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2022-09-04 David Palumbo Charlene Way From:Charlene Way Sent:Tuesday, September 6, 2022 8:11 AM To:David Palumbo; Clerks Comment Subject:RE: Planning & Zoning Commission and City Council Public Hearing Comments David: Thank you for your comments. They will be provided in each of the projects that you referenced. To receive information for new project hearings that are being scheduled, you can sign up by going to, “meridiancity.org” and scrolling down to near the bottom of the page which looks like the screen shot below. Click on Subscription Services and follow the instructions. This will provide you with an email of any new projects and a link to which you can follow to all information on the upcoming project. Anyone can sign up to receive this information. Have a great day, Charlene Charlene Way, Assistant City Clerk (Working remote on Thursdays and Fridays) City Clerk Office| City of Meridian 33 E. Broadway Ave., Meridian, Idaho 83642 Phone: 208.888.4433|Email: cway@meridiancity.org 1 All e-mail messages sent to or received by City of Meridian e-mail accounts are subject to the Idaho law, in regards to both release and retention, and may be released upon request, unless exempt from disclosure by law. From: David Palumbo <davidepalumbo2013@hotmail.com> Sent: Sunday, September 4, 2022 8:50 PM To: Clerks Comment <comment@meridiancity.org>; planninginquiries <planning@meridiancity.org>; City Clerk <CityClerk@meridiancity.org>; Kent Goldthorpe <kgoldthorpe@achdidaho.org> Subject: Planning & Zoning Commission and City Council Public Hearing Comments External Sender - Please use caution with links or attachments. 2 AMITY ROAD BETWEEN CLOVERDALE ROAD AND EAGLE ROAD AMITY ROAD AND LINDER ROAD 09/04/2022 Re: H-2022-0020 Tessera Ranch TECC-2022-0002 Hill'sCounty Farm TECC-2022-0001 Brundage Estates H-2022-0036 Lavender Place H-2022-0060-Shops at Victory SHP-2022-0008 Torino Locust Grove H-2022-0051 Klein Huis H-2022-0050 Allure Subdivision Amity Road between Cloverdale Road and Eagle Road must be expanded to three lanes in the short term and four lanes for long term traffic demand due to the very robust development occurring for several miles around this subject area. This road expansion must occur prior to any further development on Amity Road between Cloverdale Road and Meridian Road. It is very disappointing that the City of Meridian and ACHD allowed Idaho Power to place large metal power poles along the south side of Amity Road, which cause the expansion of the Amity Road lanes to be very restricted. An example of poor planning for the future. It is very disappointing that the City of Meridian and ACHD allowed the Extra Storage buildings to be built so close to the center line of Amity Road. This will make expansion of the Amity Road lanes more difficult. An example of horrible planning for the future. It is very disappointing that current construction on the south side of Amity Road in the subject area is occurring so to close to center line to allow for future lane expansion. An example of dreadful planning for the future. Please make the adjustments on future construction development on the south side of Amity Road in the subject area to allow Amity Road to be expanded on the south side. The primary element of this request is the roundabout at Amity Road/Eagle Road will not be concentric on the east side vs. west side. I find it difficult to understand how and why road planners and the City of Meridian did not plan this situation better. Please request the developers of residential and commercial projects along Amity Road pay for widening of Amity Road. Again, your responsibility is to the auto drivers for miles around the subject area to plan an effect road system. Allowing more development in this area will create congestion that you will be blamed for the lack of proper analysis of future needs. These project extremely impacts residents and commercial owners beyond the 500 feet City of Meridian written notice policy/code. To the best of my knowledge, you have not mailed written invitations to all residents extremely impacted beyond the 500 feet as required in Idaho Code, Title 67; State Government and State Affairs, Chapter 65, Local Land Use Planning. Notices in the newspaper or road side signs do not meet the Idaho Code requirement for written meeting notices of Chapter 65. It is obvious this 500 foot notice mailing requirement is designed to reduce public comments and response to developers and political subdivisions. Also, the requireing only two weeks for sign posting before a public hearing is extremely limiting to effective communication to the public. I utilize Amity Road west from Five Mile Road often. I was pleased to experience the resurfacing of Amity Road between Locust Grove and Meridian Road. One element of this work is that a right turn lane (north bound) was not included at