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CC - Letter of Intent 6-09-2023 1�1 HAWKINS COMPANIES C O M M E R C I A L D E V E L O P E R S 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 -1855 BROAD 1- 1�1 HAWKINS COMPANIES C O M M E R C I A L D E V E L O P E R S 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 1�1 HAWKINS COMPANIES C O M M E R C I A L D E V E L O P E R S 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." 1�1 HAWKINS COMPANIES C O M M E R C I A L D E V E L O P E R S 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 -1855 BROAD 1- 1�1 HAWKINS COMPANIES C O M M E R C I A L D E V E L O P E R S 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 1�1 HAWKINS COMPANIES C O M M E R C I A L D E V E L O P E R S 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% 1�1 HAWKINS COMPANIES C O M M E R C I A L D E V E L O P E R S 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 mil 208 Im