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Public Testimony by Jeannette Ockerman & Petition CC4/29/14 Meridian City Council 33 E. Broadway Avenue, Suite 300 Meridian, ID 83642 Dear City Council Members, I am writing to you because I have very serious concerns about the proposed zoning for the Ten Mile Center by Treasure Valley Investments. My concerns lie with the changes from the land designations in the Ten Mile Specific Area Plan (hereafter called TMP) done in 2007 and the zoning being requested. I am not opposed to future development along the Ten Mile Corridor or to the change in land designation from a Lifestyle Center like the Village to a more commercial use. However, I believe that some of the changes in zoning will negatively impact existing neighborhoods, roads and schools. I think that the intent of the Future Land Use Plan (FLUM) for the development of our community, in this specific area, is being lost. Some of the zoning being requested does not adhere to the intended use under the Ten Mile Specific Area Plan; specifically the loss of 17.2 acres of land designated as Medium Density Residential to higher density residential and commercial uses; TN -R and TN -C zones. These changes will negatively impact the Primrose Subdivision, Waltman and Lilac Lane and Peregrine Elementary School. I am also concerned that there is no plat or site map for the community to see what the developer has in mind, especially in regards to 300 residential units being added in non-residential areas'. Without a site map there is no way to see how the TN -C, TN -R and R-8 zones will transition from the adjacent rural neighborhoods and still maintain their desired residential densities. For the reasons listed above I feel the current zoning application should be denied. What follows are the specifics to my reasoning: The Ten Mile Interchange Specific Area Plan (TMP)" was developed to manage growth throughout the city while also maintaining compatibility with current development. The 120.69 acres of land being reviewed was designated with 63.3 acres of a Lifestyle Center (LC); 20.3 acres of High Density Residential (HDR); 5.1 acres Medium High Density Residential (MDHR); and 30.4 acres as Medium Density Residential (MDR) under the Future Land Use Map for the TMP. The zoning before you will be changing the 63.3 acres of LC to 80+ acres of Commercial (CG) and eliminating the HDR zone."' I do not have a problem with removing the HDR, but that does not appear to be what it is happening. The HDR is being shifted around with 300 residential units being put in an undesignated area somewhere in the CG and TN -C Zones; most likely forcing up all other zoning areas to their maximum capacity due to the fact that in a CG zone, residential housing is not a permitted use and would require a developer to get conditional use permits to add residential units. HDR and Commercial zoning are completely different land uses. As residents, I think we should know exactly where the additional 300 residential units are going before the land is zoned. It would require 15 acres of HDR at an average of 20 units per acre to keep the 300 units in one area. The 300 residential units could potentially end up in the 14.34 acres of TN -C. A TN -C contains a mix of commercial and residential uses. Often the residential units are above the businesses on the second floor or higher. How high will the buildings have to go to get 300 units in that area? At the very least there should be a plat design to show what the developer / land owner has in mind for these,300 residential units before the land is zoned. In addition, the definition of a TN -C zone very closely follows the definition of the Lifestyle Area'. Why is the TN -C being put in an area that was designated for residential use when there are 63 acres of LC are on the FLUM? If a TN -C is supposed to be the "focal point of a neighborhood center", why. is this mixed use commercial zone being tucked back, over half way into the development, in land designated as residential on the FLUM? My next and even bigger concern is the change of MDR from 30.4 acres to 13.23 acres; a loss of 17.17 acres of MDR to a higher density TN -R and TN -C zones. This loss will not only affect our neighborhood, roads, and school; but it will change the entire feel of the area. Meridian is known for its neighborhoods; for the sense of community and stability they engender. The 30.4 acres of MDR represents a stable neighborhood being lost in our area. MDR areas contain mostly single family homes and encourage home ownership. The MDR zone is what creates a stable and secure community; the type of environment families like to have next to their schools. But in this application much of the MDR is being replaced with commercial and higher