duplication in efforts,
and competing interests.
The Ten Mile planning process has recognized
the challenges in the variety of public service
providers by engaging representatives of each
agency as stakeholders in the development of the
plan. The recognition of these agencies and their
ongoing involvement is also needed through the
implementation phase of the plan. This involvement
should take several forms:
On-going communication and updates through
e-mails, website or paper progress reports.
Quarterly or bi-annual meetings of
representatives.
Formalized agreements and meeting with
elected officials and policy makers.
Informal interaction, day to day communication
on specific issues or projects.
Development Regulations
Implementation of the Ten Mile Interchange
Specific Area plan will require that the City have
a robust toolbox of zoning, development and
design standards to carry out the intended mix of
uses, patterns of development, and form that are
proposed in the plan. Implementation of the plan
will be accomplished through the City’s existing
development codes, through amendments to those
codes, or by the development of new provisions,
such as new zoning districts, overlay districts, design
guidelines and development standards.
Zoning
The City’s existing development regulations
provide elements of some, but not all of these tools.
As with most communities, the focus of the City’s
regulations is on zoning, separation of uses, and
what is not desired. Implementation of the plan will
require a shift in focus to the pattern and form of
development and building detail.
The City’s Zoning District regulations provide the
basic development tool for implementation of
the Specific Area Plan. The code currently has
fourteen zoning districts with associated standards
and allowed uses for each district. The Zoning
District Compatibility Matrix, which starts on the
facing page, compares the proposed land use
descriptions and framework identified in the Ten
Mile Interchange Specific Area Plan with the City’s
zoning. For each land use district proposed in the
plan, the zoning district(s) that come closest to
meeting the intent of the land uses in the plan is
compared. The matrix evaluates the proposed land
use districts as either: “compatible”; “conditionally
compatible” or “not compatible” with the existing
zoning. “Compatible” means that there is explicit
allowance for the use or provision in the plan.
“Conditionally compatible” applies when the use
is a conditional use in the zone, or is not addressed
by the zone, but would appear to be allowed given
the intent of the land use district. “Not compatible”
is when the zoning explicitly restricts that use. This
matrix provides a guide for where minor changes
or tweaks are required in the existing zoning to
accommodate the proposed uses in the plan.
The intent of the plan, including the proposed
mixed use development pattern, does not cleanly
match with any of the existing zoning districts. In
addition, for the higher density residential districts,
the full range of uses proposed by the plan is not
allowed.
There are several other challenges in adapting
the existing zoning districts as the regulatory
tools for implementing the plan. First, the plan
calls out some minimum density or intensity
standards. While the existing zoning code is
focused more on maximums, developing at less
than the minimum would greatly undermine the
plan’s objectives in some areas. The plan also
proposes an overall pattern of development that
will cross over individual property ownerships and
interests. Another major challenge will be how to
accommodate incremental development over
time among a number of different property owners
and developers.
To address these challenges and work within the
framework of the existing zoning code, the City
should undertake one or more of several actions:
Minimum density and intensity standards
should be incorporated into the existing zoning
districts;
New land use districts should be developed for
the Lifestyle and Mixed Commercial land uses;
2 OutcOmes - “Acheiving Results”
2-3
A mechanism should be developed to transfer
development uses to other sites so that the
desired mix of uses can be achieved;
Incentives for planning cooperatively among
adjoining owners should be created; or a
minimum site area for development review and
annexation should be established.
Alternatively, the City could look beyond the existing
development regulations to new development
provisions. The Study Area for this plan (or some sub-
set area) could be defined as its own Development
District, with a series of new zoning categories to
address the use types and mixed use districts
contemplated in the plan. These regulations could
be linked to the design guidelines and should be
written expressly to promote and guide the types
of mixed use development that the community
wishes.
The proposed TOD Areas between Franklin and
the railroad are one of the greatest challenges to
successful implementation of the plan. Pressures
exist to develop these areas in the short term, far
in advance of any possible public transportation
along the rail corridor. The challenge is how to
accommodate development without precluding
the future possibility for a more concentrated
development form that supports transit use.
To address this, provisions for a Transit Oriented
Development (TOD) Overlay should be developed
which sets the parameters of use, design and form
for development to support transit. The overlay
should also allow for interim uses and building types
that are transitory. The TOD provisions should include
requirements for “shadow plans” to be developed
that demonstrate how access provisions, site design
and patterns of development can accommodate
future transit uses. Further subdivision of land
that would make it more difficult for future TOD
development should be discouraged.
Other Unified Development Code Changes
To accommodate the proposed mix of uses and
scale of development, the current standards for
vertically integrated residential structures (UDC
Section 11-4-3.42) should be expanded to allow
for structures with larger footprints and broader
ranges of uses.
Develop new sign provisions to accommodate
the specific area such as currently exist in the
code for the I-84 Sign Overlay District at Eagle
Existing City Zoning Districts R-2 R-4 R-8 R-15 R-40 C-N C-C C-G L-O I-L I-H O-T TN-C TN-R
LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL + -
Density: 0.20 - 3 DU/AC + -
Uses: SF- detached /
Secondary DU
Parks
Recreation Centers
Gardens : Private ////// /
Gardens : Public ////// /
Elementary School // /
Day Care Centers ///
Home Occupation
MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL
Density: 4-8 DU/AC
Uses: SF- detached /
Townhouses
Two Family Duplex
3 flat units
Apartments
Secondary DU
Parks
Recreation Centers
Elementary School // /
Day Care Centers ///
Public Use
Religious Worship
Home Occupation //
Residential Commercial Industrial Traditional
Zoning District Compatability Matrix
Permitted Use +Best Choice
Conditional Use Possible Choice
Accessory Use -Marginal Choice
Table Legend
and Meridian Road interchanges. Also develop
an overall sign program for development within
the study area of the plan.
Expand Common Open Space and Site Amenity
Requirements (UDC section 11-3G) to apply to
mixed use and commercial uses, and develop
new standards for improvement along the
canals and waterways.
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Amend Regulations Applying to State and
Federal Highways (UDC section 11-3H) to include
access management provision, included in the
plan along Ten Mile and Franklin.
Develop new streetscape standards in
cooperation with the Ada County Highway
District (ACHD) and adopt the standards in the
Unified Development Code.
Design Standards
This plan document includes many references to
specific characteristics desirable in a successful
mixed use area. When combined with the
section drawings, renderings and illustrative
photos, they paint a pretty clear picture of the
type of environment envisioned, but they do not
constitute a complete set of guidelines for future
development.
The purpose of design guidelines is to provide a set
of directions for the architects and developers of
future projects so as to enable a wide variety of
participants working on many projects to create
an environment that has a significant degree
of coherence and continuity. The guidelines
can range from modest and limited to extensive
and rigorous. Simple examples look to direct key
elements such as building placement, height, mass
or siting. More complex examples begin to look at
the overall form and configuration of buildings,
the use of materials, color, and specific design
elements. Additional complexity comes to bear
in the regulation of elements such as signage,
lighting, design details, fenestration, etc. More
stringent guidelines mandate in very detailed terms
particular styles of architecture that are deemed
appropriate.
Design Standards exist in the City’s Development
Code for commercial structures of a certain size
and for multi-family residential development.
There is also a reference to design guidelines in
the Traditional Neighborhood Center Zone. Both
of these existing code sections are a starting
place for introducing the guiding design principles
articulated in Section 3 of the plan.
Alternatively, if the City takes a bolder and more
innovative approach to implementation of the
plan, including new districts and/or an overlay
district, the design principles should become the
focus for the new implementation tool. The City
should hire a design professional to build upon the
Existing City Zoning Districts R-2 R-4 R-8 R-15 R-40 C-N C-C C-G L-O I-L I-H O-T TN-C TN-R
Residential Commercial Industrial Traditional
MEDIUM HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL -
Density: 8-15 DU/AC -
Uses: SF- detached /
Townhouses
Two Family Duplex
3 flat units
Apartments
Secondary DU
Live-work
Parks
Recreation Centers
Elementary School // /
Day Care Centers ///
Public Use
Religious Worship
Home Occupation //
HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL -+
Density: 16-50 DU/AC
Uses: Townhouses
Apartments
Live-work
Parks
Recreation Centers
Elementary School // /
Day Care Centers ///
Public Use
Religious Worship
Neighborhood Retail
Office
Zoning District Compatability Matrix, Continued
Permitted Use +Best Choice
Conditional Use Possible Choice
Accessory Use -Marginal Choice
Table Legendpreliminary guidelines presented in this plan and
to craft a set of requirements that meet but do
not exceed the needs of the Ten Mile Interchange
Area for ensuring an effective and harmonious
overall environment. The development of the
guidelines should have the active participation of
the private sector. In an environment such as the
Ten Mile Interchange Area, the optimal guidelines
are those that direct only those elements that
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comprise the physical feel of the place, without
mandating a specific architectural style, design
details or building elements. Arriving at the proper
degree of complexity and comprehensiveness,
however, will take time.
Transportation System Investments
The Ten Mile Interchange Specific Area Plan has
developed a roadway system to support the
proposed land uses and to link with the regional
transportation system. This planning effort is
unique in establishing some general guidelines
for the location of the collector and local street
network. This “mini master plan” of streets is a
real opportunity for proportionately directing the
costs of constructing the street system and forcing
alignment in the best location for the overall system.
Because of it uniqueness, neither the City nor ACHD,
who is responsible for streets in the county, has a
specific mechanism for implementing an overall
street network of this type.
Several options exist for the City and ACHD that, with
work and collaboration, can provide the financing
mechanisms for developing the street system. The
options include: extraordinary impact fees; local
improvement districts; shared cost model; and a
public infrastructure district. In all cases, through
a development agreement, the City can make
their acceptance of City annexation rely on the
condition that the developer cooperate with
the pre-determined street plan and financing
mechanism.
Impact Fees
Impact fees are imposed by ACHD for the
construction of “system improvements”. By ACHD
definition, these system improvements do not
include collector designated streets, and no
collector designated streets are identified on the
ACHD Capital Improvement plan. However, under
Idaho Code section 50-1703, collector streets are
capital improvements eligible for impact fees.
Through a process allowed by Idaho Code Section
67-8203, the collectors and costs can be funded
through a process identified as “extraordinary
impact”:
“Extraordinary impact” means an impact which is
reasonably determined by the governmental entity
to: (i) result in the need for system improvements,
the cost of which will significantly exceed the sum
of the development impact fees to be generated
Existing City Zoning Districts R-2 R-4 R-8 R-15 R-40 C-N C-C C-G L-O I-L I-H O-T TN-C TN-R
Residential Commercial Industrial Traditional
MIXED-USE RESIDENTIAL -+-
Density 8-12 DU/AC
FAR: 0.75 min.
Uses: Vertically
Integrated Residential
Live-work
Office
Retail
Recreation
Employment //////
MIXED USE COMMERCIAL +
Density: 8-12 DU/AC
FAR: 1.00-1.25 min.
Uses: SF attached
Townhouse
Two Family Duplex
3 flat units
Apartments
Vertically
Integrated Residential
Live-work
Office
Retail
Employment //////
Zoning District Compatability Matrix, Continued
Permitted Use +Best Choice
Conditional Use Possible Choice
Accessory Use -Marginal Choice
Table Legendfrom the project or the sum agreed to be paid
pursuant to a development agreement as allowed
by section 67-8214(2), Idaho Code, or (ii) result in
the need for system improvements which are not
identified in the capital improvements plan.
ACHD implements the process of extraordinary
costs through the designation of an “overlay zone”
and the imposition of “overlay fees”. Overlay fees to
fund the construction of new collectors would be in
addition to the impact fees normally collected for
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2-6
the arterial improvements planned by ACHD. Since
the collectors do not appear on the ACHD Capital
Improvement Plan, these streets would have to be
funded and constructed by developers. The ACHD
and the developer would enter into an agreement
on the means for reimbursing the developer
for the costs of the collector improvements. As
development occurs and impact fees, including
the overlay fees, are collected, ACHD places the
funds in a separate account to reimburse the
developer.
In summary, in order for collectors to be funded
through impact fees, the following steps would be
required:
The costs of the collectors system identified in
the plan, or a portion, and the pro rata share for
all development within the overlay zone, would
be determined.
The ACHD Impact fee ordinance would be
amended to include collectors as part of the
“system” definitions.
By resolution and after public notice and
hearing, ACHD would adopt the Ten Mile
Interchange Specific Planning Area or portion,
as an “overlay zone” and adopt overlay fees to
cover the costs of the collectors system.
Individual developers would enter into a
development agreement with ACHD for
collector improvement and reimbursement
costs.
Impact fees provide a financing tool that is readily
available and results in the construction of needed
facilities at the time of development. The costs are
born by the developers who are reimbursed over
time. Developers are only paid out as funds are
collected, and the full costs of the construction
may not be recovered. These overlay fees are in
addition to the impact fees already collected
by ACHD and add to the cost of development.
The “sticker shock” of these fees is offset by the
immediacy in construction of the streets needed
to support the development.
Local Improvement District (LID)
The responsibilities for creation and maintenance
of a local improvement district (LID) for street
improvements are with ACHD. Section 3200 of the
ACHD Policy Manual outlines the process for creation
of an LID. The LID can be initiated by the ACHD
commission or by petition of resident or property
Existing City Zoning Districts R-2 R-4 R-8 R-15 R-40 C-N C-C C-G L-O I-L I-H O-T TN-C TN-R
Residential Commercial Industrial Traditional
LIFESTYLE CENTER +
Density: 16 DU/AC; 50 max.
FAR: 1.25 or more
Uses: Townhouse
3 flat units
Apartments
Vertically
Integrated Residential
Live-work
Entertainment: Indoor
Entertainment: Outdoor stage
Office
Retail
Employment //// //
LOW DENSITY EMPLOYMENT + +
FAR: <0.75; 1-3 stories
Uses: Office
Research
HIGH DENSITY EMPLOYMENT +
FAR: 1.00 or more (1-6 stories)
Uses: Office
Research
Conference Centers
Day care ///
Restaurants
Convenience Retail
Hotel/Motel ////
Public Uses
Zoning District Compatability Matrix, Continued
Permitted Use +Best Choice
Conditional Use Possible Choice
Accessory Use -Marginal Choice
Table Legendowners. In either method, the policy manual
requires that certain information be provided
before any action on the intent to create the LID.
This information generally includes: description and
costs of the improvements; boundary description
of the LID and property owner information; method
of assessment; and value of the security.
2 OutcOmes - “Acheiving Results”
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When all the required information has been
provided and considered by the ACHD
Commission, the Commission adopts a resolution
of intent to create the LID and levy assessments. A
public hearing is noticed and held for protests and
testimony to be received. After the hearing, the
Commission proceeds on the LID through adoption
of an ordinance that specifies the LID boundaries,
improvements and distribution of costs. The District
then solicits bids for the improvements. After the
contract for construction has been awarded and
the costs determined for the improvement, the
assessment rolls are created and adopted after
another public hearing. After the hearing, another
ordinance is passed confirming the assessment
and the installment period for payment. The
District can issue LID bonds to cover the cost of the
improvements.
The LID approach to financing improvements
requires more administrative cost and involvement
on the part of ACHD than impact fees. For this
reason, ACHD and the developers prefer the
extraordinary impact fees approach. Like the
extraordinary impact fee approach, the recovery
costs are dependent on the rate of growth.
Through an inter-local agreement with ACHD, the
City could take on the authority for administering
the LID. This may be particularly appropriate if the
LID is intended to finance more than just roads.
Shared Costs Approach
A third approach to financing street improvements
is for the development community to develop
a shared cost approach on their own. The Ten
Mile Interchange Specific Area Plan process has
accommodated a high level of discussion and
interaction among the developer stakeholders.
This cooperation could be the basis for future
cost sharing of needed improvements. ACHD has
been supportive and helped with this approach
in other areas. Each development’s proportionate
share of the costs would be based on the traffic
its proposed land uses would generate. The City
could take a role in this approach by requiring
the pre-determined cost sharing as a condition
of a development agreement for rezone and
annexation into the City.
Existing City Zoning Districts R-2 R-4 R-8 R-15 R-40 C-N C-C C-G L-O I-L I-H O-T TN-C TN-R
Residential Commercial Industrial Traditional
Uses: Office
Light Industrial
Day care ///
Convenience Retail
Uses: Light manufacturing
Heavy manufacturing /
Wholesale storage
Truck terminals
Vehicle Repair
Utilities
INDUSTRIAL
MIXED EMPLOYMENT
Zoning District Compatability Matrix, Continued
Permitted Use +Best Choice
Conditional Use Possible Choice
Accessory Use -Marginal Choice
Table Legend
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thiS PAGe iNteNtiONAlly left BlANK
3-1
The Plan
SECTION 3 - THE PLAN
3 The Plan
3-2
Land Use
The Composite Plan
What kind of community will the Ten Mile Area
be? It will look, feel and function differently
than a typical commercial area or residential
subdivision. Many residential uses will occupy
the second and third levels of buildings
above retail, office and light industrial uses on
the ground floor. In some commercial areas,
residential uses may occupy the lowest levels
of buildings.
Unlike many commercial and employment
districts, the Ten Mile Area will not empty out at
5 pm when employees leave work. For many
employees, home will be upstairs, around the
corner, or down the street. This unique area
allows a range of land uses—from industrial to
residential to commercial—in close proximity
to one another. This mix will create an exciting
atmosphere for residents and a unique new
area of Meridian.
The Ten Mile Specific Area Plan provides
for diversity of housing sizes and costs—
including both for-sale and rental products.
Less expensive housing will be interspersed
with more expensive housing options. This
new district is envisioned as a vibrant, mixed-
income, mixed-age community where choices
abound—choices about where to work, live,
and how to move between the two.
The plan reflects the establishment of fully-
integrated uses that create the “place”
desired by all. A “place” that is “ready for
business…and built for living.’
The plan includes:
Mixed and high density employment areas that
will accommodate a wide variety of employers
and serve as a primary gateway to Meridian
and Meridian’s prosperity.
A lifestyle center that is host to the widest variety
of retail, commercial, entertainment, office,
public and civic, live/work and residential uses
with a walkable “main street” that defines the
character of the area.
A mixture of detached single family, duplex,
townhomes, flourplexes, high density apartments
or condominium products to accommodate a
wide range of lifestyles, ages, and incomes.
A well-distributed residential pattern and
mix, placing the higher densities along parks
and open spaces and near employment,
commercial and transit activity centers.
Reservations for future transit connections and
transit-oriented development.
Nearly 1,000 acres of land committed to meet
the needs of business and job creation including
jobs in research and technology, finance,
manufacturing, and distribution.
A minimum commercial program of 350,000 SF
of retail and commercial uses and a residential
count between 6,500 and 10,000 units.
Opportunities for retail, office or light industrial
buildings with leasable ground floor space and
apartments or condominiums above.
Ability to walk from commercial services to
homes and businesses.
Connecting parkways and a variety of parks
and open spaces, distributed among all
neighborhoods with interesting shapes and
functions.
A well defined arterial and collector street
network that emphasized internal and external
connectivity and limits congestion.
Street oriented design of commercial areas
with active sidewalks and pathways.
Live/work units, where residents live upstairs
from their street level office, workshop or store.
Design element guiding new construction
toward providing a sense of place.
3 The Plan
3-3
Land Use
iNtRODUCtiON tO the PlAN
The Ten Mile Interchange Specific Area Plan
represents a new direction for land use and
development planning for the City of Meridian.
The Plan promotes more compact development
and emphasizes mixed-land uses, higher densities,
employment opportunities, pedestrian scale,
choice of transportation modes, neighborhood
cohesiveness and convenience, and livability as a
means of establishing Meridian as the next major
employment and commercial center in the Treasure
Valley.
The Plan delineates the evolution of design that
took place during the four day Charrette process
and follow-up meetings. The plan is described in
its component parts. The supporting information
includes market and transportation analyses.
the lAND USe elemeNt: SUStAiNABility
AND OPPORtUNity
Basis of Land Use Element
In the Ten Mile Interchange Area, the mission is
to create a place that will add to the long-term
economic stability of the City of Meridian, not just
respond to immediate market forces and trends.
To achieve the economic development vision for
Meridian as a place that is “Built for Business and
Designed for Living,” the Ten Mile Interchange
Specific Area Plan promotes a complete and
integrated mix of uses that will create a place
where people can live, work and raise a family.
The land use element is designed to:
provide opportunities to achieve higher densities
than in other areas of Meridian;
increase pedestrian oriented populations for an
active and engaging community life during the
day and evening hours;
balance demand on the street and transit
networks by maximizing multi-modal
transportation opportunities;
provide for a range of housing unit sizes, types,
and pricing levels;
provide for an array of open spaces and
amenities for the enjoyment and recreation of
the community;
increase the diversity of building forms and
types;
support the presence of small, independent,
and locally owned businesses;
attract upscale and unique retail, restaurant, and
entertainment offerings as well as key national
retailers;
provide for industrial opportunities in consideration
of future improvements to Highway 16; and
capture full economic advantage of the Ten
Mile interchange to enhance the long-term fiscal
health of the City of Meridian and the Treasure
Valley.
Why Mixed Use?
Mixed land use improves the ratio of housing to
jobs, offers opportunities for live-work building types,
provides housing options for people of any age
or status, stretches activity over more hours each
day, and creates shared-parking opportunities. All
contribute to improved environmental outcomes
through reduction in vehicle miles traveled,
improved air quality, and opportunities to expand
and enhance open space and improve water
quality.
The Ten Mile Interchange Area, which has been
planned to optimize walkability, has a proposed
transit center as a core component. Adjacent to
the center are commercial, employment, and
higher density residential land use types connected
by a grid street network.
Why Promote Density?
Density yields many benefits, including increased
transportation options. Basic bus service can
be provided with a minimum density of seven
dwellings per net residential acre. If densities reach
15 dwellings per acre, frequent local service is
viable. For light rail, a minimum of 9 dwellings per
net residential acre is needed and rapid transit
requires 12 dwellings per net residential acre. Levels
of transit service are also influenced by regional
geographies, such as distribution of employment
clusters, location relative to the regional core, and
demographic patterns. Most importantly, density
can be achieved without losing the suburban
appeal of trees and human-scale buildings.
Employment densities, which have a greater
influence on trip-making than residential densities,
begin at 20 employees per acre for intermediate
bus service. For frequent bus service, the
employment density threshold is 50 employees per
net employment acre, although 75 employees per
acre is preferred. Light rail transit requires a minimum
of 125 employees per net employment acre around
transit stations.
One way to measure the intensity of use is through
floor area ratios (FAR). Floor area ratios are a
comparison between the land the building occupies
and the floor area in square foot of the space,
with a higher FAR indicating a more compact and
intensive development.
Typical mixed use floor area ratios range from
0.50 in the suburbs to 3.00 or more in central cities.
Transit-supportive development typically achieves
the necessary density levels by using higher floor to
area ratios. If the development has surface parking,
the FAR range is 0.5 to 1.0. The preferred FAR range
for structured parking, however, is 1.0 to 2.0.
3 The Plan
3-4
Land Use
Land Use Framework
The planning process resulted in the definition of
several focus areas, including transit routes, major
local transportation routes, gateways, open space
and trail corridors, activity centers, employment
centers, and urban, suburban, and rural residential
areas. The results for each focus area, when viewed
together, form a framework for planning decisions
affecting the entire Ten Mile Interchange Area and
the City of Meridian.
The Land Use Framework, indicating conceptual
locations of these focus areas shows a potential
future for the Ten Mile Interchange Area that furthers
the mission, objectives and measures that served as
a cornerstone of this planning effort and is the basis
of the Land Use Map.
The Land Use Framework promotes more intense
land use around major corridors and transit, and
lower density development closer to existing
neighborhoods. This direction is consistent with City-
wide objectives to concentrate commercial and
higher-density residential development in areas
with the highest transit capacity and conserve
the scale and character of existing single-family
neighborhoods.
Achieving mixed use and higher densities are the
community’s greatest challenge to the private sector.
This will require property owners and developers to
work with each other, form partnerships, and think
non-traditionally. The Ten Mile Interchange Area
is one of the greatest land assets Meridian has for
securing its economic future. The people in the
State of Idaho are making a substantial investment
in Meridian and the Treasure Valley’s future with the
construction of the interchange at Ten Mile Road
and I-84. As a result, the City is ready to find ways to
partner with the private sector to build an integrated
and sustainable Ten Mile Interchange Area that
achieves the vision. The City’s goal is to find ways to
enhance margins and reduce risks associated with
complex integrated projects—projects that bring
employers to Meridian, provide a mix in housing
stock and prices, establish opportunities for people
to be innovators and establish their own businesses,
and offer upscale regional and other unique
shopping venues.
3 The Plan
3-5
Land Use
Land Use Types
The Land Use Map uses 13 land use designations
to make relatively broad recommendations for
the future distribution of land uses throughout the
Ten Mile Interchange Area. The land use districts
designated on the Land Use Map are:
Residential Areas
Low Density Residential
Medium Density Residential
Medium High Density Residential
High Density Residential
Mixed Use Areas
Mixed use Residential
Mixed use Commercial
Lifestyle Center
Employment Areas
High Density Employment
Low Density Employment
Mixed Employment
Industrial
Special Areas
Green space: Parks, Pathways, and Open
Space
Civic Low DensityResidential Areas
All four residential areas are relatively large,
and housing is their primary recommended use.
Residential areas are located in reasonable proximity
to mixed use, commercial or employment locations
that provide shopping and service, employment,
and recreational opportunities to residents.
Residential areas support the integration of various
housing types. For example, while the focus in
High Density Residential areas is on apartments or
condominiums, the integration of townhouses and
other moderate density is encouraged. In addition
to housing, a wide range of supporting and civic
uses are allowed or encouraged.
