2012 05-03Meridian Planning and Zoning Meeting May 3, 2012
Meeting of the Meridian Planning and Zoning Commission of May 3, 2012, was called to
order at 7:00 p.m. by Chairman Scott Freeman.
Present: Chairman Scott Freeman and Commissioner Tom O'Brien, Commissioner
Steven Yearsley and Commissioner Joe Marshall.
Members Absent: Commissioner Michael Rohm.
Others Present: Jacy Jones, Ted Baird, Bill Parsons, Scott Steckline, and Dean Willis.
Item 1: Roll-Call Attendance:
Roll-call
X Steven Yearsley X Tom O'Brien
Michael Rohm X Joe Marshall
X Scott Freeman -Chairman
Freeman: Good evening all of you ladies and gentlemen. At this time I'd~ like to call to
order the regularly scheduled meeting of the Planning. and Zoning Commission for May
3rd, 2012. And let's start with roll call
Item 2: Adoption of the Agenda.
Freeman: Okay. The first thing we need to do is adopt the agenda. I don't believe
there are any changes to the agenda tonight. There is only one item there. So, could I
get a motion? ,.
Marshall: Mr. Chair, I move we adopt the agenda as stands.
Yearsley: I'll second that.
Freeman: Okay. I have a motion and a second to adopt the agenda. All those in favor
say aye. Opposed? Motion carries.
MOTION CARRIED: FOUR AYES. ONE ABSENT.
Item 3: Consent Agenda
A. Approve Minutes of April 5, 2012 Planning and Zoning
Commission Meeting
Freeman: The first item on the agenda is the Consent Agenda. There is only one sole
item on there, being the approval of the minutes of April 5th, 2012, Planning and Zoning
Commission meeting. Are there any additions or corrections that need to be made? If
not, could I get a motion?
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May 3, 2012
Page 2 of 6
O'Brien: So moved.
Yearsley: Second.
Freeman: I have a motion and a second to accept the Consent Agenda. All those in
favor say aye. Opposed? Motion carries.
MOTION CARRIED: FOUR AYES. ONE ABSENT.
Item 4: Action Items.
A. Public Hearing: AZ 12-001 Ustick LDS Stake Center by Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Located at 3775 E. Ustick
Road Request: Annexation of 7.67 Acres of Land from RUT
(Ada County) to the R-8 (Medium Density Residential) Zoning
District.
Freeman: Okay. With that I want to open the public hearing on AZ 12-001, Ustick LDS
Stake Center, beginning with the staff report.
Parsons: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Members of the Commission. The application
before you tonight is an annexation of 7.67 acres of land from the RUT zoning district in
Ada county to the R-8 zoning district in the city. The annexation boundary consists of
two parcels. One parcel is a little over four acres and that's the parcel that is currently
developed with the church and, then, there is also atwo -- a larger 2.3 acre parcel that's
currently the play fields for the church as well. And th.e subject property is primarily --
primarily surrounded by a residential development with mostly all the commercial on the
west boundary of this site. Access points aren't changing with the application.
Everything is pretty much status quo for you this evening. Unique piece of property
here. The portion that is currently developed with the church is actually medium density
designation on the comp plan. And, then, the actual play field itself is an office
designation. And so what we did as a staff in meeting with the applicant is we kind of
looked at what's surrounding the property and what is the best way to really move
forward in the future if the site was to redevelop and as you know we typically require a
development agreement with an annexation application, but in this case, because staff
is recommending an R-8 zoning designation for the church property, the UDC does
require a conditional use permit for any expansion or change -- or, excuse me, for any
expansion on the site. So, back in the early '80s or even early '70s the applicant did get
CUP approval for the church use through the county. As properties annex into the city
the city does recognize that CUP process, but as we move forward if they want to
expand the site they will have to go through the conditional use permit process to
expand the church use. So, rather than requiring a development agreement staff is
really just going to let the UDC drive this thing in the future and any parking lot
expansions or any changes to the building elevations or this type of thing or any
expansions to the footprint of the building would trigger a conditional use permit. That
Meridian Planning & Zoning Commission
May 3, 2012
Page 3 of 6
way we can get this application in front of you again and at least address any conflicts
that may occur with the surrounding neighbors in the area. Also the other thing that's
driving the annexation request before you this evening is the need for city services.
Currently the septic system is located underneath the parking lot at the rear of the
building and that system is failing and so in order -- and the other thing is ACRD is
widening the road as well and so if that road improvement was to be completed before
services were in, the applicant wouldn't have any option to go back in and put in
services. They would put a moratorium on the roadway or they would have to wait and
run the sewer from a different direction and that's not feasible at this time either. So, the
applicant has engaged city staff and working our Public Works Department in order to
make sure that that infrastructure is extended with the road widening project and there
aren't any issues with that before you. The applicant is here this evening. Again, they
are in agreement with the staff report. Because they are really not changing the use of
the site or expanding the use of the site, there really aren't any UDC requirements that
the city is requiring. Therefore, staff is recommending approval to you without really any
conditions, just basically comments. And with that I would be happy to answer any
questions you have.
