Letter by Doug Cleggr1n ree1~
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INDEPENDENT ~ ASSISTED LIVING ~ MEMORY CARE
www.scmanor.com 888-406-2667
July 9, 2010
City of Meridian
33 E. Broadway Avenue, Suite 210
Meridian, Idaho 83642
Regarding: Amended request for alternative compliance for a new 46 unit Assisted Living Facility located on
the SW corner of Ustick and Meridian Rd.
Attention: Sonya Watters
Dear Sonya:
Thank you for your patience and education regarding our request for consideration of alternative compliance for our
new Spring Creek Ustick location. We have spent months considering how this location could best be used to serve
the seniors and families with senior members of the City of Meridian.
It has been our experience that when seniors come to us for service in an assisted living environment they are
looking for an improved quality of life that provides dignity, purpose and a reaffirmation that they still have a
contribution to make to their family and community. This in large measure is provided to them when they are free
from feeling like a burden to their families, and then included in meaningful activities that are appropriate for their
physical, social and mental capabilities.
In addition to what we provide through activities, seniors must know that they are living in an environment that has
the features most similar to what they have been accustomed to throughout their life. In Idaho, many of us, including
seniors were drawn here because of the natural beauty found in the landscape environment. Because of this and the
health care benefits we have found through natural habitat, Spring Creek has sought some basic principles in the
development of their landscape areas. These include, maximum landscape immediately around the buildings,
continual walking paths, open garden areas, multiple rest stops incorporated into walking paths, water features, other
structural features including gazebos/trellises, raised planter beds and topographical variations that allow us to keep
ADA needs in balance.
Our current design appears to violate two important features that the City of Meridian has used as a guideline when
considering the approval of new commercial properties. These features are the location of our parking lot and the
dimension of the landscape buffer separating the parking areas on this project and the adjoining streets that surround
this project. We recognize the need to have a project that has a consistent curb appeal and does not place the goals of
the project above the need for the community to have a desirable landscape buffer and view.
After reviewing the information that you so generously provided, it appears that there are possibly four areas that
maybe considered in light of our request to reduce the landscape buffer by 5 feet and have our parking area between
the surrounding streets and our proposed facility. These areas are safety, other regulatory agencies or departments
having jurisdiction, the inclusion of site designs that promote walkable and mixed used neighborhoods and
additional environmental quality improvements.
Safety and regulatory agencies and departments having jurisdiction
This facility will be licensed for all senior care services. This means that from time to time we will have residents
who are an elopement risk. The Department of Health and Welfare requires that we retain anon-scalable six foot
fence for safety of the residents that we care for. It is our opinion that placing the rear of this facility adjacent to the
adjoining streets and incorporating this type of fencing system would not only be unsightly, but create an
cSpring Creek
INDEPENDENT - ASSISTED LIVING -MEMORY CARE WWW.SCmanor.COm 888-406-2667 Page 1 of 2
environment of high security. The current privacy fence that is required between this project and the adjoining
properties is much more appropriate and enables us to create a "backyard" feeling that is consistent with most
seniors historical living environments.
In addition to these regulatory and safety requirements, it is our opinion that the noise generated from the street on
one side and then having a parking lot on the other is disruptive to the peaceful environment that adds to the health
and wellbeing of seniors.
Inclusion of walkable site designs and additional quality improvements
We believe it is in the best interest of the residents that will reside at this location and consequently the community
to transfer a small portion of the required landscape buffer from the adjoining roads between the resident rooms and
the parking areas of this location. To ensure that the curb appeal has not been compromised we have placed a distinct
waterfall feature, a sitting court yard, pavers that distinguish walking areas and raised planter beds. Preserving the
privacy and creating an attractive and enticing environment for our residents to participate in outside the facility is
essential to their health and wellbeing.
We are hoping that after you consider the quality of what we are trying to accomplish and the other options that we
have considered in the design of this site that you along with us will consider our recommendations to preserve the
privacy and improve the quality of living for the seniors in our community. We look forward to meeting with you in
the near future to discuss this more completely and hope this letter of explication is useful in your discussions.
Sincerely,
Douglas B. Clegg
CEO