density residential zones; TN -C and TN -R. The change of MDR to TN -R and TN -C will also negatively impact the existing roads; putting more stress and pressure on roads that already has traffic problems due to a local school. The current layout of the zones on the application has the MHDR" zone exiting directly onto a neighborhood road'. The Future Land Use Plan has the higher density residential areas either between the major arterial roads or to the west of them, thus encouraging residents to use these main roads to exit their homes. Although there will still be arterial roads north to Franklin and west to Ten Mile, the higher density area or TN -R is now east of all the roads including a smaller connecting road into the Primrose Subdivision. It is very likely that many residents will choose to use Waltman and Lilac Lanes since those roads directly access their development and give residents direct connection to Peregrine Elementary School. The potential increase in traffic will have a huge impact on the Primrose Subdivision; changing a quiet neighborhood with a extremely low crime rate to a through street that will connect new development on the west (the zoned area) to existing neighborhoods east of Linder. Currently all the neighborhoods east of Linder only have one exit to Franklin Road; and that is north on Linder Road. There is no other way out of the subdivisions. Opening up Waltman Road with direct access to the TN -C and then CG Zones, as well as the Ten Mile Interchange, could turn a neighborhood street into a heavily used access road. This will not only be a potential traffic problem but an increased safety problem for residents and students alike. According to Mindy Wallace at ACHD, the average traffic count on Waltman Road, 3 years ago in March 2011 was 1089 cars per day. Since then the student population at Peregrine Elementary has increased and so has the traffic. Waltman Road has been a quiet neighborhood street for over 30 years since the development of the Primrose Subdivision; connecting Waltman to the new zoning and the existing eastern neighborhoods will turn it into a busy through street. If the 30.4 acres of land designated as MDR was maintained as planned on the FLUM, the traffic would be feeding into another neighborhood. The primary access would no longer be between a business district, TN -C, that is supposed to be the "focal point" of the area and TN -R zone. The traffic pattern through the residential neighborhood could then be designed in a way that would discourage through traffic from using the roads as a shortcut to the business area or the Ten Mile Interchange. The changes to the zoning will also affect Peregrine Elementary. The school currently has 600 students with a capacity of 660-700 students. According to the principal, Geri Gillespy, over half of those students are in a walking zone. The school has walkways on the east and north of the school. This new development shows a path planned for the western side of the school. However, Mrs. Gillespy, the principal states that, "most of the students are dropped off or picked up by parents". Although many children can walk, an estimated 300; "most parents" choose to drive their children. The other 300 arrive at school by bus. I believe this pattern will continue with the new development. As parents in the MHDR residential head to work or out in the morning they will access Waltman road to drop off their children at the school, just as "most parents" currently do, and pick them up again in the afternoon; creating increased traffic problems. According to Eric Exline, Public Information Officer at Meridian School District, the district uses a multiplier of .8 to calculate how many students will be added to a new development. If the 30.4 acres were maintained at an average of 6 homes per acre, there would be a total of 67 students"" added to the elementary school. However changing the zoning to 13.23 of MDR and adding the 11.5 TN -R (average density is 12 units); the total student would be 80 students""'; an increase of 20%. Including the additional 300 residential units will increase the student population by 139 children;" for a grand total of 219X students potentially attending Peregrine Elementary under the current application; increasing the student population well over the 700 capacity --the more residential units, the more students and thus the more traffic and safety problems. If the applicant wants the higher density residential/commercial zones (TN -C and TN -R), they should stay in the areas designated on the FLUM so that the main roads can distribute the traffic as planned by the FLUM developers. I believe the traffic patterns and residential densities were evaluated at the time the FLUM was designed and that it was never the