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June 9, 2023
City of Meridian
Planning Division, Community Development Department
33 E. Broadway Ave.
Meridian, ID 83642
Re: Site Plan Revision for H-2021-0099 (1-84 and Meridian Development)
Dear Ms. Allen, Meridian City Planning Division, Planning and Zoning Commission, and City
Council,
We are pleased to present a revised site plan for our development of—31 acres on the northwest
corner of Interstate-84 and Meridian Rd. The revisions reflect comments from the Meridian City
Council, Planning and Zoning Commission, City staff, and the staff report.
The intent of this plan is to represent the commercial portion of a —70-acre site that will also
include — on the west side of Ten Mile Creek— 128 attached and detached single-family homes
and 272 multi-family units. This development, called Tanner Creek, represents 3 different
residential uses to accompany our diverse commercial development. Overall, 44%of the 70-acre
site's land is proposed for commercial development, including a mix of regional uses and ample
opportunities for neighborhood-serving commercial uses like fitness, personal services, non-
drive-through restaurants, health care offices, daycare, banks/financial office space, and
educational/training uses.
Tanner Creek was initially submitted in 2020 (H-2020-0024) and was denied by the City Council
because there were no plans at the time to develop the site to its east, our subject site. Our
project (H-2021-0099) was remanded by the City Council in part because it did not arrive in front
of staff and Council with Tanner Creek and in part because of concerns regarding the
configuration of the site plan. The plans before you today represent uses that will complement
the residential uses on Tanner Creek by providing a mix of commercial uses that serve both
regional and local users. Based on comments from City staff and City Council, the intent is to be
heard concurrently with Tanner Creek and provide a clear picture of the mix of uses proposed for
the northwest quadrant of the interchange.
The updated site plan proposes 150,000 and 80,000 square-foot retail stores located on the
southern edge of the site, with the rear of the stores tucked below the grade of the interchange
at Meridian Road.This was a critical component of the redesign recommended in the original H-
2021-0099 staff report ("a large retail anchor could easily be integrated into a mixed-use project,
but for this site in this location, it would likely need to be located along the interstate"). As the
staff report suggests, this allows for better integration with Ten Mile Creek, and frees up a
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significant portion of the site for community-serving commercial uses. In addition,the previously
proposed 4-story office building is now eliminated to make room for additional community-
serving commercial uses, a decision that was also recommended by the staff report ("while office
uses are also desired, there is a considerable amount of it being constructed elsewhere in the
community and[it]could be rededicated"). By eliminating the office building and re-orienting the
larger retail buildings, we created space for community-serving shops spaces (Shops 1-5), sit-
down restaurants (Pad 1), and a hotel (Pad 4)along Waltman Ln and Ten Mile Creek.To the south
of Shop 1, a parklet/plaza is provided to welcome cyclists and pedestrians from the surrounding
neighborhoods to the development. Each of the three vehicular accesses to the site are provided
with pedestrian connections as well, and the site will be bound on three sides (all sides but the
loading/delivery area below the interchange ramps) by 10' multi-use pathways. On the corner of
Waltman and Meridian Rd, a pad for a future transit stop is proposed. Along Waltman, a large
plaza area greets visitors to the development. As the staff report again reccmmended, this is the
location of most of the proposed community-serving commercial and plaza space ("Waltman is
the ideal location for community serving uses that do not need and cannot afford the visibility of
the interstate and Meridian Road. The site needs to realize better clustering of non-residential
uses to frame and benefit relocated open space"). The area includes public plaza space and
numerous small commercial buildings that could be used for anything from a peanut shop to
fitness center, to sit-down restaurant, to dentist office. The theme of this area can also be
continued to the west if an opportunity to incorporate the single outparcel on the northwest
corner presents itself (the current owner is not interested in selling at this time). Of course,
someone from Caldwell could (and will) visit a community-serving shop, and someone from
Tanner Creek could (and will) visit our large retail building. This is accommodated by a robust
network of pathways throughout the site.