Low Density Residential
Description
Low Density Residential areas are characterized
by a mix of lot sizes and a predominance of single-
family housing types. This is the only residential
land use type that does not provide for a variety
in housing types or the integration of other uses,
although some mix of densities is encouraged.
Low Density Residential areas should include a
mix of lot sizes. Lot sizes down to ¼ acre may be
appropriate when lots are clustered to preserve
open space.
Low Density Residential areas should be designed
to be conducive to walking and all of the housing
should have access to an interconnected system
of pathways.
Housing Types in Low Density Residential Areas
Single-family detached houses on individual lots
Accessory dwelling units
Secondary Uses within Low Density Residential
Areas
Although primarily a residential designation, a
limited number of other land uses are also located
within Low Density Residential areas. At the scale of
the Future Land Use Map, these small areas of non-
residential use are not shown. Non-residential uses
within a Low Density Residential area may include:
Parks and recreational facilities
Community gardens
Elementary schools
Daycare centers
Within designated Low Density Residential areas,
commercial uses are limited to home-based
business.
Medium Density Residential
Description
Medium Density Residential areas are characterized
by relatively low densities and a predominance of
single-family and two-unit housing types emphasizing
ownership opportunities. Smaller two, three and
four unit apartment buildings may be compatible
in a Medium Density Residential area, but large
apartment buildings or apartment complexes are
not. In general, Medium Density Residential areas
should be protected from encroachments of higher
density or higher intensity uses.
Medium Density Residential areas should include
a mix of housing types that achieve an overall
average target density of 6 dwelling units per gross
acre. Generally, densities should range from 4-8
units per acre. Most developments within the area
should fall within this range, although small areas Medium Density
3 The Plan
3-6
Land Use
Medium High Density Residential
Description
Medium High Density Residential areas are
locations recommended primarily for relatively
dense multi-family housing types, such as row
houses, townhouses, condominiums and apartment
buildings and complexes.
Medium High Density Residential areas should
include a mix of housing types that achieve an
overall average density target of 12 dwelling units
per gross acre. Generally, densities should range
from 8-15 units per acre. Most developments
within these areas should fall within or below this
range, although small areas of higher or lower
density residential development may be included.
Apartment buildings and complexes will also
generally be located in Medium High Density
Residential areas, even if the actual parcel density
falls within the Medium Density Residential range, to
reflect the predominant building type.
Medium High Density Residential areas typically
are relatively compact areas within a larger
neighborhood and generally should be located
around and near more intensively developed areas,
such as Mixed Use Commercial or Employment
areas, in order to provide convenient access to
these commercial activity and employment centers
for the greatest number of residents.
Within relatively large Medium High Density
areas, larger-scale, higher-density housing should
be located closest to higher intensity uses, or
commercial or activity center, with a transition to
smaller-scale and lower density buildings as the
distance from the higher intensity use or center
increases.
households of different sizes, ages, incomes and
lifestyles, Medium Density Residential areas should
include at least two different housing types and
include both owner-occupied and rental housing.
Single-family housing should include a variety of
lot sizes to achieve innovative site designs that
de-emphasize garages and avoid architectural
monotony.
Other Uses within Medium Density Residential
Areas
Although primarily a residential designation, a
limited number of other land use types may be
located within Medium Density Residential areas.
These often serve as focal points for neighborhood
activity. At the scale of the Future Land Use Map,
these small areas of non-residential use are not
shown. Non-residential uses within a Medium Density
Residential area may include:
Parks and recreational facilities
Community gardens
Schools
Daycare centers
Small civic facilities, such as libraries or community
centers
Places of assembly and worship, if at a scale
compatible with other existing or planned
development in the area
Neighborhood-serving retail and service uses,
especially in mixed use buildings
Small offices, especially in mixed use buildings
Within designated Medium Density Residential
areas, commercial uses are scarce and limited to
small-scale establishments providing convenience
goods or services to neighborhood residents.
of slightly higher density may exist. Small-scale
apartment complexes comprised of relatively small,
low-rise buildings (such as garden apartments) may
be included in a Medium Density Residential area,
but large-scale apartment buildings and large
apartment complexes should generally be included
only in Medium High or High Density Residential or
Mixed Use Residential areas.
Medium Density Residential areas should be designed
to be conducive to walking and all of the housing
and other uses should share an interconnected
sidewalk and street system. Higher density housing
types within Medium-Density Residential areas
generally should be located nearer mixed use or
other more intensively developed areas, with a
transition to smaller buildings such as duplexes and
single-family detached houses as the distance from
the more intensively developed area increases.
Housing Types in Medium Density Residential
Areas
Single-family detached houses on individual
lots
Townhouses or row houses
Duplexes and two-flat buildings
Three-flat buildings (stacked units in a three-story
buildings similar in character to the single-family
buildings in the area)
Apartment buildings (multi-unit dwellings with
units accessed via shared entrances and
hallways) compatible with neighborhood
character (Generally limited to no more than
four-unit buildings if interlaced with other housing
type)
Secondary dwelling units
In order to provide a range of housing choices for Medium High DensityHousing Types in Medium High Density
Residential Districts
Single-family detached houses on individual lots
Townhouses or row houses
Duplexes and two-flat buildings
Three-flat buildings (stacked units in a three-story
building similar in character to the single-family
buildings in the area)
Apartment buildings (multi-unit dwellings with units
accessed via shared entrances and hallways)
with no specific size limitation if compatible in
scale and character with other neighborhood
buildings
Secondary dwelling units
Live-work units
Other Uses within the District
Although primarily a residential designation, a limited
amount of other land use types are also located
within Medium High Density Residential areas, and
these often serve as focal points for neighborhood
activity. At the scale of the Future Land Use Map,
these small areas of non-residential use are not
shown. Non-residential uses within a Medium High
Density Residential area may include:
Parks and recreational facilities
Community gardens
Schools
Daycare centers
Small civic facilities, such as libraries or community
centers
Places of assembly and worship, if at a scale
compatible with other existing or planned
development in the area
3 The Plan
3-7
Land Use
Neighborhood-serving retail and service uses,
especially in mixed use buildings
Offices, especially in mixed use buildings
Nursing of residential care
Within designated Medium High Density Residential
areas the commercial uses may be larger and the
scale of the buildings may be greater, but are still
relatively small establishments primarily providing
convenience goods or services to neighborhood
residents. To promote walkable neighborhoods,
parking lots should be located away from public
streets. Isolated commercial uses within Medium
Density Residential areas are not shown on the
Future Land Use Map.
High Density Residential
Description
High Density Residential areas are multiple-family
housing areas where relatively larger and taller
apartment buildings are the recommended building
type.
High Density Residential areas should include a mix
of housing types that achieve an overall average
density target of at least 16-25 dwelling units per
gross acre. Most developments within the High
Density Residential areas should fall within or below
this range, although smaller areas of higher or lower
density may be included. Residential densities can
be concentrated in multistory projects with up to 50
dwelling units per acre allowed.
Location and Design Characteristics
High Density Residential districts typically are
relatively compact areas located adjacent to or
very close to larger Mixed use Commercial and
Employment areas, and other intensively developed
lands. The design and orientation of new high density
residential buildings should be pedestrian-oriented,
and special streetscape improvements should be
considered to create rich and enjoyable public
spaces. A strong physical relationship between
the commercial and residential components to
adjacent employment or transit centers is critical.
Location Near Transit Center
High Density Residential areas located in close
proximity to the proposed transit center should
incorporate a mix of uses that cater to the needs
of residents, commuters, or workers, including
the integration of convenience and specialty
commercial and live-work units.
Housing Types in High Density Residential
Areas
Apartment buildings, with no specific size
limitation if compatible in scale and character
with other neighborhood buildings
Townhouses or row houses
Live-work units
Smaller scale and lower density housing types may
also be present in High Density Residential areas.
In general, however, the expectation is that most
buildings will be relatively dense multi-family types.
Other Uses within the District
Generally, the same types of supporting uses as in
Medium High Density Residential areas are allowed,
except that retail or service nodes could include
larger establishments and are likely to be within a
mixed use building.High DensityMixed Use Areas
Basis for Promoting Mixed Use
Land use influences livability and economic vitality in
important ways. The mix of residential, employment
and commercial uses can affect the amount and
timing of pedestrian activity and traffic flow; the
level, direction, and time of demand on transit and
parking resources; the type of shops, restaurants, and
neighborhood services required to serve the needs
of resident and worker populations, and the ability
of residents to walk to work. Prior plans in Meridian
have thus far resulted in very few vertical mixed use
projects with ground floor retail and either office or
residential on upper floors, or in horizontally-mixed
use developments that provide an integration of
uses that relate to and support one another as a
unified whole.
Mixed Use Defined
For the purposes of the Ten Mile Interchange Specific
Area Plan, mixed use is defined as development
that fits the following three criteria that distinguish it
from a multi-use development:
A development with three or more significant
income producing uses
A development with significant functional and
physical integration
A development in conformance with a coherent
plan
Mixed use areas represent the essential commercial
components of the Ten Mile Interchange Area.
While most areas promote or allow for some mix
of uses and densities, the mixed use areas are the
foundation on which the Ten Mile Interchange Area
will be built and represent a fully integrated land
use type.
The mixed use areas identified on the Future Land
Use Map are intended to:
Help create major new residential and mixed
use areas at appropriate densities, heights, and
mixtures of uses
Encourage areas responsive to pedestrians by
separating pedestrian and vehicular circulation
patterns
Encourage flexibility in architectural design and
building bulk, provided that the designs and
building bulk are compatible and harmonious
with adjoining development over the area as a
whole
In a variety of ways, create environments
conducive to a higher quality of life and
environment for residents, businesses, employees,
and institutions
Three or More Income Producing Uses
Typically, a mixed use development project needs
at least three significant uses to produce enough
income to cover heavy front-end investments,
amortize costs over time, and provide a reasonable
return. These uses usually include retail, office,
residential, and lodging facilities. Three or more
significant uses within a development also tend
to constitute a large scale project. Mixed use
developments need to be large in order to have
sufficient building space to permit the integration
(vertical or horizontal) of different uses. The size of
these projects also provides a minimum critical mass
that creates the required public image and market
attraction necessary for a successful project. The
land ownership pattern in the Ten Mile Interchange
Area will require property owners and developers
to collaborate in developing successful mixed use
projects.
3 The Plan
3-8
Land Use
Mixed Use Land Use Types
Mixed use areas are recommended locations for
development of activity centers that are specifically
planned to include both residential and non-
residential uses. The range of non-residential uses
and the development density of both residential
and non-residential uses in mixed use areas will vary
depending on the size of the area and the type and
intensity of the surrounding development. Not every
building in a mixed use area needs to include both
residential and non-residential uses, but the fact
that both types of land uses will be accommodated
within the area as a whole is inherent in the
designation. A mixed use area must be planned to
provide a suitable residential environment.
The following types of mixed use are contemplated
and encouraged in the Ten Mile Interchange
Area.
Mixed Use Residential
The purpose of the Mixed Use Residential designation
is to encourage a diversity of compatible land
uses that may include a mixture of residential,
office, retail, recreational, employment, and other
miscellaneous uses. While the focus of these areas
is on residential uses, the horizontal and vertical
integration of retail, office and employment uses is
essential to securing entitlements. This designation
requires developments to integrate the three
major use categories—residential, commercial,
and employment. Live-work units are strongly
encouraged in the Mixed Use Residential areas,
as are a variety of other housing types. Office,
employment and commercial uses are generally
small in scale and focused on neighborhood
services within the Mixed Use Residential areas.
This designation is intended to provide flexibility and
encourage developers to build innovative projects.
Traditional neighborhood design concepts—higher
density buildings close to the street, easy pedestrian
access, narrower streets to slow traffic, parking lots
behind or under buildings, and residences with
porches or balconies facing the street—are essential.
The mix of uses should allow for a diversity of housing
with for-sale and rental properties. The mix of uses
may be achieved horizontally throughout the site;
however, vertical mixes within buildings are highly
encouraged. The goal in these areas is to achieve
a FAR of .75 or more. Where existing parcel sizes are Mixed Use CommercialMixed Use ResidentialFunctional and Physical Integration
Currently, the City of Meridian has areas which may
feature many uses; however, by not connecting
those uses for the pedestrian, they fall short of the
synergy afforded by the mixed use format.
While there are development projects that include
three or more significant income-producing uses,
they do not always integrate those uses. It is the
significant functional and physical integration that
distinguishes mixed use developments, like those
planned for the Ten Mile Interchange Area, from
these other projects. Integration of uses is a key to
leveraging the advantages of a shared location
and customer base, and this integration can be
achieved by connecting all the project components
by pedestrian paths. These can be:
A vertical mixing of project components into a
single mega-structure (often occupying only
one city block);
Careful positioning of key components around
centrally located focal points, such as a key
amenity or service; and
Interconnection of project components through
an elaborate pedestrian circulation network
(e.g., subterranean concourses, walkways and
plazas at grade, or aerial bridges between
buildings).
Significant functional and physical integration also
requires an intensive use of land. Usually, densities
of 0.5 to 3.0 FAR are necessary to support initial
investments for land, amenities, and infrastructure.
Generally, higher FARs allow more density, which
in turn helps developers to offset the costs of
amenities.
Conformance with a Coherent Plan
Mixed use developments are usually developed
from the outset in conformance with a coherent
development strategy and plan. The strategies and
plans typically set forth, at a minimum, the types
and scale of land uses, permitted densities, and
general areas where different kinds of development
are to occur. They also can guide a development
with respect to timing, relationships among project
components, open space, and infrastructure at the
project site.
3 The Plan
3-9
Land Use
Lifestyle Centersmall, development plans should be prepared in
collaboration with the adjacent property owners in
order to establish an integrated mixed use project
across several parcels. No more than 40 percent of
the land area within the Mixed Use Residential area
should be utilized for non-residential uses. This land
use designation calls for an overall target density
of 8-12 dwelling units per acre, with higher densities
allowed on individual projects.
Mixed Use Commercial
The purpose of the Mixed Use Commercial
designation is to encourage the development of a
mixture of office, retail, recreational, employment,
and other miscellaneous uses, with supporting multi-
family or single family attached residential uses.
While the focus of these areas is on commercial
and employment uses, the horizontal and vertical
integration of residential uses is essential to securing
entitlements. As with all mixed use areas, this
designation requires developments to integrate the
three major use categories—residential, commercial,
and employment. In Mixed Use Commercial areas
three or more significant uses also tend to be
larger scale projects. This designation is intended
to provide flexibility and encourage developers to
build innovative projects.
Traditional neighborhood design concepts with
a strong pedestrian-oriented focus are essential.
The goal in these areas is to achieve a FAR of 1.00-
1.25 or more. Development within these areas
exhibit quality building and site design and an
attractive pedestrian environment with a strong
street character. The mix of residential uses may be
achieved vertically within buildings; however, some
horizontal mixes may be allowed. Where existing
parcel sizes are small, development plans should
be prepared in collaboration with the adjacent
property owners in order to establish an integrated
mixed use project across several parcels. This land
use designation calls for an overall target density
of 8-12 dwelling units per acre, with higher densities
allowed on individual projects. No more than 30
percent of the ground level development within
the Mixed Use Commercial designation should be
used for residences.
Lifestyle Center
The Lifestyle Center designation is a specific form
of Mixed Use Commercial. The purpose of the
Lifestyle Center is to encourage a diversity of
compatible land uses in a unified development
that includes a mix of retail, professional services,
offices, entertainment uses, civic services, housing
and public outdoor spaces.
The design and arrangement of buildings should be
oriented to pedestrians. Development plans should
provide streetscape improvements that create rich
and enjoyable public spaces. The target overall
average density for residential uses is 16 dwelling units
per acre, with higher densities of up to 40 dwelling
units per acre allowed. All residential uses should
be above the first floor. Structured parking may be
included to accommodate greater densities.
This designation is intended to provide flexibility and
encourage developers to build innovative projects.
The goal in these areas is to achieve a FAR of 1.25 or
more. Yet lifestyle centers can take many forms. The
International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSCS)
defines a lifestyle center as having the following
characteristics:
a location near medium to upper income
residential development
150,000 to 500,000 square feet of gross leasable
area
an open air format
at least 50,000 square feet of national specialty
chain stores
The lifestyle center captures the vitality of the
traditional main street through some replication of
organic growth, urban density, and a mix of uses.
Most recent projects integrate office uses and
cater to strong local workforces. The integration of
residential space appears to be a component likely
to make or break a project.
What is most important—and what can also
generate a 24/7 environment—is a design that
maximizes accessibility. Accessibility focuses on
creating connections, and in a lifestyle center these
connections give residents and employees seamless
access to businesses and help ensure economic
and social viability. Access point and circulation
paths need to be designed to ensure that one use
does not detract from another, and that different
uses work together to form a cohesive, synergistic
environment.
The unsightly seas of parking that characterize
the enclosed malls of years past are no longer an
option. Structured parking or heavily landscaped
and screened surface parking is a necessity.
Options also include on-street parallel, angled
head-in parking and of course, the integration of
public transit into the lifestyle center.
Ultimately, the success of a lifestyle center is
contingent on the creation of a logical and
thoughtful public realm. Landscaping becomes
a unifying element. Reinforcement of the site’s
and/or area’s history and community gathering
places such as plazas and fountains help achieve
the desired sense of place. The table on the next
page shows examples of other lifestyle centers built
around the country.
Employment Areas
Employment is a key component of the Ten Mile
Interchange Specific Area Plan. At buildout, this
area will support more than 30,000 employees.
Much of the area designated for employment not
only helps buffer the community from I-84 and the
future extension of Highway 16, but also serves the
employment areas with easy access to markets,
high-speed transportation facilities, and employees
across the Treasure Valley.
Low Density Employment
Description
The purpose of the Low Density Employment
areas is to provide low-rise office and specialized
employment areas. These areas generally do not
include retail and consumer service uses.
Low Density Employment areas should provide
a variety of flexible sites for professional offices
and similar businesses. Low Density Employment
areas should be designed to provide convenient
circulation.
Low Density Employment areas should be designed
with elements of Traditional Neighborhood
Design. Design and development standards,
such as landscaping, pedestrian circulation and
connection to open spaces, are recommended
to help make developments more attractive,
engaging and accessible places.
Buildings in Low Density Employment areas will
range in height from 1-3 stories; have total floor
areas of 5,000-150,000 square feet; and an FAR of
less than .75.
Land Use Types in Low Density Employment
Areas
Corporate and business offices
Research facilities and laboratories
3 The Plan
3-10
Land Use
KIERLAND COMMONS, SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONAKIERLAND COMMONS, SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA
Retail: 273,000 sf
Office: 115,000 sf
Residential: 85 units
Site: 38 acres
A 38 acre mixed-use development incorporating retail, entertainment, office,
and restaurant uses.
Project includes a mix of one, two, and three story buildings surrounding a
central plaza and lining a grid of traditional street.
The project’s heavily landscaped and shaded central plaza serves as the
project’s primary gathering place.
Guidelines promote architectural designs that respond to the region’s climate
and building traditions.
Mid-block pedestrian connections and provide access to surface parking
lots—a parking structure is planned to serve future phases of the project.
Within walking distance are the 735-room Westin Kierland Resort and meeting
complex, a 27-hole golf course, and planned sites for mid-rise offices.
MARKET COMMON, CLARENDON, ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA
Retail: 240,000 sf
Apartments: 300 units
Townhouses: 87 units
Parking: 1200 spaces
Site: 10 acres
A multi-block mixed use development located in the heart of Arlington’s
redeveloping Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.
The project’s restaurants and shops are popular destinations for office workers
in the area—800,000 sf of office space is located within walking distance.
Shops and restaurants open onto existing public sidewalks and surround a new
central plaza with fountains, public art, shade trees, and a small pavilion and
tot lot.
A passive park with lawn, shade trees, and informal paths serves as a buffer
between the project and the surrounding neighborhood.
Parking includes high turnover street parking around the central plaza and
longer term parking in mid-block parking structures. Parking structures are
wrapped with 2-3 story “liner” buildings containing residential and office uses.
CITY PLACE, WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA
Retail: 600,000 sf
Residential: 586 units
Site: 55 acres
A new retail and entertainment destination featuring a mix of national and regional
specialty retailers, a full service grocery store, residential units, a theater, and a 20-
screen cinema.
Office tenants, hotel (planned) guests, convention goers, and residents support
18-hour activity—shops are within walking distance of 750,000 sf of office space,
a 375 room hotel, and the city’s conference center.
The Central plaza includes generous landscaping, vendor carts, and state-of-
the-art “show fountain.”
Arcades, awnings and trellis shelter sidewalks and storefronts from the summer
sun and rains.
Mid- and rear-block structured parking reduces the project’s total “footprint”
and supports the creation of a “park once” experience.
Mediterranean Revival style building designs respect South Florida’s architectural
traditions.
SOUTHLAKE TOWN CENTER, DALLAS, TEXAS
Retail: 400,000 sf
Office: 200,000 sf
Residential: (under construction) Site: 42 acres
A town center development with civic, commercial, and residential uses
organized around a traditional city grid with focused around a courthouse
square, the site of the City of Southlake’s new Town Hall.
The project first phases include a range of retail offerings (but no large footprint anchors),
restaurants and cafes, offices above retail space, and an unique assortment
of civic uses, including the town hall, a new library, and post office. Future
phases call for additional retail space, townhouses, a cinema, and a hotel.
Buildings around the town square and main streets have relatively small
footprints—floor plates range from 15,000 to 35,000 square feet—and are
designed individually with different but complementary architectural styles.
The town square, with it’s fountain, pavilion, shade trees, and lawn has
become a popular site for public events and activities.
Parking is provided in diagonal spaces along the main streets in mid-block
surface lots.
Lifestyle Centers
3 The Plan
3-11
Land Use
High Density Employment
Description
High Density Employment areas (as distinct from
the Mixed Employment areas) are recommended
as predominantly office, research and specialized
employment areas; and generally do not include
retail and consumer service uses serving the
wider community. Limited retail and service
establishments primarily serving employees and
users of the High Density Employment areas are
encouraged. Although primarily used to identify
relatively large multi-establishment employment
areas, the designation also supports the use of
individual properties as a corporate campus.
High Density Employment areas should provide
a variety of flexible sites for small, local or start-
up businesses, as well as sites for large national
or regional enterprises. High Density Employment
areas should be designed to encourage multimodal
travel and convenient circulation to supporting
services located within the area. This would include
multiple access points to help disperse traffic,
and a complete system of streets, sidewalks and
pedestrian and bicycle paths to provide circulation
within the area and connections to the surrounding
roadway, pedestrian and trail systems. Whenever
possible, High Density Employment areas should
provide restaurants, lodging and other services in
support of the employment uses.
High Density Employment areas should be designed
as compact urban centers rather than lower
density suburban-style development. Design and
development standards are recommended that
would help to make developments more attractive,
engaging and accessible places.
While there are no fixed limits on size of establishment
or development intensity in High Density Employment
Areas, it is anticipated that buildings will range in
height from 1-6 stories, have total floor areas of
10,000-1,000,000 square feet, and that the FAR will
exceed 1.0. Designs that promote open space and
parks are strongly encouraged. Structured parking
is also allowed.
Land Use Types in High Density Employment
Areas
Corporate, business and professional offices
Research facilities and laboratories High DensityLow Density Complementary uses primarily serving district
employees and users, such as business services,
conference centers, child care, restaurants,
convenience retail, and hotels and motels
Mixed Employment
Description
The purpose of the Mixed Employment areas is to
encourage a diversity of compatible land uses
that may include a mixture of office, research
and specialized employment areas, light industrial
including manufacturing and assembly, and other
miscellaneous uses. These areas generally do not
include retail and consumer service uses serving
the wider community. However, a small amount of
retail and service establishments, primarily serving
employees and users of the Mixed Employment
areas or nearby industrial areas, are allowed. Such
retail would be the exception and not the rule.
Mixed Employment areas should provide a variety
of flexible sites for small, local or start-up businesses,
as well as sites for large national or regional
enterprises. Mixed Employment areas should be
designed to encourage multimodal travel and
convenient circulation to supporting uses located
within the area. This would include multiple access
points to help disperse traffic, and a complete
system of streets, sidewalks and pedestrian and
bicycle paths to provide circulation within the area
and connections to the surrounding roadway,
pedestrian and trail systems.
Mixed Employment areas should be designed as
lower density suburban-style developments. Design
and development standards are recommended
that would help to make developments more
attractive, engaging and accessible places.
While there are no fixed limits on size of establishment
or development intensity in Mixed Employment
areas, it is anticipated that buildings will range in
height from 1-4 stories, have total floor areas of
10,000-1,000,000 square feet, and that FAR will
exceed .75.
Land Use Types in Mixed Employment Areas
Corporate and business offices
Research facilities and laboratories
Light Industrial uses including manufacturing and
assembly
Occasional, complementary uses which focus
on serving area employees and users, such as
business services, child care, and convenience
retail
Industrial
Description
Industrial areas accommodate typical industrial
and manufacturing uses, including some “nuisance”
uses not appropriately located in proximity to
residential or many types of non-residential activities
due to noise, odor, appearance, traffic impacts,
or some other reason. The areas are not intended
for retail or office uses not related to an industrial
use, except for limited retail goods and services
provided primarily to employees and users of the
industrial area. Compared to the Mixed Employment
and High Density Employment areas, factors that
distinguish an Industrial area include a relatively
smaller workforce (for a given area), an emphasis
on truck or rail traffic, and characteristics such as
outdoor work areas and outdoor equipment and
materials storage.
3 The Plan
3-12
Land Use
Special Areas
Special area designations are meant to recognize
specific and unique opportunity areas for recreation
and public or quasi-public facilities within the Ten Mile
Interchange Area that help to support the overall
goals and meet public needs and expectations.
