2022-09-06 Shawn Freeman
Charlene Way
From:Shawn Freeman <sfre46@sbcglobal.net>
Sent:Tuesday, September 6, 2022 1:07 PM
To:Clerks Comment
Subject:Public Comments on Agenda Items for City Council Meeting Sept. 6, 2022
External Sender - Please use caution with links or attachments.
Public Hearing for Overland & Wells II (H-2022-0030) by Morgan Stonehill Partners, Located at 2600 E. Overland
Rd.
Regarding this agenda item. I am opposed to any continuance for this agenda item if the continuance is to allow the
applicant the opportunity to move forward with the proposal for a DA change from a grocery store to multi family
dwellings. This is a major change - going from a grocery store to residential units. There are several planned and
underway multi family residential projects that will impact the infrastructure of Meridian. City Council needs to reject any
more high density residential projects as our infrastructure can not support it. Approving these projects today impacts the
city negatively in the future. West Ada School district will not tell the city "No we cant support more students" and instead
will continue to overcrowd the schools - they cant tell us no don't build anymore and will be forced to accommodate more
students.. Any proposal to rezone from a lower density residential (i.e. R4) to a higher density (i.e. R15) should not be
approved. As there are already several multi family units (dwellings) available and several projects underway, the
argument from the applicant about the need for varied and/or diverse residential offerings in the city should be rejected.
Continuance should be allowed if it is for the express reason to deny this applicants attempt to modify the DA.
Do not waste more time of staff and citizens by allowing continuance for a project that will not be supported by citizens
and should be denied by city council.
Public Hearing for Regency at River Valley Phase 3 (H-2022-0057) by Bach Homes
Regarding this agenda item, I am opposed to city council approving the applicants request to add more residential
units. There are several planned and underway multi family residential projects that will impact the infrastructure of
Meridian. City Council needs to reject any more high density residential projects as our infrastructure can not support
it. Approving these projects today impacts the city negatively in the future. West Ada School district will not tell the city
"No we cant support more students" and instead will continue to overcrowd the schools. Any proposal to rezone from a
lower density residential (i.e. R4) to a higher density (i.e. R15) should not be approved. As there are already several multi
family units (dwellings) available and several projects underway, the argument from the applicant about the need for
varied and/or diverse residential offerings in the city should be rejected - we have them and many projects have already
been approved. It does not matter how many great amenities the applicant will build there - outdoor gyms, going above
the required % for outdoor space etc. The infrastructure can not support these new multi family dwellings. The game of
applicants coming in with a proposal (i.e. storage center) and then changing it needs to be firmly rejected. Like all good
things, the window of opportunity for developers to come in and build multi unit buildings is coming to a close. City council
members have spoken at meetings about the idea of a moratorium on development - it needs to be implemented.
Public Hearing for Torino Locust Grove Subdivision (H-2022-0038) by Jeremy Rausch
Regarding this agenda item, I am opposed to city council approving the applicants request to add more residential
units. There are several planned and underway multi family residential projects that will impact the infrastructure of
Meridian. City Council needs to reject any more high density residential projects as our infrastructure can not support
it. Approving these projects today impacts the city negatively in the future. West Ada School district will not tell the city
"No we cant support more students" and instead will continue to overcrowd the schools. Any proposal to rezone from a
lower density residential (i.e. R4) to a higher density (i.e. R15) should not be approved. As there are already several multi
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family units (dwellings) available and several projects underway, the argument from the applicant about the need for
varied and/or diverse residential offerings in the city should be rejected - we have them and many projects have already
been approved. It does not matter how many great amenities the applicant will build there - outdoor gyms, going above
the required % for outdoor space etc. I would request that city council direct staff to find other areas in Meridian that were
rezoned from a lower density to a higher density, as was done in 2008, and rezone these residential areas back to lower
density (i.e. R4). By rezoning from a higher density to a lower density, we can avoid the game of developers coming in
and changing their proposals. For example, developer will come in with a proposal for 500 units on X amount of
acres. This will cause public meetings demanding lower amount of units. Developer will come back with a proposal for
lower units and great amenities and city council will "negotiate" lower units. In the end, the developer wins - they will get
their development as they know the citizens are against it before they start and city council can declare that "everyone
wins" - we got a lower amount of units for the citizens and the developer gets their project. The developers and city
council know this a game - at this point there is no developer that does not know the citizens will be against the multi unit
project - so come in with a high number, so that it can be "negotiated" down. Enough, deny these proposals.
Public Hearing for Lavender Place Subdivision (H-2022-0036) by Breckon Land Design
Regarding this agenda item, I am opposed to city council approving the applicants request to add more residential
units. There are several planned and underway multi family residential projects that will impact the infrastructure of
Meridian. City Council needs to reject any more high density residential projects as our infrastructure can not support
it. Approving these projects today impacts the city negatively in the future. West Ada School district will not tell the city
"No we cant support more students" and instead will continue to overcrowd the schools. I would request that city council
direct staff to find other areas in Meridian that were rezoned from a lower density to a higher density, as was done in
2008, and rezone these residential areas back to lower density (i.e. R4).
Thank you -
Shawn Freeman
100 block of W. Peach Springs Street
Meridian
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