City Council - Regular Meeting

Council, the meeting will come to order. For the record, it is March 10th, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. We'll begin this afternoon's work session with roll call attendance. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Councilman Kavana here. Councilwoman Strader here. Councilman Whitlock here. Councilwoman Little Roberts. Councilman Overton here. Mayor Simmonson here. Next item up is adoption of the agenda. Mr. Mayor Councilman Overton. There are no changes to the agenda. I move we approve the agenda as published. Second have a motion and second to approve the agenda. Is there any discussion? If not, all in favor signify by saying I. I.

Opposed? Nay. As have it. And the agenda is agreed to. Next up is consent agenda. Mr. Mayor. Councilman Overton. Changes to the consent agenda. I move that we approve the consent agenda for the mayor to sign and the clerk to attest. Second. Have a motion, a second to approve the consent agenda. Is there any discussion? If not, all in favor signify by saying I. I.

Opposed? Nay. You guys have it. And the consent agenda is agreed to. There were no items moved from the consent agenda. So we'll move on to department reports. First item up is item 20, which is the solid waste advisory commission annual report. Turn this over to Chairman Cory. Mr. Mayor, uh, members of council, um, I'm Steve Corey. I am the chairman of the Solid Waste Advisory Commission. I'm here representing SWAC and I bring you their greetings and their thanks. Uh, the commission is currently fully staffed and we do appreciate your support. there. Oh, there we go. Make sure I didn't Well, let's see. One of our primary responsibilities is a community recycling fund program. Uh the CFRP currently uh has a balance of about $109,000. Um, another one of our responsibilities is monitoring the supplemental services some of our rateayers support by subscription uh to determine if they've reached a point where they need to be

incorporated into basic services. Uh we have had um uh a slight increase in both glass and grass subscriptions but not enough to go ahead and reach a tipping point. So, we have no recommendations for changes for either of these these two programs this year. Um, SWAC participated in all of our legacy activities this last year.

Sorry, Steve. I'm controlling it from over here because the mouse is not working. Um at the public works expo um we received about 85 visitors and uh as normal there uh were questions about what was okay to recycle and how to get rid of other materials. Uh at the recycle a bicycle uh activity um we had great interest SWAC received about 76 requests for bikes, of which 52 were Meridian citizens. Uh we arranged for all the Meridian residents to go ahead and receive their bicycles uh prior to the event and had 25 bikes that we could take to the uh get outside and get unplugged event and actually had seven bicycles donated to us during the event. So we went with 25 and actually distributed 29. Um we over the summer we were able to go ahead and um get bicycles available for the other 24 people who had made requests. Um and during the event we had about a hundred uh bicycle serviced putting in slime or tightening chains various other things. Um, I want to express deep sincere thanks to Republic Services and to uh, Timber Creek um, for their help in making those events occur. In other activities, SWAC attended the county solid waste advisory committee meetings. I am vice chair of that committee. Um and uh conversations up there drift to uh life of the landfill, how to extend it, and the cost of operating the

landfill. And that's likely to be the same in this coming year. We also attend the household hazardous waste meetings to be informed on potential changes to that program. The uh rate review this year was mostly um just the contractual um CPI adjustment and a continuation of the uh helping out on the cost of processing recycled materials. In addition, household hazardous waste was broken out as a a separate line item for citizens utility bills um due to a change in how that was being uh charged to us. And uh disposal costs up at the landfill, which is a pass through cost, raised about 3% last year. and that's the estimated amount they're going to be requesting to increase it this year for FY27. SWAC received numerous presentations uh which boil down to monitoring waste and recycling um the CFR CRFP management outreach in uh monitoring flow rates of waste and recyclable materials and um and then Chris go ahead and spin. Okay. Um while the annual report details how SWAC plans to proceed, our plans boil down to improving and protecting the city's waste and recycling practices and systems while being mindful of the uh rateayers. And with that, I would stand for questions.

Thank you, Steve. Council, any questions?

Mr. Mayor Trader. Um just curious like the recycling fund continues to grow. What are the thoughts around that long term? Uh what you guys want to use that for? What the uh the commission's view at this point is that um we expect over the next year we hope to be able to go ahead and have some um discussion about uh looking at the composting program and we expect at that point to have a high need associated with communication about the program. So, we've kind of set it aside reserved to find out what may happen with that program as it comes together.

Mr. Mayor, Councilwoman Trader. Yeah, I think that makes sense. Thank you,

Mr. Coun. Appreciate being here. I always look forward to your report. Uh, important note, thanks to your report last year, the Cavern family donated a bunch of bicycles recycle a bicycle. My wife is very pleased for your report to get those bikes out of our garage. So thank you um for that. Uh my question uh for you is you know I know about a year ago there was a lot of conversation with our partner in public services procuring another landfill facility out I guess east of Boisey. Have there been any conversations with SWAC? Have they provided any presentations about any plans or use for that impacting our service? Uh to your point about kind of the longevity of the 80ount landfill. I know that's always a question about what that lifeline really looks like and just curious if they've briefed SWAC on any of these potential changes. Has there been any feedback from Swack that you could pass along to us?

Mr. Mayor, uh Councilman Gavin, thank you for the questions. Um definitely again, thank you for the donation last year. We were happy to go ahead and uh receive those. Um the uh landfill with Republic Services has uh commenced. They they have uh been working on that and have and are in the process of opening it. Um there is discussions about what uh is going on up there, but certainly the landfill wants to make sure that they don't have any pertivations to their staffing. So, uh, I think everybody's working as a team. Um, certainly every county needs to have some kind of an idea of where they're going to be taking care of their materials and Elmore County is no exception. And so, uh, that works out very well for this uh, for what Republic's putting together. But I would be, um, overstepping my knowledge to go any deeper on that than this. But, uh, we think everybody's working kind of in a team-like fashion. Um,

Mr. Mayor, Council Counter J, you uh, your knowledge is greater than mine. So, I I appreciate that just helped to keep us in the loop. Uh, Mr. Mayor, just to additional maybe I could help put a I don't think there's been any formal conversation with SWAC specifically about the future of Meridian's trash and where or how or if it should go anywhere else. Yeah, fair enough. Is that a fair statement?

Mr. Mayor, I think you did a really good job on that and I would go ahead and say uh yeah, as far as we kind of look at it, uh once the material is picked up from the curb, then it's kind of under the direction of Republic and we expect them to do what's best for our rate payers, but uh we do appreciate the fact that they are a team player. I'll go back to my previous comment that no official conversations with SWAC have occurred at this time. Thanks, Mr. Mayor. Mr. Mayor, one additional question if I may. Yes, Councilman Cer.

Chairman Corey, the the increase in the GL the grass, not glass, grass uh recycling really was an eyebrow raiser for me. I'm I'm pleased to see that it's continuing to kind of grow. Swack have any idea what they're attributing that to? I mean, it's exceeding population growth. I don't see a lot of promotion for it. I'm just curious if there's any explanation as to why that program continues to grow at a at a pretty rapid pace.

I think it's probably Mr. Mayor, Councilman, um I think it's uh going along on a process for the inherent desire to have materials processed and the best use for those items. And these are the citizens that are uh so desirous of that that they're going through this process where they get build separately from Republic to go ahead and get these materials collected. Uh so there's more interest out there than that indicates, but uh and certainly one would expect an economy of scale once it was expanded to um a larger uh number of citizens uh through maybe uh general collection that the cost per ton would hopefully drop. uh hope, but staff is working with the republic to go ahead and figure out exactly what the costs would be to make that change. Um, and when they have had that kind of information, they'll get back to us and tell us what's going on on that. But I would tend to say uh to get back to that that it's a good indication of our um motivated citizens that really want to go ahead and make sure that the material gets recycled, composted and and they're more than willing to go out that extra yard and so to speak use another can and have it u collected.

Thank you, chairman. Appreciate being here. Council, any additional questions? Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. Okay, up next is item 21, which is the Marine Arts Commission annual report. Oh, so we do get both Cassandra and Chairwoman King for this presentation. Good late afternoon.

Good afternoon, Mayor and Council. Thank you so much for having us here and allowing us to present to you our review of the 2025 um MAC annual report. Um here listed are our current commissioners. Um included in this we have two newer commissioners. Um Jay Smith is our newest one. He was appointed last February and Aaron Turner uh has joined us as of just a week or two ago. Um, we just wanted to let you guys know, um, for the first time, we've had more applicants for our open position this year than ever before. So, it was great to see that so many people in the community are interested, um, in this council. One of my favorite uh, parts of my job is getting to work on the maps program, the learning art and public spaces, um, and doing public art projects with the arts commission. So, as most of you know, we have um an ordinance that allocates 50 cents per Meridian resident to the MAPS fund for public art projects. Other funds might come in from uh partnerships or other things um other sources, which we which we love, but the majority is from our maps program. In 2025, this last year, we completed three sculpture installations at Chateau Park, uh six traffic boxes by Westa School District students, a mural at Homecourt, and uh paintings for the city hall collection. I'll show some images of these in a moment. And we are working on the public art master plan that's ongoing. And there's a project in the works for Linda Road overpass in the medians. Uh that's on track for 2027. And we're also in the process of selecting work for the community center. Uh we have two mural opportunities and a lobby art installation and a history wall in the works. Here are the pieces at Chateau Park. There were three sculpture pieces. Um we had a stakeholder group of uh parks and rec commissioners, arts commissioners, um some HOA members and neighborhood

citizens. And a lot of our park projects have been identity and theming projects. And they've um been like heroes park. And so heroes is the theme or um uh seasons park, you know, seasons is the theme, but chateau was a little harder because I don't know that we want to make like a French chateau lart project. So the committee uh sort of came up with wanting to uh go in the direction of native uh plants and flora fauna and pollinators. So we have the entry sign that features a seringa blue camas and blackeyed susan and a bumblebee a pollinator. And then we have a flower bench uh with it's a yellow cone flower and there's a hummingbird attached to that one. And um this is the flower bench. This is probably my favorite of the three pieces. Um has the formal name for sunflowers and a butterfly. And then there's also a signage piece, not that you can read what's on the sign there, but it's on the restroom. Talks about the pieces and the pollinators. So that was a great really successful project. Um, one of our big projects we do every year is we partner with the West Ada School District. Um, and we love partnering with them to uh feature student artwork on all of the traffic boxes uh around the city. Uh this year we had six new ones um that were put up. Um we get a lot of comments from community members on how much they appreciate that we wrap these and showcase local art. Um if any of you ever notice any blank ones or ones that look like they could use some art, please feel free to let us know. We are always looking for more places to showcase student art. This is a mural project at Homecourt. Homecourt Bay 6 um was had kind of like a lobby waiting area, but it was pretty generic looking. And so we added this piece uh Evening in the Foothills by Lurel Row. Those are on panels that um that piece can actually be moved in the future at some point. Um it's uh takes a little bit of work to reinstall it

because they're big panels, but um we could reinstall it somewhere else if we would like to in the future, but this is a really beautiful piece and adds a lot of uh vibrancy to that space. And then all of you every city council meeting uh probably get to see these pieces because they're right across from from chambers. Um this was actually a started out as a traffic box project uh with a call to artists um professional artists for Meridian history as the theme. Uh but this piece turned out so well and really addressed Meridian history. Um you can see in the first one you've got the Zamzo's mill in the background. there's animal husbandry um and some different sort of modern inventions uh orchards and uh she did a lot of research for this. The second one in there um actually refers to indigenous populations that would have been here and she looked at the state archives and those are uh wiki ups not uh tepee which would have been uh indigenous and u what you would have actually seen in the area. There's also references to uh irrigation waterway canals in that one. And then in the bottom one, you've got some uh the Edgar silo is in there. And uh the we have the train that goes through. And when she was researching history, she saw a lot of um train derailment photos in the archives. So she had a train derailment. Um and what's not pictured in this image because it was a later edition, but you can see in the actual pieces, uh she learned that the um black cat farm was named after the household pet, so she added a black cat in that piece. But we're uh really excited to have these pieces in the city hall collection. We haven't been adding to the city hall collection for a while. So, it's um nice to see a few more pieces. So, our public art master plan has been in the works for quite a while. Um we've done a lot of public outreach. We did an online survey and we've done some in-person events um to get feedback from the community um on on different things that we're looking at. Um, this slide is

a timeline of our year of working on the master plan. We should have a final plan in a few months and council can expect a presentation this year with a draft of that full plan. Uh, this picture is just one at one of the workshops that we had where we were planning um with a variety of members and looking at maps of the city to try and figure out what areas need attention. Um the results from our survey were interesting. Uh this one shows the top locations. We asked people where they thought the top locations needed to be for more art. Um overwhelmingly the top spot that people picked was parks. Um second was downtown and tied for third was bicycle and pedestrian pathways and libraries. Um the good news is we already have a lot of art in parks and we already have a lot of plans to add more to parks. So that aligned really nicely with what the community wanted and as well as what we're already working on.