This area along Waltman Rd and Ten Mile Creek is hatched on the site plan because it is
conceptual in nature. Importantly, this site will develop over time, as tenants and users are
secured. To ensure that what is proposed in subsequent site plan reviews meets the City's goals,
we are proposing that the development agreement attached to site includes the following
language:
o The layout of buildings with plaza areas shown on the site plan are provided for
illustrative purposes; Developer proposes to reserve a right to reconfigure (i.e.
divide, consolidate, reduce and/or enlarge) such buildings and plaza space, based
upon actual tenant demand at the time of development.
o The subject site shall provide non-retail commercial uses as required by the
Comprehensive Plan. While MU-R imposes "no minimum or maximum on such
uses", Developer agrees to reserve area of 10% of building(s) square-footage and
required parking for such uses until developed. Developer interprets the
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Comprehensive Plan's description of "non-retail commercial uses such as office,
clean industry or entertainment" as providing examples rather than a limitation
for non-retail commercial uses. Therefore, Developer proposes that non-retail
commercial uses may, in addition, include uses such as hospitality, fitness and/or
recreation, personal services, non-drive-through restaurants, health care,
daycare, finance and/or banking, and educational and/or training uses.
o The subject site shall include plaza area to accompany non-drive-thru buildings,
except hospitality/hotel, located on pads shown along Waltman Rd and pads
shown along Tanner Creek. The size of these plaza areas will be at least 10% of
such building(s) footprint, excluding any outdoor seating areas for restaurants.
o Health care, educational, daycare, civic and/or public safety tenants are
potentially compatible with the subject site, and therefore will not be restricted.
In fact, Developer has proposed some of these (health care, daycare and
educational) be included in the non-retail commercial definition for the subject
site. However, Developer cannot guaranty such tenants will make economically
viable offers to become tenants. Therefore, Developer shall include such uses in
its marketing materials for the subject site.
Considered in tandem with Tanner Creek, our project reflects the Comprehensive Plan's intent
for regional mixed-use land use designations:
The intent is to integrate a variety of uses together, including residential, and to avoid
predominantly single use developments such as a regional retail center with only
restaurants and other commercial uses. Developments should be anchored by uses that
have a regional draw with the appropriate supporting uses. For example, an employment
center should have supporting retail uses; a retail center should have supporting
residential uses as well as supportive neighborhood and community services.
The proposed plan provides both regional retail and community-serving uses. Immediately to the
west, and connected by Waltman Lane and a pedestrian crossing over Ten Mile Creek, Tanner
Creek provides 400 residential units.
The following section describes how the proposed project complies with each of the
Comprehensive Pan's goals for mixed-use development. As noted above, staff has agreed to
review the entire —70 acre project as a mixed-use development. As such, this analysis will
consider both projects in tandem:
• "A mixed-use project should include at least three types of land uses. Exceptions may be granted
for smaller sites on a case-by-case basis.This land use is not intended for high density residential
development alone."
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Across the —70-acre site, attached and detached single-family homes, multi-family homes,
community-serving non-retail commercial uses (defined above), and regional retail uses.
Therefore, at a minimum, four different use types will be represented. Depending on how land
use types are defined, many more uses could be represented as the development is built out.
• "Where appropriate, higher density and/or multi-family residential development is encouraged
for projects with the potential to serve as employment destination centers and when the project
is adjacent to US 20/26, SH-55, SH-16 or SH-69."
The project is not adjacent to these corridors.
• "Mixed Use areas are typically developed under a master or conceptual plan; during an
annexation or rezone request, a development agreement will typically be required for
developments with a Mixed-Use designation."
The development team has provided a master plan for the entire 70-acre site showing use
concepts, bike/pedestrian connectivity, and vehicular connectivity for each portion of the site in
detail. We agree to the requirement of a development agreement and propose language to be
included therein.
• "In developments where multiple commercial and/or office buildings are proposed,the buildings
should be arranged to create some form of common, usable area,such as a plaza or green space."
Throughout the —31-acre commercial portion of the site,there are several areas where buildings
are located to frame common areas. South of Shop 1, a parklet/plaza is proposed to greet cyclists
and pedestrians to our site. Along Waltman, Shops 3 and 4 are arranged to create a welcoming
plaza area located at the primary entrance to the development. Regardless of the ultimate
orientation of these buildings, we are committed to proving quality, usable plaza areas that are
oriented in a similar fashion to those shown on the site plan.
• "The site plan should depict a transitional use and/or landscaped buffering between commercial
and existing low-or medium-density residential development."
Ten Mile Creek serves as a natural buffer between the multi-family housing on the west and our
commercial development to the east. Both projects embrace the creek. Tanner Creek provides a
walking path and parklet/plaza area and our development welcomes visitors with a parklet/plaza
of a similar theme and scale.
• "Community-serving facilities such as hospitals, clinics, churches, schools, parks, daycares, civic
buildings, or public safety facilities are expected in larger mixed-use developments."
Tanner Creek provides a 1.7-acre park and .55-acre parklet to serve as central gathering places
for residents of the surrounding community. Health care, educational, daycare, civic and/or
public safety tenants are potentially compatible with our site,and therefore will not be restricted.