Freeman: Thank you, Bill. Any questions for staff?
O'Brien: Mr. Chair?
Freeman: Commissioner O'Brien.
O'Brien: Yes. Bill, so what's the -- the primary reason why it's -- we are not taking on
an R-1, R-4 designation to the R-8 that they are requesting? Why the big difference in
the zoning?
Parsons: A couple different reasons. Excuse me. Mr. Chairman, Members of the
Commission, Commissioner O'Brien. A couple things we have to look at. One is the
medium density designation, which typically the city's applied an R-8 zone to that. The
main reason for the R-8 zoning designation is the R-2 zone and the R-4 zone, if we
were to go with that designation, a church use is not permitted in that zone. So, thereby
we couldn't annex -- place a zoning on property that would not be allowed in that zoning
district. So, really, we have to try to fit the most appropriate zone for the property and
as you know we look at the comp plan to do that. Technically we could give this an L-O
zone if -- if the director was comfortable moving forward with that and, then, there would
be principally permitted use and any site development would require certificate of
zoning compliance and design review. But given the adjacent residential in the area --
there is some Boise -- there is a subdivision to the north that's developed in Boise and
we are not sure how these county subdivisions to the west is going to redevelop in the
future. They seem to be more prudent to give it a residential zoning designation and,
like I said, that way we get it back before you if there are any conflicts or any issues that
may arise if they want to expand on the site.
Freeman: Great. Good answer. Thank you. Any other questions?
Meridian Planning & Zoning Commission
May 3, 2012
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O'Brien: No.
Freeman: All right. With that would the applicant like to come forward and, please,
state your name and address for the record when you reach the microphone.
Larson: Good evening, Mr. Chairman, Council Members -- Commission Members.
Excuse me. My name is Jo Larson. I'm with Tait and Associates. We are located at
345 Bobwhite Court, Suite 220, Boise, Idaho. We are pleased to represent the
Corporation of the Presiding Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
in an annexation of their Meridian Stake Center located at 3775 East Ustick Road in
Meridian. 83646. I don't really have any comments, other than I did want to thank all of
the efforts from the staff members, not just from Planning and Zoning, but also with the
Public Works. We had a few issues that came up and everyone was very helpful. Does
anyone have any questions?
Freeman: Any questions of the applicant? I just had one and maybe it goes beyond
our jurisdiction, because it is beyond our jurisdiction, but I did see that the ACHD came
in with some comments after the staff report was prepared.
Larson: Uh-huh.
Freeman: You're aware of that report and --
Larson: Yes, sir.
Freeman: -- its contents? Okay. All right. Thank you.. I don't think we have anybody --
I'm sure we don't have anybody signed'up to offer public testimony on this item. So, at
this time I think it's appropriate to get a motion to close the public hearing.
Yearsley: I will make a motion to close the public hearing for AZ 12-001, Ustick LDS
Stake Center.
Marshall: Second.
Freeman: Okay. I have a motion and a second to close the public hearing for AZ
12-001, Ustick LDS Stake Center. All those in favor say aye. Opposed? Motion
carries. The public hearing is closed.
MOTION CARRIED: FOUR AYES. ONE ABSENT.
Freeman: Is there any further discussion on this?
O'Brien: I don't have anything further.
Freeman: I don't.
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May 3, 2012
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Yearsley: I don't either.
Marshall: I simply wanted to say that I'm impressed with how staff approached this and
it seems like a very reasonable answer. I was pleased to hear that the applicant felt the
city was pretty easy to get along with and talked to and helpful and I am really pleased
the way everything developed.
Freeman: Good. Yeah. The reasoning was sound. So, we appreciate that. With that
guess I need to get a motion on this item.
O'Brien: Do we want to close it?
Freeman: We closed the public hearing already, so we are ready for a motion.
Yearsley: After considering all staff, applicant, and public testimony, I move to
recommend approval of file number AZ 12-001 as presented in the staff report for the
hearing date of May 3rd, 2012, with no modifications.
Marshall: Second.
Freeman: Okay. I have a motion and a second to approve the application for AZ 12-
001, Ustick LDS Stake Center. All those in favor say aye. Opposed? Motion carries.
MOTION CARRIED: FOUR AYES. ONE ABSENT.
Freeman: Thank you very much. There being no other business I think we need one
other motion. ~~
Marshall: I move that we adjourn.
Freeman: I'm glad somebody did it.
Yearsley: Second.
Freeman: I have a motion and a second to adjourn. All those in favor say aye.
Opposed?
MOTION CARRIED: FOUR AYES. ONE ABSENT.
Freeman: We are adjourned. Thank you.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 7:10 P.M.
(AUDIO RECORDING ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS.)
Meridian Planning & Zoning Commission
May 3, 2012
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APPROVED
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