And those percentages don't add up to 100%. Obviously, people were asked to pick their top three. Um we also asked what types of preferred artwork um they would like to see. Uh the top three were functional elements in the streetscape. So things like benches, like the one that she just showcased at the park. It's functional, but it's also um artsy. Um, interactive and playful artworks came in at number two and murals were number three. Um, the public made it very clear they were not very interested in video projection and mediabased artworks. So, it's good to know we had another great season of Concerts on Broadway with uh Soul Patch, Rockabbett, and the Billy Blues Band. However, I have um some a big shift for Concerts on Broadway moving forward. Uh, in 2026, we are shifting to Meridian's Main Street Mix. Um, so a new music series, uh, more frequent. We're going to double the number of concerts and bring it to Generations Plaza. Um, there's a few reasons for this. Uh, we want to what something I was hearing from downtown businesses is that they didn't actually see any of the concerts on Broadway, people coming into their businesses, and we think, you know, City Hall is downtown, but even just being a few blocks away, it does it doesn't feel as connected to the downtown. Um, so we have a lot of support from the chamber and downtown businesses. And another thing about the city hall plaza is um there it's it's hard to fill. If you have 200 people, it still feels completely empty. Whereas in Generations Plaza, it will fill completely like a full house uh atmosphere with 200 people. Um, and we just weren't seeing quite the numbers to fill the plaza. Um, especially with uh Kleiner Park Live uh is seeing about three times the attendance as concerts on Broadway. So trying to reinvent, do something um better and uh better serve the community. So and we're also going to shift from tribute bands to um original music, which is a way we can double the frequency. So if you want to put the

dates on your concert, it's going to be every Wednesday, July 8th through August 12th. Um and moving to a happy hour time frame. So it's on Wednesdays. Um some people might know about a live after 5 that boy does. It's kind of like a midweek after work uh to try and really like help the downtown businesses and bring some foot traffic into downtown in the middle of the week. This is a band that played there during art week a few few years ago. Okay. We had a really successful 2025 um Meridian Art Week. Um it included an entire week of art classes. We did an art drop. Um, at the event we had between eight and 900 people attend, which was great. Um, we worked with the parks department on this. Um, we couldn't do it without Renee. She's a wonderful person to partner with on this. Um, we had youth performances. We had a chalk art competition, music, food and drink options, uh, mural painting, things like that. Next year, what we're going to do is we're actually going to rename it and we're going to call it Art Spark at Kleiner Park. We've also, uh, changed the date. We're actually going to have it in August. It'll be August 29th and we're extending the hours from 11:00 a.m. to 700 p.m. Um, please add that to your calendar. We would love to see you all there. This next year for 2026, we're going to have all the same things, but it's just going to be bigger and better and last longer. So, we're hoping to see even more people at that event.

Um, in case you haven't heard, there's a gallery on the third floor of City Hall. Uh, Initial Point Gallery. We hosted uh nine exhibits last year. showed 164 artists which uh sounds like a lot but some of the shows we have like the Westa school district there's I think 55 students that were in that show and some of the group exhibits we show a lot of artists we had around 500 attendees at the just the opening opening receptions the artist talks we did some demos and panel discussions so that's just the events we also have more people attending just throughout the week this is the current show that's up there um it's really beautiful and uh we don't focus on cells we're not a commercial gallery But uh this exhibit had uh more red dots, which in the art world people know red dot means that they're sold than we have in most shows. So we like to see artists also um selling some of their own work. We also had the annual ornament drop. We partnered uh with Christmas and Meridian to do this. And we um the the little one on the on the left hand side uh was a specialty-made ornament that we commissioned. And then the rest of them are made by people. And it's sort of a hide and hide and seek finders keepers uh for ornaments. And I came down during the parade um and was dropping some off at the parade and I even as I dropped one some I heard a kid there's one. So they were coming out to look for them which was nice. I think that was this last year was the more we've seen we saw more ornaments out and about than we have in past years. So that was great. Um and the arts commission also had a booth at the children's winterland festival. Um I think we saw around 450 uh ornaments made at that. So, uh, great outreach. Um, if you want to follow us, I have also the history page on here, but follow us on social media. That's, uh, one of the best free ways that we have to get the word out about various arts and culture things. And with that, uh, thank you so much for everything and we'll stand for questions.

Thank you, council. Any questions, comments? Mr. Mayor, Council Cavender,

appreciate always good report. Lots happening. Some things I knew about, some I didn't. Couple of my questions are about the main street mix. Obviously, a big shift not both in terms of location and date. I know there are people in our community that they look very forward to concerts on Broadway here at city hall. Do we do engagement with kind of our stakeholders, those that have been kind of regular attendees to gauge their level of interest in transitioning not just from three or four events at city hall to kind of a weekly approach at a smaller venue? What's what's those that have patronized these events? What has kind of their feedback been about this shift?

I haven't talked to a lot of the individual citizens, more just the arts commissioners, the chamber, uh, MDC, and the downtown businesses who are all strongly in support. I had several people even saying like, it's about time they wanted to shift. Um, there will probably be a few people disappointed that the same thing that they've been going to for a long time isn't happening. But I do hope that having twice the number of concerts and with the um Kleiner Park Live that we've been doing the last three years, we're offering quite a few music events. Mr. May, quick followup. Councilman Governor,

talk to me about the strategic benefit that we're gaining by by moving it to a Wednesday. You you touched on the live after five. Again, that is a a longtime kind of valley supported event. I know Meridian's dabbled with trying to do something on Wednesday nights in the past and it hasn't met kind of our expectations. what's changed that we think this is going to be a successful shift for us?

I think that um sat Saturdays uh also conflict with so many other events. Every time I have an event on Saturdays, there is tons of other things happening in the valley. There are quite a few other Wednesday music events, but there's not as many. So hopefully people and and again driving to the downtown um you know there are people here on Fridays and Saturdays in particular but not as many people midweek. So trying to help the downtown thanks any additional questions Mr. Mayor Council Roberts

Mr. Mayor and um sorry we haven't actually met yet Bridget thank you so much for your report. So, just a comment saying what a great job you've done. Um, it's just so much fun to see everything being bigger and better and then new events added on. So, definitely a great change. So, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Well, thank you very much. Appreciate it. And Bridget, we hopefully we won't see you in more meetings for a while. We got to spend a lot of time together over the last uh We did. Thank you. Couple months.

With that, we'll move on to item 22, which is our Meridian Historic Preservation Commission annual report. Looks like we're just going to hear directly from Blaine. Come on, Mr. Chairman.

Commission Mayor, members of the city council. I'm Blaine Johnson. I'm chair of Historic Preservation Commission. Like the arts commission, we had we lost two members last year, but we had 12 applicants that wanted to join the commission. We have two new outstanding commission members. They're they're really enthusiastic about um joining us for our work this year. Um ongoing projects are virtual tours. We continue to do our projects with whole films to document areas and buildings associated with the city Meridian. Our virtual tour tours include Meridian City Hall, crearyy, city hall views, history center, Maine and Broadway Street, Plain Street Schools, exterior and interior, Blackat Farm, Meridian Speedway, downtown areas along Idaho Street near Centennial Park Community Center along Idaho Street between Fourth and Fifth Streets, and the Agres Farmstead. In 2025, we added a new virtual tour along North Main Street. May is always preservation preservation month. We se celebrated the month with downtown signage and walking tours. And we would like to thank the Pine Tree School and Hidden Gyms events for their help with the tours of the historic sites. Our ongoing projects are self-guided walking tours. A self-guided walk Midian historic walking tours available year round. Free booklets with maps and interpretive information are available at Murdan City Hall. For an enhanced historic downtown tour experience, download the historic walking tour app for mobile devices, iPhones, and Androids, and enjoy additional photos, videos, and narratives about each property while you walk. Along with the guided tours, we had six scheduled for last year. One was rained out. Um, we had great participation. I

think we averaged over a dozen people um, for those walks. Um, everybody that went enjoyed it. Um, if you remember, we have the little commemorative coins made up a few years ago. Each person that went on the walking tour received the coin. They're very appreciative of that. Go back one. Um, again, social media. We're on Facebook and Instagram. We encourage everybody to like and follow us. Um, comment on us. The more you guys comment on us, the more followers we get. And that's what we're after. Uh, preservation projects. Every 10 years u to be um listed as a certified local government, state historic preservation office uh asked us to do a new preservation plan. We started this back in 2023. We applied and got a grant from Shipo for this project. In February, we had a workshop to go over our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for preservation here in Meridian. In March, we launched the historic preservation plan project website and asked for surveys from the public. In April, that survey concluded. We had 114 responses to that survey. That's almost as many as the state historic preservation office had for their survey for the entire state when they did their plan. So, we had a great number of responses. In April and June, we had public outreach events along with our walking tours. In September, we presented a preliminary plan to city council and we are expect to have more information. In December, we adopted that preservation plan. Next step is for city council for final adoption of that historic preservation plan. National register highlights. Um we finalizing the survey for two potential

downtown historic districts to prioritize prioritize those sites. Along with that the marine water tower is also eligible for listing on the national registry. Oldtown vision partnering with MDC and planning to align our preservation goals with destination downtown plan and planning design standards. Strategic partnerships continue with state state historic preservation office preservation Idaho Ada County historic preservation council and the libraries history center once the library is remodeled. We're promoting um preservation month in May, developing new workshops, walking tours, brochures, social medias, and the website um new standard operating procedure. With this, I'm going to ask Miss Shiffler to step forward and talk about this. So, some early outcomes of the historic preservation plan. We had all those highest priority strategies in the last slide. But something that I uh worked on um which was one of the goals was to explore development of a formal process through the planning division for development application review of potential historic sites where development may negatively impact historic features. So I worked on an uh SOP which is a little bit out of my normal wheelhouse. I don't have a lot of standard operating procedures for things, but I worked with planning to formalize a process for uh review of sites that have historic features. So what happens is on the GIS map there's a tag that says history check and so sites that have been identified as having some sort of historic resource are um sort of flagged for planning to send to me um so that we can review and check them. Unfortunately this process is only as good as the data that we have which does need to be updated because there are lots of um historic features that are uh non-extent non-existent anymore. Um but it could help the development process um with regards to historic preservation and also allow developers to know uh

well ahead of time that there is something of interest on their site. Um and we had uh just recently there was one development that came through that there were some sites and we had a planner was able to come to our meeting and um we're interested in uh just like documenting and photographing some of them. Although it turned out that the one that was uh more interesting, the development uh application was uh they didn't actually own that property yet. It was kind of for the future. So, it was nice to have the planner there to to coordinate. So, that is something that I see is a uh an improvement on this process and uh an out early outcome of the historic preservation plan. Thanks.

Um what's next in historic preservation? We're asking the city council to formally adopt our new preservation plan. Uh continue to work on the national registry nomination for the water tower, revising a national retro for short places and survey of downtown meridian and work toward the national reg nomination of two small residential districts. Continue our 2026 walking tour series. celebrate National Preservation Month in May with a speaker from the Idaho Oregon Trails Association and other commissionled activities. And we also we're going to review Shipo's Icris, which is the Idaho cultural resource information system that has all the historic registered information within the state and one website. Our commission was the first one the Shipo came to to demonstrate it. Do we have access for that? So that was quite an accomplishment for us. With that, I thank you for your time and open for questions.

Thank you, council. Any questions or comments? M

Councilman Overton Lane Cassandra, thank you both very much. You know, we've had MDC stand up here and give their presentation for destination downtown as we're working through that process. And one of the things that's listed in there is to be respectful of our history as they work through. But when we ask what that means, it it doesn't really have a lot of concrete behind it. And I'm glad to hear that we're working on and getting an SOP that not just in our downtown area citywide, we'll now have something to send up those alarm bells that we know we're trying to preserve something before we find out six months down the road that we've lost it. So, I appreciate all the hard work you've done working with planning to make sure that happens.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Council Loka, thank you. And Cassandra, thank you for the report. And I'm I'm just curious because you laid out a couple of tasks for us that are coming our our way. Um, first thrilled to hear that Water Tower is finally eligible, but what is the criteria to that you have to meet in order to be eligible? Minimum qualification is has to be at least 50 years old. It's 50 years old this year.

Um, it's a unique water tower. It's the only one of its kind the western US there are quite I want to say popular but there's quite a few of them in the Midwest and back east but it's the only one that that our consultants and ship knows of out here so it's unique to this area and it did supply water for quite a while for here I think the capacity was 500,000 gallons which was quite a bit of water but now I think the city uses 10 million gallons a day so not quite where we need it to be So, but yeah, invest minimum qualification. Mayor followup. Council,

thank you and look forward to working with you on that task. Um, the second one you mentioned was the historic preservation plan and just from your sense, can you give me a preview of what excites you about that and what should we be looking for?

Um, it excites because it it's our roadmap for the next 10 years. Um, we did one 10 years ago when I was first on the commission. This is the first one in 10 years. And so it it really just gives us our basic what do we want to try to accomplish? Um not just document what was here. Can we save stuff in the future? What are the steps we have to do to preserve that that history, that information for our future residents? So it's a good roadmap for the commission to follow for the next 10 years. Great. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Council Li Roberts.