Park, Pathways and Open Space
Description
Park, Pathways and Open Space areas identify the
recommended locations for public parks, some
types of public and private outdoor recreational
facilities, conservation areas, some stormwater
management drainageways and detention areas,
cemeteries, and similar uses that have an open
space character and are not recommended for
development. Smaller park features, including
urban squares, greens and plazas are not shown
at the scale of the Future Land Use Map although
they are integral to neighborhoods, mixed use
and high density employment areas. Similarly,
smaller stormwater management greenways
are not shown, although relatively narrow open
space corridors may be shown if they are also
recommended locations for pedestrian or bicycle
pathway connections.
Parks and public recreational facilities are located
convenient to the neighborhood, community or
regional populations that they are intended to
serve, where the land is suitable for the planned
activities. Convenient access to neighborhood
parks should be provided by local streets, sidewalks,
and bicycle and pedestrian pathways and trails,
with a reasonably direct route available from most
neighborhood locations. Adequate vehicle parking
and pedestrian and bicycle support facilities, such
as benches, lockers and bike racks, should be
provided. Larger park and open space facilities
serving the wider community should have excellent
access to the regional road system and be located
within ¼ to ½ mile of existing or future transit routes
when possible.
Within neighborhoods, parks also often serve as
important community gathering places. Park
location and design should seek to reinforce
this attribute. Parks and open spaces contribute
significantly to the aesthetic qualities of the
neighborhood. Urban squares and greens can MixedIndustrialIndustrial areas typically require relatively direct
access to the regional highway system for truck
delivery and shipping of products to and from the
site. Some industrial uses also require rail service.
Industrial areas should be served by public transit
whenever possible, particularly areas with large
numbers of employees. These areas should provide
a variety of flexible sites for small, local or start-
up businesses, as well as sites for large national or
regional enterprises.
Due to the types of uses typically found in Industrial
areas, requirements regarding design features
and landscaping are not as extensive as in the
other employment or commercial areas. Buildings
and site improvements may be simple, practical,
and more vehicle-oriented than in other land use
categories, and may lack a unified design theme
or character. Development standards should allow
metal buildings, tilt-up buildings and similar large-
span construction, as well as aprons and paved
areas for work and storage. Parking lots and outside
storage areas should be screened from public streets
and adjacent land uses. Industrial districts generally
should be located away from, or adequately
buffered from, residential neighborhoods.
While there are no fixed limits on size of establishment
or development intensity in Industrial areas, it is
anticipated that buildings will range in height from
1-2 stories, have total floor areas of 10,000-2,000,000
square feet, and that the FAR will exceed .5.
Land Use Types in Industrial Areas
Light manufacturing (limited off-site impacts)
Heavy manufacturing (may have negative
visual, noise, odor or other impacts)
Wholesale, storage, and distribution
Transportation hubs and truck terminals, railroad
yards and facilities
Repair and maintenance facilities
Large-scale electrical, gas, sewer, water and
other utility facilities
provide an attractive setting for surrounding higher-
density residential, mixed use, or non-residential
development.
Land Use Types in Park, Pathways and Open
Space Areas
Public parks, recreation areas and facilities
Private recreational uses characterized by
open space, such as golf courses. Urban plazas,
squares and greens (small features that are not
shown on Future Land Use Map)
Other uses with a park-like character
Stormwater management facilities and
greenways, including those with paths or trails
Nature preserves and conservation areas
Other natural features and areas recommended
for preservation
3 The Plan
3-13
Land Use
ParksPathwaysCivic
Description
The civic category covers a variety of public and
other land uses, including land owned by the City
and other public agencies. Possible uses include
civic buildings; schools, colleges, and universities;
religious institutions; hospitals; museums; cemeteries;
park-and-ride lots, transit facilities, and others.
Most buildings in this category are high profile
and prominent within the community. In order to
meet future community needs, new development
projects should include public/quasi-public sites for
future uses.
Transit Oriented Development
Transit-oriented development (TOD) implies
a particular set of urban design and land use
characteristics conducive to generating non-
automotive tripmaking. Peter Calthorpe is largely
credited with refining the concept into an urban
design strategy that has been adapted to promote
use of all forms of mass transit—fixed rail as well as
buses. According to Calthrope, TOD areas can be
supported by:
Organizing growth on a regional level to be
compact and transit-supportive
Placing commercial, housing, jobs, parks, and
civic uses within walking distance of transit stops
Creating pedestrian-friendly street networks that
directly connect local destinations
Providing a mix of housing types, densities, and
costs
Preserving sensitive habitat, riparian zones, and
high quality open space
Making public spaces the focus of building
orientation and neighborhood activity
Encouraging infill and redevelopment along
transit corridors within existing neighborhoods CivicTOD
3 The Plan
3-14
Land Use
Mixed Use Continuum
The following mixed use continuum graphically
depicts allowed or intended uses within the Mixed
Use Residential, Mixed Use Commercial and Lifestyle
Center designations. The continuum illustrates
how various mixed use areas and other land use
designations blend together and cross boundary
lines to result in a more integrated district. Rather
than the traditional segregation of uses via zoning,
mixed use planning asks each form to complement
those around it. In attempting to find the best blends
of uses and forms, the land use continuum should
be consulted.
3 The Plan
3-15
Land Use
Land Use AllocationLand Use Map
No more lines! Unfortunately, a map cannot be
reasonably presented without lines defining the
boundaries between various land use designations.
While the Land Use Map still uses lines to identify
specific areas for employment, industrial, mixed use
residential and commercial, and high, medium and
low density residential uses, the goal of the plan is
to promote more organic and holistic development
patterns, to mix uses more than to obey lines on a
map. The idea behind this Land Use Map is not to
separate uses by area, but to promote the best use
of each area in concert with the others.
The land use element has evolved as a continuum
of land uses that integrate and spill from one to
the other, rather than delineating land into zones
by function. The lines in this Land Use Map, then,
are flexible. These lines should adjust and evolve to
create a place that is truly an integrated whole—
mixing uses both vertically and horizontally, while
protecting certain uses like low density residential
areas from the impacts of commercial or industrial
development. The Land Use Map is supported by the
described land uses and the land use continuum.
The Land Use Map provides the geographic context
for the development of the Ten Mile Interchange
Area over the next 30 years. While proposed land
uses are mapped to specific locations, the land use
recommendations presented in the Land Use Map
are still relatively broad, and the exact shape of
many of the land use areas is necessarily somewhat
conceptual. The Land Use Map recommends the
general locations for specific types of land uses, and
illustrates how these uses are related to each other
geographically. While the fine-grained intermixing
of land uses is not shown at this scale and level of
generality, the map is not intended to emphasize
the segregation or separation of uses, but suggest
the areas in which certain types of development
is most likely to flourish, given the location of other
development and transit options. Most areas will
typically be comprised of a variety of different land
uses in relatively close proximity to each other.
The Land Use Map is not intended for application
on a parcel-by-parcel basis; nor should it be
interpreted as similar to a zoning district map.
Land Use Acreage
Residential Areas
Low Density Residential (LDR)26
Medium Density Residential (MDR)270
Medium High Density Residential (MHDR)326
High Density Residential (HDR)171
Mixed Use Areas
Mixed Use Commercial (MUC)139
Mixed Use Residential (MUR)62
Lifestyle Center (LC)102
Employment Areas
Low Density Employment (LDE)98
High Density Employment (HDE)117
Mixed Employment (ME)425
Industrial (IND)336
Special Areas
Parks, Pathways & Open Space 58
Civic 92
Right of Way, Easements, etc 114
Total 2356
3 The Plan
3-16
Land Use
Land Use Map (See City of Meridian Future Land Use Map for most current land use designations)
3 The Plan
3-17
TransporTaTion
The lower part of each diagram shows
how routes between destination points
in a mixed-use area with gridded street
network are more direct and result in
fewer trips on the arterial network.
tRANSPORtAtiON elemeNt
The transportation element of the Plan is to guide
transportation decisions in the Ten Mile Interchange
Area. It was developed concurrently with the Land
Use and Design Elements and has been designed
to:
preserve the integrity of the arterial road system
and the proposed Ten Mile interchange over
the long-term;
provide for the use of public transit, bicycling,
walking and carpooling, as alternatives to single
occupancy vehicles;
enhance pedestrian and bicycle mobility and
accessibility;
support new development in accordance
with the Land Use Element by emphasizing the
importance of developing activity centers,
housing and attracting key employers that will
benefit the City and the area;
create transportation infrastructure and
promote land use patterns that encourage
the sustainable use of resources and reduces
demands on natural resources;
minimize the negative impacts of transportation
on existing and future neighborhoods; and;
minimize the demand for automobile parking,
without negatively impacting development
opportunities.
The Proposed Street Network
The proposed street network is composed of
arterials, collectors and local streets as shown
on the Transportation System Map. The map
identifies proposed arterials, collectors and key
local streets that provide connections to existing
neighborhoods. Generally, local streets are to be
planned and designed by developers based on
the various design considerations provided in the
Ten Mile Interchange Specific Area Plan, while the
arterial and collector systems should be planned,
designed and built in partnership with the City, ITD,
ACHD and the private sector.
Traffic and Interconnected Streets
Establishing a sound and effective transportation
system for the Ten Mile Interchange Area will
involve significant coordination among the
various interested parties, as well as the design
considerations that make streets effective for
pedestrians, bicycles and motorists. To optimize
the network’s performance for local and through
traffic, special consideration must be paid to
connectivity, design, access control and road
classifications.
Connectivity
The absence of connectivity impedes local
circulation and forces motorists to travel on major
highways, resulting in increased traffic volumes
and congestion on major roadways and creating
an environment that discourages pedestrian and
bicycle travel.
The street layout proposed for the Ten Mile
Interchange Area enhances connectivity and
maximizes the efficiency of the transportation
network, facilitating local and regional circulation.
The plan presents a system of streets and paths with
multiple routes and connections serving origins and
destinations; providing choices for pedestrians,
bicyclists, and automobiles.
The proposed connectivity within the Ten Mile
Interchange Area will allow greater access for
fire, medical, and law enforcement as noted by
emergency providers during the planning process.
Connectivity will reduce out-of-direction travel
and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and enhance
accessibility between various modes minimizing
transportation impacts on air quality.
The proposed street network, design and access
policies results in the following benefits:
More direct routes to more places and with
shorter trips
More routes to choose from means congestion
can be relieved
Direct routing encourages walking and biking
Connected neighborhoods foster a greater
sense of community
School bus routes for children are safer and
shorter
Emergency service response times are shorter
Roadway maintenance is facilitated
Costs for public transportation are decreased
Designing and Building the Required
Network
Streets should interconnect as much as possible,
and streets within one development should
connect with streets associated with adjacent
developments. Cul-de-sacs are permitted only
where topographic, environmental conditions,
or exterior lot-line geometries permit no practical
alternatives for connectivity. Street stubs should be
provided for connections to future development in
adjacent vacant lands.
All streets should be constructed in accordance with
the design element set forth in this Plan and built to
the highest standards of acceptable engineering
practice. Streets should be maintained for public
access, whether by easement or public dedication.
Closed or gated streets are strictly prohibited. Rear
lanes and alleys should be privately maintained.
Blocks within the Ten Mile Interchange Area need
not be regular in size or form, as long as the primary
requirement for an interconnected street network
is met. As a rule of thumb, the maximum perimeter
of a block should be 2,000 feet. Blocks that include
central parking structures should be 3,000 feet.
This sizing allows the parking structure to connect
to a variety of uses and structures. Even areas
designated for surface parking should fit within a
block pattern and should not be built in a way to
disrupt the pattern of longer term development.
Access Control
How and where street access is allowed is one
of the greatest influencing factors on the overall
performance of streets. Direct access to properties
must be balanced with the use of a thoroughfare
to move traffic. The Ten Mile Interchange Specific
Area Plan has proposed a complete network of
arterial and collector streets to ensure reasonable
connectivity throughout the area and support the
development of a local street system in association
with the development of individual properties.
Based on the proposed street network and in order
to facilitate traffic and optimize performance, direct
property access to arterial streets is prohibited. In
addition, existing individual accesses should be
eliminated as the road network is established and
other options for access become available. Access
to arterial streets should occur via the collector
road system.
3 The Plan
3-18
TransporTaTion
Transportation System Map Map amended, Resolution 19-2179 on 12/17/2019
3 The Plan
3-19
TransporTaTion
Multi-ModalPublic TransitIn the case of collectors, the local road system
should get priority in intersecting the collector road
system and generally direct access to individual
properties should be limited and widely spaced
with local road access taking priority.
Street Classifications
Streets in the Ten Mile Interchange Area have both
a functional classification (e.g., arterial, collector,
local, etc.) and a design-related classification. All
proposed streets should be classified in both ways
as a means of balancing the design considerations
for pedestrians and motorists. In combination, these
classifications should help to ultimately establish the
design character of the adjacent frontages and
help to determine how the features of each street
should be organized and what elements should be
specifically apparent.
Functional Classifications
Streets and highways serve two separate and
conflicting functions, one to carry traffic, and
the other to provide access to abutting property
(land use). The more traffic a road carries, the
greater the difficulty in accessing property directly
from the road. At the same time as the number
of access points along a road increases, safety is
compromised and speed limits must be lowered,
reducing the traffic carrying capacity of the street
or highway. Streets and highways are classified
by function, and range from roadways with the
sole purpose of carrying traffic to roadways that
primarily provide access to property. Following is
a generally accepted classification and functional
characterization of highways and streets:
Freeway/Expressway: A fully access-controlled
highway designed for high-speed travel with the
sole purpose of facilitating non-stop traffic flow
without obstruction from cross traffic. Access is
not provided to abutting property, and access
is only provided to other streets or highways at
grade-separated interchanges.
Principal arterial: A street or highway designed
and given preference to carry traffic, and not
providing access to abutting property. Cross
traffic is accommodated at at-grade, signalized
intersections for streets with high traffic levels, and
at-grade intersections without signals, for streets
with moderate or low traffic levels. If intersections
do not have signals, through traffic flow on the
principal arterial is given preference.
Minor arterial: A street or highway designed
to both carry traffic and provide very limited
access to abutting property. Cross traffic is
accommodated by at-grade intersections
without signals for streets with low traffic levels.
The primary purpose of the minor arterial is to
serve moderate length neighborhood trips and
to channel traffic from collectors and local
streets to principal arterials or expressways.
Collector street: A street designed to carry traffic
and provide limited access to abutting property.
Cross traffic is accommodated by at-grade
intersections with local streets. No signals are
provided. The primary purpose of the collector
is to serve short length neighborhood trips and
to channel traffic from local streets and abutting
properties to minor and principal arterials.
Local street: A street or rural road designed to
provide access to abutting property and only
incidentally channel traffic short distances to
collectors or minor arterials.
Complete Streets
A complete street is defined as a street that works
for motorists, bus riders, bicyclists, and pedestrians,
including people with disabilities. The Ten Mile
Interchange Specific Area Plan incorporates the
concept of complete streets to achieve equality of
convenience and choice among modes and as a
tool to reduce isolation and dependence for those
in our community that are not able to drive.
Under the Plan, streets designed to serve all
users become the norm. Bicycling and walking
facilities will be incorporated into all streets unless
exceptional circumstances exist. Exceptions
include roads where bicyclists or pedestrians are
prohibited by law; where the costs are excessive; or
where there is clearly no need.
The following lists features that should be considered
as a starting point for each street:
sidewalks
bike lanes
wide shoulders
crosswalks
refuge medians
bus pullouts
special bus lanes
raised crosswalks
audible pedestrian signals
sidewalk bulb-outs
street furnishings
on-street parking
Design-Related Classifications
The following design-related classifications should
be used as a tool in defining the appropriate design
components of streets in the Ten Mile Interchange
Area:
Primary streets are intended for considerable
pedestrian activity and serve as civic spaces.
These streets are important, both functionally
and psychologically, and should be designed
and constructed to high standards. These streets
are destinations in and of themselves. No auto-
oriented uses (i.e., gas stations, drive-throughs,
etc.) are allowed along a primary street.
3 The Plan
3-20
TransporTaTion
Secondary streets lead to and connect with
the primary streets. They are intended to carry
both vehicular and pedestrian traffic but are
not destinations in the same way as primary
streets. To some degree, most design standards
described in these guidelines apply to secondary
streets. Some auto-oriented uses can be found
along secondary streets, although these must
be designed and configured as to provide the
least degree of interruption to pedestrian flow
within activity centers. Streets that are primarily
residential in character can be secondary
streets.
Tertiary streets tend to be service routes
that support the functioning of the primary
and secondary streets. These are designed
primarily for vehicular use but should make
accommodations for pedestrians. Auto-oriented
uses should be located adjacent to tertiary
streets. Alleys are an example of a tertiary
street.
Street Design
Streets should be designed and sized to optimize
pedestrian comfort and to facilitate slow-moving
vehicular traffic. It is desirable that lanes on roads
and streets be 11 feet in width, with the exception of
those lanes closest to the intersections with Franklin
and Ten Mile. In these instances, lane widths can
increase to 12 feet in width from the point of the
intersection with the arterial street to the point of
nearest intersection with another street or road or
access point.
Streets should include sidewalks, walkways or
pathways on both sides throughout the Ten Mile
Interchange Area. Exceptions are those areas
where functions and dedicated use spaces fall
predominantly on one side of the street. In these
cases, sidewalks, walkways or pathways should be
included on the dominant side of the street.
Street Sections
Several street types were conceived through the
planning process for specific use and conditions
based on projected vehicular and pedestrian
usage, desired parking conditions, specific
physical conditions, public emergency access,
and streetscape character.
3 The Plan
3-21
TransporTaTion
Street Geometries
All intersections should be designed to occur as
close to 90° as possible. No streets should intersect
at an angle of less than 60°. To facilitate effective
and safe pedestrian movement, the curb radius at
intersections must be minimized. At no point should
the curb radius at an intersection be greater than
25 feet. Within the core pedestrian areas, the curb
radius should be 15 feet. The exception to this
requirement is at the intersection of arterial and
collector streets.
Proper sight lines must be maintained at all
intersections. Non-essential signs, vehicle parking
and/or street trees are prohibited within the box
created by the intersection of property lines at all
four corners of a street intersection. One street light
per corner is permitted within this box. Standard
6-inch vertical curbing is required on all streets.
Drainage should be provided using close curb and
gutter systems on all streets.
Elements of the Street Section Beyond the
Roadway Edge
The plan offers recommendations for the widths
and general configuration of street. The plan also
suggests a variety of treatments and activities that
should be allowed or be placed in the right-of-
way as part of the streetscape beyond the edge
of the roadway. Typical dimensions for carriage
strip zones, clear walk zones, encroachment zones,
and café spaces are provided. The definitions and
dimensions for each are based on several factors
including anticipated levels of activity, existing and
planned land uses, right-of-way constraints, and
position within the larger network of streets and
public spaces. A description of the purpose and
design treatment of each of the streetscape areas
follows.
Carriage Strip
The carriage strip exists as the space adjacent to
the vehicular travel lanes within which is placed a
variety of elements and amenities. Trees are the
primary element of the carriage strip zone and can
be located in tree pits, grates, planters, or planting
strips depending on the level of activity of the
streetscape and associated street. An 8 foot wide
carriage strip is typical; however, in constrained
conditions, tree grates should be used to gain
additional circulation space. In these cases, strips
as narrow as 4 feet may be used. Light fixtures,
street signs, trash receptacles, benches, bicycle
parking loops, and directional and interpretive
signs are the primary elements that typically exist in
the carriage strip. Rhythm and placement of these
components aid in maintaining a pedestrian scale,
provide information for pedestrians, and create a
comfortable and safe environment. The carriage
strip includes the tree lawn.
Clear Zone
Next to the carriage strip zone is an area known
as the pedestrian clear zone. This is defined as an
unobstructed area serving as circulation space for
pedestrians. The plan recommends a minimum 6
foot wide clear zone allowing for the free flow of
people along sidewalks.
Encroachment Zone
Shopfronts, blade signs, outdoor displays, awnings/
canopies and café space are components of the
streetscape that can extend beyond the build-to
line. These elements help define the character of
an area, offer shelter from sun and rain, and provide
visual interest to both pedestrians and motorists.
Café Space
Café spaces provide places for both active and
passive social interaction and they add visual
appeal, variety and interest to the streets. The plan
recommends the provision for sufficient sidewalk
space to accommodate cafés generally along
the frontages facing Main Street. Movable public
seating and newsstand and retail kiosks could be
placed in these spaces to encourage more daytime
use independent of an adjacent restaurant and
frame the street wall better.
3 The Plan
3-22
TransporTaTion
Medians are not necessary on this roadway section.
Street Section MapTen Mile Sections
Street Section A
Section A represents a modified 4-Lane Parkway to
enhance the look and feel of Ten Mile Road and to
provide additional buffers to adjacent properties.
The Parkway is designed to provide rapid and
relatively unimpeded traffic movement throughout
the area and carry high volumes of traffic to
mixed use and employment centers. The Parkway
serves as an arterial road and access is restricted
to collector streets. Buildings should address the
street but should be set back some distance from
the roadway edge to provide wide tree lawn and
detached trail to provide security to the pedestrians
and bikes. This street section is the primary gateway
corridor in the Ten Mile Interchange Area. A tree
lawn or planting strip should be provided in all areas,
as well as a landscape median. Streetlights should
be located in the tree lawn area and should be of
a pedestrian scale while street lights in the median
should be design to meet vehicular needs.
The following design standards are
recommended:
Wet utilities should be located within the paved
area. Water and wastewater lines may be
placed in the center of the same street with a 10
foot separation.
Gas lines are commonly located in the paved
area while dry utilities are located back of the
curb in the dry utilities corridor.
Street Section B
Section B represents a typical 4-Lane Parkway.
Parkways serve two functions. The Parkway can
provide rapid and relatively unimpeded traffic
movement throughout the area and carry high
volumes of traffic to mixed use centers. In this
capacity, Parkways serve as arterial roads and
access is restricted to collector streets. Buildings
should address the street but be set back some
distance from the roadway edge to provide for
a tree lawn and detached sidewalk to provide
security to the pedestrian. Parkways may also
serve as the entry/spine street portion of a collector
that provides the main access from arterial streets,
including right-in/right-out and serves as a focus of
activity for large mixed use or employment centers.
As such, they serve as gateways to these areas and
entry point features should be allowed within the
right-of-way. A tree lawn should be provided in all
areas as well as a landscape median. Streetlights
located in the tree lawn area and should be of a
pedestrian scale while street lights in the median
should be design to meet vehicular needs.
The following design standards are
recommended:
Wet utilities should be located within the paved
area. Water and wastewater lines may be
placed in the center of the same street with a 10
foot separation.
Gas lines are commonly located in the paved
area while dry utilities are located back of the
curb in the dry utilities corridor.
Street Section C
Section C represents the Major Collector Streets.
These streets provide access from adjacent arterial
streets into the employment areas. Buildings on
these streets are set back from the street at some
distance generally behind a detached sidewalk.
The sidewalk may be widened in some cases to
extend to the front of commercial retail or higher
density residential buildings. A tree lawn should be
provided in all areas. The following design standards
are recommended:
Streetlights should be located in the tree lawn
area and should be of a pedestrian scale.
A 5 foot dry-utilities corridor should be provided
along both sides of the General Collector Street
curb. The corridor may not be required if all dry
utilities are located in an alley or other street.
Map amended, Resolution 08-631 on 11/05/2008
3 The Plan
3-23
TransporTaTion
Intersection of Ten Mile Road and Franklin Road
(Representative diagram, not intended for engineering
purposes--Intersection already designed by ACHD)
First collector intersection with Ten Mile Road south
of Franklin Road (Representative diagram, not intended
for engineering purposes--Intersection already designed by
ACHD)
First collector intersection with Ten Mile Road north of
I-84, initial design (Representative diagram, not intended
for engineering purposes--Intersection already designed by
ACHD)
First collector intersection with Ten Mile Road north of
I-84,additional left turn lane when warranted by traffic
(Representative diagram, not intended for engineering
purposes--Intersection already designed by ACHD)
Both wet utilities may be located in the street.
If an alley is provided, one wet utility may be
placed in the alley, subject to City approval.
Streetlights should be placed in the dry utilities
corridor on either side of the street.
Street furnishings are encouraged along
commercial and high density frontages
Street Section D
Section D represents the Residential Collector
Street. These streets serve the local access needs
of residential, live/work, and commercial activities
within a residential neighborhood or mixed use
residential area. Buildings on these streets have
limited setbacks behind the sidewalk and a tree
lawn is provided. Generally, frontage by detached
single-family homes is discouraged in favor of
rowhome, townhome and higher density residential
development. On-street parking is also allowed. The
following design standards are recommended:
A 5 foot dry-utilities corridor should be provided
along both sides of the Residential Collector
Street curb. The corridor may not be required if
all dry utilities are located in an alley or other
street.
Both wet utilities may be located in the street.
If an alley is provided, one wet utility may be
placed in the alley, subject to City approval.
Streetlights should be placed in the dry utilities
corridor on either side of the street.
Street Section E
The Minor Collector Streets serve as the primary
retail streets, and their character is pedestrian-
oriented and defined by street-level storefronts.
Buildings on these streets are built to the sidewalk.
The pedestrian experience is enhanced with 12 foot-
wide sidewalks, street trees in wells, and pedestrian-
scale lighting. Ample on-street diagonal parking
supports the businesses within the Lifestyle Center
and in Mix Use Commercial area. This section may
be modified to allow parallel parking as a local
section in these areas.
The following design standards are
recommended:
A 5 foot dry-utilities corridor should be provided
along both sides of the Minor Collector Street
curb. The corridor may not be required if all dry
utilities are located in an alley or other street.