In fact, we have proposed that some of these (health care, daycare and educational) be included
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in the non-retail commercial definition for the subject site. However, we cannot guarantee such
tenants will make economically viable offers to become tenants. Therefore, we will commit to
including such uses in our marketing materials for the subject site.
• "Supportive and proportional public and/or quasi-public spaces and places including but not
limited to parks, plazas, outdoor gathering areas,open space, libraries,and schools are expected;
outdoor seating areas at restaurants do not count."
The concept plan shows over 6 acres of qualified open space (nearly 17%) on the western,
residential portion of the development. Our site provides ample plaza areas in addition to
outdoor seating areas intentionally scattered across the Waltman Lane and Ten Mile Creek areas
of the development. As noted in the proposed development agreement language, upon final
buildout, no less than 10% of the floor area of the buildings (excluding hospitality uses) within
the hatched area on the site plan will be included as plaza area.
• "Mixed use areas should be centered around spaces that are well-designed public and quasi-
public centers of activity.Spaces should be activated and incorporate permanent design elements
and amenities that foster a wide variety of interests ranging from leisure to play. These areas
should be thoughtfully integrated into the development and further placemaking opportunities
considered."
See above responses. Tanner Creek's buildings and each of our Shops buildings, designed to
accommodate community-serving, non-retail commercial uses, are immediately adjacent to, and
frame, plaza areas and public gather spaces. The concept renderings included with this concept
plan submittal indicate the design intent. Perhaps the best example of this is the bike/pedestrian
linkage between Tanner Creel and our site. The bike/pedestrian bridge is truly the center of the
development, which is highlighted by primary plazas that create a sense of connection between
the two developments. Notably, this sense of connection created by plaza area and open space
would not exist if a roadway were required to connect the two sites in this location.
• "All mixed-use projects should be directly accessible to neighborhoods within the section by both
vehicles and pedestrians."
The bike/pedestrian connection discussed above provides a connection to and through the
Tanner Creek neighborhood to neighborhoods beyond. Furthermore, we are proposing to
construct a 10' multi-use pathway along our Meridian Rd and Waltman Rd frontages to facilitate
bike/pedestrian travel from our site to adjacent neighborhoods (to the west) and commercial
uses (to the north, east and south).
Three vehicular and bike/pedestrian connections will extend south into our site from Waltman
Ln. Waltman Ln will be improved and extended and connected to Ruddy Drive to the west,
allowing vehicles from the neighborhoods west of Tanner Creek to easily access the site. Tanner
Creek and our project will construct an extension of Corporate Drive to Waltman Ln. This will
provide access to our site from residents of all points north without travelling through the
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Waltman/Meridian intersection. For more information about vehicle and pedestrian access,
please refer to our submitted connectivity plans.
• "Alleys and roadways should be used to transition from dissimilar land uses, and between
residential densities and housing types."
Perhaps most importantly, Ten Mile Creek provides a natural transition between dissimilar land
uses. Our large retail buildings are separated from community-serving shops spaces by drive
aisles and landscaping barriers that create a logical separation of regional-serving and
neighborhood-serving uses.
For Mixed-Use Regional developments, the following policies apply:
• "Residential uses should comprise a minimum of 10%of the development area at gross densities
ranging from 6 to 40 units/acre.There is neither a minimum nor maximum imposed on non-retail
commercial uses such as office, clean industry, or entertainment uses"
The land area occupied by residential uses is 55%of the development area (70 acres).The overall
gross residential density of the development is 5.7 units/acre (400 units/70 acres).
• "There is neither a minimum nor maximum imposed on non-retail commercial uses such as office,
clean industry, or entertainment uses."
While MU-R imposes "no minimum or maximum on such uses", we agree to reserve an area of
10% of building(s) square-footage and required parking for such uses until developed. Based on
discussions with staff, we interpret the Comprehensive Plan's description of "non-retail
commercial uses such as office, clean industry or entertainment" as providing examples rather
than a limitation for non-retail commercial uses. Therefore, we propose that non-retail
commercial uses may, in addition, include uses such as hospitality, fitness and/or recreation,
personal services, non-drive-through restaurants, health care, daycare, finance and/or banking,
and educational and/or training uses.
• "Retail commercial uses should comprise a maximum of 50%of the development area."
As the definition of retail varies, the table below provides a calculation of the various
retail/pads/shops lot area sizes measured against the 70-acre development area.
Percent 70-acre
Acres
Development Area
Retail 1+2 17.6 25%
Retail 1+2+Pad 2+3 21.0 30%
All Retail, Shops, Pads 29.5 42%
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Thank you for considering our revised development proposal. Please do not hesitate to reach out
to me with any questions.
Cheers,
Ethan Mansfield
Pre-Development Project Manager
Hawkins Companies
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