Mr. Mayor I thank you so much and Cassandra appreciate all the work that you have done on this. And just a quick question is there any update on the twin silos. Are they still sitting somewhere or Mr. Counciloman the the silos have been dis dismantled. I was on site when the contractor took them down piece by piece if possible. We lost some of the blocks but they have been dismantled. are setting on uh the property for the Victory Greens property for um future rebuild on that property. So that's where they are now. They have been disassembled. Everything we could save, we saved. All right. Thank you very much, Wayne.

Thank you very much. Thank you, sir. Council, we're at the end of our agenda. Do I have a motion? Mayor Council Overton move that we adjourn. Motion second to adjourn. All in favor signify by saying I. I post nay. Thank you guys. Haven't we journed

Council will call the meeting to order for the record is March 10th, 2026 at 6 p.m. We'll begin tonight's record city council meeting with roll call attendance. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Councilman Cavender here. Councilman Taylor here. Councilwoman Strader here. Councilman Whitlock here. Councilwoman Little Roberts here. Councilman Overton here. Mayor Simmonson here. If you'd all please rise and join us in the pledgece to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Up next will be our community invocation which tonight will be delivered by Pastor Rick D. Michelle with the Treasure Valley Baptist Church. If you'd at all, please join us in this community invocation or take this as a moment of silence and reflection. Let's pray. Father, we're grateful to be here tonight. Your word tells us in Romans chapter 13 that government is ordained of you for order, for safety, and for peace, and that good government secures these things for us. And to that end, we pray for our honorable mayor and members of the city council tonight that you give them clarity of thought, wisdom, discernment, and understanding, and good judgment in all the matters that they must consider tonight to the glory and honor of our Savior Jesus Christ, and to the blessing of those that live in this great city. For it's in your name we pray. Amen.

Amen. Thank you. Up next is adoption of the agenda. Mr. Mayor, Councilman Overton, no changes to tonight's agenda. I move that we approve the agenda as published. Have a motion, a second to approve the agenda. Is there any discussion? If not, all in favor signify by saying I. I.

Those opposed, nay. You guys have it. And the agenda is agreed to. Our first item up is will be a proclamation for aging out awareness month. Um, I don't know if if Alexis is here or Gem Friends, if you want to come and join us up at the podium, please. Okay. So, council, we're here tonight, as I mentioned, um to do a proclamation for aging out awareness month. This is an issue that I think has got a lot of attention over the last few years, especially we've seen some u fundraisers and donations from members of our community happening. But we'll go ahead and read the proclamation, then turn over for any comments you all may have. So whereas there are approximately 1,200 Idaho children in foster care and in 2025 5% of the children in Idaho foster care will age out every year and whereas aging out describes a time when foster children in Idaho reaching the age of 18 will leave the system of formal care and face the transition to independent living as legal adults. And whereas many foster children who age out don't have the skills and support necessary for transitioning to productive adulthood. And whereas all aging out youth should have the opportunity to transition into a society that understands their adversity and supports them in becoming loving adults. And whereas a successful transition for aging out youth requires a community of supporters, mentors and friends who will assist these youth in securing safe and stable housing and transportation, furthering education, finding employment, learning life skills, and building healthy relationships.

Therefore, I, Mayor Robert Simmonson, proclaim March 20 26 as aging out awareness month in Meridian, Idaho, and urge all citizens to learn more about the adversities faced by aging out youth to spread knowledge about these youth to volunteer or partner with local organizations that provide education, housing, employment, support, mentoring, or other programs for aging out youth. They have this 10th day of March, 2026. So on behalf of the city of Bernie, I want to present this proclamation to you and then invite you up for any comments you may have. So hello everyone. Um for those who may not be familiar, Gym Friends is an organization that serves youth who have aged out of foster care or maybe they're facing other atrisisk situations like homelessness. So they're 18 now and we seek to help provide stability through housing and a lot of independent services. So employment, transportation, community, a lot of things that are super important to make that transition well to being independent. And so we just are excited to be here and get to raise awareness that these youth exist. On average in Idaho, 60 youth are aging out of care every year. So it is a relevant issue, but there is things that we can do about it. And so that's what we're doing. So if you have questions, we'll be here. I brought uh brochures and different things that I can leave, but we'll be here if you have questions. Thank you. Yes, thank you. This is the first city that has um brought a proclamation with the state of Idaho. Um thank you to the citizens that take this cause on. We do have pins that you can wear through the month. We encourage you to shout us out over social media. Speak to your neighbors about this. Talk to your children and they can talk to their schools. There may be individuals in their schools that need a resource like Gem Friends. And then we would also encourage you to follow our social media. We have an amazing event coming up on March 27th where you're going to hear the stories of some of these young

adults that have aged out of the foster care system and just blooming into independence and we'd love you to come out. It's called The Art of Becoming and we will have information through our social media page um and our website for you guys to join us there. We'd love to have you and anyone else from the council come out for that event as well. I that Thank you. upgraded. Well, uh, we'll move on to announcements and recognition. Any announcements or recognition? Councilman Cavender.

Mr. Mayor, two, I think just important announcements. So, maybe some recognition. Uh, this last weekend, uh, Cole Valley Christians 4A boys men's basketball team won the state championship. So, I want to give them a shout out. And I don't think we touched on it uh last week, but it should come as a surprise to nobody that Rian High School men's wrestling set yet a new state record uh when they brought home another state championship. So hopefully, Mr. Mayor, looking forward to having them be recognized at future city council meetings. Always good when our high school students continue to make our community proud. So thanks, Mr. Mayor. In the works. Anything else under that item? All right. Then with that, Mr. Kirks, did anyone signed up under public forum?

Mr. Mayor, nobody signed up.

Okay. Then we will move on to our public hearings for this evening. Uh first item up is public hearing for Tong H 2025 0049. We will this public hearing with staff comments. Good evening, mayor and council. So, tonight we are here for an annexation. Um, this site consists of 0.496 acres of land. It's on RU and it's at 485 East Overland Road. So, the septic system for this um property was failing and the applicant had to hook up the city water and sewer service. No new development or redevelopment of the property is being proposed at this time. Um and it will remain a residential use for the foreseeable future. There is um a nonconforming structure that is on the property um that the applicant um is requesting to remain and have it as a legal non-conforming structure grandfathered in um based on the fact that they're not planning on doing anything else with this property. So, there were no written testimony uh on this property. Um the um planning commission approved this um with the understanding that the applicant wanted to keep that non-conforming structure and we have not received any written

testimony um prior to this hearing. And so it's basically straightforward annexing because it's part of the agreement with the city. And so at this time um I'll be more than happy to take any questions that you have. Thank you council. Any questions for staff? Okay. Is the applicant here? Good evening. State your name and address for the record and be recognized for up to 15 minutes.

Okay. My name is uh Dar Tong and I'm a resident of 485 East Ovin Road in Meridian. Do you have anything you'd like to add to what the staff said or did they sum it up pretty good? No, very good. Okay, great. Council, any questions for the applicant? All right. Thank you. Mr. Clone wants time to provide testimony on this item. Mr. Mayor, nobody signed up.

Okay. Is there anybody present who would like to provide testimony on this item? Or if you're online, you can use the raise your hand feature. Seeing no one coming forward, does the applicant wave any final comments? We no more comments from the applicant. Okay. The applicant waves final comments. Mr. Mayor, Councilman Overton, seeing as there are no more public comments, I move we close the public hearing. Second. Motion second to close the public hearing. Is there any discussion? If not, all in favor signify by saying I. Those opposed. Nay. The eyes haven't. The public hearing is closed. Mr. Mayor.

Councilman Overton. seems like not only just a simple application but a very logical procession and what they've needed to do for this property since they have to come into the city. Uh I would move after considering all staff applicant and public testimony that we approve file number H2050049 as presented in a staff report for the hearing date of March 10th 2026. have a have a motion and a second uh to approve item H2025-0049. Is there discussion? Mr. Mayor, Council Sher, um do we also need to note the legal non-conforming use as approved in the motion itself? Mr. Mayor

Councilman Overton add to the motion that we are acknowledging the legal non-conforming structure that is being grandfathered in under this approval. Concurs. Second concurs. Thank you for that. Is there any further discussion on that revised motion? If not, clerk call the role. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Cavender. Hi. Taylor. Hi, Trader. Hi, Whitlock. Hi, Little Roberts. Hi, Overton. All eyes. Motion carried and the item is agreed to. Thank you very much. And with that, we'll move on to item three, which is a public hearing for Sha View Ridge subdivision H2025-000047. We will open this public hearing with staff comments.

Mayor and council. So, the applicant is requesting annexation of this property of 15.2 acres of land um from RU and Ada County to R4 zoning districts. a preliminary plaque consisting of 38 lots, 29 buildable lots and nine common lots. And that will be on like 13.437 acres of land. The minimum lot size proposed lot size proposed is 8,300 square ft. And the largest lot proposed is 24 um 100 I mean I'm sorry 24 um,000. The minimum lot size in the R4 district is 8,000. Um access to the property will be um via Meridian Road, which is an arterial road, and Mont Meadows um which is a collector road. So, a waiver that the applicant is asking for is for the block length face as a proposed development on the south side of the existing street exceeds the 750 ft requirement. Um, that's between Snowden and Mount Meadows Way because this is an existing road. And then also um sewer is not available at the eastern portion of the development at this time. Sewer is dependent on Mont Meadows subdivision bringing sewer to and through their development to Schaeerview Ridge subdivision. Montals has um had their final plat approved. So they will be coming in with their final plat submitt um signature at um sometime so they can get that going and get that all the improvements in. unless they're working on it now. Um,

so this um they're proposing one common driveway that meets the requirements of the the UDC and they have um noise abatement for this um particular um subdivision because it is adjacent to Meridian Road. So they have to provide a um a wall and burming which they um are proposing. See if I have it in here. Sorry. This is their um proposal for the noise abatement along Meridian Road because they are in close proximity to a state highway. So they did provide building elevations. um six elevations um were submitted for this proposal. And then as some of the homes back up um to or have the size of the homes facing Meridian Road um or collector roads staff recommended a DA provision requiring these elevations um incorporate articulation through changes in two or more the following modulation projections recesses stepbacks pop outs bays bandings porches balconies material or other integrated architectural elements to break monotonous wall planes and roof lines that are visible from adjacent public streets. Um, as always, single family um singlestory homes are exempt from this requirement. So the Boise Kuna Irrigation District um has requirements for this um project and the purpose of these requirements is to ensure that the patrons have use of their waters as they have historically and that no harm is being incurred from the newly proposed development. adjoining land owners will not have their conveyance ditches which is live

water or drainage alter or restricted regarding water in entering or departing their um perspective properties. So the applicant is aware that these are conditions from the irrigation district. So again, we have the landscaping um they're providing a um landscaping to um along with their open space as required by the UDC. There is a um 35 ft landscape buffer along Meridian Road and they have a landscape buffer that is adjacent to the Mont Meadow subdivision. um that's here and this is their open space area and they're adding um this is an area that was of concern with some of the comments that were from the public about having um the vision altered um from everything coming from the south along Meridian Road and um the abstent will go into more detail about um some of the things that they will do to try to mitigate that even though this is an existent Schaefer View is an existing road. So these are existing conditions there that are there and things happening on Meridian Road some of the like the speed and stuff is out of the control of the applicant. So as mentioned from um the planning commission these are things that are existence that are out of the developer's control. Again, this is their open space amenity. Um, so they're adding a playground and some benches um to make this area incorporate this area for the development.

I did a slide for the uh West Ada school district just showing what the capacity of the schools are um for the middle school and the high school and elementary school there. Just wanted to add this to the slide. I put a table in your outline. Also, as you can see, the high school is over capacity and so is the middle school. But um the elementary school still has capacity. So um we did receive a written um comment from Debbie Boyd. Um it was on behalf of the Shape View Homeowners uh association. She was talking about safety regarding traffic on Sha View Drive with the addition of the homes. And that was kind of the theme throughout the testimony was that Schaefer View um is not considered safe. Um speed limit um the width of it. So we did not receive any other written testimony. Um we did um receive comments from several of the um homeowners in the area at the hearing. Uh we had about four people that testified um at the hearing and their main concerns were the roadway design capacity, um on street parking hazards, road width limitations, blind spots and visibility concerns, sight distance limitations, and a need for uh traffic analysis. Um the Ada County Highway District is online tonight to answer any questions that you may have. And again, these are

existing conditions for when this road was built in the county to different standards than what the city has. So the city did not have a say in how that road would be designed. So, we can't really change a lot for this road because it is an existing roadway and we can only control what's on our side and what is annexed into the city. Um so the oh these are just some pictures of um that area on Meridian Road and you can see that there is a lot of stuff that is in the um vision for the south traffic that is in the sight distance triangle. There's a lot of landscape in there and again the um applicant will discuss this further when they do their presentation. So the commission did recommend approval with no changes to staff re uh recommendation and they had no outstanding issues for council to address at this time. Um so with that I will um be happy to answer any questions that you may have regarding this application. Thank you, Linda. Council, any questions for staff? Mr.