Both wet utilities may be located in the street.
If an alley is provided, one wet utility may be
placed in the alley, subject to Springs Utilities
approval.
Streetlights should be placed in the dry utilities
corridor on either side of the street.
Intersections
Proposed Intersections with Arterials
The development of the land around the Ten
Mile Interchange will impact traffic in the area.
Preliminary investigations show that the interchange
will function acceptably at build out based on the
proposed land use allocation and development
densities.
The Ten Mile Interchange Specific Area Plan
proposes ten new intersections onto the arterial
network: two on Ten Mile Road, five on Franklin
Road, and three on Black Cat Road. In addition,
south of I-84, Overland Road will be relocated to
the south. Depending on the future configuration
of McDermott Road, intersections may be required
with McDermott Road to continue the collector
road system to the west.
The intersections onto Ten Mile Road are of primary
concern, as there is less flexibility in their placement
and configuration due to their relationship to the
new Ten Mile Interchange. As a result, an additional
level of analysis was performed for intersections
onto Ten Mile Road.
Level of service calculations were performed for
four intersections on Ten Mile Road including Ten
Mile Road and Franklin Road, two new intersections
onto Ten Mile Road, between Franklin and I-84,
and at Ten Mile Road and Overland Road. For
the purposes of this study Overland Road was
on a new alignment that moved the intersection
approximately 1500 feet south of its current
alignment. Its current alignment stays open as a
right-in, right-out only configuration. All existing
intersections function at a peak hour LOS D or
better in the design year.
Two new intersections are proposed onto Ten Mile
Road that access the office, commercial, and
residential cores of the Ten Mile Interchange Area.
The southernmost intersection is approximately 1000
feet north of the highpoint of the new interchange
design and is the main entrance into the activity
3 The Plan
3-24
TransporTaTion
Roundaboutscenter. Its configuration has two lefts, two through
lanes, and a dedicated right turn lane on all four
approaches. This is what ACHD refers to as their 7x7
intersection configuration. In the design year (2030)
and upon buildout of the Ten Mile Interchange
Area, at peak hour this intersection functions at LOS
D. The performance of this intersection is enhanced
by the single-point urban interchange design.
The intersection proposed immediately south of
the Ten Mile Road and Franklin Road intersection
is a right-in, right-out only configuration and
functions at LOS B in the design year. The realigned
intersection of Overland and Ten Mile functions at
LOS C in the design year.
The proposed intersections in the Ten Mile
Interchange Area try to establish a collector
network that will reasonably serve the area. More
importantly, only the collector accesses shown in
the Transportation System Map will be permitted.
No access to individual properties will be allowed
from the arterial road system. With the exception
of the identified arterial access points within the
Ten Mile Interchange Area Plan document, the
City of Meridian supports full access control for the
arterials serving this part of the community.
Slip Ramps
One idea that was discussed at length for this
project is the future use of slip ramps off of the
proposed interchange ramp, or just to the east
of the proposed central point of the new Ten Mile
interchange. This would allow people to access
the Lifestyle Center and employment center
via the proposed underpass associated with
the interchange design, without impacting the
intersections on Ten Mile Road or the interchange
ramp terminals. This could potentially prolong the life
of Ten Mile Road, the interchange, and significant
intersections by allowing traffic to access the area
other than by using the interchange terminals and
arterial access.
The slip ramp is not expected to be needed or
desired for several years until the area develops.
It is recommended that right of way for the
improvement be preserved. The slip ramp should
be funded entirely by development through
extraordinary impact fees.
Curb Radius
To facilitate effective and safe pedestrian movement
within the Ten Mile Interchange Area, the curb
radius at intersections must be minimized. At no
point should the curb radius at an intersection be
greater than 25 feet (collector to collector or local
to collector). Within the following areas, the curb
radius should be no greater than 15 feet: Lifestyle
Center areas, mixed use areas, and residential
areas. In addition, the closest intersection to school
sites in any direction should have a curb radius no
greater than 15 feet.
Roundabouts
Roundabouts are encouraged at collector-
collector street intersections. A roundabout is a
circular intersection where traffic flows around
a center island. Roundabouts are safe, efficient
and less costly than traditional intersections. Since
vehicles entering the roundabout are required
to yield to traffic in the circle, more vehicles can
move through the intersection with less delay than
at signalized intersections. The only movement
at an entry and exit of a roundabout is a right
turn, thus reducing the potential frequency and
severity of accident typically occurring during
left turns and when traffic crosses an intersection
in perpendicular directions. The unique one-way
design of roundabouts also accommodates the
turning radius of large vehicles, like semi-trucks and
buses.
Pe d es t r i a n s m a y fi n d t ra ve l i n g t h ro u g h a ro u n d a b o ut
just as safe as through an intersection with a signal,
if not safer. This is due to the fact that vehicles are
moving at a slower rate of speed and pedestrians
need only to cross one direction of traffic at a time.
Cars are required to yield to pedestrians in the area
marked for pedestrian crossings.
The essential elements of a roundabout are:
Yielded entry – cars entering must wait for a
gap in the circulating traffic before entering the
roundabout
Islands separate the entry from the circular
roadway
Designated crossing area for pedestrians
Designed to be driven at speeds of 15 to 20 miles
per hour
Single or multiple lanes
Balancing Vehicle Circulation with a
Pedestrian Friendly Environment
For the most part, both cars and pedestrians will
use the same streets to get around in and through
the Ten Mile Interchange Area. Streets are often
designed with vehicular traffic first in mind, and so
are concerned with the combination of moving
and parking lanes within thoroughfares. Yet it is this
same network of roads that constitutes the majority
of the public realm available to pedestrians. As the
shared setting for most buildings, the network must
provide the potential for community interaction. As
such, the connector system of roads set out here
for the Ten Mile Interchange Area considers both
vehicular capacity and pedestrian character.
Pedestrians respond to the combination of frontage
and streetscape, but these alone cannot create
a lively pedestrian environment. The velocity of
vehicular movement should also be controlled.
The Ten Mile Interchange Area network makes use
of designs which slow the speed of vehicular traffic
through the most pedestrian friendly areas. Traffic
calming devices are used in addition to the posting
of speed limits.
3 The Plan
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TransporTaTion
LandscapingOutdoor RoomThese traffic calming factors include narrowing
the lanes, providing parking lanes, the centerline
radius, and the intersection curb radius. In
addition to the conventional standards for speed
movement, there are also standards for free-, slow
and yield-movements that should be considered
during design in the Ten Mile Interchange Area,
including:
Speed Movement: Thoroughfares designed so
that vehicular velocities greater than 35 mph
are perceived to be safe.
Free Movement: Thoroughfares designed so that
vehicular velocities are perceived to be safe at
30 mph and below.
Slow Movement: Thoroughfares designed so that
vehicular velocities are perceived to be safe at
20 mph and below.
Yield Movement: Thoroughfares designed so
that vehicular velocities are perceived to be
safe at 15 mph and below. Vehicles stop to allow
approaching vehicles to pass.
Public Transit Accommodations
Healthy commercial and employment activity
centers need access by multiple modes of
transportation. In addition to being pedestrian
friendly, an activity center should be transit friendly.
Transit can be a complementary part of the public
realm—the street and the pedestrian zone—as
described earlier. In addition, with residential being
an important element of a lifestyle center, transit
should be a true feature. An effective transit system
can offer residents the opportunity to own at least
one less car, thus reducing the required parking
requirements.
Transit riders become pedestrians when they reach
their destination. Therefore, the quality of the
streetscape and pedestrian zones can actually
encourage increased transit use.
At transit locations, the use of the pedestrian
amenities—landscaping, pedestrian and
landscape lighting, benches, and trash
receptacle—should be coordinated with the
shelter location and design.
Depending upon the specific design of the activity
center, routing transit into the core area for patron
drop-off should be considered. Transit can be an
active feature of the urban landscape. In activity
centers, shelters should be placed at transit stops.
Shelters offer visual identification to the transit stop,
and they provide weather protection to patrons.
The design of the shelters should be coordinated
between the City, Valley Regional Transit, and
ACHD ensuring architectural consistency with the
general architectural theme of the activity center.
Streets as Public Spaces
Streets in the Ten Mile Interchange Area should be
treated as a key component of the public open
space. Streets should be maintained for public
access whether by easement or public dedication.
Closed or gated streets are prohibited. Access lanes
and parking lots should be privately maintained.
Streets should be designed and constructed
in accordance with the highest standards of
acceptable engineering practice. Streets should
be designed to facilitate mobility and safety for
vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians. As such, no
street within an activity center should have an
effective design speed of greater than 35 MPH.
Local and Collector streets within the Mixed Use
Commercial, Mixed Use Residential and residential
areas should have an effective design speed of 25
MPH.
Streets should be designed to include appropriately
selected street trees planted in a manner
appropriate to their placement and function.
Residential streets should provide for an appropriate
street canopy designed to shade both street and
sidewalk and serve as a visual buffer between
street and the adjacent dwellings. Streets should
also be equipped with street furnishings and other
amenities depending on the specific location to
help establish the sense of the outdoor room.
The Outdoor Room
Studies indicate that many of the best-loved
urban spaces are those that produce the sense
of being contained by the surrounding buildings.
Architects and urban designers often speak of
the ratio between the width of a street and the
height of the buildings on either side of the street.
A ratio of 1:1 is considered ideal in terms of creating
comfortable enclosure for the street. (In cities such
as NY and Chicago, the ratio of width-to-height
can be as extreme as 1:10 or more; this creates the
“canyon effect” that defines many dense urban
centers.) However, ratios of 2:1 or 3:1 can still create
a comfortable sense of containment.
Streetscaping
All streets should include street trees within the right-
of-way. Where street sections include medians,
these medians should be no less than 16 feet in
width. If these medians are intended to encompass
turning lanes, the median should be at least 20
feet in width, with turning lanes a minimum of 10
feet wide. Medians should be landscaped and
planted to match the conditions on either side of
the associated road or street.
Landscaping
Trees, shrubs and other landscaping should be
used to help define the connections between
fronting sidewalks and walkways and the primary
and secondary entrances to structures. These
connections should be straight and direct and
should not be interrupted by trees, shrubs or any
form of landscaping.
Groundcover should be species appropriate to the
local microclimate, should be contained in formal
or informal beds, and should not rise to height of
more than 12” above the adjacent grade. Shrubs
and bushes should be species appropriate to the
3 The Plan
3-26
TransporTaTion
local microclimate, should be formally or informally
arranged, and should not rise to a height of more
than 36” above the adjacent grade. Where
possible, landscaping should focus on water
recapture in order to reduce run-off.
Street Trees
Trees should be species appropriate to the
local microclimate. Trees with full canopies are
encouraged as they can provide shade and
protect windows and building interiors from direct
sunlight.
Street trees provide multiple benefits to the urban
environment. They create shade, reduce glare,
buffer wind and cleanse the air. Trees also help
create a pedestrian-scale space and make
streetscapes more acceptable to pedestrians.
Without trees, streets are uncomfortable for
pedestrians and, to a lesser extent, drivers, both
physically and psychologically.
On retail frontage streets, trees have the most
significant impact in making streets attractive to
shoppers. Without street trees, pedestrians feel the
heat, glare and pollution to a much greater extent.
With them, the extreme conditions of a roadway
are mitigated and shoppers can have a more
pleasant experience.
A formal, rhythmic application of landscape design
using trees of similar characteristics will help create
a cohesive, unifying effect. However, since plant
diseases and pests, such as Dutch Elm Disease and
Pine Bark Beetle, can decimate areas where single
species are planted, tree selection should include
multiple species, alternating color, form and texture
from block-to-block or within blocks, as long as a
pattern is established that can be utilized.
General Street Tree Guidelines
There are many factors to consider when using
trees in a streetscape. Right-of-way constraints,
commercial uses (outdoor dining, etc.), utility
locations (both buried and above ground),
storefront sign/architectural visibility, and volume
of pedestrian and vehicular traffic are all elements
which will affect quantity, size and species of tree
selection. Except where notable changes are
desirable, such as indicating the location of a
pocket park, etc., tree types should be the same
on both sides of the street. Where high pedestrian
volume occurs or is anticipated, tree grates or other
means of facilitating pedestrian safety should be
provided.
Tree Selection
As living elements of the street environment, tree
species should be selected with care. Soil and air
conditions, water, light, heat, maintenance and
budget should all be addressed prior to selection
of tree types. The selected species should have a
local basis for endurance of air pollution, minimal
maintenance and compacted/infertile soils. Street
trees should be free of fruit and thorns to reduce
maintenance and minimize potential harm to
pedestrians.
For lower maintenance, trees should be strong
wooded, disease and pest resistant, drought
tolerant, single trunk and with a fairly long life
expectancy. Tree irrigation, in most cases bubblers,
is to be used on all street trees in commercial areas.
The irrigation of trees should be developed in
conjunction with a low volume landscape irrigation
design. Species selection should not interfere with
commercial signs or traffic signals.
Tree Size
Planting size of trees is generally restricted by
the area in which the trees will be located. Trees
planted with tree grates or within tree wells will, of
necessity be smaller than trees located on large
lawn/planting areas. Trees with 3 inch caliper
should be large enough to provide some shade
at planting time and significantly more when they
develop, assuming proper cultural/maintenance
activities.
Tree Location
Tree location relates to specific individual locations
and to locations relative to each other. The
spacing should consider street lighting and other
obstructions. Motorist visibility is critical and trees
should not interfere with sight distance criteria.
Trees should be spaced and located such that
pedestrians have an unobstructed walking area
of no less than eight feet, and preferably ten feet
in width. Trees should be spaced far enough from
building facades so as not to require excessive
pruning.
Parking
Parking spaces, whether on-street or in dedicated
lots, should be located proximate to the uses they
intend to serve, but need not be immediately
adjacent to these uses, as long as effective and
accessible walkways are available to provide
access to and from the lots. On-street parking
counts against the parking requirement of the
buildings that front onto the parking.
On-Street Parking
On-street parking is a key element of an active
and vital place. Not only does on-street parking
add significantly to the supply of needed parking
spaces, it provides an additional layer of physical
and psychological separation between cars moving
along the street and pedestrians, shoppers, diners
and others on the sidewalks. It provides access
directly between motorists and stores, shops and
restaurants. Metered, on-street parking also helps
create a constant flow of activity as short-term
visitors pull in and out of spaces along the main
pedestrian routes.
On-street parking is encouraged throughout the
Ten Mile Interchange Area, where appropriate.
Such parking can include head-in parking,
angled parking (60-degree), or parallel parking.
Carefully integrated, on-street parking can absorb
a significant amount of the minimum required
parking spaces. The following forms of on-street
parking may be allowed:
Parallel parking is a pattern of parking
whereby the vehicle is stored parallel to the
curb line. Parallel parking permits a narrower
street section and creates the most positive
sidewalk experience of the possible patterns,
but it requires a difficult driving maneuver and
provides the lowest density of parking storage
per linear foot of street frontage.
Diagonal parking is a pattern of parking with
the vehicle stored at an angle to the curb line.
Diagonal parking creates the least positive
sidewalk experience of the possible patterns,
but it permits the easiest driving maneuvers and
provides more parking than parallel parking.
Head-in parking is a pattern of parking where
the vehicle is stored perpendicular to the curb
line. Head-in parking requires the widest street
section and requires a dangerous maneuver of
backing out. This pattern provides the greatest
supply of on-street parking.
Parking Lots
Parking lots should not dominate the frontage
of pedestrian-oriented streets or interrupt key
pedestrian routes. Ideally, parking lots should be
located behind buildings or within the interior of
blocks. Less ideally, lots can be located beside the
structures they serve. Street Trees
3 The Plan
3-27
TransporTaTion
Screened by Plantings
All parking lots visible from public thoroughfares
should be screened by plantings or walls or a
combination of the two. No parking lots should
front on the mixed use streets within the Lifestyle
Center or along primary streets within commercial
activity centers.
Multifamily Parking
All multifamily residential off-street parking should
be located at the rear of the lot. For single-family
residences, in cases where there is alley access,
parking should be located at the rear of the lot. In
situations where lots are front loaded, all parking
should occur to the rear of the plane of the front
façade.
Parking Lot Sizes and Subdivisions
Surface parking lots should be visually and
functionally subdivided into manageable parking
plazas. Parking lots should be sized to be as small
as possible. Where possible, lots should be one-bay
in width.
Parking Lot Landscaping
Parking lots should be landscaped. Ideally, parking
areas will contain additional trees both in tree
islands within the lots and as buffering around
the perimeter of the lots. A row of cars should not
include more than 12 vehicles without interruption
by a tree island, nor more than 24 cars without a
connecting drive aisle.
Civics Space and Drop-Off Lanes
Parking lots should be located away from civic
spaces. For convenience and to meet the needs
of the handicapped, primary civic and community
structures should include dedicated drop-off lanes
adjacent to the primary entry points. These should
be sized as to meet the anticipated needs of the
facility, but should not be oversized.
Parking Drives
Drives providing ingress and egress to and from
parking lots should be a minimum of 20 feet in
width. For lots that will receive considerable truck
traffic, entry and exit lanes can each be 12 feet in
width, for a combined width of 24 feet. All off-street
parking lots should allow for and facilitate the
use of emergency, sanitation, utility and delivery
vehicles.
Parking and Adjacent Structures
All off-street parking lots should allow a minimum
of 5 feet between the edge of the paved parking
lot surface and the nearest structure. The space
between an off-street parking lot and adjacent
structures must include a sidewalk that provides
access to these structures. This sidewalk must be
linked into the overall system of sidewalks, walkways
and pathways within the commercial areas.
Shared Parking
Shared parking, whereby day/night and weekday/
weekend schedules allow the parking to be shared
by more than one use or building, is encouraged.
Pedestrian & Bicycle System
All buildings and open spaces must be easily and
safely accessible to pedestrians and to bicyclists.
Mixed Use Commercial and Mixed Use Residential
areas must include an integrated system of
sidewalks, walkways and pathways that provide
access to all structures and spaces within a
development.
Sidewalks, walkways and pathways must be
constructed of a durable, non-skid hard surface–
concrete or asphalt. Sidewalks, walkways and
pathways are recommended to be a minimum of 5
feet in width and should be wider in all areas where
significant amounts of activity are anticipated.
These include the spaces around the entries to all
publicly accessible buildings, as well as the major
ingress/egress points associated with all designated
public spaces.
No sidewalk, walkway or pathway within the Mixed
Use Commercial and Residential areas should
be located immediately adjacent to the curb. At
a minimum, sidewalks, walkways and pathways
should be separated from an active adjacent
roadway by a planting strip that is recommended
to be at least 4 feet in width. This strip should be
treated as part of the overall landscaping design
for the Mixed Use Commercial and Residential
areas and can be expanded to include mature
street trees or other landscape features.
The exceptions should be sidewalks within Mixed Use
Commercial and Residential areas and sidewalks
that are protected from adjacent traffic through
on-street parking. In these examples, the sidewalk
paving can extend to the street curb; however,
such sidewalks should be at least 9 feet in width
and should include provisions for the inclusion of
street trees at regular intervals.
Bicycles
Bicycles should be permitted on all pathways within
the Ten Mile Interchange Area. Bicycles should not
be permitted on sidewalks or walkways. To create
an integrated network for bicycle movement, the
primary roadways within the Ten Mile Interchange
Area should include dedicated bicycle lanes.
Streets within the Lifestyle Center do not need
to include dedicated lanes, but signs should be
posted indicating that bicyclists are allowed on
streets throughout the Lifestyle Center and in all
commercial activity areas.
Bicycle racks should be provided proximate to the
primary entries to all commercial structures and to
the primary ingress/egress points to all designated
public spaces. Such racks should be adjacent
to pathways, roadways or streets, but should be
outside any vehicular or pedestrian routes and
should be sized to provide enough storage space
for the estimated amount of usage.
Sidewalks
Sidewalks give pedestrians access along streets.
Where possible, sidewalks should be detached
from the curb. This provides room for street trees
and other landscaping close to the curb. Concrete
is the preferred material for sidewalks, although
interlocking concrete unit paving and brick pavers
may be utilized, particularly for accents. Sidewalk
paving is an excellent way to unify a street. Over-
designed patterns should be avoided as they may
become dated and generally imply additional
maintenance. Pattern and color of sidewalk paving
should be unified throughout the Lifestyle Center
and should avoid strong contrasts with surrounding
paving.Parking
3 The Plan
3-28
TransporTaTion
Sidewalks can generally include three distinct
zones:
Building Zone
Pedestrian Zone
Streetscaping Zone
Building Zone
The Building Zone is that part of the sidewalk closest
to the edge of the ROW. This zone generally fronts
a building façade. Depending on the type of use
within these fronting buildings, the width of this zone
can expand or contract. Appropriate uses for the
Building Zone include space for window shopping,
free-standing signs, exterior displays, outdoor
dining or isolated landscaping.
Pedestrian Zone
The Pedestrian Zone is that part of the sidewalk
intended for uninterrupted pedestrian movement.
The width of this zone should vary depending on
the nature and amount of pedestrian activity to be
accommodated on the sidewalk. The Pedestrian
Zone along any street should be wide enough to
easily accommodate the general daily maximum
amount of pedestrian activity. In general, this zone
should be at least 5 feet in width, and within areas
with high levels opf pedestrian activity this width
can expand significantly. At no location should the
Pedestrian Zone be less than 5 feet in width.
Streetscaping Zone
This is the zone of space immediately adjacent
to the street curb. In general, it contains a wide
range of streetscaping and furniture, including
appropriately located street trees, streetlights,
signposts, mail boxes, seating, planters, kiosks,
news boxes, garbage pails, transit shelters, and so
forth. The width of this zone should be determined
in part, by the needs of the species of street trees
planted along the sidewalk. Tree grates should
never extend into the Pedestrian Zone, and the
width of the tree grates will be determined by the
type of tree planted within the Streetscape Zone.
In general, the minimum width of a Streetscape
Zone should be 5 feet. Away from the commercial
activity centers, this entire zone will be treated as a
Planting Strip and will not include any paving.
Crosswalks
Sidewalks, walkways and pathways should include
dedicated crosswalks at the intersection with all
streets within commercial activity centers. Such
crossings should be as wide as the approaching
sidewalk or walkway and should include visual
and tactile distinctions from the surrounding
pavement.
Changes in color, markings, materials, texture
and surface are all appropriate for such location.
These changes should not interfere with meeting
the requirements for handicapped accessibility. If
the walkways on either side of a crossing are of
different widths, the crosswalk should match the
width of the wider walkway.
Within the commercial activity centers, crosswalk
materials and patterns can become an important
unifying feature. The detailing of a crosswalk should
always contrast with the immediate pavement on
either side of the walk. The detailing of a crosswalk
should vary in accordance with the importance
of the intersection within the overall commercial
activity center. The most intricate patterns should
be used at key intersections within the commercial
activity centers. Lesser patterns and/or materials
can be used in other locations. At a minimum, a
crosswalk should be distinguished from surrounding
paving by the use of painted or thermoplastic
striping. The following forms may be used:
Painted lines on the street paving are the most
inexpensive form of striping and are the most
visible markings.
Concrete paving can be used as a contrasting
material in asphalt streets, but it must be
augmented by painted or thermoplastic stop
bars.
Unit concrete pavers and brick pavers can be
used sparingly for the most important intersection
crossings. They are expensive to buy and to
install and may require maintenance over the
course of the material lifetime.
Stamped concrete is acceptable for use in
crosswalks, if constructed properly. Poorly
constructed, stamped concrete walks are
susceptible to cracking, chipping and overall
deterioration.
Street Furniture
Street furnishings such as seating, newspaper racks,
bollards, trash receptacles, bicycle racks and other
elements are important to the functioning of an
effective pedestrian environment. Such furnishings
should be available throughout the commercial
activity centers and included as part of a unified
design.
Utility, comfort, safety and ease of maintenance
are key considerations in the design and selection
of street furnishings. Any furnishings placed within
a commercial activity center should be of high
quality, designed for significant outdoor use, and
relatively easy to maintain.
In general, street furnishings should be located
between the active roadway and the adjacent
buildings or public spaces. In general, furnishings
should be located closer to the street than to
private structures. For streets with on-street parking,
furnishings should be located no less than 30” from
the curbline. On streets in which a travel lane is
immediately adjacent to the sidewalk, furnishings
should be located at least 42” from the curbline.BicyclesSidewalks
3 The Plan
3-29
TransporTaTion
Street furnishings should never be located so as to
interfere for pedestrian movement. At a minimum
the outside edge of any furnishing should be
located at least 12” from the outside edge of the
implied pedestrian movement zone.
Seating
Seating surfaces should be between 16” and 18”
high. Seating without a back should be a minimum
of 16” in depth; seats with backs should be no
less than 14” deep. Walls, ledges and steps to be
used for seating should be between 12” and 20”
high, and at least 16” wide. If a wall is designed for
seating on both sides, the top of the walls should
be at least 30” wide.
Seating, like all streetscape elements, should be
durable, weather resistant, and comfortable.
Sharp edges should be avoided at all costs. With
the exception of movable chairs, seating should be
permanently anchored and immovable. Seating
should be located so as to afford occupants
interesting views as well as a sense of psychological
protection. Ideal views include active shop fronts,
intersections, pedestrians or outdoor activities such
as dining.
Trash Receptacles
Trash receptacles should be located for ease of
pedestrian use and for relative ease of pickup by
trash collectors. However, the locations should
not be obtrusive and receptacles should never be
located within the implied pedestrian zone of a
sidewalk.
Receptacles should coordinate with the design of
other street furnishings and be designed and sized
to match anticipated use. Receptacles should be
permanently attached and should include covered
tops as well as sealed bottoms. Receptacles should
include two pieces: The inner container for each
collection of trash, and a low-maintenance outer
container designed to coordinate with other street
furnishings.