intent to turn Waltman or Lilac Lanes into major roads. Putting a TN -C and a TN -R zone splitting their access with a road into a rural residential neighborhood was never in the original plan, nor was the extreme, negative impact it would have on the Primrose Subdivision. I believe that there is a better use of the land that would blend growth and development with the existing neighborhoods and roads. It is called the Future Land Use Map. The FLUM reflects the transition in land designations while maintaining the integrity of the neighborhoods. Please do not allow the drive for commercial zones and high density residential areas to eat up land intended for a medium density residential neighborhoods. Meridian is known for its sense of community, for its neighborhoods and the stability they bring to the city. I believe there is room for compromise between commercial uses and traditional neighborhoods; I believe that a better zoning proposal could be developed that would balance the desire for growth and the impact on the Primrose Subdivision and Waltman and Lilac Lanes; a plan that would route traffic away from and not through the neighborhood; a plan that would allow for more transition from a rural neighborhood to residential and then business districts. I believe there is room for compromise with the existing application; a "sweet spot" that will address public concerns and maintain neighborhood communities. As do the over 60 people that signed a petition in opposition to the current application. Please do not accept the Ten Mile Center Application in its current form! Sincerely yours, Jeanette Ockerman 2070 W. Waltman Meridian, ID 83642 (Enclosure—PetitionX' ) Ten Mile Center AZ -14-001 Revised Staff Report, p. 8. Ten Mile Center AZ -14-001 Revised Staff Report, p. 3. Ten Mile Center AZ -14-001 Revised Staff Report, p. 8. iv Ten Mile Center AZ -14-001 Revised Staff Report, p. 3,7. V I am using TN -R and MHDR residential interchangeably because the density levels for both are 8-15 residential units with an average of 12); so the zoning for TN -R is Medium High Density Residential (MHDR). Vi Ten Mile Center AZ -14-001 Revised Staff Report, p. 11. (30.4 acres x 6 average residential units x.8 multiplier / 13 grades x 6 grades in school = 67.3 students). I have not included the calculations for the HDR because the developer does not seem to want to use this land designation. [(13.23 x 6 x.8 / 13 x 6) + (11.5 x 12 x.8/13x6)+ =29.3+51=80.3 students 218.8 students] °`(300/13x6)=138.5 X 80.3 + 138.5 = 218.8 students X' The main purpose of the petition is to reflect the concerns and opposition to the current zoning and its impact on adjacent neighborhoods. The petition was collected by multiple sources. Some people signed as a couple on one line, while others signed two different times. There is some margin of error in the total # but it is roughly 60 people. Petition in Opposition to Zoning of Property Adjacent to Peregrine Elementary School and West to Ten Mile Road Specifically the High level of Residential Density and the Access to Waltman Road NameAddress o c 0 zo c Email �`° ° a� For additional information 1 FL*14\'ZZl21) 2 L. I L, 5 fyt 'ti 7 l/UGi ��'v� C-/ at: r rr 6 01 rO2:a 2 �.D $ t?i d Li\7CT 11n 11n,,M41,R f m � 9 J -�,,:, trio 6(Z>C s �� �.� c ,Co J � � � � C'I-I IAI- , 11 a 12 /s 13 v L, G l�c�,' 1710 (/64,exeq Dr • �Cz v�S 14 Ga it Mij (G 0loL� C ` Js) Ct v),e� C4 Q�� CU 15° 16 F � '1 L� e.a-r'�€�F�� l�l�C Cbti(,• 17 �a�c.� f�i/'1 18 �K E` �►1 eta �S�9t� r ►�d`a-0 Lo v► -00 S� drtdi5 v q r8 LV <nQ-, i 19 �- e 20 _11f�1 a. lr - �a�S�rJ ZCJp.�J 2.3r✓lA t ���.�,sS�rt rru.��. ('.t>r�. 19 w Petition in Opposition to Zoning of Property Adjacent to Peregrine Elementary School and West to Ten Mile Road Specifically the High Level of Residential Density an i tha Arracrtn %A/nrtmnn 0-4 V AddressEmail additionalFor . MEN - MEN ®E■ I'.L ( _ j�l _ UL . FA'doo MEN z.;, WVA -a M- ME -� =ME MEV I ul io (11 "50,0 "=Wi I . _ .� _ l • SME �0 I HIM ��■■ V 17 18 19 20 Petition in Opposition to Zoning of Property Adjacent to Peregrine Elementary School and West to Ten Mile Road Specifically the High Level of Residential Density and the Access to Waltman Road Address additionalFor W. em, MEN MIMI MEN 5, wm,1,S, y MEN W0,0, %�_ WO _ - r - 1_I / .. ■� o -� i _� . i1 9111.9f, ®E® U41 1 0, w0k, qfVw,,JVF'MA 1, 1 11. W-FAIM.9 M� : !EMM AKW MONA MEE r �■■ MEE RAW RUSIN MOV aw.'"I"A I NvE �� M 0 MEE M M MEN MEE 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Name Petition in. Opposition to Zoning of Property Adjacent to Peregrine Elementary School and West to Ten Mile Road Specifically the High Level of Residential Density and the Access to Waltman Road a Address o�c m c Email 0 a� For additional information c Jr ��L v75-r� 55 M %LI-1-/u-