Mayor, Councilman Cavar, Linda, just a quick question. I'm trying to I was trying to find it. I remember reading something from the planning and zoning minutes about a concern about there not being sidewalks on both sides of the road. Can you refresh my memory about was it something that was resolved at PNZ or is that still an existing issue?

Staff did recommend um sidewalks on the north side of Shaper View. Um, we did have a conversation with um the highway district and um based on what they were saying, it wasn't a requirement and there was not enough room to add um sidewalks on that side without going onto private property. So, we did ask for a striped area for pedestrians to walk along to until they get to the next um segment of sidewalk. Um, and even with that, they said that it would not fit within the existing roadway. Mayor,

sorry, can you pull up on maybe one of the maps and show us kind of where you where that's occurring? So, these three lots, there's no sidewalks along these three lots

and we wanted something to connect because there's sidewalk here and there's um sidewalk over. So there would be a connection here, sidewalk all along here, and there's sidewalk here. So we wanted something along here to get people safely on that side because there is a um bus stop down here somewhere for the kids. We did not have the support of ACD on that. Um, so the planning commission didn't think it was an issue. Um, kind of would leave it up to you guys to decide if that is something that you wanted to do.

Thank you, Linda. I appreciate it. Thank you, Mr. Mr. Mayor. Council Metlock. Linda, can you just um maybe expand a little bit on your comment about the road being built um in the county and not to city specifications, but not being able to do much about it. As I went through the comments, and you've noted it here, that if there's two-way traffic and there's cars on both sides of the road, that 32 ft isn't wide enough to get passage through there. Um, is there any ability to not allow parking on one side of the road or can there be parking on both sides of the road and there's nothing we can do about it?

If that is something that um it still meets fire requirement to in order for fire to get through there. Um the I think the width of a local street is um it's like 33 ft or something like that. Bill will clarify. Um so I I think um it may be wide enough, but I'm not sure. I guess it depends on what is parked out there. But then again, it could also be like traffic common so people won't go through there so fast. Um, and I will also have um ACD speak on that also because since they are like the experts for this, I don't want to speak out of turn. So if Caroli is on, Carol, can you um kind of give some guidance on this?

Hi. Um, uh, for the record, Carol Troyer, ACD, uh, 5800 North Mer Avenue. I am here on behalf, uh, representing ACD tonight to answer your question, uh, Councilman Whitlock, about the roadway width. It is approximately 32 feet of pavement on Schaefer View Drive out there. However, we measure back of curb to back of curb. So, the roadway width is a little larger than that, and it does currently accommodate parking on both sides. um it has a designation of a collector roadway and if parking is a concern for the neighborhood or for the council, then we can do a traffic investigation to reduce the parking to either be parking on one side or on both sides of the roadway. However, as Linda already said, the parking does create traffic calming and allows motorists to slow down through this area, creating a a safer environment for pedestrians and cyclists. However, as I said, the current street width does accommodate parking on both sides.

Mayor, council, may I just elaborate just a little bit more to for Councilman Whitlock. So, you're correct. The This is a Schaefer View. This is a non-buildable lot that was created when the first phase of Schaefer View came in. So ACD has different street sections or rural street sections. Um this is one of those where they just have black top and no sidewalks. Going back to Councilman Cavender's question about the sidewalk, the reason why it would end up on private property in this particular case is because when these rural street sections are constructed, the there's burrow ditches on each side of the roadway to handle the drainage. So that would push that would impact require the applicant to redesign all of that drainage forcing the sidewalk potentially on the private property owner and we didn't want to impede the the county residents. So, it's it's one of these instances where we're integrating city all around this 1acre county enclave, which um we've done throughout the city, but just at least wanted to give you some context that it's just to allow that roadway to drain is just impossible and get those property owners to agree to sidewalk on their properties when they're already landscaping on their trees, driveways is just it didn't seem feasible. So, ACD kind of said they would not require that. And so we brought that issue up to planning and zoning commission and they felt with the uh pedestrian crossings at those intersections and having sidewalk on one side of the road that that could potentially suffice and provide adequate pedestrian connectivity in the area.

Thank you council. Any additional questions for staff? Okay. Would the applicant like to come forward? John Breen Breen Land Design 6661 North Glennwood Street. have a little presentation to go through. This one's just for reference. This is a overview plan. Shows a little more detail. Here's uh I'll just kind of jump to some of the circulation questions and concerns. So this uh is a little more of a zoomed out view uh and uh shows uh existing circulation or I guess also proposed circulation routes. Um there this uh Schaefer View uh ridge project connects to the Mont Meadows project on the to the southeast and um there was some comment about that. That one we we just received land development approval today and we're

working to schedule a precon. So schedule-wise uh that one should be moving forward just as soon as possible with construction. uh the Mont Meadows uh project there and that will extend uh sewer and water to Schaefer View on that east side. And then uh as you can see here by the dashed line, dash line would also connect up roadways to the east over to Celebrity Road uh which is existing and around to Quartz Creek on the north. Here's a just an image of the block length variance that we're requesting. You can see that we're exceeding the the 750 ft along the the Schaffer View Drive. And then then this one uh speaks a little bit more to that that visibility issue where Shaverview Drive connects to Meridian Road. And so that that whole hillside uh is to be graded down. And you can see that by the uh the aerial image there on the right with with the red uh showing that all being cut out and then graded back. Here's a view looking to the south on Meridian Road which is um a lot of the trouble which has been discussed. And so this is that hillside that we're proposing to cut back and address that that visibility issue. This is uh some additional information

that we were able to find and uh show a little graphic there on on the west. Uh what it depicts is uh vision triangle uh what would be uh appropriate based on speeds. And you can see uh that blue line on the graphic to the left is would be that the edge of that vision triangle uh that would extend to the south. Here's a a road section or it's I guess proposed uh road section. Well, it's existing and proposed of Schaeferview Drive. Schaeerview Drive is existing and then we're proposing to add on on the south side with a detached sidewalk and I believe it's back curb back curb 34T just for reference. These are just the utilities slides, post amenities, open space, and then this is a section that we added. This is of the common area on the south side. There's a 30-foot landscape buffer uh with pathway building elevations. And so that that 30-foot landscape buffer

is on this uh south south side to provide separation to Sky Ranch down there. Uh, one of the things I would I would I guess there's been a lot of discussion about this connection to Sky Ranch and and the um future traffic that uh will potentially be cutting through here. And uh in the short term, if this is approved, there will be a hammerhead turnaround here with with a gate. And I would I guess support or maybe um ask that that council a add a condition of approval that would keep that gate in place until which time the Meridian Road improvements that ITD is planning are installed and that would prevent cross traffic uh from Sky Ranch uh happening prematurely which is um I think you'll find a lot of concern stand for questions.

Thank you. Council questions for the applicant. Mayor Council Mwalk, can you just walk me through the western side of this property then? Um, Linda mentioned noise abatement and a burm and a wall, but I'm hearing that you're going to probably scrape some of that burm for visibility purposes. So, on this map, just walk me through what the the noise abatement wall and and the burm would look like.

Yes. Uh, Mr. Mayor, Councilman Whitlock, the the per city code, uh there is a 35 ft landscape buffer with a a 10-ft um pathway and then also a burm and wall uh to be installed at the back of the lots. And so, um, what this, uh, plan is depicting, uh, would be in full compliance here on the southerntherly piece. And then the plan, what we're showing is to cut this burm, cut this hillside back. Uh, so we'd have that increased visibility and then have that landscape buffer and wall kind of wrap around to the back of these lots and so that it doesn't obscure the view. And so this would be uh a very open uh landscape space to promote that that vision triangle and also meet those landscape buffer requirements uh at the back of the lots. Council additional questions for the applicant. Okay, thank you very much.

We have a few people signed up. Mr. Mayor, we do. First representing an HOA is Dave Morgan.

Good evening. If you say your name and address, you'll be recognized for 10 minutes. Uh Dave Morgan, 498 East Schaeferview Drive and I am the HOA president for Sha View Estates. So um yeah, our biggest concerns here, I know you've addressed some of them here, that sidewalk on the north side there of Shaper View, nobody none of the residents were in favor of that. Uh doing the crosswalks, I think that would be an acceptable thing. I do think putting the crosswalk maybe more down at the corner of Snowden and Shaper View so it's away from the entrance that might be a little bit safer as opposed to having people coming in right off especially if you're making a left in there. You don't have uh much room to work with. So that might be a suggestion for you. Um I know with the view corridor the biggest thing it's not so much that your view coming out it's if you noticed on the one map that they had it's your elevation change. So you were at like 2745 on our end, but then you kind of peak and then it goes to 2733 at the other end. So when you have traffic coming over, it's hard to actually tell whether it's in the far lane or the near lane to you. And I know and especially depend on what time of the evening it is, if people turn on their lights when they should, uh it's quite a safety hazard. That was one of the reasons that we wanted the entrance moved more south because there's not so much of that you're a little bit more on a level playing field and being as opposed, you know, you're on this end of a peak type of deal with that. So, that was kind of our biggest safety concerns on that. Uh, as far as your parking goes on both sides of Schaefer View there, uh, probably a traffic study would be a good idea and maybe limit that just on the first, just like I said, not putting the crosswalk in that far down because you don't have a lot of space coming off there. Cars are coming off it. You know, it says 55, but I know when I go to pull

out, everybody's doing it's it's Interstate 69. It's not Highway 69. Um but uh and we've actually had people hit that corner too fast coming in in the winter and actually end up where they want to tear out. They've actually not made the corner. They're going, you know, too fast, but still. Um so yeah, as far as like I said, the parking maybe limiting that off. So it's got to be down and maybe down on one side of the street or whatever just to make it a little bit more safe for people coming in and out of there. And then I'm also worried a little bit about depending on how much traffic you have, especially from that sky ridge, if that eventually goes in and you've got 20 people all trying to make a right turn out on the Meridian Road, that's going to go. See if I can, you know, you're going to have cars lined up from here and then over to here trying to get in from there because, you know, now it's just us. There's only 15, so it's really not that bad coming out. We all have different different times and stuff and now you're adding 39 more and I don't know how many other ones it's 277 for Sky Ridge or something like that. It's quite a quite a large number. So, um I know for future traffic that is really the big concern. I do know that that'll eventually be 69 will be seven lanes and that'll change a lot of things. Right in, right out. I know we're the only one that allows left out right now. uh everything else, Courtz Creek and all that have dividers they put in because it's it's new, but we're kind of grandfathered in. So, that's just kind of what we're looking at there. So, I appreciate your time. Any questions for me?

Council, any questions? Mr. Mayor, council member, thanks for being here and kind of provide a perspective from the neighborhood uh I guess perspective. I'm kind of tracking a little bit with some of sounds like some of the neighbors concerns about traffic and traffic backing up. Help me understand where the opposition from your neighborhood is about sidewalks on both sides. It's not like you said that your neighbors are opposed to sidewalks on both sides. Well, no, it's just where you'd have to put in now. You're tearing into the people's yards, right?

And that isn't and I mean, we've all walked our neighborhood what for the last 25 years now without a sidewalk. It's not a big deal. And I understand the new subdivision would have walkways, but I don't think you necessarily need that on on both sides. We even have access to Schaefer View Terrace that's down further from here. Uh uh let's see right about in actually it's right this area down here but the other corner of the map you can see that it's a fire access road but that connects to that and then that goes around Shaper View Terrace and then that connects into Pinnacle. Yeah. So there's

right plenty of walking string and all that. So if you're coming from the other direction, yeah, it's everything should just stay on the south side because understand the whole subdivision then have sidewalks there. But I don't think we need to tear because we have not just like a single light post going into the ground. They're all done up with stone and the mailboxes. I mean there's a lot and trees and all kinds of things to tear out in for three homes. So plus we just have a crosswalk there that automatically puts you to a sidewalk on the other side of the street. So thanks. Yeah. Okay, Mr. Mayor, Counciloman Roberts. Mr. Mayor, Dave, would you mind showing us where you would think a better idea for the crosswalk is because Oh, okay. Yeah,

it's getting to the bus stop.

Okay. Yeah. And I'll explain that, too. So, right here is where Snowden and Schaefer View would be. This kind of funny axe shaped lot is actually an open area, collection water area. That's where the sidewalk ends. So if you connect there, the bus stop, they don't really meet anymore. There they meet right down here. Well, it's actually just outside the map, but on Quartz Creek because there's a sidewalk continues all the way down Meridian Road and then there's Courts Creek and Meridian Road. So the bus stops there instead of up at at ours. So in fact, my neighbor even takes most of the kids over there and just drops them off. So yeah. Yeah. Okay.

Thank you. Mr. Mayor, Councilman Overton. Okay. I think I'm tracking. So on the north side, there is a sidewalk coming back from Meridian Road on the north side to the lot that looks like the axe.