Newspaper Racks
All public streets and environments should be
required to provide appropriate locations for
newspaper racks. These racks should be easily
accessible from primary pedestrian routes,
without interfering with pedestrian mobility. Racks
should be clustered into units that meet all of the CrosswalksStreet Furnishingsdemands for circulation and distribution within
a single coordinated furnishing. The design and
construction of such units should coordinate with
the other elements of street furnishing within the
commercial activity center.
News racks should be placed immediately adjacent
to a building wall or between the walkway and
adjacent street. In neither case should the racks
come within less than 18” of the pedestrian zone of
the walkway or sidewalk. Racks should be placed
at least 30” from the curb. Racks should not obstruct
the view of pedestrians or drivers.
Mailboxes
The location and placement of mailboxes is
determined by the United States Postal Service.
Locations should be coordinated with the USPS.
Kiosks
Kiosks make it easier to navigate the commercial
activity center by providing visitors with street
maps and highlighting destinations, tenants,
and upcoming events. Kiosks may be located in
the commercial activity center. Tthey should be
designed to provide a consistent style with the
rest of the commercial activity center. Information
displayed on kiosks must be current and updated
to reflect changes in tenants or vendors, as well
as upcoming events. Information kiosks should
be strategically placed near parking areas to
maximize visibility and accessibility to passing foot
traffic.
3 The Plan
3-30
TransporTaTion
architectural elements or to help establish scale
or provide visual interest. Integrate illuminators or
fixtures used to light building mounted signs, building
facades or pedestrian arcades, into a building’s
architectural design. Consider highlighting
entrances with art, terraces, and special landscape
features.
Parking Lot, Pedestrian, Landscape Lighting
Parking lot lighting should be unobtrusive. Rather, it
should provide safe light for orderly functions. The
fixtures should be uniform in design and provide
adequate lighting for all areas. Select metal halide
lighting with a concealed light source of the “cut-
off” variety to prevent glare and “light trespass” onto
adjacent buildings and sites. Emphasize pedestrian
ways through parking lots with lighting. Walkway
lighting should be scaled to the pedestrian (10
feet-16 feet in height) and provide for safe passage
particularly in areas which are dangerous, such as
stairs, ramps, intersections, and underpasses.
The use of lighted bollards with incandescent or
metal halide lamps or other low-level fixtures is
encouraged to identify pedestrian walkways and
drop-off areas at entrances to buildings. Emphasize
pedestrian-to-vehicle intersections with low-
level decorative streetlights. Landscape lighting
should enhance and complement the landscape
materials in the nighttime hours.
Conceal fixtures where possible (i.e., in trees,
by landscape, behind rocks), control glare, and
avoid extreme bright spots on the surrounding
landscape.LightingLighting
Exterior lighting should be used to provide
illumination for the security and safety of entry
drives, parking, service and loading areas,
pathways, courtyards and plazas, without intruding
on adjacent properties. Site lighting should be
architecturally compatible and consistent in design
between sites.
Fixture Design and Illumination Level
Light standards should be designed as a family
of compatible fixtures, which relate to the
architectural character of the buildings in a
commercial activity center area. Site lighting
should be provided at the minimum level (per City
Standards) to accommodate safe pedestrian and
vehicle movements, without causing any off-site
glare. All regulatory requirements for lighting must
be met.
Poles and fixtures should be architecturally
compatible with structures and lighting on
adjacent properties. Illuminate all intersections
and perimeter public roads with similar poles
and fixtures. Select and locate all lighting fixtures
to shield or confine light spread within a site’s
boundaries and to eliminate light directed towards
the sky. To facilitate security, specify lighting levels
that are adequate for visibility, but not overly bright.
All building entrances should be well-lighted.
Decorative Architectural Lighting
Special lighting that accents building features and
creates visual interest is strongly encouraged within
the commercial activity centers, provided that
design continuity is maintained among buildings.
Lighting fixtures mounted directly on structures
may be allowed when utilized to enhance specific
3 The Plan
3-31
Design
DeSiGN elemeNt: the lOOK AND feel
Overview
In addition to density and mix of uses, this plan
emphasizes the quality of the built environment.
Therefore, recommendations for the location and
design of building frontages and limits on building
heights will play an integral role in the future
evolution of the Ten Mile Interchange Area. The
location, scale, form, height, and design quality of
public and private buildings directly affect the Ten
Mile Interchange Area’s success as a great place
to live, work and raise a family.
This section offers recommendations in the form
of building placement, orientation, and massing;
types and design treatments for building frontages;
as well as recommendations for the incorporation
of art in public and private projects. These ideas
are interrelated and mesh with recommendations
included in other sections of the Ten Mile Specific
Area Plan.
The design element is intended to serve as the basic
framework on any given project within the Ten Mile
Interchange Area and the basis for development
of future design guidelines. As they are seen as
the most important elements to “get right,” there is
not flexibility allowed in the modification of design
elements. The primary components that the design
element addresses include: architecture and
cultural heritage; building placement whereby
build-to lines are identified; heights and step backs;
the definition of a base, body and top; and frontage
types. The secondary components are intended to
further shape the physical evolution of the Ten Mile
Interchange Area in a positive manner. However,
more flexibility is feasible within the parameters
of these design components. Specifically, these
secondary design components pertain to design
composition, building materials and details,
fenestration (the size, style, number and placement
of windows), and signage. Lastly, the incorporation
of public art is strongly encouraged for both private
and public projects.
Many of the basic rules of good urbanism, as
expressed by traditional urban planners such as
Raymond Unwin and Jane Jacobs, are evident
within the Ten Mile Interchange Specific Area Plan.
These include:
the buildings are built to public rights-of-way
building frontages, rather than surface parking
lots and landscaped areas, “hold the corners”
by framing sidewalks or public spaces
distinctions are drawn between ground and
upper stories
entries are announced through changes in
details, materials, and design compositions
storefronts offer wide expanses of transparent
glass
doors to individual shops and restaurants open
directly onto public space
materials are durable and façades are simply
detailed and well proportioned
the facades of larger commercial buildings
should be broken down into short frontages
and “big boxes” should be rapped in smaller
commercial, residential, and office uses
signage and lighting is restrained and designed
to complement the building’s design
service entries and loading docks are located
on secondary and tertiary streets and screened
from public view.
The recommendations included in this section are
designed to build on Meridian’s best architectural
and urban qualities and to generate buildings
and spaces that create an attractive, safe, and
comfortable environment. Rather than promote
particular architectural styles or expressions, this
plan discusses elements that will likely have the
greatest impact on the public realm—placement,
form, scale, height, and design character.
Why So Much Attention to Design?
Building type and orientation are integral to transit-
supportive development. To achieve the land use
mixes and densities desirable for the activity center
area, buildings must be designed accordingly,
but with consideration for their suburban context.
Within the activity center area, which is pedestrian-
oriented, buildings should achieve a minimum
transparency of 40 percent. Setbacks for core
buildings should range from 1 foot to 10 feet,
which allows for pedestrian and transit activity but
contributes to the human-scale quality of the street.
In residential areas adjacent to the core where
higher densities are still desirable but single-family
dwellings dominate, multi-family housing design
should be modified to have compatible massing.
These areas are also ideal for live-work buildings
which retain a residential street character while
diversifying land use.
3 The Plan
3-32
Design
Architecture and Heritage
The earliest settlers to inhabit Meridian, Idaho lived in
the Five Mile Creek area. Meridian was established
in 1893 and by 1903 was incorporated as a village
with a population of around 200. Dairy businesses
began to dominate the area, and farming played
a large role in the development of Meridian. Early
farming mostly consisted of large fruit orchards. Due
to the boom in fruit orchards, large-scale apiaries
were created because bees were necessary for
the fruit industry. Eventually industries associated
with timber and housing became important in the
development of this region.
Architecture
Most of the significant architectural features of the
area are related to farming and dairy activities
and were built around 1900.
Some of the most interesting and significant
buildings can be found at the Ross Farmstead on
Ten Mile Road south of the interstate. Also known
as “Sleepy Hollow Farm” this was a state-of-the-
art facility and plays a very important role in the
agricultural history of Ada County and Meridian.
The large unique barn has a complex ventilation
system and the design may embody historic Dutch
construction styles, which include three large
decorative cupolas, distinctive fenestration and
interesting rhythm of void and solid. The one room
schoolhouse, while in bad conditions, is important
to the history of the area.
While the preservation of these historic structures
seems unlikely due to the limited reuse options,
the buildings provide an array of features and
architectural details that should be incorporated
in the forms and shapes of the new Ten Mile
Interchange Area.
Canals
The canals in the area are important to local
and regional settlement and agricultural history.
Some are over 100 years old. They present great
opportunities to combine cultural and recreational
experiences.
Transit
The Boise Valley Loop interurban railroad ran along
Franklin between Meridian and Nampa. In 1912
the tracks of the Boise Valley Railway (extending
from Boise to Nampa along Ustick Road and
Franklin Road) were extended to connect with
those of the Boise Interurban (extending from Boise
to Caldwell along State Street). Although there
were no stops/shelters located in the vicinity of Ten
Mile, architectural features related to the system
provide a palette of details to incorporate in the
street furniture, particularly in the transit area and
along Franklin Road.
3 The Plan
3-33
Design
Street-Oriented Design
One of the most critical factors in creating a
successful urban environment is the relationship of
development to the street. Building at or close to
the property line creates a consistent edge to the
public space and make streets more friendly and
walkable. Building placement is a fundamental
element in determining the physical character of
a community.
Studies indicate that people in urban settings will
not walk very far if there is not a relatively constant
degree of activity or stimulation along the route.
Within a location such as the lifestyle center and
TOD, ground floor uses must be designed to create
this degree of activity. Restaurants and other food-
related uses should be encouraged to have outdoor
dining. Shops and stores should be encouraged to
open their doors and street front windows and use
clear glass that allows easy visual access inwards
and outwards.
When buildings face the street, they are more
accessible to pedestrians and transit riders
because there is a direct, well-defined connection.
Orientation also contributes to a sense of place,
which makes the core an attractive transportation
destination. In the case of commercial and industrial
developments, building orientation and setbacks
should be close to the street. The main entrance of
a building should be oriented to the street, which is
more conducive to transit riders.
Commercial and Mixed Use Buildings
To provide for the definition of streets and public
spaces, build-to lines should be established along
which building façades should be placed. The
build-to lines mark the limits of the public realm and
support a sense of enclosure along main streets,
secondary streets, and surrounding existing and
proposed public spaces. For all new commercial
and mixed use buildings, a continuous unbroken
frontage along required build-to lines to a minimum
height of 30’ should be constructed for at least
75% of the property frontage. Adjustments in this
requirement may be allowed, such as modest
setbacks to accommodate additional sidewalk
space for café seating, or breaks in frontage for
the creation of pocket parks. To limit perceived
street crossing distances, new buildings at street
intersections should “hold the corners” and avoid
introducing additional building setbacks unless a
new public space is specified.
At least 40% of the linear dimension of the street
level frontages shall be in windows or doorways.
Street level windows shall be clear or tinted visually
permeable glass. Mirrored or reflective glass of
any kind is not permitted. Window sills shall be
located no higher than 3’6” above adjacent
exterior grade; headers shall be located no lower
than 8’0” above adjacent exterior grade. No wall
frontage shall continue uninterrupted by a window
or a functional public access doorway for a linear
distance of greater than 12 feet. The principal
doorway for public entry into a building shall be
from the fronting street. Corner entrances may be
provided on corner lot buildings.
Residential Buildings
Useable porches should be a dominant element
of these building types. Porches should be located
along at least 30% of the front façade of the buildings
(the façade facing the primary street). A higher
percentage is recommended, as is the location
of porches on one or more side façades as well.
When possible, garages should be loaded from a
rear alleyway. Where garages must be accessed
from the front, the garages must be located no less
than twenty feet behind the primary façade of the
residential structure. If detached from the primary
residence, the garage should be designed as a
distinct secondary structure that is architecturally
harmonious with the main structure. Front-loaded
two car garages that are visible from the primary
street must be designed with two separate garage
doors. All garages with more than two bays must
be designed and approached so that the doors
are not visible from the primary street.
3 The Plan
3-34
Design
BUilDiNG tO SCAle
Although the world is large, we perceive it piece
by piece. In street design, details count. Things look
different close-up walking at 2 mph than they do
from behind a windshield at 30 mph. Everything
seen and experienced from the sidewalk—building
fronts, signs lighting, open space—should be
designed for human interaction at a pedestrian’s
perspective.
Likewise, in the activity centers, the view of the
street from the windshield should be designed
for 20 mph or slower. Features typically found on
higher speed highways— buildings and trees set
back from the road, tall signs to attract motorists,
generic surroundings stripped of detail—aren’t
compatible with the intended character. Parking
lots surrounding buildings and highly car oriented
uses like gas stations or drive-ins distort the human
scale of the street by making things too far apart. The
pedestrian wants interesting things to look at close
at hand, such as windows, display cases, sidewalk
cafés, and most of all, other people. Without
human scale, the pedestrian will feel unwelcome
and go elsewhere. The Ten Mile Specific Area Plan
supports creating a scale and form that strengthens
pedestrian connections.
Community acceptance of compact mixed use
development requires that the design reflect the
context of its surroundings or create its own distinct
look and identity. The key elements to consider
are the continuity of the building sizes, how the
street-level and upper-level architectural detailing
is treated, elements that anchor and emphasize
pedestrian scale, roof forms, rhythm of windows
and doors, and general relationship of buildings to
public spaces such as streets, plazas, other open
space, and public parking. Human-scale design is
critical to the success of built places for pedestrians.
Ordinances for the Ten Mile Interchange Area
should be crafted to help support human-scale
design by requiring building entrances placed close
to the street, ground floor windows, articulated
façades, appropriately scaled signs and lighting,
and awnings and other weather protection.
3 The Plan
3-35
Design
Gateways
The proposed gateways and entryway corridors
create the image of the Ten Mile area and the City
of Meridian for citizens and visitors.
The gateways are front doors to the area and
provide a unique identity and sense of place. At the
interchange it will let travelers know they are going
through a special place. At the first intersection
north of the interchange, the gateway features
should invite travelers and visitors to discover the
core of the commercial center.
In addition to the features that may announce
arrival at the Ten Mile Area, others will provide
entryways to the Lifestyle Center, the transit
station, and employment centers. Because of the
prominence and importance of these streets, the
Ten Mile Specific Area Plan includes the following
basic recommendations for treatments along these
corridors:
Provide continuous walkways and an overall
attractive streetscape image. Light fixtures,
pavement and banners can be selected to give
some uniformity along significant segments of
these streets
Provide for a continuity of street trees between
the driving lanes and the walkway, except where
special architectural or urban edge features
warrant more clear exposure to the street
Landscape the Ten Mile Corridor heavily so that
the Ten Mile area is elegantly insulated
Recognize the importance of view corridors, so
that height, scale, and bulk of future buildings
should be carefully considered
Avoid parking garages fronting on these streets
and especially avoid parking garage uses at
the ground level
Avoid surface parking in the front of buildings
on these streets. Screened parking could be
allowed along Ten Mile
Maintain attractive sign and information systems
for vehicular and pedestrian traffic along these
streets
Front these gateways with parks and plazas
where possible to integrate them with surrounding
urban redevelopment
The overall concept is to provide a series of elements
that become focal points and announce special
places.
3 The Plan
3-36
Design
Neighborhood Design
The City of Meridian embraces the concept of
Traditional Neighborhood Design (TND) and has
standards for the development of traditional
neighborhoods. In the Ten Mile Interchange Area,
all residential neighborhoods should be developed
in consideration of traditional neighborhood
design principals and concepts and the standards
established by the City of Meridian for the Traditional
Neighborhood Residential District.
Principles of TND
Traditional neighborhoods exemplify a pattern of
development that can be found in the older sections
of cities throughout the country. These traditional
areas, whether residential, commercial or mixed,
display a strong neighborhood identity and are
therefore being imitated in a new approach to site
design. There are a number of basic, fundamental
principles found in traditional neighborhood
designs. These principles can be summarized with
respect to mixed stock, architecture and design,
streetscapes, and streets.
Mixed Housing Stock
Residential use is the basic building block of
the TND neighborhood. TNDs should display a
diversity of residential types, styles and densities.
The diversity in housing type is important in order
to provide a variety of choices to a wide range
of households. It opens up the opportunity for
residents to move to different types of housing
within the same neighborhood depending on their
stage of life. For example, empty nesters can move
into townhouses or apartments and young couples
can move into homes with yards for children. As
household needs change, residents may be able
to move to more suitable housing without leaving
their neighborhood. Opportunities also exist for
live-work spaces and accessory dwelling units.
These options support a wider range of housing
prices, thus increasing the supply of dwellings
available to households with modest means.
However, for small projects, the traditional
neighborhood may be composed primarily of
different styles of single family dwellings, with lots
and streetscapes designed according to these
traditional principles.
The diversity in housing type also commonly
yields an increase in average housing density.
The compact, walkable nature of a TND project is
supported by the opportunity for its residents to have
non-vehicular access to neighborhood services,
facilities, and outdoor spaces. For larger TNDs, a
“main street” or mixed use Neighborhood Center
that provides supporting uses to neighborhood
residents should be located within walking distance
of the residential development.
Community buildings, parks and civic spaces
are usually integrated into the neighborhood
center to encourage common use and gathering
places. A wide range of parks and open spaces
helps to establish the identity and focus for
individual neighborhoods. Parks create focal
points and common areas, as well as providing
spaces for recreation. Open space enhances
the natural, original character of the community
by preserving natural features and environment.
In some cases, development or redevelopment
allows for restoration of natural features, such as
drainageways, that have been adversely impacted
in the past.
Architecture and Design
Buildings define the streetscape by creating a
vibrant, more attractive street frontage. Build-to
lines bring buildings close to the street in mixed
use neighborhood centers. Front porches and
garages accessed from an alley are usually the
standard in residential areas. Parking for businesses
and homes is primarily located behind buildings.
Where parking for businesses is provided adjacent
to the street, it is subordinate to the buildings and is
screened by walls or plantings. Vehicular access to
parking lots is through alleys or driveways to shared
parking lots.
Streetscape
Streetscape design plays a key role in defining the
community image. The TND streetscape relates
to the street itself and consists of landscaped
parkways with trees between curbs and sidewalks,
the adjacent sidewalks, front yard spaces, and the
building frontages. In addition to accommodating
transportation needs, the streetscape provides a
public space for street trees, street furniture and
view corridors. There are many aspects of overall
neighborhood design that also contribute to a
traditional streetscape, including the design of
buildings and parking, as well as the connected
network of streets, alleys and sidewalks. These are
all planned together to create a pleasant, as well
as a safe and efficient, experience for residents,
pedestrians, bicyclists, transit and motorized
vehicles.
Streets
TND roadways and pedestrian ways are
interconnected so that access for pedestrians,
cyclists and automobile drivers is direct and
convenient. This allows traffic to be dispersed
through a variety of streets and ways, alleviating
the need for multiple collector and arterial
streets. Utilities are similarly interconnected with
proper spacing and separation. Narrower streets
designed with TND characteristics result in slower
moving traffic and provide a safer, more pleasant
pedestrian environment. On residential streets,
equal attention should be paid to the people who
live next to the street and the vehicles that travel
them. TND roadways also encourage interaction
among business people and residents.
3 The Plan
3-37
Design
Building Form and Character
General Concepts
The City of Meridian is attempting to create a
sense of place and establish a distinct identity for
the area and community. Architectural character
should establish a clear sense of overall identity for
each activity center and neighborhood.
While each building should maintain a degree
of individuality, an overall palette should be
developed for each commercial or employment
activity center or neighborhood area. This palette
should address and coordinate key elements
such as materials (walls, roofs, key architectural
elements), and colors, etc.
The transects through the Ten Mile Interchange
Area summarize some of he important building
form and character concepts by activity center
and land use type.
Building Placement
Building placement describes the location of a
building on its lot. Placement is determined by
dimensional setback or build-to requirements
measured from the lot boundary lines and/or
sidewalks.
Commercial Activity Centers
Buildings within commercial activity centers should
relate effectively to the fronting streets.
In general, the following building placement
recommendations should apply within a
commercial activity center:
Within the block pattern of the commercial
activity center, buildings should align to
emphasize the primacy and the continuity of the
primary streets. Buildings placed along primary
streets should be as continuous as possible.
The main façade of all buildings within a
commercial activity center should be adjacent
to the sidewalks that run parallel to the fronting
streets. Secondary façades adjacent to streets,
parking areas, or sidewalks, can be set back in
order to allow for landscaping, but this setback
should be no more than 8 feet.
Each block of buildings along a primary street
should include one passageway linking the
primary street to the rear of the buildings.
Passages connecting primary streets to rear-
located parking or providing cross block access
should be provided on a block-by-block basis.
Tthese should be designed and scaled to
optimize pedestrian comfort and safety.
Wherever the ROW design is sufficient to allow
for sidewalks that effectively provide enough
capacity for pedestrian use, the primary façade
of the building should sit on the edge of the ROW
(i.e., no setback).
Buildings that front onto a secondary street
should be built directly adjacent to the fronting
sidewalk and ROW (0 feet) unless the operations
of the building indicate a need to set the building
back some distance from the ROW.
At no point within a commercial activity center
should surface parking be placed between a
building and the fronting primary or secondary
street.
Blocks can be built as a single structure with
individual entities within the building depicted
architecturally. If individual buildings are built,
party-wall construction should be emphasized.
Buildings along secondary streets should
endeavor to maintain the continuity of the
street façades similar to those found along
primary streets. However, individual buildings
need not employ party-wall construction, but
separation between side yard set backs should
be minimized to that amount mandated by
local regulations or building codes.
Buildings along secondary streets should maintain
a uniform setback from the sidewalk. The primary
façade of a structure along a secondary street
should be set along a mandated build-to line.
Building elements such as stoops, porches,
balconies, and bay windows, which project
from the primary façade may infringe into this
mandatory setback. The mandatory build-to line
along a secondary street should not be set so
far back as to diminish an effective relationship
to the fronting street. In general, depending on
the types of building elements to be applied to
structures along a secondary street, this setback
should be between 6 and 12 feet.
When a building sits at the intersection of two
primary streets, two secondary streets, or a
primary and a secondary street, both façades
should be treated as primary façades with the
front-yard setbacks appropriate to the street
frontage.
Buildings along secondary and tertiary streets
often form less continuous street frontages.
Nonetheless, side-yard setbacks should be
minimized to help ensure continuity along the
block-face, and will generally be determined
by the applicable building codes. Where side-
yard setbacks are needed to accommodate
functional requirements such as access roads,
and passages, the spacing between adjacent
structures should be sized to safely and effectively
accommodate the required functions.
3 The Plan
3-38
Design
For buildings that will house restaurants or other
establishments that will generate significant
amounts of solid waste, service dumpsters should
be provided within easy proximity of the designated
establishment. All dumpsters should be located
away from the primary façade of the building;
ideally, such facilitiess will be placed within a rear
façade. Regardless of location, all dumpsters
should be contained within screened enclosures
whose exterior walls should be a minimum of 6 feet
in height.
Building Heights
The height and massing of buildings influence
the quality of streets and public spaces. This plan
recommends low-rise buildings of 2-4 stories over
much of the area with opportunities for taller
buildings in a few locations including the high
density employment areas, Lifestyle Center, mixed
use commercial, and high density residential.
For the purposes of the Ten Mile Specific Area Plan,
measuring building height will generally be defined
by the number of floors rather than the number of
feet, with some exceptions. While specifying height
limits by number of feet is a common feature of
conventional plans, the approach tends to result
in buildings with low ground floor ceiling heights,
depressed first floors, and low interior ceiling
heights. By defining limits by number of floors
above grade, a greater flexibility in the choice of
construction method; greater variation in floor-to-
floor heights; and higher average ceiling heights
can be achieved. The practice also provides more
flexibility in achieving sustainability and green-
building goals—generous floor-to-floor dimensions
that allow for deeper penetration of daylight
into interior spaces and the use of under-floor air
ventilation systems.
Although buildings with the same number of floors
may be slightly different heights, the Ten Miles Area’s
distinctiveness can be advanced by allowing for a
wider variety of interior spaces, greater levels of
adaptability over time, and more variety of rooflines
in the skyline.
General Limit of 4 Stories
The plan recommends limiting heights to 4 for much
of the Ten Mile Interchange Area. This includes all
areas except high density employment and the
Lifestyle Center. In these areas up to 5 or even 6
stories may be allowed.
First Floor Clear Ceiling Heights for Retail
To promote the long-term adaptability of ground
floor spaces on the most active frontages, the plan
recommends that clear ceilings of heights of at
least 15 to 18 feet to be maintained for retail uses
abutting commercial streets. This recommendation
is designed to ensure flexibility in use and adequate
space for display and transom windows, sign
bands, awnings and canopies, and other façade
elements.
High Density Employment Areas Along I-84
Building heights of up to 6 stories are recommended
for the employment areas along I-84. Permitting
such heights is intended to minimize the total
footprint of the employment uses while allowing
sufficient densities to support the development of
structured parking and to help frame the larger
I-84 corridor. This provision also recognizes the
importance hospitality uses can play in the future
of the area.
Building Façades
Buildings should be designed so that their
primary façades relate to active public spaces
and pedestrian areas. The primary façade of a
structure is that frontage of the building that has
been designed and detailed so as to represent the
building’s most important elevation. The primary
façade should always include an entry into the
building. Entries should be located so as to provide
direct access from adjacent public spaces,
primary streets and activity areas. Access from
sidewalks and pathways should be uninterrupted
by vehicular traffic.
