Engineering Solutions Letter 2/8NG/NEER/NG
planning and engineering communities !or the future
OLUTIONS«A
February 8, 2011
City of Meridian
Attn: Mayor and Council Members
33 E. Broadway
Meridian, Idaho 83642
1029 N. Rosario Street, Suite 100
Meridian, ID 83642
Phone: (208) 938-0980
Fax: (208) 938-0941
Re: Jericho Subdivision - TE-10-034 (Request for aTwo-Year Time Extension)
Dear Mayor and Council:
The Mayor and Council instructed the applicant's representative to contact the owner of the
Jericho property concerning multiple issues at the site.
The issues identified by the City of Meridian and adjoining neighbors are as follows:
• During the summer of 2010, the residents of Hightower Subdivision experienced flooding
from the open ditch which lies along the north boundary of the Jericho property.
• The residents of Arcadia Subdivision which adjoin the Jericho property are concerned
about the diseased and dying trees along the south boundary. The dying trees pose a
hazard and nuisance by attracting box elder bugs.
• The residents of Arcadia are concerned about weed control during the summer months.
• Existing trees were removed from the property along the north and east boundary.
UPDATE:
The Jericho property has been sold by Washington Federal Savings & Loan to Corey Barton
Homes. Mr. Barton intends on developing the property consistent with the approved preliminary
and final plats. Mr. Barton has been informed of the outstanding issues with the project and has
actively been involved in formulating solutions.
Action:
• Flooding Issue -Engineering Solutions provided detailed gravity irrigation information
and photographs of the Jericho project to Meridian Public Works. A meeting was held at
the Planning Department on February 4`~' to discuss the irrigation problems. In attendance
were Ralph Bielinski (Hightower HOA President), Russ Hepworth, P.E. (Land Group),
Mike Birch (D.R. Horton), Corey Barton (CBH Homes), Scott Steckline and Bruce
Freckleton (Public Works), Bill Nary (Legal), Pete Friedman and Bill Parsons (Planning),
Becky McKay and Kathy Stroschein, P.E. (Engineering Solutions), and Don Alloway
(Karnes Lateral).
Summary of the Meeting:
1. The water in the 24-inch gravity irrigation pipe through Hightower backs up
into the open ditch on the Jericho property. The ditch overflows its banks and
floods the adjoining lots. At the time of the flooding, one downstream trash rack
at Chinden (SH 20/26) was plugged with debris which caused the water to back
up into the ditch. The Hightower HOA has since replaced two trash racks with an
improved design and instructed their lawn maintenance company to clean the
racks.
Mr. Barton has agreed to pipe the open section of ditch along the north and
east boundary of the Jericho property after the 2011 irrigation season.
2. The existing irrigation box on the Karnes Lateral does not allow for control of
the amount of water sent to the Hightower pump station. During low-pressure
irrigation usage, the amount of water entering the 24-inch Hightower pipe can
exceed the capacity of the facility.
Mr. Barton has agreed to replace the inadequate irrigation box located at the
southeast corner of the Jericho project in the fall of 2011. Once the structure
is replaced with a weir, the Karnes Lateral Association will have improved
control of the water flow to the Hightower pressure irrigation pump station.
3. Don Alloway with the Karnes Lateral Association and Nathan Draper with
Settler's Irrigation District have indicated that storm run-off from ACHD
roadways and waste water from the east flows into the Karnes Lateral. The
volume of water can vary substantially depending on the amount of precipitation.
An existing 24-inch pipe east of Jericho Street and an 18-inch pipe flow into
the 24-inch Hightower gravity irrigation pipe.
Note: Depending on the drainage and wastewater flowing into the Hightower
gravity irrigation pipe, there is a possibility the water may overflow the
existing Hightower boxes if the amount of water exceeds the capacity of the
24-inch pipe. Prior to development, excess water flowed south and west
through the Hightower property. Since development of Hightower, only the
west outlet was continued with the 24-inch gravity irrigation pipe. -----
Therefore, an existing 18-inch pipe and 24-inch pipe will continue to flow
through the existing 24-inch Hightower gravity irrigation pipe. This situation
cannot be rectified by the Jericho developer.
Tree and Box Elder Bug Issue - Mr. Barton will have the diseased trees along the
south boundary removed in the spring of 2011. By removing the trees, the bug
problem should be eliminated. Meridian Planning staff indicates the trees are trash trees
and no mitigation is required.
Weed Control Issue - Mr. Barton will maintain the property and implement weed
control measures.
Condition of Approval Number 3: The new owner respectfully requests the elimination of
the requirement to mitigate for the loss of the trees (113 caliper inches).
• The trees were removed along the north boundary in order to maintain the existing
ditch and improve the flow.
• Some of the trees removed were dead and diseased. Removal of the trees was
necessary.
• The previous owner, Washington Federal Savings & Loan, had the trees removed.
The new owner was not a party to the removal and should not be penalized for the
actions of the bank.
• The small size of the Jericho project will not allow the planting of such a large
number of trees (57 two-inch caliper) on the site.
Mr. Barton has reviewed this response letter and has consented to the actions as outlined in this
document.
Sincerely,
ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS, LLP
Becky McK artner