Yes. If I get your mouse. So it starts, you can see it right here if you're able to look on where I'm and then it ends right there at the start of that. There's an access road for the ditch company right there. So the sidewalk stubs right there and then that's where Snowden would come in. So basically you could come from there crosswalk and then you're right onto the sidewalk right across the street and it's a couple hundred feet back from the Meridian Road entrance. Mr. Mayor followup if we continue to the east that north side

it's the road just kind of goes into a recessed area for water runoff. There's no sidewalks to the east past that point. Just Yeah. Right. There's the little bit of an access road and then we've got a uh there's two trees with rocks in between them and then the first house of Schaeferview estates starts right there. And then of course there we're just gutter street and gutter at that point. Okay. Mayor, one more. Councilman Overton. In the area where you have sidewalks, I'm assuming County Street, there's a sidewalk, but there's no street lights on that side on that north side. Or are there?

No, we don't have any. We don't have any sidewalks in the subdivision. Um, street lights. No, we don't have street. Everybody, we all have our yard. What do you want to call them? Ornamental light or whatever, but everybody has that was a requirement when the subdivision was put in. Everybody had to have a light in the front of their property for that. So we don't have the tall tall ones per se. Yeah. Yeah. Mr. Mayor, can I ask one more question? Council cover

appreciate because I think council member Robertson's question about sidewalks had me interest. Are there sidewalks anywhere else? And so when you look at the the Google map of the roadway network for your neighborhood, it appears like there's a lot of cracks in in the road. Do you guys feel like that? Is your road any different than any other neighborhood road? And is it was it designed differently? Was No, I don't think so. I mean, and it gets resurfaced periodically. Okay. Seems weird. All right. Yeah, it's been a few years since ACD's been in there, but yeah, they do resurface and seal coat that. Yeah, thanks. Okay. Yeah, Mr. Mayor. Councilwoman Shader,

I was just thinking I'd loved your feedback on this concept of potentially having a gate um kind of gating off the Sky Ranch area until the improvements are complete. I'd love to hear your feedback on that. I'd also love to hear ACD's feedback on the viability of that and staff's feedback. So,

okay. Um yeah, I do think a gate now. Now granted, I I'll tell you what what the neighborhood we would have liked the entrance to just we were even willing to close our entrance off and have a new entrance put down more to the south. Um for whatever reason I don't think ACD ITD I think that's ITDS and that their their deal there. Um but yeah, to keep cuz you know you're adding what is this 20 29 home sites which isn't too bad overall. But then you add in that subdivision and I think that's upwards of what high hundreds 200 new homes. And of course if you're going to go right onto Meridian Road, you're going to go that direction. You're not going to go all the way out to to that other collector road up to Courts Creek over. Everybody's going to cut through there. So, I think to kind of keep it in a long-term situation, unless they figure out something to get traffic out of that sky ridge, so it'll feed more out toward Meridian without everybody wanting to go through there. Uh, then that is probably at least a good temporary solution for right for right now, just to kind of keep it limited.

Thank you. Did you also want ACD to comment? Uh, Mr. Mr. Mayor, that would be fantastic.

Mr. Mayor, Councilman Strader, this is Caroli Troyer from ACD. I think for the gating of the connection between Sky Ranch and uh Schaefer View here, I think we run into the issue of having private utilities within public rideway and restricting public access to a public roadway. Um, typically that's not something that we would approve and if the council is interested in that then I think that's that's something that we could further discuss. Um, however, typically that's not something that is allowed. And additionally, for the traffic that is coming from Sky Ranch onto Schaefer View Drive here, we don't perceive that to be above ACD thresholds for this roadway.

Thank you. Thank you. ACD doesn't live there, but their definition of threshold and my definition of threshold are probably different as are all of yours where you live. But it is what it is. So, okay. All right. Any additional questions? All right. Thank you very much. All right. Thank you. Mr. Mayor, next is George Hawkins.

Good evening. Say your name and address. You'll be recognized for three minutes.

George Hawkins, 7034, Catfish Creek, Meridian. I'm here just representing my mother-in-law and father-in-law that live in Shaper View. I know we frequently go and visit them and uh with having that many more houses proposed to come into a subdivision that the road was designed for the houses that are there not for more to feed into it. I believe council we are looking it's something that once that starts we start feeding that kind of traffic into there that it's just going to be a bad situation. I personally had uh an incident at a prior residence where a friend of mine come and visited me and uh similar situation on a roadway and uh I had no idea after he left he was crossing a road just like Meridian Road, a major highway and uh that's what he and it was flat. There was no elevation change like there is there at Schaefer View and you could see really really well and I through my years I've also been part of road building and I also understand of them trying to dig back some to improve the view but with the elevation of that that's not going to help that out that much and I just You know, once that road system is set up that way, it is hard to make a change. Luckily, after my friend got in an accident there, after he left my house,

there had been several accidents due to the traffic allowed to be on that road in that manner. They blocked the road to where you could you couldn't access out to the highway anymore. that way. You had to sit there and go a different way. But it took several accidents and almost my friend's life because we all know people are going to go the shortest route possible no matter what. I mean, I with uh everything that I've been around between I work in the trucking industry and just being around all different types of uh industries out there that people are just that's just a human nature to sit there and go that shortage route. So, if we leave that open to that new subdivision, they're going to use it. And I'm just scared that it's once it's going to take several accidents in the area and then something's going to be done to where council we have a chance to preventing it right now. Thank you.

Thank you, council. Any questions?

Okay. Thank you very much, Mr. Mayor. Next, we have Gail Ward. My name is Gail Ward. Live at 152 East Schaffer View Drive and I'm the first existing home in the subdivision. So, I've been there 21 years, so I've seen a lot and know a lot there. Uh, I I brought some pictures. I'm sure a lot of you haven't been there. A lot of what I have to say is going to be repeat, I'm sure, but you can tell it's going to be a real concern of us in the subdivision. Um, with these pictures, you can scan through it and just kind of see what it's like to have traffic on both sides. You can't eliminate one side or the other because if you look at the map again, those houses are facing Schaefer View just as we're sh facing Schaefer View. If you have company, they're going to park on the street. You can't tell, oh, you can't have company in front of your house. You need to park someplace else and come see us. You can't do that. They're going to park in front of their house. And you can see there's a a sharp corner when you come in off of Meridian Road. There's a sharp corner there. and the visibility to see around that corner to see what's coming and if there's cars there you can't see and just even when the construction was going on when I took these pictures it just gives you an example I mean there's a lot of time you came close to hitting another car because of the visibility and also on Meridian Road I know that the developer wants to cut the burm or the the the corner off so we can have better visual access which is Great. But the thing is there's an incline right there on Meridian Road. You can't take it out. And like was what was said before, you don't know which lane people are in. It's so hard until they're coming off

that slope down to our subdivision to say, "Is it safe to go out or not safe to go out?" Darkness makes it even worse. One of our friends turned into the subdivision and got hit and the car was going 100 miles an hour. Luckily, he's alive. But that just shows you the traffic and you cannot see it until it's coming up on you. And if we got 29 lots in front of us being built and then 188 beyond that and they're all coming out or have access, I can't say everybody will come out that way, but a lot of them will to get right to Meridian Road. Our road's going to back up be backed up a lot. I've sat there and clocked at three, five minutes and then finally you take a chance and try to get out on Meridian Road. So, you take that times how many cars are going to try to get out there, it's just going to be crazy. But anyway, um like Dave said, you know, we were more than willing to even shut off our street and be inconvenience that way and make a sub a road between the two new subdivisions or it could be straight. It can be straight out to Meridian Road. Meridian Road is straight up there just south of us and better visibility and we would still like to consider something like that and have you know some traffic studies done with this. Um one last thing I know my time is up. I'd be one with that sidewalk. It would take a a bunch of my yard out and I'm not willing to do that. You know, it's already an inconvenience to have so many homes built across from us, you know, but I know that's progress, but please do not let a sidewalk affect that and put it on our side. I appreciate it and thanks for your time.

Thank you, council. Any questions? Oh, okay. Thank you. Thank you,

Mr. Mayor. Next is Marvward. haven't recovered from knee surgery yet. Mayor, council, it's good to see you again. It's been a couple years since we were here in this situation before, but anyway, that you've heard the testimony, my wife, uh, of those things. Uh, traffic access is is is a big is a big issue. uh as we talked about trying to mitigate that at some way. The the gate thing was a great idea. That was the first time I'd heard of that. Uh but if if you had the the picture of Sky Ranch there, uh about half of that subdivision is going to feed into our sub our street and subdivision just because of the way the roads in that Sky Ranch are laid out. This picture doesn't show that, but And then the other thing is this crosswalk that's I'm pointing at the thing and you can't see it. This crosswalk right here is at the top of that that hill there that has that six or 7 foot elevation incline. So, as you're coming off there, if that's a crosswalk, somebody coming off that highway at 40 or 30 miles an hour isn't going to see that until it's kind of late because there are no street lights at this point in that area. I don't I don't know if there's one proposed in the new subdivision or not, but moving it down to where that hatchet shape is is would make sense, at least for that. Um, and then you know you get a sidewalk down and this where the other sidewalk is. There's only two houses on that street. I'm not sure why we're putting a sidewalk there with no sidewalk on the or a crosswalk with no sidewalk on the

other side. But anyway, u and then you come to the line of sight. When you come down here, the burm being taken out does help, but you still have that elevation change. It was what almost 10 ft that we have from the edge of this subdivision uh on the on the south side to where that street is that it's it's hard to see certain times of the day you can't tell how fast they're going. Uh there's several people that think that when that light changes at Lake Hazel that it's a drag strip. And uh it gets pretty interesting. Uh, just as a funny note, there's a motorcycle that hits that light every night about 6:00 and I know that when he hits our road, he's doing at least 100 miles an hour and you can hear it. It's one of those crotch rocket things and he's got it all wound up. But anyway, that's just a funny side note, but um and also um Courtz Creek has a deceleration lane to get into uh that other subdivision and we're not getting one here. We really with this amount of homes going in there should be a deceleration lane to get into there so that we're not pulling into the the um emergency access side road there to um to make our turn. Um any questions?

I can talk more if you want. No, you know me. I think we're good. Thank you. Okay. Minister next is Debbie Boyd.

Good evening,

Debbie Boyd. Uh 493 East Chaffer View. Um council members and Mr. mayor. Um I think if you've as you've noticed from much of the testimony that this is the this subdivision ends up being the um piece that connects all of the Lake Hazel Meridian Road area together. Um and as it's proposed, it makes Schaefer View Drive the road that was developed for 15 homes 20 years ago in rural Ada County. It's just not that anymore. Um but that's what it was developed for. and it turns it into the main road for anyone wanting to go out to the interstate um that's in Sky Ranch or in Schaeerview Ridge. It just becomes that road. Um so you add 150 homes and I don't know how many um I don't know how many trips that is in a day, but that puts a lot more traffic onto a road that wasn't designed for that. Um as others have noticed there have mentioned there are issues with um the view corridor as it is today. I like what the developer is wanting to do with cutting back on the south side. Nobody ever did anything to the north side. So, it is still in that same condition. So, when you're pulling in, you can't see coming from the when you're driving south on Meridian Road. You can't see where you're turning into because it's blocked. Um there are issues, as others have mentioned, with the way that the road is set up. Um there's an immediate rise as you come into uh Shaver View off of Meridian Road. It's a rise and a turn and it's blind for anybody uh coming the other direction. Um at one point the Schaefer View uh developer, Schaerview Ridge uh developer looked into moving the road instead of using cutting off our road and moving it down to the south. That eliminates all these conditions that we have going on right now. Um that was, you know, what many of the homeowners, and including

myself, would prefer to have done here. Close off our road. We're fine with that. Move the road down um to a safe spot where people can um access the road. You know, we can access the road at a flat spot and not be at this weird rise so we can be able to see uh where traffic's at and where how fast it's coming. Um they decided not to do that uh because that would be if if If they move the road, there would have to be safety conditions put into place. But instead, they've moved the road back to using Schaefer View and they don't have to put in the safety mechanisms. There's no del lane, no protected central lane. You're just a sitting duck sitting out there waiting to come in. Um I don't understand why that makes sense to anybody how you can use a road, but if you put in a new road, you have to put in safety conditions. It just doesn't make sense to me. Um, Sky Ranch was approved without a impact study to the roads because it wasn't connecting directly to Meridian Road, but it is the piece that's going to connect that to now all those homes out onto Schaefer View and we still don't have an impact study being done. So, I would like to see an impact study done at a bare minimum.