In situations where one façade of a structure faces
a designated public space and another faces a
parking area designed to serve that structure,
both façades should be designed and detailed as
primary façades, and both should have prominent,
usable entries. In such situations, if the relationship
between the internal use of a structure and its
adjacent public space is primarily visual—e.g.,
there will be little call for people using a playing field
to enter an adjacent office building—the fronting
façade must be designed to provide significant
visual access into and out of the building, but need
not provide everyday physical access.
Buildings should be located so as to help frame
adjacent public spaces and to provide an
architectural backdrop for associated passive and
active activities. The space between a building
façade and the adjacent sidewalk or walkway
should be appropriately landscaped with a
combination of lawns, groundcover, shrubs and
appropriate trees.
3 The Plan
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Design
Base, Body, and Top
Buildings in the Ten Mile Interchange Area should
be designed with clearly delineated bases, bodies
and tops.
Building Base
Building bases clearly define the extent of the public
realm, providing spatial enclosure, mediating
differences in scale between adjacent buildings,
and offering visual and physical connections to
sidewalks and public spaces. After the ground floor
frontage, the building base shapes the quality and
character of public streets and spaces. Distinctions
between building bases and bodies are expressed
by variations in material, color, minor step backs
above a transition line, fenestration patterns, and
architectural moldings, balconies, or other modest
projections at the line of transition between the
base and body. Imitation or synthetic building
materials, including EIFS, are strongly discouraged
on building bases and should be avoided. Building
bases should be defined on all sides of buildings,
including service frontages.
The following design recommendations should be
followed:
For buildings between 1 and 2 stories, the base
should encompass up to the first floor of the
building.
For buildings between 3 and 5 stories, the base
should encompass up to the first 2 floors of the
building.
For buildings 6 stories or more, the base should
be at least 2 floors high and may include the 3rd
story.
Building Body
Building bodies are the main portions of the building
and are distinguished from building bases and tops
through variations in material, step backs above
the transition line from the building base, changes
in fenestration patterns, and balcony projections.
Building Top
Building tops include the area of the façade above
the top floor (or including the top floor on taller
buildings), the parapet wall, cornice lines for flat
roof buildings, and eaves and roof structures for
buildings with pitched roofs. The design treatment
of building tops defines the uppermost limits of
the public realm, affects views from surrounding
buildings, and determines the visual interest of the
skyline.
Tops may be expressed by variations in material,
fenestration patterns, and architectural moldings,
balconies, or other modest projections at the line of
transition between the body and the top. Building
tops should be defined on all sides of buildings,
including service frontages.
The following design recommendations should be
followed:
For buildings between 3 and 5 stories, the top
is defined as the area above the top floor and
include the parapet wall, cornice line, or eave
of the building.
For buildings greater then 6 stories, the top may
include the façade of the top floor and area
above the top floor including the parapet wall,
cornice line, or eave of the building.
Roof equipment, including mechanical
penthouses, should be screened from view and
should have a maximum height of 18 feet and
preferably shorter utilizing newer technologies
to reduce mechanical equipment space.
Mechanical penthouses should never be taller
than the first floor.
Frontage
To further community goals for the creation of
active, attractive streets and public spaces and
support the service and access needs of individual
projects, a hierarchy of frontage types are
recommended. These types range from traditional
main street conditions, with the highest levels of
transparency and ground floor activity, to service
streets, with parking access, loading docks and
service entries.
For each frontage type, primary design components
address the rhythm of building entries, level of
transparency, relationship of building entries to
sidewalk grade, minimum clear ceiling heights,
and permitted projections beyond required build-
to lines. Base Body Top
3 The Plan
3-40
Design
for storefronts 2 to 10 feet above sidewalk grade,
and minimum clear ceiling heights of 15 to18 feet.
To ensure accessibility, the first floor entries should
match the grade of adjacent sidewalks. Blade signs,
awnings, canopies, outdoor displays, and shop
fronts are all acceptable projections beyond the
build-to line. These projecting elements add variety
and visual interests to the street while providing
tenants opportunities to exhibit their individuality,
advertise their location, and display goods,
services, and special offerings to passersby.
Live/Work Units and Frontage
Live-work units are a form of integrated mixed
use development that has become quite popular
in recent years. Scaled to more or less match a
traditional two-, three-, or four-story townhouse,
such units have a publicly accessible commercial
space on the ground floor, and a somewhat less
accessible dwelling (or multiple dwellings) above
it. In the simplest condition, such buildings are held
in fee-simple ownership by a single owner who
uses the ground floor for commercial purposes and
lives upstairs. Quite often, the upstairs units can be
accessed from both the front and the back, and
secured parking is often included at the rear of the
units.
As this building type has evolved in recent years,
a wide range of applications has emerged.
Sometimes, the upstairs owner of a unit uses the
downstairs commercial space as a private work
space. Other times, the unit owner will lease the
ground floor unit to a second party who uses it for
a business. Occasionally, live-work projects have
been built where the downstairs and upstairs units
are sold separately. While the exact parameters
for such a building type need still to be resolved,
it seems clear that there is some market for this
type of project in the Treasure Valley. Because the
depth and width of such projects are extremely
flexible, they are ideally suited to be used as “liners”
attached to internal parking structures or larger
buildings.
The Live/Work frontage requirements follow many
of those provided for a commercial retail frontage
with a few important exceptions. For Live/Work
frontages, the limit between entries, the required
clear ceiling heights, and first floor elevation
requirements are the same as the commercial
retail frontage; however slightly less transparency
for storefronts is recommended. This change
permits greater variation in storefront conditions
to accommodate a wider range of ground floor
uses.
Urban Residential Frontage in Commercial
Areas
The first floor elevation of buildings on streets with
residential ground floor uses should be elevated
above sidewalk level such that windowsills are
above pedestrian eye level to maintain privacy
yet still permit the informal surveillance of public
space. Raised stoops, exterior entries for individual
units, landscaped setbacks behind sidewalks, and
minimum levels of transparency are recommended.
Providing privacy for residents and creating an
active street are both highly important for any
urban residential street, and both can be achieved
simultaneously.
Stoops 18 to 48 inches above the sidewalk
grade should be provided with a minimum 40%
transparency in fenestration for residential façades,
and bay widows and balconies differentiate
individual units.
General Recommendations in Activity Centers
Commercial Retail Frontage
For streets and block fronts where commercial
uses and pedestrian activity are most desired, it is
recommended that sidewalks be lined with shops,
restaurants, and galleries and that buildings be
designed with the following:
multiple sidewalk entries matching sidewalk
grade
generously-scaled display and transom
windows
pedestrian-scaled signs and banners
awnings or canopies for sun shading
These frontages generally occur in Mixed Use
Commercial and Lifestyle Center Areas. For these
frontages, blank walls (ground floor wall surfaces
without fenestration) and curb-cuts to access
parking, service, and loading areas should be
generally prohibited.
The commercial retail frontage supports the creation
of a comfortable, safe and interesting pedestrian
environment. A minimum of 40% transparency Live Work Commercial
3 The Plan
3-41
Design
Specifically, the urban residential form should
reflect the following guidelines:
buildings with a minimal landscaped setbacks
buildings oriented to streets with multiple building
entrances on the ground floor
buildings heights of 40 feet maximum
architectural styles and materials that are
compatible to surrounding neighborhood
landscaped buffers between new development
and single family development
streetscapes improved to a minimum of 12 feet
in width, including a 6 foot wide clear walkway
parking located underground where possible,
but if there is surface parking, it should be
located in side or rear yards
parking areas facing streets are strongly
discouraged, including front-loaded garages
to the extent possible, curb cuts should be
minimized and additional driveways to parking
and service should be shared to avoid conflicts
with pedestrian circulation.
General Recommendations in Neighborhood
Residential and Institutional Areas
Stoop Frontage
For street and block frontages along residential
streets and areas with a moderate amount of
pedestrian activity, it is recommended that ground
floor elevations be 18 to 24 inches above sidewalk
grade and that the individual units open directly
onto adjacent rights-of-way.
Porch and Fence Frontage
The porch and fence frontage provides a building
façade set back from the street to allow room for
a private, fenced yard. A fence clearly signals
the break between the public realm of the street
and sidewalk to the private realm of the yard and
porch. Porches along the front of the building allow
residents the opportunity to interact and engage
in activities in the public domain while maintaining
a level of privacy.
Roofs
The Ten Mile Interchange Area includes a wide
variety of individual buildings. It is assumed that
there will be a mix of flat and pitched roofs.
Flat Roofs
Flat roofs are permissible on commercial, mixed use,
or multi-family buildings. Flat roofs must be raked
at the minimum slope necessary to shed water
and must meet all other applicable construction
requirements.
Buildings with flat roofs must include a parapet
surround across the entire primary façade (front)
as well as on both side façades. The top of this
parapet should be no less than 18 inches higher
than the highest point in the roof plane, and
must be high enough to screen all roof-mounted
mechanical equipment from view from any point
on the adjacent street.
Roof parapets should be treated as unique topping
elements on the façade of flat-roof buildings. Special
attention should be paid to the use of articulations,
signs, details, inlays, friezes (a horizontal element
with designs or carvings along a wall or around a
room) or other appropriate elements.
Pitched Roofs
Pitched roofs should be, where possible, symmetrical
hips or gables, with a pitch between 4:12 and
12:12. All pitched roofs should have an overhang
of at least 12 inches. The overhang can extend
to a maximum of 2 and a half feet beyond the
façade of the building. Roof brackets and rafter tail
treatments are encouraged.
Building Details
Details are those specific elements of buildings
intended to highlight or articulate key structural
qualities or characteristics and are often mandated
by code. Such elements can include color,
materials, architectural elements, design details,
types of construction, etc. This code element need
not be used for all (or any) building types within the
guidelines.
Materials
The primary façade materials for structures within
a Mixed Use Residential, Mixed Use Commercial
or Lifestyle Center area should be masonry,
particularly at street level. Above street level,
masonry-like building systems (DryVit, etc.) are
acceptable to the extent that they are detailed to
match the masonry detailing on the street level.
High quality materials such as terra cotta, natural
stone, clay-fired units, or other approved masonry
materials are encouraged for architectural details
or accents. The strongest use of details and accents
should be reserved for street level windows and
entries.
Screening of Mechanical Units and Service
Areas
All mechanical units should be screened from
public view. These may include: air conditioners,
electrical transformers, trash collection equipment
including receptacles, compactors and off-street
loading and unloading areas.
Roof-mounted mechanical equipment should not
be visible from along any fronting streets. Where
such equipment will be visible from adjacent
buildings or rear parking areas, the equipment
must be mounted to be unobtrusive and painted
to match finish roof materials.
Trash collection areas, loading and service areas
should be incorporated into the building envelope,
or be screened from public view by a masonry
wall. This wall must be at least 6 feet high or at least
one foot higher than the container that it screens.
All screen walls must be landscaped and built of
durable materials similar in type and detailing to
the buildings they serve.Residential
3 The Plan
3-42
Design
Street-Oriented Development in
Activity Centers
Width to Height Relationships
Within an activity center, buildings help define
the three-dimensional qualities and spatial
characteristics of the streets and civic spaces.
The planning and design of buildings should
relate to the planning and design of the fronting
streets.
Many studies indicate that the optimal level
of spatial comfort is found in situations where
there is approximately a 1:1 ratio between
the width of the street and the heights of the
buildings on either side of the street. In the case
of a street with a 60’ ROW and no building
setbacks, the structures on either side of the
street would have to be approximately 60’ tall.
This is an intensity of development that is difficult
to achieve in most suburban settings. However,
the width-to-height relationship can go as low
as 2:1 or even 3:1 and still manage to create the
desired spatial qualities. In the same 60’ ROW,
this means that fronting buildings could be as
low as 30’ or even 20’ high and still manage to
effectively enclose the space.
Ideally, the relationship between streets within
a commercial activity center and the fronting
structures will never slip below a 3:1 ratio.
This implies that the tallest buildings within
commercial activity center will fall along the
widest streets.
This width-to-height relationship also affects
the design of civic spaces within a commercial
activity center. An optimal public space
creates an effective sense of enclosure through
the buildings on the sides of the space. Again,
the width to height ratio should not slip below
3:1. If a plaza or square is 120 feet in width, the
fronting buildings should be approximately 40’
in height.
Street Level Uses
Streets are the dominant civic spaces within
a commercial activity center. Street level uses
should be designed to lend to the overall
character and quality of the pedestrian
environment. Specialty shops, service and
convenience retail, and restaurants should
be the predominant street level uses within a
commercial activity center. Buildings should
be designed and programmed in order to
maximize these uses at the street level, with as
much continuity between uses as possible.
Main entries into street level uses should be
from the fronting street. Where a building sits
at the intersection of two streets, entrances
should address the dominant fronting street.
Where multi-story buildings are used, entrances
to upper-level uses should also occur on the
primary fronting street. Such entrances should
be clearly marked and easily accessible, but
should not interrupt the flow of pedestrian-
oriented street-level uses. Direct access to
street-level uses should not occur from rear
parking lots or structures.
The sketch shows how streets and facades
should relate within the commercial activity
centers.
3 The Plan
3-43
Design
Regional Retail
Where a single-use building is to occupy an
entire block of a commercial activity center,
this building must follow all of the applicable
guidelines for the design and detailing of
the primary façade of the building. Such a
building is to be placed at the periphery of
the commercial activity center, away from the
dominant public spaces and civic center of the
project. Public ROW shall front such structures on
all four sides. ROW on the sides of the structure
shall be detailed as secondary streets. If
possible, liner buildings or similar structures are
recommended along these side facades. A
liner building is a building specifically designed
to mask a parking structure or retail structure
from view from an adjacent street frontage.
Used as such, a liner building is generally less
than 30 feet in depth and one- to four-stories in
height. All loading and unloading and services
shall be located on a designated tertiary
street.
The sketch to the right shows how a “big box”
should be integrated into the lifestyle center
area. Using various liner buildings that house
small retail, for rent housing and offices, the
building facades help define the three-
dimensional qualities and spatial characteristics
of the streets and civic spaces within the
commercial activity center. The streets within a
commercial activity center create the effect of
a three-dimensional outdoor room, where the
ROW serves as the floor of the room and the
buildings on either side of the street serve as
the walls. The relationship between the width
of the ROW and the heights of the fronting
buildings is critical in helping effect this spatial
quality.
3 The Plan
3-44
Design
Transit Center
The Ten Mile Interchange Area, which is
planned to optimize transit and walkability,
proposes a transit center as a core component.
The proposed transit center depicted here
is located along the rail line at the northeast
corner of Ten Mile Road and Franklin Road.
Adjacent to the transit center are commercial,
employment, and higher density residential
land use types.
While many might suggest that planning for
transit at this time if too forward-thinking, not
planning for transit will limit the opportunities and
economic viability of the area. The preservation
of this key location to accommodate future
transit connections needs to be considered.
The following principles have been incorporated
into the Ten Mile Specific Area Plan as a means
of promoting transit opportunities:
The transit center area is well-connected to
the surrounding neighborhoods and to the
region. A continuous network of collector
streets and pathways provide a choice of
safe, convenient, and interesting routes
within and without the center area.
The transit center area’s streets, parks, and
squares (as shown in the diagram) become
the community’s outdoor living rooms. They
should be designed as safe, convenient,
and comfortable places in which to spend
time. No major pedestrian route should be
through a desolate parking lot or though a
lifeless street. These outdoor rooms become
the places where the chance meetings of
people occur on a daily basis where citizens
form community bonds.
The transit center area has a mix of uses,
where people live, work,shop, and recreate,
resulting in a safe twenty-four hour place.
A choice of housing types enables people
of different incomes and ages to live in
the center area, supporting a healthy and
diverse culture.
The Ten Mile Specific Area Plan supports choice
between walking, biking and transit. The benefit
is a measure of independence for those who
cannot drive, especially the young and the
old.
Peter Calthorpe, in his book, The Next Metropolis,
wrote the following about the design and
functionality of transit-oriented development:
“A transit-oriented development is a mixed
use community within a 2000 foot walking
distance of a transit stop and core commercial
area. TODs offer an alternative to traditional
development patterns by providing housing,
services, and employment opportunities for
a diverse population in a configuration that
facilitates pedestrian and transit access. TODs
mix residential, retail, office, open space and
public uses, in a walkable environment, making
it convenient for residents and employees to
travel by transit, bicycle, foot or car.”
“The provision of local services for TOD residents
as well as the surrounding neighborhoods,
results in reduced vehicle miles traveled within
the immediate area. This is because nearby
neighbors no longer have to travel outside the
area for some of their daily needs. The safety of
the center area increases due to the number
of visitors and residents providing eyes on the
street on a twenty-four hour basis.”
3 The Plan
3-45
Design
Awnings
Awnings are the least expensive way of providing
climate protection to pedestrians. In general, an
awning is an ancillary lightweight structure of wood,
metal or canvas that is cantilevered from a building
façade to provide shade to the fenestration and
spatial containment to pedestrians.
Within the Mixed Use Commercial areas and the
Lifestyle Center area, awnings shall extend a
minimum of 5 feet from the façade of the fronting
structure; 8 feet is preferable in wider pedestrian
environments. The bottom edge of an awning
shall be no less than 8 feet above the sidewalk
immediately below, and no more than 10 feet
above. Commercial and office buildings located
in other areas are encouraged to incorporate
awnings.
The awnings should be architectural materials
that complement the primary materials of the
structure to which they are attached. Natural
materials – canvas, wood, metal—are preferred.
Vinyl is prohibited. Awnings shall not be internally
illuminated. The dimensions of awnings should take
into consideration street trees and street lighting.
Awnings are recommended as architectural
elements within High Density Employment Area
and in association with higher density and mixed
use residential structures.
3 The Plan
3-46
Design
Signs
Signs should be designed to ensure that tenants,
residents and visitors could quickly and easily find
their way. All signs shall be designed to contribute
to the overall character, identity and way finding
system.
Signs and environmental graphics shall be
conceived of as an integral part of the architectural
design, not as an applied afterthought. The colors,
materials, sizes, shapes and lighting of signs shall be
compatible with the architecture of the buildings
and the businesses they identify, and shall not
be incompatible with surrounding buildings or
development.
Lettering should be simple, legible and well-
proportioned for clear communication. Sign shapes
shall be simple geometric forms. Sign materials
shall be durable and easy to maintain. Flags shall
not be used as signs. Backlit or internally lit signs are
discouraged. Each business within a commercial
activity center that includes an entryway onto a
primary street shall have one sign oriented towards
vehicular traffic and one sign oriented towards
pedestrian traffic. Businesses that sit on corners at
primary street intersections shall have two of each
type of sign. In employment areas, signs should be
limited to monument signs with one at each entry.
In some cases, wall or even roof-mounted signs will
be permitted in an office or industrial setting where
the sign is an integral part of the overall building
design.
3 The Plan
3-47
Design
Public Art
The use of art in public places, both in civic locations
and as part of private developments, contributes
to city identity and character. Public art can
enhance the landscape and provide focus within
public spaces. It improves the visual environment
for all residents, while strengthening community
identity and boosting community pride. The City
of Meridian values the livability and beauty that
public art adds to shared spaces where people
live, work, visit, and recreate. Public art should be
meaningful and encourage the free flow of ideas
and cultural ideologies.
In the Ten Mile Interchange Area, public art should
be incorporated into the design of streetscapes,
public buildings, parks, transit, infrastructure, and
other public projects. This plan encourages that
both public and private strive for high-quality
design. Public art—along with architecture,
landscape architecture, urban design, and historic
preservation—is one of several important tools that
can be used to accomplish this.
Developers are encouraged to collaborate with
artists to generate creative design solutions in any
development project. Artists could work as integral
members of design teams or develop art projects
that are integrated into either the architectural
design or the design of plazas and public spaces
associated with the building. Integrated art projects
should be easily visible to the public, (e.g., on the
exterior of buildings rather than in lobbies, or visible
from the street or publicly accessible open spaces
rather than interior courtyards).
3 The Plan
3-48
Design
Parks and Open Space
Increasingly, people are looking to live, work,
shop and play in dense, diverse environments.
At the same time, they also want visual or
physical access to effective and appropriate
open space. With urbanization and increased
intensity of use comes the responsibility and
opportunity to provide more open space,
pathways and public gathering areas.
The open space and pathway network
proposed for the Ten Mile Interchange Area
are as important as the buildings and physical
structures in defining the unique character of
the area and in making it more livable. Public
spaces within the area should work as a system
to provide a wide variety of venues. These
spaces, linked by pathways, range from small,
intimate, “pocket” parks and outdoor dining
areas, to larger plazas and squares, to linear
parks and recreational areas that relate to
area canals.
Public Space in Activity Centers
Commercial activity centers are mixed use
environments intended to attract people from
throughout the community. While streets remain
the dominant public spaces, each center
should also include a number of open civic
spaces, both public and private, specifically
designed to accommodate programmed and
spontaneous activities.
The heart of a successful commercial activity
center is often an open civic space, so the value
of carefully locating and designing such a space
cannot be underestimated. Such a civic space
should be located adjacent to and accessible
from at least one primary street. Care must be
taken to einsure that the programming and use
of the space is not disrupted by vehicular traffic.
It is rarely workable to create a traffic island or
circle and use the space within the island or
circle as a functional civic space, as the flow of
traffic impedes pedestrian access.
3 The Plan
3-49
Design
LDR MDR MHDR HDR MUR MUC LC LDE HDE ME I Parks Civic
Special AreasPage . Design Element Residential Mixed Use Employment
Application of the Design Elements
The matrix on this page and the figures that follow
summarize the application of the design elements
of the plan.
3 The Plan
3-50
Design
3 The Plan
3-51
Design
3 The Plan
3-52
Design
thiS PAGe iNteNtiONAlly left BlANK
4 Public Planning Process
4-1
SECTION 4 -THE PUBLIC PLANNING PROCESS
4 Public Planning Process
4-2
LAND USE, DESIGN AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Promote quality
Establish relationships between developments to
create an integrated urban form and identifiable
hierarchy
Link land use patterns and design to
transportation system performance
Create a sense of place--of being somewhere,
not anywhere
Enhance streams and water features as
recreation amenities
Integrate parks and recreation into the urban
framework
Promote sustainable design concepts
The Plan is a Success if it results in:
Involving a strong urban design frame in both
form and function
Integrated land uses
A comfortable and attractive human
environment
Protecting floodplains and stream channels
Successfully transitions from surrounding uses
The use of sustainable products and design
elements
Recognizing and providing for newer, highly
marketable residential and commercial products
TRANSPORTATION
Sound access management program
Plan for rail connections
Preserve performance of interchange and
arterial roadways
Establish road cross-sections that enhance
appearance and performance
Accommodate transit in roadway design and
the arrangement of land uses
Promote development of a collector street
system
Provide pathway connections and links across
interstate
The Plan is a Success if it results in:
Minimizing congestion
An interconnected and integrated pathway
system
Adequately accommodating transit (bus and
possible rail)
FINANCIAL/ECONOMIC
Increase employment base
Improve overall job/housing balance
Encourage higher quality commercial
development
Provide for family-wage jobs
Promote economically sustainable land use
patterns and urban design elements
Provide for sound market performance
The Plan is a Success if it results in:
Higher average wages
Higher tax revenue to support required
government services
Meridian receiving increased regional retail and
employment
REGULATORY
Clarity concerning design, land use and
infrastructure expectations
Raises the bar on quality of development
Predictable development process
The Plan is a Success if it results in:
Faster approval process when meeting plan
expectations
Fewer political conflicts and lessens concern
about development by area residents
Mission: To prepare a sound and effective plan for the Ten Mile Area that would:
Further our goal of making Meridian the premier place to live, work and raise a family in the Treasure Valley
Provide clear guidance and predictability for development
Recognize and is responsive to market influences and conditions
Help us maintain a sense of place and enhances Meridian’s character
Support a stronger Meridian economy
Be accepted by the City and interested stakeholders as a framework for the future development of the area and its surroundings
Mission, Objectives, and Measures
Through the various pre-charrette forums, a mission and series of objectives and measures for the plan evolved. To this end, the charrette team entered the charrette with the following mission, objectives and measures
in mind.
4 Public Planning Process
4-3
Interchange Project, drawing over 300 people. The
open house introduced the project to the public
and began a rigorous brainstorming process that
served as the basis for the charrette and fostered
community participation. The purpose of the
public meeting was specifically to give the public
an opportunity to identify issues, concerns and
ideas about land use, transportation, development
and design in the Ten Mile Interchange Area, and
to allow the public an opportunity to contribute
to the development of project objectives and
measures.
In advance of the open house, the consultant team
prepared a background analysis to share with the
public and use as the basis for public input. The
background analysis included:
Existing land uses and ownership patterns
Environmental conditions
Infrastructure and services – existing and
planned future service areas and facilities
Transportation facilities – existing and proposed
transportation facilities and transit routes
Transportation system performance – Current
and forecasted traffic patterns and trip
generators, current and forecasted volumes
and intersection levels of service
Existing and ongoing plans and studies –
Communities in Motion, Blue Print for Good
Growth, City of Meridian Comprehensive Plan,
I-84 Corridor Plan, and others
Design guidelines – inventory of existing City
codes, zoning criteria and design guidelines.
During the evening, more than 60 participants
provided input concerning design of the Ten Mile
Interchange Area via a Visual Preference Survey
and many more provided comments concerning
existing conditions and design options. The mission,
objectives and measures were tested and it was
determined that they were appropriate and
represented the community’s desires for the area.
Lessons learned:
People in Meridian care. The look and feel
of the place is important to them. Residents
worry about how the road in front of their
property is going to change, and have a good
conducted. Other potential data sources and
coordination efforts are reviewed and discussed.