the Amity/Meridian intersection? The time it took to complete the resurfacing would have been ample to complete that right turn lane and satisfy a important need and satisfy auto drivers (your constituents), especially during commute times. Oh, maybe it was the fact that pedestrian and auto signal poles were inappropriately placed on the northeast corner to allow for the right turn lane addition. If this is an Idaho Department of Transportation issue; do they not communicate with you before they complete any work on roads that impacts the citizens of Ada County? I have witnessed autos putting two right side tires onto dirt while passing me on the right to make a right turn (going north) onto Meridian Road from Amity Road (going west) at 11:30 am! There was discussion regarding the current water situation in Ada County. There are wells going dry with residents of Ada County. Comments made stated Suez/Veolia Water is able to provide water to the subject areas when development occurs. NO one asked where and how Suez/Veolia is obtaining the water to support future real estate development. The tenor of the comments regarding residents with dry wells appeared to be very insensitive to their plight. Whether a well goes dry within or without the Ada County should be the concern of all governmental decision makers. Additionally, a significant part of Ada County that is not within city boundries is subject to city “areas of impact.” In my 42 years of residency on W. Highlander Road, I have never ever been ask to comment regarding the codes, laws, rules, et al. relating to “areas of impact.” My previous communication requested a subsurface water study to develop the necessary intelligence for decision makers to make accurate decisions with wisdom. There were comments made regarding the retention of water within developed land. The purpose of this retention was to recharge the aquafer. I believe this is incorrect. The primary purpose of water retention on development sites to to keep toxins, etc. from migrating on to other properties or into the storm drain system to the wastewater treatment plant(s) and/or Boise River. I suspect recharging the area aquafers requires a large amount of water over a period of years. My understanding is Ada County's aquafer supply begins in Eastern Idaho and flows along the Snake River. I would seek a better understanding of this situation from you and the previously requested would greatly benefit everyone. I have witnessed personally in previously held public hearing by the City of Boise and Ada County. Each item on the agenda calls for City Planning Department comments for ten minutes; the owner/developer/representative to comment for ten minutes; public testimony for three minues each; and rebuttal by the owner/developer/representative for five minues. The commissioners have the opportunity to question each during their respective presentation or following all the testimony. The public is not given an opportunity to rebutt the rebuttal or clarify any of the comments made by any and all the participants in the public hearing. Therefore, unwise decisions could be made with inaccurate and incorrect information and data. I know there is an appeal process; however, this is completed in writing without face to face testimony. This is a glaring deficiency in the process. Is this a similar situation in the City of Meridian? It is imperative that each member of any decision making council, P & Z Commission etc. recuse themselves from voting on any annexation or real estate development if they have benefited in any way from contributed monies directly or indirectly sourced through the election or other modivating action. This would also include real estate developers, contractors, suppliers and any real estate association, lobbiest, etc. Personal relationships should also be considered as an element of this paragraph. A review of recently approved projects and future real estate/annexation decisions should be held to insure “transparency” is a meaningful motivation for responsible decision making. ACHD....been kneecapped by the City, developers, etc. through the court system to properly complete their responsibility to provide adequate transportation routes before the existing road system is expanded to satisfy the people they serve....the residents of all the County....ACHD must be given the responsibility and authority to provide the adequate infrastructure BEFORE all the commercial and residential developments are approved and constructed. Otherwise, the resultant disaster and chaos will be caused by you. Southwest Ada County Alliance: The City of Meridian should seriously consider including this organization for communicating city activities that directly impact citizens and businesses beyond the City's eastern boundry south of I-84. Thank you and Peace, David E. Palumbo 11240 W. Highlander Road Boise, Idaho 83709 208-440-1736