Thank you, council. Any questions? Okay. Thank you,

Mr. Mayor. That was everyone that signed up. Is there anybody else like to provide testimony on this item? Either if you're in the room, come forward or if you're online, use the raise your hand feature. Seeing no one coming forward or raising their hand online with the app collector to close Well, Mr. Mayor, members of members of the council, um I come back to this map here. This this helps uh explain uh some of the overall traffic circulation and uh plans uh that will be in place uh very soon. The SMont Meadows project is a key element there because it provides a relief valve for for traffic and connects over to Sublimity uh which is a collector and also Courtz Creek which is on on the half mile collector on onto Meridian. And so in the in the big scheme of things um that will allow um connection uh to these future lights on Meridian Road both at Lake Hazeland and at Courts Creek. Um, and then this this plan also shows

uh layout of of Sky Ranch and uh the roadways there and the connections uh to Sublimity as well as to Lake Hazel. Uh this I think these are phase lines here. So you can see, you know, the from a phasing standpoint, phasing will start the southeast corner, that's where the utility connections are and extend over. And so, uh, anyone living down here in the southeast quadrant would come out to either Lake Hazel or, uh, probably Lake Hazel or Simmonity and then Lake Hazel and then, uh, go to the light at Meridian and Lake Hazel to either go north or go south. Uh ITD's plan is is to do uh three lanes both directions with a center median and then um the access at Schaefer View Drive will become a right in right out only. Um as far as the connection to to Sky Ranch, we'd love to see it go away. I mean, if we could, we'd just like to see a a turnaround there. Uh but uh based on um what we're being told that's not allowed. Um so um we're would love to explore that option if it wasn't if it was an option. Um so that's just a kind of general overview there. Um, we're open to uh council's recommendations on on the uh Schaeferview Drive. There was many

comments on that road width and that it wasn't built uh to support this traffic, but indeed it is. She has attested to that it's it's built to current standards. Um and so it it is it is wide enough. Um we but you know if if it would uh be appropriate would be okay with you know no parking on one side or you know what we could do here to to work with with the neighbors as far as moving the crosswalks. We're we're open to that as well. That's that's not a problem. We've been sliding them around the whole time as we've been working through concepts. So, um, uh, open to those suggestions as well. There will be street lights being installed for city standards uh, uh, throughout and along Schaer View Drive. Uh just for reference to stand for questions.

Thank you. Council questions for the applicant. And if you want to wait, I'm going to go to Bill for a question. Um, Dale, I'm going to ask you reach back into your stuff that you may or may not have been the staff member for, but this has come up on more than one occasion over the years where council's made this request. Frankly, I think we've had an ACD director make the request about not making connections into other streets. Um, why in this in this case could a culde-sac not be considered um based upon historical decisions or by frankly ACD and council requests, especially when it's not connected yet.

Yeah. So, mayor, members of the council, I I think I recall the one you're probably talking about. Um, in that particular case, um, it was a private street and it was gated off. Um, historically, um, I don't ever recall us. Now, there are instances in Meridian where public streets are stubbed to properties and they they don't get extended. Um, I see that quite frequently with our parks. I see where subdivisions have stubbed to the backside of a park, they don't get extended. Um what from staff's perspective and ACD's perspective and I'm only talking about our discussions that we have when we meet with our ACD counterparts is when there's a road we extend it to be we expect it to be extended. Those are the policies that we have. Again if council uh wants to have that road terminate in a culde-sac that's certainly within your purview. I would almost argue the other way. As a as a planner, as a staff member, I would say we should think about closing off access from Schaefer View to Meridian Road and allow the local streets to connect and that and getting people out to the lights and dispersing the traffic and making that so that it's not a ride in right out in the future. To me, that's the safer alternative realizing we don't we don't control that. We don't know when all these things roadways are going to come online and do that. Um but certainly um there's been instances where roads did not connect until a certain threshold was met. I have seen that in other instances as well. What council's like we are not opening up. One of those is uh off of Overland Road. There's that commercial development that ties into that county sub at the end. Count the ACD recommended that it be gated. Council supported that. And then there's a provision in the DA that says

this gate may go away if the council deems it's necessary. Um that's off a rolling hill. Uh there was an instance when Red Feather came in. There's a Dwayne lane long straight county road in a culde-sac and that had a gate at the end of it and it did not open until other roadways were were put in place and now that that is done and and opened up. So again, if that's something council wants to do as part of the timing, I think it's something that we can continue to have that discussion with ACD. I know Carol Lee is taking notes of what's transpiring at this hearing and she goes back and shares that with her counterparts over at ACD, but that's something that we could entertain. also mention going back to councilwoman Strader's question and kind of adding on to what the applicant is discussing that phase is not until phase four of Sky Ranch. So it's it's a long ways before that road even stubs to Schaefer View um in the future and council was very adamant on Sky Ranch that they brought bring a certain amount of homes on each year because of the overcrowding of the schools. So we were very methodical in that development agreement that says you can only bring on so many number of lots and comply with your phasing plan as part of that development. So a lot of things are happening in the area. We are getting a lot of connectivity in the area. I heard one of the residents say there wasn't a traffic study for Sky Ranch. That was because all of those roads were being constructed and Brighton actually did a a cooperative development agreement to widen Lake Hazel and do all of those improvements ahead of uh the required time frame. that's why that traffic study was already done and that development was feeding into those roadways. So, just want to give the council all of that context. But again, if that's something that you want to think about as an interim measure, uh I'm not sure what it achieves given the fact that phase 4 isn't coming on for several years and this project is designed to be built in one phase. And I

think the win here, as the applicant stated, is going through Mont Meadows and giving these residents another way out of their subdivision rather than a dead end culde-sac that they currently have now.

And maybe even take it back to one other because I don't recall, but the development to the north that was culaced off and not made did not connect. There's emergency access connection. Do you recall why that was what was the rationale? Was that the rational because we didn't want people on Schaefer View? And that's what I'm trying to equate is like it seems like a decision was made at some point in time and I just don't recall if it was a traffic access concern or something else.

Mr. Mayor, I'm not sure which um development you're talking about, but I think Bill brought up an interesting point. I wonder could we uh turn Schaefer View Drive into emergency vehicle only access at some point in the future um and thereby get rid of that connection point. The the connection is is is needed in the short term. So, we have two points of access for emergency vehicles. Um, and we certainly have plenty of circulation to the east and around Courtz Creek and and Lake Hazel. So, John, I think mayor, I think you were talking about the culde-sac just to the north with the with that other out parcel that was developed. I if I'm I don't have a definite answer for you. I can look into the record a little bit more, but I'm speculating that they probably had adequate access to the collector that they had to build with this development. Um, and potentially there is a g irrigation district that's kind of a confluence of a bunch of waterways happening in that area. So, I'm not sure if John could have designed a roadway over that or not, but I think ultimately the city decided that emergency access would suffice in that case. Um, and that could have been also due to some of the public testimony you heard as part of that application because it was again a lot of these neighbors were here talking u um during that this particular application as well or that previous application when Schaefer View North or whatever it was called then happened, but I know I believe John Breen worked on that one. So John may have a little bit more context into that one as well.

Okay. So Mr. Mayor, you're talking about the the one there just directly to the north. Yes, correct. Yeah. So, um, and I'm just trying to understand what decisions were previously made about connection or connectivity in this area and why and yes, so that development to the north um that that we the main connection is to Court Quartz Creek and um they were I'm going off of memory here. I think that was we were limited to 30 lots until which time the Quartz Creek connection was made to the east for secondary emergency access connection.

Yeah. My question is why a culde-sac and why did it not uh connect to Schaefer View? Oh, I see. Uh yes, at at the end there. So there there's this it it just wasn't physically possible there. There are there's a there there's a large irrigation ditch that comes through uh this route here and and then there's grade change as well. And I don't as I recall this was not wide enough to negotiate all that and get and get the roadway in.

Okay. It just looks like it's emergency access from above. I I won't dwell on this. Again, I'm just just trying to understand the connectivity decisions and how much they matter towards this application, the past versus the present, and maybe they're not relevant, which is fine. So, Mr. Mayor, Councilman Taylor,

Bill, I'm going to kind of stay along that line of thinking. I was actually pulling up the Sky Ranch application. I think looked like we approved it in 2024. So, I was kind of going through that. Can you walk me through if you do remember um Sublimity Road is that what when is that going to be built? Is that because I do recall phase one of that project is that bottom corner by Lake Hazel. Do you recall when that road's going to be completed and when does it connect with East Courts Creek Street?

Yeah, it's it should be built now. Yeah. So, mayor, members of the council, um it should be constructed now. Okay. Mr. Mayor, Council Shader,

um just could you refresh my memory? What is the timing of the improvements on Meridian Road? When is that going to occur? Mayor, Councilman Trader, I'm not sure. I don't know that we have that information. Yeah, mayor, members of the council, looking at ITD's letter, they they voiced some concerns about additional homes funneling on this road, but they did not give us any indication of any improvements warranted with this development. I think she's talking about the STARS agreement that's being done to make improvements to this area. Yeah,

we know that's occurring. Brighton is currently negotiating with ITD on those improvements, but it does not include include any frontage improvements along this segment of road, but it does include a phase um yeah the signal at phase on phase three at uh the mid the midmile. Mr. Council Sher

just feedback and just to check in with you where my head is at so far just what as one individual council member I'm really struggling with kind of the lack of feedback from ITD on this application. Um, I feel like if I had a better sense of the timing of the improvements on Meridian Road and I had a better sense of the timing of the Sky Ranch phasing, maybe those two items together could kind of give me some visibility as to what kind of acute traffic situation would occur here and for how long. right now without a del lane and and just with what's happening here, it just feels to me like a really tough just a premature decision without more input from them. Like I I really would have appreciated if they could have joined the meeting if they had additional feedback. I'm also frankly I'm surprised that our road agencies are not taking the opportunity to close Sha View. Um, usually they do prefer that. Like it would be better for everybody if people started funneling all this traffic onto the collectors and um less here in this extremely dangerous area. Like I recall us having a bus stop here. I think that that's been a disaster. It sounded like that got moved. This has been a problem and like this just feels to me like it's it's just accelerating a path into an acute traffic situation without a lot of visibility. I just need a lot more homework to be done. I think with ITD on what they're thinking here, when the improvements will happen, what they think about, you know, and with ACD probably weighing in on closing Sha View if that's an option. It just sounds to me like your I I liked your idea of gating off the Sky Ranch subdivision, but that just doesn't sound viable right now based on feedback from ACD. So, I

just think there's a little more that needs to go into this um to get me there on it. I'm not a no, but I'm not a yes today. I guess it's just to check in on on kind of how I'm thinking about it. Mr. Mayor, Councilman Overton,

probably a lot of similar comments. Um I know that Car Lee and I hope she's still on. uh she made a comment that this was Schaefer view was a collector street but I believe for the purposes of our conversation that is a rural collector street that is not a collector street as we would build one anywhere in our city because it would have curb gutter sidewalks and street lights on both sides so I I I probably don't need her to comment on that as much as I think she's looking from the standpoint of how much traffic and how wide the road is to me that's unacceptable without a traffic study that does some sort of modeling that looks at the potential down the road of what Sky Ranch would dump into this as well as Mont Meadows. I think we owe it to the future people sitting here that we look down the road and see a potential problem and stop it tonight unless there's something done that changes this application substantially. I really struggle any time. I mean, I voted no on a project where it was only six houses going down a a county road that was unimproved, let alone the number of houses we're talking about right here. I really struggle with what we're talking about and the fact that a traffic study was not required. I think it should be mandatory in this case. I think it's got to have modeling that takes into account everything that would be dumping onto this. um the del lane with this type of density I think should be required and it it's it's I don't have words for the fact that we don't have any input for ITD. Um they're they're our partner who is not at the table and we've got ACD here tonight and I think that's great but we need ITD at the table explaining their role and how this becomes a successful project because I there's no way with missing pieces tonight that I could support this.

Mr. Mayor, Councilman,

I know we're not at deliberation, but I think in in fairness to Mr. Breen and I I concur with my colleagues on this. Um I I know there some of these challenges here are not your own making and you're trying to find the best solution. Um I I could not for our future residents approve an annexation that doesn't incur include curb gutter sidewalks um on both sides. You got other challenges that's impacting the uh the schools. That's always going to be a hang-up for me. But we do things a certain way in our city and and I and I think this is shortch changing our future residents. So just for you got good feedback. It sounds like at least maybe three of us probably aren't going to be there tonight. So I think that's good information for you to at least have while the public hearing is still open.

Maybe uh maybe Mr. Mayor, maybe we could pursue a continuence. Get some additional information.

Yeah, Mr. Mayor. Council re I support that. I think it's a good request. I know there's lots of my crystal ball has not been clear lately. So I I don't know how much time you think you would like. Um I always like to try the right balance of certainly, you know, giving you enough time to solve the problem, but also not being so rapid that we come back and say, "Okay, we need more time." Uh I'd like to at least put the ball in your court if there is how much time you you think you would like and how much time you think you may need.