A preliminary list of issues that would influence
development of the plan is:
Complementing, rather than competing with,
existing retail on Eagle Road and in downtown
Meridian
Working with transit opportunities afforded by
the addition of a freeway interchange as well
as existing rail lines
Striving to set a new standard for integrating
transportation and land use
Attracting a mix of employment
Improving existing design standards, ensuring
predictability and precision in land use and
development regulations
Considering the needs of the area for health
care, entertainment, and specific needs for
seniors
Maintaining pedestrian mobility in the area
through trails and pathways, rather than
allowing the freeway to interrupt pedestrian
connections
Avoiding traffic problems of other area
interchanges and not repeating the mistakes of
Eagle Road
During this process the mission is established, and
the objectives and measures that would drive the
process and help the charrette team sift through
and assess the various alternatives are identified.
Outreach
To ensure that the community was aware of
the upcoming planning process for the Ten Mile
Specific Area Plan, events were announced in
several ways. The City of Meridian’s website was
updated with news about upcoming events; post
cards were sent to area residents before the public
open house; and notices were placed in utility bills.
Press releases were sent before, during, and after
charrette, which was covered in local television
and print media.
Community Meeting
Members of the community were invited to
participate in the planning process beginning with
the public meeting on Thursday, August 31, 2006.
The meeting was an open house held jointly with
the Idaho Transportation Department’s Ten Mile
PUBLIC PLANNING PROCESS
Overview
The purpose of the public involvement process is
to gain understanding from the community of how
they see the future of the Ten Mile Interchange Area
and to achieve consensus on the resulting plan.
The goal of the outreach activities is to involve as
many people in the process as possible by reaching
out to local organizations and individuals, as well as
people who might not have participated in public
events in the past. A key element of the approach
is to contact people throughout the process, and
advance a variety of communication strategies to
promote attendance at the charrette.
The integration of public participation and
stakeholder involvement into the planning
process allows key project issues to be identified
and comprehensively examined. As illustrated
by the planning process timeline for the Ten Mile
Specific Area Plan, the public had opportunities
to participate throughout the process. The plan’s
outreach and involvement efforts included
interviews with area stakeholders, coordination
meetings with area agencies, a public open house,
a four-day charrette at which the Ten Mile Specific
Area Plan is developed, and a post-charrette series
of discussions with agencies and stakeholders to
test, refine and finalize the plan. The core of the
public involvement effort is the charrette.
More than 500 individuals participated in the
scheduled public events, stakeholder interviews
and agency discussions, including attendance at
the more than 50 hours of open door studio time at
the charrette.
Listening and Learning
Kick-Off Meeting
A kick off meeting is held to begin the planning
process. The meeting is attended by representatives
of emergency service providers, the Parks
Department, Public Works, City Council, the Mayor’s
Office, City Planning staff, transportation agencies,
and various business groups and others.
Since background information about the Meridian
Ten Mile Interchange Area was needed as a
basis for the planning process, key stakeholders
are identified and a stakeholders analysis was
4 Public Planning Process
4-4
understanding of the significant role the area was
going to play in the region and its contribution
to Meridian's prosperity. People know the area
will change and were ready to welcome that
change as long as growth and traffic impacts
were handled responsibly.
Those living south of the interstate feel it was
important that the Specific Area Plan allow
for a smooth transition to the rural residential
character found south of Lamont Rd.
Agency Coordination
On the same day as the first public open house,
a coordination meeting was held with agency
representatives. This meeting helped to establish
ownership of the project, coordinate the effort
with other ongoing projects, identify data gaps
and identify resources that each agency could
bring to the process and contribute to charrette.
Attendees broke into three groups to discuss the Ten
Mile Specific Area Plan: economic development,
transportation and public facilities and services.
Economic Development
The economic development roundtable discussed
the possibility of an employment center in the
Ten Mile Interchange Area. The pressures for
retail development have limited the opportunity
to advance employment centers at the region’s
interchanges. With growth in the region, it appears
that market forces will continue to advance retail
uses at the future Ten Mile Interchange, but that the
City can influence the development of the area and
attract new employment while accommodating
retail development.
Transportation
The group discussing transportation issues within
the Ten Mile Interchange Area focused on roadway
performance within the area and future transit
connecting the area with the rest of the Treasure
Valley (along the rail line bounding the study area
on the north side). For rail to operate efficiently,
it would have to integrate with the existing transit
system, including Park ‘n Ride services, as well
as other transportation modes such as bus and
vanpool. Possibilities for additional road connectivity
in the area around the proposed interchange were
explored. Rail transit was currently under discussion
in the Treasure Valley.
We learned that:
Any use of the rail line should be integrated with
traditional transit. Park ‘n Ride services should be
integrated with other modes of transportation
The city could facilitate a trans-loading facility
within Industrial-zoned areas to promote
industrial development along the rail line
Overland Road should connect between Black
Cat Road and McDermott Road
Construct a coordinated collector system to
preserve the level-of-service on arterials
Railroad lines, I-84 and the future extenstion
of State Highway 16 could all pose significant
barriers to local connectivity. Roads can only
cross the rail line at 1-mile intervals
An additional challenge was in the financing of
the non-transportation related amenities, like
hardscape and landscape
Access to Ten Mile Road will need to be
controlled in order to regulate traffic flow
Public Facilities and Services
The third group covered public facility and service
issues stemming from changes brought about by
the Ten Mile Specific Area Plan. They considered
how development would impact irrigation in
the area. Amenities such as a branch library, an
area park and walking paths were also discussed.
Methods of ensuring continued rapid response from
fire, police and emergency services were covered.
Lastly, the group addressed the need for sewer and
water line capacity in the area.
We learned that:
Preserving irrigation in the area was important
during and after development
Along the canals, a multi-use pathway could
be built on one side, but no landscaping of
the canals and ditches themselves should be
included since it can create impediments to the
irrigation system
There was interest in linking existing trails as well
as creating city-wide pathways
The plan should include room for a 25 acre
community park
Medians at gateway locations and the
interchange should be landscaped
A fire station was set to be built on Ten Mile in
the next five years and development, especially
high rises, will require new equipment
The Fire Department and Police Department
want emergency access to the freeway and the
greater area considered in the plan
A satellite library could serve the area after
development
The economic development group also discussed
creating a lifestyle center in the Ten Mile Interchange
Area as a way of achieving the retail objectives. A
lifestyle center could provide a pedestrian-friendly
“town center” feeling while providing “upscale”
shopping, mixed uses and recreational amenities
not provided in any other area of the Treasure
Valley.
We learned that:
New access to the south will open new markets
in an area with little or no employment
There was the potential for an employment
center at Ten Mile
An emphasis should be placed on attracting
living wage jobs
There was already retail pressure in the Ten Mile
Interchange Area, and a managed response to
this demand will be critical to the area’s long
term success and sustainability
Unique industrial opportunities in the area, such
as rail and the proposed extension of SH 16, will
allow the City to attract clean industries
There was enthusiasm for a lifestyle center as
a destination place with genuinely integrated
uses
It was important to integrate, connect and
generate synergy among these different
components in order to create a regional
destination that also serves local needsCommunity Meeting
4 Public Planning Process
4-5
Stakeholder Interviews
Throughout August, interviews were held with key
stakeholders, i.e. those members of the public
with a specific interest in the outcome of the plan.
The stakeholders were identified from property
and business ownership, developers, community
groups, and public officials. These interviews
helped to build trust and allow stakeholders to
express their thoughts freely, and helped to inform
the charrette team of specific goals and interests
in the development of property within the Ten Mile
Interchange Area.
At the interviews, the details of the project were
explained, along with the process, how input
would be used, and how stakeholders could stay
involved in the process as the plan developed.
Interviews lasted roughly one hour and covered
the stakeholders’ concerns in the following areas:
Land Use
Design
Regulation
Transportation
Stakeholders provided the charrette team with
an understanding of their specific goals for their
properties based on their plans and existing
comprehensive plan for the City. Many investments
have been made with the goal of capitalizing
on the proposed interchange. In most cases,
developer objectives were focused on taking
advantage of the interchange and arterial road
system in the Ten Mile Interchange Area to support
regional commercial retail development. Housing
was considered a viable use by most developers
and land owners in areas set back from major Agency Meetingsarterial corridors. Office and industrial uses were
identified by some as potential markets along the
rail and interstate.
The Issues
Having met with the public, interviewed
stakeholders, and spoken with agencies, it was
determined that the following critical issues would
to be addressed at the charrette:
Retail pressure to create more retail space at
the interchange
Landowner expectations of commercial
development
Accommodating the expansion of the regional
transit network
Turning movements and intersection spacing
along Ten Mile Road
Establishing connectivity in the study area with
a system of collector roads
4 Public Planning Process
4-6
The Charette Process Log
In order to avoid rework and to make the best use
of everyone’s time, the charrette team conducted
an opportunity and constraints analysis before
starting design work, spent time studying the area,
and developed a market analysis to inform the
planning process. The charrette team used short
feedback loops in order to ensure that the design
stayed on track. Each design iteration was tested
by a round of review by interested parties. During
the charrette, the design advanced from a set of
conceptual alternatives to a preferred alternative
through a series of reviews. Feedback was collected
during continuous ad hoc meetings with drop-ins,
scheduled stakeholder meetings, in-studio daily
pin-up reviews, and large public meetings in the
evenings.
Day 1:Visioning
Summary
Meetings: The team held meetings with the City
and various stakeholders, including some that
were not interviewed previously
Site tour: The team took a tour to view the study
area
Public Work Session: The team conducted
a public work session with input and vision
brainstorming
Public Meeting: The team conducted an
opening night public meeting
The Day’s Work
Several visions of the Ten Mile Interchange Area
were developed by the charrette team based on
the information they gathered by meeting with the
public and state and local agencies. These visions
represented a series of potential frameworks for the
design and development of the area that would
be tested during the public session in the evening.
The frameworks integrated a variety of design,
transportation, land use, and other development
components as a means of obtaining input and
ultimately, affirmation concerning a preferred
vision or framework for development of the area.
The Public’s Input
At the end of the first day, the charrette team
asked for authorization from the public and
stakeholders to proceed with development of a
series of four alternative design concepts based
on the preferred vision. Several detailed design
The Charrette Design Process
Definition and Benefits of the charrette
Process
In the context of modern planning, a charrette was
an intensive, multi-disciplinary planning process.
It was designed to facilitate an open discussion
between all of the stakeholders of a given planning
area, including community groups, property
owners, developers and neighbors. The charrette
was a collaborative planning process that harnesses
the talents and energies of all concerned parties
in order to create and support a plan. charrettes
were a great way to involve a broad spectrum
of stakeholders and create a shared vision for an
area’s future.
The underlying philosophy of a charrette, according
to Mayor Tammy de Weerd, was that “an informed
citizenry knows what was best and through
discussion and collaboration can develop the most
appropriate and vibrant plan for the future—a plan
that represents their values and ideals.” With the
Mayor’s statement in mind, the Design charrette
process for Ten Mile Interchange Area was based
on the principle that “the best plan was made by
many hands.”
The Evolution of the Plan: The Charrette
Schedule
To develop a comprehensive and integrated
plan for the Ten Mile Interchange Area, the City
of Meridian hosted the design charrette from
September 25th to 28th. “Our hope was that,
through the charrette process, we can identify the
very best future for the Ten Mile Interchange Area.
We want to establish a development plan for the
area that takes full advantage of the proposed
interchange, while preserving the transportation
system and creating a place people of Meridian
were proud of—a place where people want to
be,” said Mayor Tammy de Weerd.
During the four days of charrette a team of
architects, landscape architects, engineers,
planners, economists, urban designers, and
transportation planners and engineers worked day
and night to develop alternatives that eventually
merged into a preferred alternative. The design
studio was open to the public between the hours
of 8:00 AM and 9:00 PM.
The Day’s Work
Based on the input from the previous evening’s
session, the charrette team began development
of the alternative design concepts, including the
land use, urban design, transportation system,
regulatory, and infrastructure components. The
process included an analysis of infrastructure and
transportation system elements.
The Public’s Input
A series of meetings was held with stakeholders,
property owners, developers, economic
development officials, council members, market
experts, and agencies, including those representing
the design of the proposed interchanges--ACHD,
and ITD. All meetings were open to the public.
The meetings offered an opportunity for everyone
to gain a greater understanding of the various
aspects of the area so that the designs could be
well informed.
During the second day’s hands-on work sessions,
charrette participants were asked to help the
design team draw what they envision in their area.
These sketches (usually a combination of words and
form) do not have to be detailed or sophisticated,
as long as they were clear about the plan for the
area. Participants were instructed to “argue with
your pencil” as a way of exploring and resolving
potential conflicts.
issues such as building massing and orientation,
architectural elements, and land use mixes were
tested to determine preferences as part of the
visioning process.
This first evening meeting was an opportunity for the
community to voice their thoughts and ideas about
the future of the Ten Mile Interchange Area. The
opening session was also when the multi-disciplinary
charrette design team gave a presentation about
the existing conditions in the area and important
market influences, providing ideas for building
strong and sustainable neighborhoods.
Day 2: Design Concept Development
Summary
Review of Community Input: The team reviewed
all of the community input and summarized
these concepts into main points
Studio meetings: The team held meetings to
discuss how to synthesize the opening night
concepts
Team’s Evolving Concepts: The team spent the
day creating concepts from the community
input
Open House and Pin-up Review: The day's work
was presented in an evening "pin-up" or display
of the drawings for public review
4 Public Planning Process
4-7
Day 1, Monday
4 Public Planning Process
4-8
Day 2, Tuesday
4 Public Planning Process
4-9
The day closed with a public open house where
people reviewed the ideas and helped to evolve
the concepts. Affirmation was sought during the
open house based on comments from the public.
These comments allowed the charrette team to
proceed with the evolution of a preferred design
concept or bring together elements of several
design concepts into a preferred plan for the Ten
Mile Interchange Area.
Day 3: Development of Preferred Plan
Summary
Meetings: The team held meetings with the City
and stakeholders
Review of Community Input: The team reviewed
all of the community input and summarized
these concepts into main points for integration
into the plan
Studio meetings: The team held meetings to
discuss how to synthesize the input from the
previous night’s pin-up
Team’s Evolving Concepts: The team spent the
day expanding and evolving concepts from the
community input
The Day’s Work
The open design studio took place over the third
and fourth days of the charrette. During this phase,
the charrette design team synthesized all of the
visions from the work session into one cohesive and
workable master plan.
The Public’s Input
The design studio was open to the public and
interested citizens were encouraged to drop-in at
any time to monitor the progress of the plan.
Meetings were also held to discuss and resolve issues
with property owners, developers and specific
interest groups. During these meetings, issues and
elements were tested with stakeholders throughout
the day to ensure acceptance and support.
Day 4: Presentation of the Plan
Summary
Team’s Evolving Concepts: The team spent the
day finalizing concepts for presentation and
meeting with agencies
Community Meeting, Open House and Pin-
up Review: The team presented the concepts
produced during Day 3 and 4 in an evening pin-
up
The Day’s Work
The design team revised the plans according to
the information and input from the prior three days.
They readied materials for the final presentation.
The Public’s Input
After four days, including two formal public
meetings, more than fifty informational meetings
and discussions with stakeholders, elected officials,
property owners and agencies, and 48 hours of
open door studio work, the design team presented
the preferred Specific Area Plan at an evening
public meeting and open house attended by
nearly 100 people. During this session, the design
team asked the public: “Did we get it right?” The
general response was positive.
Following the charrette, the project team
incorporated suggestions that they received during
the presentation into the final design plan and the
technical drawings, which were produced in the
weeks following the charrette.Charrette Plans
4 Public Planning Process
4-10
Day 3, Wednesday
4 Public Planning Process
4-11
Day 4, Thursday
4 Public Planning Process
4-12
Post-charrette Refinement
Refinement and Verification
The consultant team spent the next eight weeks
reviewing, refining and testing the preferred
plan. Further input was gathered from citizens,
stakeholders, agencies, elected and appointed
officials, and developers.
Agency Coordination
A second agency coordination meeting was held
to review and help refine the plan concepts that
came out of charrette. Participants in this second
meeting discussed the possibilities for using the rail
line and the economic ramifications of transit in the
area, following up on ideas developed during the
charrette.
The groups discussed the following issues:
Economic
Competition among interests and needs for the
rail line
Transition of rail line from industrial to mixed
uses
Potential for industrial uses adjacent to rail
Physical limitations for industrial spur
Emergency Services
Rail crossing impedes secondary response
Fire apparatus needs cross-over opportunities
along Ten Mile Road in the mile between the
collector roads
Need for specialized signal at the fire station
Overland Road and Black Cat Road should
provide alternative access capacity for
emergency on I-84
Pedestrians and bicyclists need safe access
across Ten Mile Road
Fire station locations with relocated Overland
Road were consistent with master plan and can
provide service to the area, including 6-story
buildings
Impact fees will fund emergency service needs
Public Policy
There were some points of access that have
been granted on Franklin Road that were
inconsistent with the plan—take the opportunity
to consolidate access
ITD controls access on Ten Mile Road to first
intersection
ACHD corridor study on Franklin Road and
Overland Road to limit access
Elementary school location along arterials and
adjacent to multi-family housing
Transportation
Revise northern access on Ten Mile Road to
right-in and right-out access only—rerun the
traffic model.
Balance signals on Ten Mile Road with volumes
on Franklin Road
Look at options for triple-load turning lanes at
intersection
Balance of city economic objectives with
transportation capacity
Traffic conflicts with employment center and
access to interstate
Impacts of highway to expressway in changing
volumes on Ten Mile and phasing of the
construction of the expressway—need for
near-term analysis and with and without SH 16
expressway
Review of traffic volumes in detail with ACHD
and ITD
Overland Road Relocation
No ITD funding for relocation of Overland Road
Relocation was not in CIP, and no impact fees
nor funding were available from ACHD
Need to examine alignment options west of Ten
Mile to determine intersection and alignment
location to the east
Consult with ITD how to handle Overland Road/
Ten Mile Road intersection
Determine what to do with road west of existing
Overland Road
How to build Ten Mile Road from old to new—
ITD environmental analysis scope was only to
Ridenbaugh Canal (north to just south of Franklin
Road)
ACHD assumed Overland Road widening and
costs; developers willing to fund realignment
Other
Park and Ride location and design—should
remain flexible
Given forecasted volumes, collector roads will
require control—roundabouts in lieu of traffic
signals
Street alignments in relationship to property
lines
Reconsider slip lanes and roundabout
integration
Looking at long-term economics vs. current
short falls
Set some national examples that can attract
some additional grant money
Transportation Coordination
ITD, the City of Meridian and engineers from the
interchange design team met on November 7, 2006,
to discuss the transportation aspects of the Ten Mile
Specific Area Plan. The meeting was used to follow
up on issues raised at the charrette, including:
Agreeing upon a proposed concept for
intersections and underpasses on Ten Mile Road
from the Interchange to Franklin Road
Exploring options such as Public/Private
Partnerships or an LID (Local Improvement
District) for building the collector road system
established by the Specific Area Plan.
Establishing access control along Ten Mile Road
Considering the realignment of Overland Road
to the south
Building collector road access before the
interchange becomes functional, so that there
was connectivity once access to Ten Mile Road
and other roads was restricted, and to ensure
follow-through on the transportation portion of
the plan
Stakeholder Testing
The Meridian Planning and Zoning Commission and
City Council were jointly briefed on the Ten Mile
Specific Area Plan by City of Meridian planning
staff on November 8, 2006. Several discussions
and meetings were also held with developers and
property owners in the area to test the plan and
resolve any remaining land use and transportation
issues. These meetings yielded information
concerning land use goals and concepts
concerning mixed use land uses and residential
land use categories. They helped to resolve some
minor remaining design issues. These meetings also
led to refinement of collector and local roadway Charrette Meetings
4 Public Planning Process
4-13
alignments and implementation ideas that will help
ensure continued coordination and strengthening
of the public/private partnerships that will be
necessary to ensure effective implementation.
More specifically, the meetings resolved concerns
regarding the alignment of Overland Road in
the southeast sector of the planning area and
coordination and integration of land uses in those
areas, resolved concerns regarding the integration
of land uses along Ten Mile Road that resulted in
minor adjustments to land use descriptions, and
resolved issues concerning the use of lands along
the rail in advance of efforts to implement transit.
Adoption
The Ten Mile Specific Area Plan were submitted as
a map and text amendment to the City of Meridian
Comprehensive Plan on December 15, 2006.
Hearings were scheduled in accordance with City
of Meridian and State code. The plan was to be
proposed for adoption as an amendment to the
City of Meridian Comprehensive Plan in 2007.
Next Steps
Application for Comprehensive Plan
Amendment
Hearing in front of the Meridian Board of
Planning and Zoning
Meridian City Council Hearing
Adoption
Implementation
4 Public Planning Process
thiS PAGe iNteNtiONAlly left BlANK
4-14
5 Physical and Market context
5-1
SECTION 5 - PHYSICAL AND MARKET CONTEXT
5 Physical and Market context
5-2
PhySiCAl AND mARKet CONtext
Early in the 20th century, Meridian was a small
city. Its neighbors some distance away were small
farming communities. Meridian today is no longer
a small, compact community insulated from its
neighbors and the larger world. As Meridian and the
Treasure Valley have grown, the City has become a
new center of a much larger region. Many of the
issues are the same: where to grow and how much,
affordable housing, transportation for workers,
how to enhance and maintain the City’s essential
character. Yet the environment in which the City
functions today is considerably more complex, and
the number and scale of the entities that affect the
future of the City more numerous.
The Ten Mile Interchange Specific Area Plan
establishes an urban development strategy to
guide the future growth and development of
a key area of the City over the next two or three
decades. The Plan assesses existing conditions
and trends, and provides recommendations for
the use and development of land, the extension
and improvement of transportation services and
infrastructure, the development of community
facilities, the expansion of the City’s economic
base, and the provision of housing.
The Plan has a long-range perspective, and is a
policy document that provides a coordinated
approach to making many decisions regarding land
use and the location of development, the extension
of urban services and the placement of community
facilities. As such, the Ten Mile Interchange Specific
Area Plan is one of the primary tools used by the
Planning and Zoning Commission, the City Council,
and the City administration in making decisions that
affect the future of the area.
This section describes the current area, existing
transportation and infrastructure, important
resources and influences, as well as market
conditions, and their relationship to the plan.
The Place Today
An Overview of the Place
The Ten Mile Interchange Area lies south of the
Union Pacific Rail line east of Linder Road, west of
McDermott Road and north of Victory Road, and is
centered about the I-84 corridor. This area is primarily
used as farm land; rural homes dot the landscape.
South of I-84, there are rural residential subdivisions
surrounding a 100 foot bluff. At the north end of the
study area, suburban residential development has
encroached up to the edge of the rail line. One
large gravel pit exists at the southwest corner of
the study area. The Ten Mile Interchange Area
represents the extent of Meridian’s Area of Impact
along the I-84 corridor.
Transportation
The Ten Mile Interchange Area transportation system
is composed of five major rural roadways. No
collector system exists, although a few local roads
serve small rural subdivisions in the area. The major
roads form a fairly complete one mile grid. A rail
line runs east-west through the Ten Mile Interchange
Area, over which there are crossings at McDermott
Road, Black Cat Road and Ten Mile Road. There
are currently overpasses on I-84 at Black Cat
Road and Ten Mile Road, connecting north and
south Meridian near the county line. There are no
signalized intersections in the area. Traffic volumes
are growing but still generally under 10,000 trips
per day on every segment. Performance of nearby
interchanges is deteriorating due to high volumes,
progression along the arterial roads serving the
interchanges, the lack of a complete collector
system, and limited access control. I-84 serves as
the only east-west access-restricted facility in the
region and connects the entire valley, including all
retail and employment destinations. The local road
system is owned, operated and maintained by
ACHD, the state roads are owned and maintained
by ITD, while streetscape and other street amenities
are generally the responsibility of the City.
Transit
Valley Regional Transit (VRT) is the regional public
transportation authority for Ada and Canyon
Counties. Its main responsibilities are to coordinate
public transportation services in the two-county
region and develop a regional public transportation
system. VRT owns and operates the public bus
system in Boise/Garden City and contracts for transit
services for Nampa/Caldwell and between Ada
and Canyon counties. These services are operated
under the name ValleyRide.
ACHD operates the Commuteride program which
promotes carpooling, vanpooling and other
alternatives to single-occupant car commutes.
They also operate a series of Park -and-Ride lots in
the Treasure Valley. Some of these lots are planned,
at least for the near future, within the Ten Mile
Interchange Area.
VRT has undertaken and completed a Rail Corridor
Evaluation between Boise and Caldwell. The
evaluation includes cost estimates and other
variables to pursue rail service. The rail corridor acts
as the northern boundary of the study area. The
area is not currently served by fixed-route transit
services.
Services
The City provides fire and police service within
the City limits. As the population around Meridian
grows, a fire station will be needed south of I-84 to
serve development within the Ten Mile Interchange
Area. The City has an impact fee program in place
for funding fire equipment.
The Meridian Joint School District #2 is the largest
and fastest growing school district in the State of
Idaho. The school district has identified the need
for one school site north or I-84 and one south of I-84
in the study area.
The Nampa and Meridian Irrigation District (NMID)
owns and operates a variety of canals, ditches,
and drains that crisscross the Ten Mile Interchange
Area. NMID is a water storage, conveyance and
distribution system founded in 1904 that supplies
irrigation water to some 64,000 acres of farms, lawns
and gardens in Canyon and Ada Counties. These
water features are often relocated as development
occurs and at times can be shared in developed
area as greenway and trail amenities. The district
has adopted a series of policies and standards for
the use of their easements and rights-of-way.
Infrastructure
The City is in the process of extending central
water and wastewater services to the Ten Mile
Interchange Area. The water system was planned
with commercial and residential development in
mind. As of the fall of 2006, water mainlines are in
place and ready to provide service. An extensive
lateral collection and distribution system will be
required to serve the area which will be designed
and placed in coordination with development.
