Staff Review of Union 93 CZCFrom:Alan Tiefenbach
To:"Mike Chidester"
Cc:Ted Brandvold; Ashley Squyres; "Victoria Cleary"; "Caleb Hood"; Cameron Arial
Subject:Staff Review of Union 93 CZC
Date:Tuesday, May 25, 2021 3:07:00 PM
Dear Mr. Chidester,
Thank you for your submission for a certificate of zoning compliance (CZC) and design review (DES)
for Union 93, two vertically integrated buildings located at 614 N. Main Street. Below are staff’s
comments regarding this proposal:
1. Staff does not support the “future phase” at the west being merely a gravel lot until future
development occurs. UDC 11-3C-5B-1 requires all off street parking areas and driveways into and
through a parking area to be improved with a compacted gravel base, not less than four (4) inches
thick, surfaced with asphaltic pavement. Infrequently used parking areas, as determined by the
director, may be improved with other dustless materials, including, but not limited to, asphalt,
concrete, pavers, bricks, or recycled asphalt (asphalt grindings). In such cases, the Meridian public
works department shall review and approve of the dustless material improvement prior to
construction. If this a phased project, you will need to process a property boundary adjustment
(PBA) to reconfigure the property, so that the boundary of the future phase is its own separate
and legal parcel. If not it will need to be improved per UDC standards as noted above. Temporary
parking is a better solution than just a gravel lot. This area could be used during downtown events
in interim until additional development happens on the western portion of the site.
2. A condition of conditional use permit H-2019-0142 was that a license agreement with NMID shall
be executed prior to the issuance of the CZC. Was this completed, and if so, please provide the
agreement.
3. Required parking is one( 1) space for every 1, 000 square feet of gross floor area for retail and
one( 1) space for all of the residential units. Although you gave us the number of the residential
units, you did not give us the square footages of all retail or restaurant uses. Please include this in
the table on your site plan and your parking calculations.
4. Please submit details of all lighting indicating fixtures are downcast and shielded.
5. What type of lighting is proposed in the parking garages and does it address safety concerns?
6. The photometric plan suggests lighting, such as sconces, proposed on the buildings. If so, please
include on the elevations. Please note ASM standards 6.1, 6.1a, 6.1b, 6.1c discuss lighting being
integrated with the building design.
7. Please submit additional details regarding the proposed landscaping for the rooftop patios,
including layouts, proposed finishes, site amenities, and plant types.
Staff notes this is a significant and very visible project for the City, and will set design precedents
in the downtown core for at least 25 years. The Meridian Development Corporation has a stake
in this project and we believe the project should represent Meridian’s vision and have a timeless
historical quality. Staff believes some of the Architectural Standard Manual (ASM) requirements
may not be met or their intent has not been encapsulated.
8. Please note a condition of conditional use permit H-2019-0142 was that the east building shall
incorporate additional architectural features to hold the corner( Broadway/ 3rd St. Intersection)
and be a prominent focal point of the design. This does not appear to be met.
9. 3.2A of the Architectural Standard Manual (ASM) states for at least 30% of applicable façades use
any combination of concrete, masonry, stone, or unique variation of color, texture, or material, at
least 10-inches in height, around the base of the building. May alternatively incorporate other
architectural features such as ledges, façade reveals, ground level fenestration, raised planters, or
landscaping elements within 3-feet of finished grade. This requirement does not appear to be met
on the south sides of both buildings or the east side of the East Building and the west side of the
West Building. To clarify, these materials must anchor the base of the building. Please provide
design justification and/or proposed solutions including product specifications, data and cut
sheets.
10. ASM 3.2B states where building designs incorporate multiple stories, or multiple floor height
equivalents, integrate at least one field or accent color, material, or architectural feature used on
lower stories, on the upper stories. How is this met? The bottom floors and the top floors do not
seem to relate.
11. ASM 3.2D states that in mixed-use areas and for structures greater than four stories, design the
uppermost story or façade wall plane to include material changes, horizontal articulation, and
modulation meeting first story requirements, or include a patio, rooftop garden, penthouse, or
strong architectural feature such as a tower element. Please describe how this is met on the
southern elevations of both buildings and the eastern elevation of the East Building.
12. ASM 4.1C requires providing details that emphasize focal elements such as public entries, building
corners, or public spaces. Examples include but are not limited to: columns, quoin or rustication,
canopies over entries, lintels, transom windows, or modulation of the roof plane. At least one
focal element is required and must be accented with a unique combination of color, texture,
materials, or modulation in the wall or roof plane. How is this met, and what is the focal element
on the south elevations and the eastern elevation of the East Building? Provide design justification
and/or proposed solutions including product specifications, data and cut sheets.
13. ASM 2.3A and 4.1A require three detailing elements integrate pedestrian scale elements.
Examples are given such as cornice work around primary entries, decorative caps on brick or
stone banding, architectural canopies over entries, or decorative lintels above the first floor
windows. Pedestrian features, other than windows, do not appear to be met along the east side
of the East Building and both southern elevations. Please provide design justification and/or
proposed solutions including product specifications, data and cut sheets.
14. Your narrative suggests a request for design exceptions from 2.1A, 3.4A and 3.4C in regard to the
length of rooflines. In regard to design exceptions, the ASM states “the City encourages innovative
design and recognizes that there are many ways to meet the intent, goals and standards
contained in the Manual. Therefore, in addition to the explicit innovative alternatives enabled
within the Manual, the director will consider alternative design proposals through design standard
exception requests.” One of the findings that must be made is “how the alternative means for
compliance meet the intent and goals of the requested standard exemption, or how the alternative
proposes to maintain a similar level of effort by exceeding other site and building standards.”
Please explain how the southern elevations exceed other standards which would warrant staff
support of a design exception. Provide design justification and/or proposed solutions including
product specifications, data and cut sheets.
15. Please provide additional details on the building materials. For example, is the brick just veneer,
or is it truly brick? How does it (and the concrete panels) provide visual relief, and will this be
visible from a distance? The elevations should show/describe material integrations, to
accent/provide details in key areas of focus/transition. Provide product specifications, data, cut
sheets, and colors for, all proposed building exterior products.
16. Please include any mechanical grilles, louvers, vents, rainwater leaders/downspouts on exterior
elevations and renderings. Provide proposed product specifications, data, and cut sheets.
Please do not hesitate to contact me,
Alan Tiefenbach | Current Associate Planner
City of Meridian | Community Development Dept.
33 E. Broadway Ave., Ste. 102, Meridian, Idaho 83642
Phone: 208-489-0573 | Fax: 208-489-0571
Built for Business, Designed for Living