Well, Mr. Mayor, members of the council, we we I think part of the challenge here is getting ITD to the table. Quite honestly, uh you you may or may not know that they are difficult to get a hold of. Generally, there's uh there's staff that is responsive, but um as far as getting timing questions or commitments out of them, it's uh kind of a black hole. I um so I mean as far as timing um and we could certainly uh get some answers to the questions, work with ACD and and maybe come up with a better solution for closing off um Schaefer View Drive that would not include ITD and uh be a amicable solution. for everyone. Uh I I think that could happen fairly rapidly. Um I'm not clear when our next options are for council dates. Uh

mayor, council cover,

John, maybe I guess a question for you and it may be a question for our staff. I I'm sympathetic anytime government gets in the way and I think you've got a situation where it's government times government times government and that I don't got much more hair left to lose when it comes to that level of frustration. So I'm sympathetic. Would it be beneficial and Mr. America. Could perhaps maybe our staff put together a joint request for the applicant, our planning staff, ACD and ITD to meet all by the lunch if we need to incentivize with with sandwiches. But I just I I think having everybody together around the table addressing and I recognize from a statewide standpoint, this is, you know, a very very very very small issue, but here in our community, this is a big issue and I think that we can rely on them to be responsive to the feedback that they're also hearing from us. Well, if I I also think it's important that you talk I don't know that the neighbors have weighed in that they all agree that closing off this road is the appropriate action. I we've heard challenges about but I think that there's another conversation that should occur not just an assumption that that's what is the right occurrence um in my opinion. So while yes, I think our staff can work to help coordinate a com a conversation, you can just pull do a pull aside a transportation commission, I mean it may, you know, have have folks show up and and have an offline conversation. I I think it is a conversation with the residents along this road as well about what they would like to what what's I mean they may have their preference but what are they okay with understanding the development is going to occur and what's the way that you want to access in and out of this property because right in right out versus closed those are two very different scenarios um and I don't know if this council has a viewpoint right now on those two things. Um, you know, closing an access to Meridian Road versus closing an

access that goes between this and another subdivision. I'm sixes on that one. Uh, you know, personally, you know, they they both have their their value and rationale. If you can leave an access open for fewer people to go in and out on a ride in, write out only um compared to leaving some, you know, creating a connection that doubles the amount of people they're going to exit through that. I think those are all great conversations for the community to have and we can we'll work with our staff to arrange a conversation, but I I don't think you're talking two weeks. I think you're talking longer, Mr. Mayor. Councilman Taylor,

take a minute and provide some feedback. I have I um I would probably be open to this application as it is if you closed off the access because I do believe we'll have a real problem there. And even though it's a few years down the road when that northern portion of Sky Ranch is approved, you can just just knowing how people operate, they're going to cut through there and I think we're going to have some real problems. And so I agree with what Councilman Strader said, like it's, you know, without knowing what ITD has envisioned there. The only acceptable option to me would be to close it off, but then to the the neighbors that live there, that means a significant change in traffic pattern. Maybe you like it that way, but it would require you to everyone to go the other way. And it is a little bit uh not desirable to not have any kind of midmile sort of access point there because I do remember with Sky Ranch, there is no access to the state highway. Then you have the lateral and then I think what we're going to we're looking at a small commercial in that bottom corner. So just sort of a really kind of a strange place there. So again I I would be if the residents liked it I know that would be what I think is a better alternative is to close it off and force people out back through the other way

if that's what the residents are acceptable with. So I just wanted to add that to your contemplation where I'm I'm thinking about it. Mr. Mayor, Councilman Overton,

I like where this is going. I think that ultimately with Sky Ranch, it almost has to be shut off to keep it safe. And I think for the folks that live in Schaefer View now, it causes you to drive further to get out, but it reduces the traffic flow substantially. Um, and I'm all about looking at traffic safety and where that's going to put us. Another question that needs to be answered is how that's going to affect uh West Ada and how the bus routes pick up any kids in that area because they're not going to be able to come off Highway 69. So there there's a lot of moving pieces here that have to be figured out. And I'm kind of in this torn spot between wanting to continue this for a significant amount of time to give you time, but also not unnecessarily delay your application. So, I think we're we're kind of looking for your best estimate right now to put this back on a future calendar. Mr. Mayor, members of the council, I maybe probably need to chat with staff and and see when we could get this big round table meeting scheduled and also um get get some correspondence out to the neighbors so that they could show up. Uh, and not just teleaments tomorrow. Um, I I mean I guess I'm I'm not sure what our options are for uh hearing dates. Thinking maybe a month to six weeks or somewhere in that neighborhood. Mayor, members of the council, um, Lyndon knows her schedule best, but I think six to eight weeks will probably

is where we're landing on it to make sure we can get the information, get the meeting scheduled, make sure the applica, the the residents feel comfortable with that potential solution. Again, like I mentioned, their road won't be closed overnight. It it takes time. There's a lot of connectivity that has to happen in the area. A lot of it's in place currently. I know Mont Menows has been approved by this body, so that road is happening some point either this spring or early fall. So there's a construction schedule out there. So again, a lot of moving parts here. Um, but I don't want to do a continuence just to do a continuence. So the I think the more time the better to be honest with you because I think it's important to check in with ITD, ACD, and then also the school district I think makes some sense as well. So either I'm looking at either two months, six weeks to maybe 12 weeks, somewhere in that range. I know it's a wide range, but I'll leave it up to to you guys to determine how long you want to push this out.

Mr. Mayor, Council Shader, just a question. Maybe it's a legal question, maybe it's a planning question. I don't know. Do we need a date certain to continue to or can it just be continued in indefinitely until they let us know they're ready? Like is there some kind of a method where we have we have to lock this in now? It's just very hard to know how long it would take. Or or Mr. Ner, could you could you continued it out two weeks and then come back and continue to another date certain at that point in time?

Yeah, Mr. Members of Council and Council Member Straer, we do need a date certain of something. um the further out you put it, the potential of having to renotice it um is always a concern. But having no date with just a renoticing is more problematic than either doing it like the mayor said of setting two weeks not for a hearing, but to figure out if other hearings have been set and what a realistic time frame is fine as long as again everybody understands we're not going to have a hearing in two weeks. we're just going to check in and then look at a more future date certain for a hearing or again the other option is to set it out six or eight weeks. Mr. Mayor, member to the council request uh eight weeks as a hearing date and I have ACD and ITD in my office on Thursday morning. I I will make sure that they're aware of this request to encourage their um attendance of the conversation very forth with um to help meet that 8week deadline.

Mr. Mayor, Councilman Overton, we have a date in that approximate time frame from the city clerk. Um, if there's no further discussion, I'd like to move that we continue the Schaefer View Ridge subdivision H2025-000047 until May 12th. Second.

Have a motion, a second to continue the sign till May 12th. Is there any discussion? If not, all in favor signify by saying I. Oppose. Nay. The eyes have it. The item is continued to May 12th. Okay. Thank you. With that, we'll move on four, which is a public hearing for H2025-00004. We'll open this public hearing with staff comments. Good evening, mayor, members of the council. Next item on the agenda is the annexation and conditional use permits for St. George. So, the applicant requests annexation of two acres with the R15 zoning district to construct 19 multif family units and one vertically res resident vertically integrated residential building. consisting of 7,987 square ft of commercial space and four residential units. Both uses require conditional use permit in the R15 zoning district. Uh the site is located at 3870 East Overland Road and 1545 South Topaz Avenue. As shown on the screen, the existing zoning is R1 in Ada County and the Flume designation is mixeduse regional. So the site is currently surrounded by R1 residential county properties to the north and west with an annex resident directly adjacent on the west and the west would actually be the bottom of the screen and the north would be the left hand side of the screen. Um and a mix of commercial and multifamilies in the surrounding area. Additionally, commercial space is located at the north

end of South Silverstone Way, including a Top Golf facility, commercial office offices, restaurants, and the Eagle View Apartments consisting of 396 units. To the south, directly across Overland Road are the Silverstone Apartments consisting of 112 residential units and the Mavado Village Apartments consisting of 60 residential units. The property across the street on Topaz Avenue was recently approved for a multi-tenant commercial building with a restaurant located in the CG zoning district. So, the concept plan depicts 19 multif family residential units, four vertically integrated residential units, and 7,987 square feet of commercial space across the 2 acres of land. The vertically integrated residential building is proposed a front on Overland Road. The applicant states that the development is providing a mix of housing types, promoting connectivity and encouraging walkability and efficiency through these mix of uses. In addition, the applicant is providing open space um open space south of Five Mile Creek and amenities in the form of a barbecue grill, picnic area, and a bike repair station. And that's the correct orientation. Might be a little bit easier to visualize it there. So, the development agreement currently has a provision that prohibits restaurants and drinking establishments in the commercial space due to parking concerns and not being able to meet the correct parking ratio that's in the specific use standards of code. Um, at the at the planning and zoning commission, uh, staff expressed concerns regarding the functionality of the open space and as a result, the planning and zoning commission instructed the applicant to leave Five Mile Creek open and move all of the amenities south of the creek. In addition to this, it resulted in a piece of land to the north of Five Mile Creek to remain natural until the future pathway gets extended. And that would be this corner up here, FiveM Creek bisects it right here. Um, so the applicant did explore options of putting a bridge over FiveM Creek as well as piping Five Mile Creek. However, the UDC requires all natural waterways to be left open and improved as natural

amenity. And in addition, putting a bridge in the floodway because this portion of the property, this is the flood plane and that red hash is the floodway. Putting a bridge in the flood flood way could pose significant challenges with permitting. We did talk with our flood plane coordinator here at the city. Um, and there would be a significant process with the irrigation district that may or may not get approved. Um, so we didn't want to go on hypotheticals on whether it may. So that's why commission recommended that they leave the north side unimproved and move all the amenities to the south. Uh other concerns that staff brought up at the planning and zoning commission include overflow parking, overflow and guest parking, functional integration with the surrounding area, and a lack of connectivity to a park. Uh ultimately, the commission determined that there is ample opportunity for recreation. The project allows for future integration with the surrounding area and deferred to city council's uh decision or discretion on overflow and guest parking. Uh the applicant has provided uh provided parking that meets the minimum UDC requirements, but any overflow parking will likely be pushed on the Topaz Avenue, which is designated as a future collector roadway. One full access is proposed on the south portion of the site via South Topaz Avenue. Additionally, a one-way access is proposed on the north portion of the site for the multif family residents to use. According to AC staff report, the applicant should construct Topaz Avenue as a half collector roadway with a 5-ft detached sidewalk and an 8ft parkway. In addition, ACD is asking the applicant to dedicate a total of 62 feet from the center line of Overland Road for the Overland widening to seven lanes in the distant future. Um staff is asking the city council to carefully consider traffic and the impacts of this development on the surrounding area and more specifically Overland Road. Um the applicant has provided a sub street to the property to the west which is

currently an annex parcel in the city that is a R2 is zoned R2 because it did remain a single family home. Uh, Dapkin has submitted elevations um that consist of twostory town home style multifamily buildings and twotory vertically integrated building with more of a commercial look. This is the town home style multifamily buildings. Uh the total height of these are approximately 23 feet. So it is uh within the comp plans two to or the transition of a 2:1 because a neighboring residential is a singlestory homes and these would be twotory. Um in addition the vertically integrated building does have a higher parapit on portions of it um that would be approximately 31 ft in height which would still be within the restriction of the R15 zoning district of 40 feet. So, at the planning and zoning commission hearings, uh there were several of them. Four neighbors came out in opposition of the project, citing concerns of traffic, overflow parking, lack of pedestrian connectivity, the overall density of the project, and height difference from the proposed development and existing homes. And in addition to this, there was a realer representing five of the nearby property owners that are in support of the development. And they're supportive of this because they're actively looking to sell their properties and would like to see theirs redeveloped similar to this one. Um, commission is recommending approval of this application and I have not received any written testimony since the planning and zoning commission and I'll stand for any questions you have.

Thank you. Council questions for staff. Councilman Cavar.