5 Physical and Market context
5-3
The Potential
Market Analysis
A market analysis was conducted to inform the
land use and design components of the plan. A
market analysis provides an understanding of the
immediate pressures and overall market at a point
in time. A market analysis is useful in developing or
redeveloping a property in the near term, but is less
important to a community’s long-range plan--unless
the market study suggests a variety of short-term
pressures that could disrupt potential long-term
objectives.
Such was the case in the Ten Mile Interchange
Area, where a market study determined that, given
current conditions, most of the land would likely be
absorbed by suburban low density housing and strip
and big box commercial development over the
next fifteen years. The Ten Mile Interchange Area
Plan works, in many ways, against this trend, as it sets
a path for development beyond the status quo.
Area Demographics
MSA - Population & Households
COMPASS, the Community Planning Association of
Southwest Idaho, estimates that the population of
the Boise-Nampa MSA was 593,418 in 2006, having
grown by 227,920, or roughly 81%, since 1986. Since
1998, Canyon County’s annual population growth
rate has outpaced that of Ada County each
year; however, 2003 marked the only year since
1986 where new Canyon County residents (6,388)
outnumbered new Ada County residents (5,605).
New households moving into Ada County have
declined markedly in size, from a common average
of roughly 2.79 people per household before 2002
to an average of 1.42 since 2002. While the average
size of new Canyon County households is still higher,
it has also declined by one person per household
since 2000.
Meridian - Population & Households
According to the US Census Bureau, population
within the jurisdiction of Meridian has grown by
42,644 persons since 1990, or roughly 444%, to an
estimated 52,240 residents in 2005. Meridian’s
population in 1990 was 9,596.
In 2005, the City of Meridian accounted for 9.6% of
the total Boise-Nampa MSA population of 544,201.
The City’s share of MSA population has steadily
increased since 1990, when Meridian accounted
for only 3.2% of the total. City population growth has
averaged 2,843 new persons annually since 1990,
or an average of 10.5% annual growth. Since 2000,
the City has added an average of 3,182 persons
annually, or 7.5% annual growth.
Meridian marked its highest annual population
gain in 2005, with an estimated increase of 6,619
persons (or 14.5 %) according to State of Idaho
data. Although annexations do account for some
population growth, historically low population
density on the fringe of Meridian would indicate
that new development, rather than annexation,
has largely driven the population gains.
Meridian has grown by an average of 1,182 new
households since 1990, or an average of 12.6%
annual growth. Similarly, the City has added an
average of 1,903 households annually since 2000,
or 12.5% annual growth.
Like the MSA, Meridian has seen a decrease in the
size of households living in the City. The average
household was 2.4 persons in 2005, down from 2.7
in 1990. New Meridian households since 2000 have
averaged less than 2.0 persons.
Meridian has seen two large surges in multifamily
residential permitting, first in the early and mid-
1990s and then over the past five years. Meridian
has averaged 67 multifamily residential permits
annually since 1986, and 163 multifamily residential
permits annually since 2000, though building activity
has varied widely. Meridian issued 18.1% of all MSA
multifamily permits since 2000 and 29.3% of those
since 2002.
Market Overview
MSA - Employment
According to Johnson Gardner, growth since 2000
has averaged 5,226 jobs annually or 2.2% annual
growth. The MSA added 12,857 jobs in 2005, posting
5.4% growth – the first time annual countywide job
growth has exceeded 5% since 1998. Although
Construction (10.1% annual growth), Educational
& Health Services (6.5% annually), and Professional
& Business Services (6.3% annually) have grown the
most quickly among all industries in the MSA since
1990, since 2000 Professional & Business Services
(6.2% annually) has grown at the fastest rate followed
by Construction (5.6% annually). In terms of actual
jobs added, Professional, Business, Educational &
Health Services firms have grown the most since
1990. Although Construction has grown at a rapid
rate, job creation in the sector has been fourth
highest behind various Services and Government.
Manufacturing and related Transportation and
Warehousing jobs have lost ground since 2000.
Meridian – Employment
Befitting the fastest-growing Boise-Nampa MSA
community in terms of population, Meridian industry
employment grew from 8,546 in 1994 to 24,954 in
2005, for 192% growth over the eleven year span,
on an average annual growth of 1,491 jobs, or
10.2% growth. As of 2005, Retail Trade employment
accounted for the single-largest share of Meridian
jobs at 14.3%, followed by Education & Health
Services (13.1%), and a nearly three-way tie between
Government, Construction, and Professional
& Business Services (12.7%). The most dramatic
change in the composition of Meridian’s economy
since 1994 has been the decline of Manufacturing
employment from14.7% of Meridian jobs in 1994 to
5.9% in 2005. Alternatively, Professional & Business
Services has displayed the greatest increase in local
sector presence at 12.7% of Meridian jobs in 2005,
up from 7.1% in 1994.
Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities represents
the only industry in which Meridian has lost its share
of MSA economic expansion. Wholesale Trade
has moderated somewhat, but all other Meridian
industries are growing in their relative share of MSA
industry growth.
Market Forecast
COMPASS Forecast
COMPASS forecasts of employment growth for
the region are consistent with historical growth. It’s
Community Choices forecast, part of COMPASS’s
Communities in Motion project, specifically allocates
a greater share of new Meridian employment as
retail as opposed to its historically stronger – and
higher-paying – industry, professional and business
services. Both the Trend and Community Choices
forecasts fall short of annual job growth in Meridian
since 1994 and since 2000. Both the Trend and
Community Choices forecasts estimate Meridian
capturing a lower than historical share of MSA
employment growth.
Housing Forecast
According to COMPASS trend analysis, the
population of Meridian will increase by over 100,000
people by 2030. The same forecast calls for an
additional 34,125 new households by 2030.
5 Physical and Market context
5-4
Retail Forecast
Johnson Gardner estimates Meridian retail space
demand in 2030 to be between 25 and 30 million
square feet. This roughly equates to forecasted
demand for 575 to 690 acres of retail space in
Meridian.
Employment, Office and Industrial Forecast
Assuming Boise-Nampa MSA future employment
growth is consistent with recent trends, and Meridian
continues to capture its historical share of industry
growth, Johnson Gardner estimates that Meridian
can expect to add anywhere from 1,300 jobs to
nearly 2,000 jobs annually over the next 25 years.
Given recent history, professional and business
services firms are expected to continue to lead
growth, followed by government and education
and health services.
Industrial Land and Coordination with South
Meridian Area Plan
Meridian’s location puts it at greater risk of being
surrounded and boxed in by rapid growth.
Accordingly, in the future Meridian does not have a
direction in which it can reliably grow its economy
without bumping into neighboring jurisdictions with
varying economic development objectives. The
City of Meridian may wish to consider an industrial
or commercial “sanctuary” or dedicated area in
the South Meridian Study Area (“Study Area”) for
targeted future industry expansion or recruitment.
Johnson Gardner’s review of buildable lands in
the Study Area indicates that the area between
McDermott Road and Ten Mile Road in the vicinity of
Lake Hazel Road would likely be a strong candidate
for such an initiative. Flat topography, intersection
of major road/corridor improvements and highly
desirable central location between the growing
Meridian, Nampa, and Kuna areas, along with future
Ten Mile interchange access, are all conducive to
just such a center.
Ten Mile Interchange Area Forecast
Retail
A market analysis of the Ten Mile Interchange Area
by LoGIStical Marketing indicates that with the
construction of the interchange at Ten Mile Road
and I-84, the Ten Mile Interchange Area will be under
substantial commercial development pressure. This
is documented by Johnson Gardner who estimates
that the Meridian area is likely to see demand for 25-
30 million square feet of retail space and a Market
Report by LoGIStical Marketing which states that
there will be substantial demand for almost all forms
of retail development.
“Big box stores” such as Costco, Sam’s Club,
WalMart and JC Penney are located at the
neighboring Garrity Road exit. As a result, the Ten
Mile interchange is also likely to be a viable location
for commercial development, but not for the same
forms of retail development. Meridian is seeing
the largest increase in median household income
in the MSA. Based on a lifestyle study, residents of
the Ten Mile Interchange Area and Meridian are
typically affluent and well-educated, and like to
spend their free time pursuing outdoor activities.
Establishments recommended for this population
would include stores like REI, Eddie Bauer, and finer
restaurants. A grocery store such as Trader Joe’s or
a similar one offering organic products would also
be recommended.
Lifestyle Center
The area could easily attract and support a lifestyle
mall opportunity which could include an open or
closed mall, averaging 250,000-500,000 in total
leasing space, 50-75 stores, including at least
one major retailer. Upscale restaurants, furniture
stores, apparel and accessories, and general
merchandise are the likely types of merchants who
could be successful in the Ten Mile Interchange
Area. However, the retail pressure is great enough
that other retail uses that could develop more
rapidly than a complex mixed use center like a
lifestyle center could result in the key lands being
committed prematurely.
Residential
Residential demand in Meridian has been high. The
Ten Mile Interchange Area has strong potential
for residential development, despite the market
slowdown. The housing market in the greater Boise
area has been booming for the past several years,
with house prices increasing dramatically since 2000.
However, there are definite signs that the market is
leveling off from this boom.
Nevertheless, Meridian and the Ten Mile Interchange
Area is expected to continue to grow, and over the
longer term housing is expected to continue to be
one of the dominant pressures for land consumption
in the area. Certain products--condominiums,
townhomes, and other multi-family housing, for
example--are currently underrepresented in the
marketplace, as the majority (96%) of current MLS
listings in Meridian are for single family residences
with 3-4 bedrooms, 2-3 bathrooms, approximately
2200 square feet, on a .25 acre lot. Homes fitting
this description have an average price of $296,000
at sale, or $135 per square foot, and are typical
of homes in the Eagle Road and Meridian Road
interchange areas.
There will be a market for a wider variety of housing
in Meridian in the future. Demographic data shows a
gradual shift in the characteristics of Treasure Valley
households. As in other parts of the US, families
represent a declining proportion of households,
while the share of non-family and single households
is increasing. This has implications for the housing
market, because non-family households and singles
are more likely to prefer more compact housing
types such as townhouses and condominiums.
Quality, walkable, compact development will
generate the highest residential values. This style of
project offers high quality residential units in a more
compact format, which can result in higher property
values. In addition, such offerings in Meridian would
fill a unique market niche.
Office
As previously stated, Meridian is anticipated to
attract approximately 1,300-2,000 jobs per year--
many of those in professional and business services.
By expanding the availability of space for office,
research and development and other similar uses
along I-84, Meridian is likely to attract a larger share
of the area job growth in the future.
Industrial
Industrial demand is strong throughout the Valley.
However, competition by retailers for easily
accessible and highly visible locations along the I-
84 corridor has pushed raw land prices to a level
above that which these industries can typically
afford. With continued low vacancy and limited
new supply, industrial investment opportunities will
provide the highest return rates and least amount
of risk to investors. Therefore, if the price is right the
market could absorb over 200 acres of land near I-84
for industrial use as it expands. This will also provide
meRiDiAN CAPtURe Of BOiSe-NAmPA mSA eCONOmiC GROwth
Source: Compass Idaho and Johnson Gardner, LLC.
5 Physical and Market context
5-5
the City the opportunity to identify land in the core
which could be redeveloped into commercial or
professional office use. The northwest quadrant of
the study area provides the right balance between
market pressure, increasing land values and the
accessibility, infrastructure and parcel sizes sought
by industrial users.
Mix of Uses and Densities
Several elements of the plan will be critical to
ensuring a quality, high-value development. The
plan should include a critical mass of development
that will be attractive to an experienced developer,
as well as a variety of unit types that will appeal
to a variety of market segments. High standards
for design and architecture, including compact,
clustered development that makes the most of
open space as an amenity for the community, and
good pedestrian connections will also enhance the
revenue potential for the City.
The Long View
The long term is difficult to predict, but it is
clear from the market studies that the Ten Mile
Interchange Area is likely to be absorbed by
development within the next 40 years. The City
clearly has a choice based on the strength of the
immediate and near term markets to determine
how they would like the area to develop. There is
a chance to maximize employment, improve the
jobs-housing balance in Meridian, and get higher
value development. Pressure exists to push the
area forward into lower density housing and front-
loaded big box development, but the City has the
opportunity to encourage higher density housing,
mixed use residential and office development, and
a successful lifestyle center as part of the Ten Mile
Interchange Area Plan.
5 Physical and Market context
5-6
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6 Action PlAn
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SECTION 6 - ACTION PLAN
6 Action PlAn
6-2
ACtiON PlAN
The action plan summarizes the actions
recommended in the Outcomes-Achieving
Results Section in a matrix of executable actions
to be undertaken in implementing the Ten Mile
Interchange Area Plan. Developers are strongly
encouraged to undertake these tasks and invite
the City to the table as a means of advancing the
plan more rapidly than may otherwise be possible
based on staffing and fiscal resources. The City
is ready to work as your partner to advance the
plan.
Priority Action Lead & Coordinating Agencies
1 Adopt the Ten Mile Specific Area Plan as an
amendment to the City’s Comprehensive
Plan.
City Planning Department
Planning and Zoning Commission
City Council
1 Initiate a monthly Public-Private
Roundtable to discuss issues and concerns
and identify ways to partner to implement
the Ten Mile Interchange Area Plan, build
necessary infrastructure and attract
investment to the area.
City Planning Department
City Council
ACHD
City Economic Development
1 Provide an endorsement of the Single-
Point Urban Interchange, underpass
and collector road system to the Idaho
Transportation Department.
City Council
ACHD
2 Amend the Zoning Regulations City Planning Department
Planning and Zoning Commission
City Council
Developers
a. Establish a steering committee to
develop the regulatory standards based
on the information obtained in the work
session
City Planning Department
Developers
b. Adopt revisions to the City’s zoning
ordinance.
City Planning Department
Planning and Zoning Commission
City Council
2 Develop a set of design guidelines for the
Ten Mile Interchange Area; or
Encourage the development community
to work together to prepare a set of design
guidelines that will accomplish the intent
of the plan.
City Planning Department
Planning and Zoning Commission
City Council
Development Community
Developers
a. Facilitate a 2-day work session with
developers, property owners, and design
professionals to identify specific issues
with respect to design from the plan that
should be addressed in design guidelines.
Discuss the alternative approaches
offered in Section 2 to determine how to
proceed.
City Planning Department
Developers
6 Action PlAn
6-3
Priority Action Lead & Coordinating Agencies
b. Establish a steering committee to
develop the design guidelines based
on the information obtained in the work
session
City Planning Department
c. Adopt a set of design guidelines to
provide a framework for development in
the Ten Mile Interchange Area.
City Planning Department
Planning and Zoning Commission
City Council
2 Prepare a program for infrastructure
finance for the Ten Mile Interchange Area;
or
Encourage the development community
to establish a recommended framework
for infrastructure staging and financing as
part of the overall development plan for
the area.
City Planning Department
Planning and Zoning Commission
City Council
ACHD
Developers
a. Hold a series of infrastructure forums
to discuss the alternative ways to finance
the collector road system and other area
improvements, several alternatives are
identified in the plan
City Planning Department
Planning and Zoning Commission
City Council
ACHD
Developers
b. Establish a committee to develop and
recommend a structure for financing
City Planning Department
Planning and Zoning Commission
City Council
ACHD
Developers
c. Endorse a recommended financing
structure
City Planning Department
Planning and Zoning Commission
City Council
ACHD
Developers
2 Update the COMPASS Transportation Plan
to incorporate the recommendations of
the plan.
City Planning Department
COMPASS
Priority Action Lead & Coordinating Agencies
2 Initiate a Public-Public Roundtable
to continue discussion about the
development of the Ten Mile Interchange
Area and opportunities to enhance
coordination as the interchange project
and development proceeds.
City Planning Department
City Public Works
ACHD
Valley Ride
City Fire Department
2 Initiate an economic development
program targeted at attracting desired
businesses to the Ten Mile Interchange
Area.
City Economic Development
City Council
Chamber of Commerce
Mayor’s Office
2 Develop an expedited review process for
projects that embrace and incorporate
the spirit of the Ten Mile Interchange Area
Plan and where, through cooperation,
developers have developed partnerships
and specific integrated plans that cross
property lines and advance necessary
infrastructure construction.
City Planning Department
Planning and Zoning Commission
City Council
2 The City will expand its municipal
boundaries via annexation or execute
annexation agreements when such
annexations will further the implementation
of the recommendations of the Ten Mile
Interchange Area Specific Area.
City Planning Department
Planning and Zoning Commission
City Council
Land Owners
2 Update the ACHD capital improvement
program to initiate cross-section
improvements on area arterials.
ACHD
2 Develop a program to fund streetscape
improvements like landscaping and
meridians, streetlights, and street
furnishings in cooperation with the
development community.
City Planning Department
Planning and Zoning Commission
City Council
Developers
6 Action PlAn
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Glossary
7-1
GLOSSARY
Glossary
7-2
GlOSSARy Of teRmS
The glossary of terms is provided to help the reader
understand technical planning terms that are not
familiar to most readers of the Ten Mile Specific
Area Plan.
Accessory dwelling unit: A dwelling unit allowed in
specific zones that is subordinate to the principal
residential unit on the lot and which is located upon
the same lot as the principal unit. An accessory
dwelling unit is under the same ownership as the
principal unit.
Activity center: An intensively developed area
that is the visual and/or functional center of a
neighborhood(s) or a district. Activity centers are
typically comprised of high intensity land uses
including: residential, commercial, employment,
civic, institutional, parks and open space or any
combination thereof.
Build-to-lines: The maximum building setback from
a front yard street property line. Buildings, or a
specified portion of a front building facade, must
be set no farther back than the build-to-line.
Building articulation: The architectural details of a
building façade that create architectural detail,
such as varied façade planes, windows and
awnings. Buildings are usually articulated in order
to modulate the building mass and create visual
interest.
Bulb-outs: A paved area usually located at a street
intersection that extends from the sidewalk out into
the street to narrow the effective street width and
shorten the distance a pedestrian must walk to
cross the street.
Compact urban development patterns:
A development pattern characterized by
neighborhoods where a mix of residential and non-
residential land uses are located in close proximity
to each other, and lot sizes and block lengths that
are generally smaller and shorter than conventional
development; thereby creating a built environment
conducive to travel by car, walking, transit or
bicycling.
Compatibility: The characteristics of different
land uses or activities that permit them to be
located near each other in harmony and without
conflict. To determine compatibility, the following
characteristics of the uses and structures shall
be reviewed relative to other affected uses and
structures: location, orientation, operation, scale,
and visual and sound privacy.
Connectivity: The interconnectedness of streets,
bicycle paths, transit routes and pedestrian ways.
This is in contrast to use of dead-end streets, long
streets with few intersections and cul-de-sacs.
Design guidelines: Written statements, explanatory
material, graphic renderings and/or photographs
which are advisory recommendations intended
to provide property owners and the public with
specific examples of techniques and materials that
can be used to achieve adopted standards.
Design standards: Written statements adopted in
the Zoning Code by City Council that set forth the
required criteria, goals or objectives for the design
of particular areas, systems and elements of the
city and how they relate to one other.
Façade: That portion of any exterior elevation on
the building extending from grade to top of the
parapet, wall or eaves and the entire width of the
building elevation.
Fenestration: The openings (e.g. windows and
doors) that form part of a building façade.
Floor area ratio (FAR): The gross floor area of all
buildings on a lot divided by the lot area.
Focal Point: A building, structure, open space or
other feature that naturally draws the eye and
provides an aesthetically pleasing view. Focal
points are often located at the termination of
a street or streets, in plazas, and squares, and in
neighborhood or district activity centers.
Functional classification of roadways: Streets and
highways serve two separate and conflicting
functions, one to carry traffic, and the other to
provide access to abutting property (land use). The
more traffic a road carries, the greater the difficulty
in accessing property directly from the road. But, as
the number and density of access points along the
road increases, safety is compromised and speed
limits need to be lowered, reducing the traffic
carrying capacity of the street or highway. Streets
and highways are classified by function, and range
from roadways with the sole purpose of carrying
traffic to roadways that primarily provide access
to property. Following is a generally accepted
classification and functional characterization of
highways and streets:
Principal arterial: A street or highway designed
and given preference to carry traffic, and not
providing access to abutting property. Cross
traffic is accommodated at at-grade, signalized
intersections for streets with high traffic levels,
and at at-grade intersections without signals,
for streets with moderate or low traffic levels.
If intersections do not have signals, through
traffic flow on the principal arterial is given
preference.
Freeway: A fully access-controlled highway
designed for high-speed travel with the sole
purpose of facilitating non-stop traffic flow
without obstruction from cross traffic. Access is
not provided to abutting property, and access
is only provided to other streets or highways at
grade-separated interchanges.
Minor arterial: A street or highway designed
to both carry traffic and provide very limited
access to abutting property. Cross traffic is
accommodated at at-grade intersections
without signals for streets with low traffic levels.
The primary purpose of the minor arterial is to
serve moderate length neighborhood trips and
to channel traffic from collectors and local
streets to principal arterials or expressways.
Collector: A street or highway designed to carry
traffic and provide limited access to abutting
property. Cross traffic is accommodated at at-
grade intersections with local streets. No signals
are provided. The primary purpose of the
collector is to serve short length neighborhood
trips and to channel traffic from local streets
and abutting properties to minor arterials and
principal arterials.
Local street: A street or rural road designed to
provide access to abutting property and only
incidentally channel traffic short distances to
collectors or minor arterials.
Greenway: A linear open space or park that
provides passive recreation opportunities and/
or bicycle or pedestrian paths. It often contains
a waterway with surronding natural, creek
environment including water channels, floodplain
and riparian vegetation.
Human scale: The relationship between the
dimensions of the human body and the proportion
of the spaces that people use. This is underscored
by surface texture, activity patterns, colors,
materials and details. The understanding of walking
distances and spatial perceptions at a human
scale determines the most positive placement of
buildings, and the physical layout of the community.
Buildings ranging in height from two to six stories,
trees, and pedestrian scaled signs and street lights,
textured pedestrian paths, and semi-private spaces
all enhance this positive scale.
Land use pattern: A description of the physical
arrangement of different land uses; created
either by natural features, buildings, agriculture,
recreational facilities, roads, etc., or a combination
thereof.
Level of Service (LOS): A measurement of
transportation effectiveness which rates roadways
and intersections in terms of traffic flow and
congestion, on a scale of A (the least traffic) to E
(the most).
Lifestyle Center: Outdoor, generally upscale,
collection of national and local retail as well as
service, restaurant, and entertainment uses.
Live/work unit: A residential use type that combines
a dwelling and a commercial space under single
ownership in a structure. The residential portion
of the unit shall contain at least four hundred
square feet (400 sq. ft.) of gross floor area. The
commercial space shall allow activities compatible
with residential use with respect to noise, smoke,
vibration, smell, electrical interference, and fire
hazard, and may include such uses as professional
services and offices, and the creation, display and
sale of art, craftwork, jewelry, fabrication of cloth
goods and similar activities.
Mixed use development: Development that
integrates three or more income generating land
uses, such as residential, commercial, and office,
with a strong pedestrian orientation.
Pedestrian scale: A combination of development
features that people find comfortable; created by
elements such as the size and design of buildings,
the relationship between building height and
street width, streetscape features such as trees,
decorative lighting, or benches, and outdoor
spaces.
Pedestrian-oriented development: Development
that incorporates safe, attractive, and continuous
connections and walkways for travel and access
Glossary
7-3
by foot, at a human scale, as an integral part of its
overall layout and design.
Plaza: A community gathering space, sometimes
called a square, usually designed with seating
areas, and with a variety of ground-plane finishes
such as hard-surfaces, lawn and landscaping. It is
often designed as a Focal Point with an amenity
such as a fountain, and it may be bounded on one
or more sides by a civic or commercial use in the
neighborhood or commercial center.
Porch: A first-story structural projection on the front,
side or rear of a building, which may or may not
have a roof.
Primary Residence: The main property on a lot.
Quality of life: Those aspects of the economic, social
and physical environment that make a community
a desirable place to live or to do business. Quality
of life factors include climate, natural features,
the quality of local schools and higher education
opportunities, housing availability and cost,
employment opportunities, medical facilities,
cultural and recreational amenities, and public
services.
Regulatory provisions: A rule or order prescribed
for managing government. Examples related
to community development include zoning
ordinances and land subdivision ordinances.
Right of Way (ROW): The publicly owned
area reserved for roads and other means of
transportation.
Secondary Residence: Any smaller residence on a
lot with a primary residence on it.
Streetscape: The area that lies between the street
curb and the façade of the adjacent buildings.
Its role is to define the distinguishing character of
a particular street, including landscaping, tree
lawns, sidewalks and other surfacing, lighting, street
furniture and signage.
Traditional neighborhood development (TND): A
pedestrian-oriented residential neighborhood, with
variable lot widths and sizes, a mix of dwelling unit
types, on-street parking, and non-residential uses
generally located in a neighborhood commercial
center along a Main Street or fronting on a plaza.
The ideal size of the neighborhood is defined as
a five to ten minute walk from the Neighborhood
Center.
Transit-Oriented Development (TOD): implies
a particular set of urban design and land use
characteristics conducive to generating non-
automotive tripmaking.
Transparency: Relates to glass in wall openings such
as windows, which allow views into and out of a
building. Windows or glazed areas that incorporate
glass that is translucent or opaque shall not be
considered transparent.
Tree lawn: An area of the street right-of-way
between the curb and the sidewalk, planted with
landscaping.
Vertical mixed use building: A multi-story building
containing a vertical mix of two or more principal
uses.
Vertically-Integrated Development: Mixed use
development which integrates uses over several
stories rather than across an area.
Glossary
7-4