Nick, if I recall, staff initially recommended denial on this. Can the applicant make any changes to the design or layout either after staff the staff report or after planning and zoning? Mr. Mayor, uh, Councilman Cavern, that is correct. So, this, as you can tell, this is a early on 2025 project. There was a lot of conversations back and forth uh with the applicant and um, ultimately late last year or not late fall of last year um, I still didn't have a few things that I had been looking for. So ultimately we had to move forward with the project which was the reason one of the reasons for the recommendation for denial. You probably saw in my staff report some of those were exed out um because of provisions that the applicant did make. So after the first planning and zoning commission hearing the applicant u planning and zoning commission continued it for the applicant to work further with staff to fix some of these uh some of the outstanding issues. They did some significant revisions primarily with public works regarding where sewer and water was going to go. Um because maybe this will show you um the sewer line originally was going to run down the middle of this between the units which would essentially not allow the majority of the landscaping um that was going to be there. There was also a sewer a water line. Uh you can see the water coming in currently as it is and the sewer is actually coming in this way um and stubbing right here. Um there was also issues with infiltration trenches, separation requirements as far as public works was concerned. Um and ultimately, you know, staff had concerns with that. Um but there was also concerns regarding, you know, traffic as cited. There was concerns regarding, you know, the functional integration, how this could integrate in the future with the surrounding area. Um this is, as you guys know, a very challenging infill area for the city. Um, and you know, the staff did get a lot of the answers that we needed from the applicant. Like there were some requirements about like balconies

because there's private usable open space requirements and multif family. We eventually we got those from the applicant. Um, we got revised open space and some of those things. There still is concern from staff regarding the functionality of the open space. Um, ultimately our recommendation did not change to the planning and zoning commission, but the planning and zoning commission did feel that the changes that the applicant made between the hearings was adequate. Mayor Counc again, you got to remember I'm not the brightest bulb in the room, so I just want to make sure I'm I'm tracking. Staff is still recommending denial. Then if this was before you today, staff would recommend denial. Mayor, um, Councilman Cavern, that is correct. Thank you,

council. Any additional questions for staff? Okay. Would the like to come forward? Mayor, members of the council, Sean Wardle, 2239 East Grryer Street in Meridian. On behalf of the applicants, Jackie and Jason St. George. Um, who are Idaho natives. Um, Jason and I actually met just across the street attending elementary school not too far from here. So, um, and his mother, Marlene, worked for the city attorney's office, as a matter of fact, I believe when Mr. Ner was there. So, appreciate your time this evening. Uh, I've got a brief presentation. Um, one of the things that I will mention is Jason and Jackie are currently residing in Donnelly, but they will be taking residence in one of the vertically integrated units. They they really like that concept and so they're going to make their their home here in the Treasure Valley there. I mentioned that for a couple reasons. We don't have a manager's office on site, not required for this level of multif family, but the owners will be there and be very involved in in the project on a on a daily and weekly basis. And so uh we have two acres on the corner of uh Overland and Topaz. As mentioned, this site has a number of constraints. Um the first of which is 5M Creek. Uh I can tell you that we spent lots of time at the irrigation district. Um and and believe that we've come up with the correct answer. We're leaving that an open waterway. We are not piping and covering uh or putting a bridge at that facility. Our other uh um major challenge frankly was no access to Overland. And we understand the highway district's uh um policy there, but we are also required to provide access to

the neighboring property to the west. And so um makes makes the site just a little bit tight. We've got a comprehensive plan designation of mixed use. Uh we are meeting those mixeduse goals by integrating neighborhood with housing, employment, and services. Uh we're using an efficient infill of existing infrastructure. And then we've also got a diversified uh housing and business opportunities. Um before you today is an annexation application of R15. We've also got a conditional use permit for the 8,000 square foot and vertically integrated. Um we feel like the commercial tenants in this space will be very consistent with what we see along Overland. I think that this will provide an opportunity for um some professional services uh insurance services, physical therapists. Um as noted, there are some restrictions uh in the condition of use permit there. So uh we we believe that the project will also uh provide uh parking in in area in times when um the businesses are not open for for that cross parking agreement. Uh site amenities uh as noted we've provided the barbecue area. We've moved that um and bike repair station. The other amenity that the owners really feel that they were adamant about having garages and so they uh they were um adamant about having a a garage style Oops. Where am I at here? Nick, sorry. About garages within the within the development. They feel that they own a number of properties. this will be their largest um project to date, but they feel that that keeps uh keeps the the development clean, puts the the trash receptacles inside, and they're also providing um electric car charging within those garages as an additional amenity. Um, so the

surrounding uses in Overland, we've got uh, as noted, we've got uh, very near Top Golf, um, a number of, uh, large multif family projects as well as some office projects there. And then directly across Overland Road, we have the Silverstone development and the amenities there. So, this is a potential area redevelopment. We just we just had the engineer take a look at what what the connectivity would look like there. There is a concern with traffic in this area. Um, but this is a potential we we don't own or control any of the properties to the west. Uh, but just give you an idea of what that could potentially look like. Um, as noted, directly to the east, there's a restaurant uh uh building that has been approved. Um, I know there was quite a bit of discussion uh both at the planning and zoning level and at the council level on on that particular application as well as frankly the rest of Overland on what's developing along along that side. And so um one one item to note is that the parks department in talking with the parks department the the pathway designation is for one side of the street. Parks doesn't know I'm sorry part of the the creek. they're not sure where that where that is going to go and they've asked us not to construct the pathway as part of this application and so we've had that discussion with them. Um I will note just quickly that uh um um staff had a number of constraints and alternative compliances in our early application. We work pretty hard between that and our planning and zoning application. And then and subsequently the only um um alternative compliance that we're looking for is a twoft versus 5-ft strip along the um western border of our

property. And and to note that that property will also redevelop um in the mixeduse designation in the future. Uh, I'm going to ask our project architect, Jim Escobar, to come up real quickly and talk a little bit about uh what I think are some nicely drawn buildings. Simson, members of the council, my name is Jim Escobar, PO Box 1277 in Eagle, Idaho. Uh, yes, a longtime Meridian advocate and supporter. love to see great growth and great uh developers come into our town and um I'm in a point now in my career path where I get to select my partners and this is a partner that is advocating for the Idaho values and that's something that's important to me personally and I love to see a development come together like this. This development we feel like has uh incorporated the identity of the area that it's a more modern more uh getting developed today sort of development a higher density of of living opportunities higher density of of life opportunities out there. So we our goal early on with the staff was to actually do a mixeduse project not just propose a mixeduse project. So, we we are advocate or allocating for this 8,000 ft² to have multiple tenants uh that'd be fronting Overland Road as well as the attractive building that you see in the styles um and the upstairs residential living with some outdoor patios that can take uh opportunities of some of the verandas that you have as you look out to the east and north from this site. Um and then we've developed a on the community front. Our idea was uh not only do we have the community area to the north of building A, that's the building that fronts Topaz. We've got an approximate 35 ft uh long area by about

25 ft wide that we'd be dedicating towards that use as well as we'd have the mailbox set up there. Uh we have this other area between buildings B and C that would be a um outdoor gathering space, a space where I can see children running up and down in that area playing and we focused on that uh area specifically with landscaping that can uh accommodate and encourage some of those types of activities as you can be proud of the place that you live. Um, so all in all, in a nutshell, that's the theory and ideology behind the building designs and behind who your team is that's putting together this project and we hope that you find in your favor and in support. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Think they're still doing their presentation. So Jim Jim's not going to go very far. It's been a while since we've seen him, so he's going to stick around. Thank you. Um, that concludes our formal presentation. Yeah, I would uh stand for any questions. Councilman Overton. Mr. Mayor, uh Jim, just a quick question because we've got to ask it these days. On these two buildings, is the roof a roof? Does it not have any amenities on top of the roof? There's no other equipment up there.

No, there would not be an intention of having equipment. Thankfully, we now have these uh duckless mini splits that we can put in that aren't giant rooftop mounted units to control the atmospheres. Um they can be easily shielded on the ground uh on the condensers. No, the idea would be that the roofs would be um you know, you'd have your normal pipe penetrations, but otherwise a roof. We're just trying to ensure that we don't have any rooftop activities taking place. Yeah, I I wasn't going to say that word, but rooftop activities occurring on any of these buildings.

Correct. No. um you're probably more concerned with the vertically integrated uh portion on Overland and we're not anticipating any rooftop activities um that any access to the roof frankly other than than construction. Uh the vertically integrated building however does have some rooftop patios. They are shielded by parapits. Uh there might be some mechanical equipments located up on those areas but they'd be fully screened behind parapit walls. This is the building that fronts Overland. And I don't know, do you guys have the ability to see what I'm seeing right here? Not very well.

There there's basically a balcony on this back side that accesses all the units off of a stair tower. And this is the parking lot on the north side of this vertically integrated building. Um, beyond that, there are a couple of little pocket patios. There's a pocket patio right here, here, here, and here, and here around the building. Uh, but in the design, you can see those patios uh fade away and blend into the makeup of the two stepped uh two-stage building. That's giving some identity to the commercial space on the ground level and then identity to the residential space happening above it. So, they're they're not huge areas. They're I want to say 90 square feet, 100 square feet, something like that. But there are on that vertically integrated mixeduse building that's facing Overland. There are nothing else happening on the roofs on that three other buildings.

Just a quick followup council if they have rooftop activities on top of that vertically integrated building. Mr. Mayor, Councilman Overton, that is correct. Uh so the height limit in the R15 zoning district is 40T. Uh the parapits actually on this building from the drawings that I received were 31 ft. Uh so those balconies are actually below the actual roof line. So it would be below that. That is correct.

Thank you, Mayor and Council. If I can just elaborate a little bit. Nick hit it spot on, but just wanted to let the council know that vertically integrated buildings require minimum 50 square ft of private patio area per unit. So that's why it's showing on above the the ground floor area. Just just wanted to let you know that's a code requirement. Council, additional questions for the applicant. Okay, Mr. Mayor, Council Mater.

Thank you. Could you just walk us through your parking and just why you feel it's sufficient and just kind of an overview? I think that would be helpful. I know that was a staff concern.

Sure, I'd be happy to. Uh, council council member Strader. Um, the parking site layout what we have are Sorry, let me get to the site plan here. Okay, that's a little small. That's a little messy. Okay. So, what we're looking at here is every one of these units has a two stall garage underneath it. This is for the three buildings in the rear. We have four parking stalls back here. And by the way, this is an older plan. Um cuz I don't believe there's four. I believe there's three right here. And then we have two more right here. And then we have two additional units in a um in a garage that's occurring on the north end of building A. It's not a living unit. Uh from the street side, you don't feel like it's anything different. Uh but from the use side, the owner is going to be using that for equipment, maintenance, material storage, things of that nature, storing the lawn mower, everything else that requires it's required for being able to keep a site like this upkept. Um but the point I'm trying to make is we've actually exceeded our parking, I believe, by two stalls. Uh that's required by code. And um those are actually occurring inside this garage uh space here. And uh we have guest parking that's allocated as well as did we retain the EV stall? I don't think we we got rid of that. So okay. So we do have guest parking that's allocated both for the the specifically for the residents and guests of this um vertically integrated building and then separate guest parking for the users of the facility. Um everything's meeting city code requirements for parking standards. Uh I wouldn't anticipate we have overflow uh going out onto the street like you'd see with the restaurant or other high high use vehicle traffic areas. Um I don't know if that answers your question, but happy to answer more.

Mr. Mayor,

council may maybe what would help me wrap my head around it is how many residential units do you have and how many parking are associated with that? They just kind of mapping out, you know, how many to how many? Absolutely. And I don't have those numbers uh as far as what's required and what we have specifically. Um they are noted on the civil site plan and they're denoted to how they're going to be signed and used. We have 19 town home units comprised in three buildings. Those are the three buildings we're calling building A, B, and C on the north side of the site. Then we have four more units that are a part of the vertically integrated building. Basically, what we have is an 8,000 square foot space on the ground level and a um enclosed stair tower that leads you to the second level to an open balcony that leads you to the four units above that building that fronts Overland Road. And then we have the, you know, required guest stall counts, which I think is one per threebedroom. Yeah, I'm sorry. Staff might be able to speak better to the requirements because it's all math in the back end as we develop develop the plan set. I just know that we had met it and I think we even exceed it by one or two stalls.

Mr. Mayor, Council Sher,

if we could hear from staff that would be super. I'm looking for like a count of parking spaces relative to the count of units, bedrooms, so forth. Mayor, members, council, councilwoman Strader. So, yes. Uh, so they're proposing a total of 23 residential units. Um, with that, they are including 38 parking stalls and two guest parking stalls. So, the two that you see, these two right here would be designated as guest parking stalls. These three right here would actually be for the three-bedroom units. They do have three or they have three three bedroomedroom units that require three parking stalls instead of two. So, most of these are getting their two parking stalls from the garages. And then, I believe this one, the middle one, and the far one are three bedrooms, and that's where their third parking space would be. Then on the vertically integrated, you do have a little bit different of a parking requirement. Um, so there's 16 parking spaces that are required and they did provide the 16 that are required for the vertically integrated uh uses. So they are technically meeting the UDC requirements for parking. Uh the main concern from staff is Topaz is going to be a collector roadway which typically does not allow parking. Um, and if there is overflow parking, depending on what commercial users, I know that they anticipate more of a professional office space for my conversations with the applicant. Um, or there's, you know, someone decides to

have a party at their apartment or something along those lines, there is concern about where that overflow parking will go, um, you know, on the site. Um, and it probably won't be on the site. So, Mr. Mayor, Councilman Taylor, a quick question just to confirm kind of the layout with the the uh residential units and those parking spaces. There's no driveway kind of it's just is the little alleyway or roadway there straight into their parking. Is that correct?

That is correct. So you wouldn't have any parking potential outside of those garages because that would be a throughway for the traffic to flow. That is correct. There is no parking. That's would be your typical alley load uh backtoback garage door setup. That's any additional questions for the applicant. Okay. Thank you.

Thank Do we have anyone sign up on this item? Yes, Mr. Mayor. Robert Taylor. Um, any wait till you get wait till you get up to the microphone, please.

Thank you. Robert Taylor, 3840 Overland Road. So, if you look at the map, um I'm right next door to this right on the west side. My we got a skinny acre. So, my whole backyard runs right along this proposed development. I've lived next door to this proposed development for uh 30 years in this neighborhood and have experienced everything from the Overland Road expansion to the farmland development at Silverstone and beyond. Some of you might remember me having to get annexed into the city not too long ago because my wellwater ran dry and the well drillers were booked up one to two years, leaving me no choice for my family. Back in 2007, all of the property owners on the frontage of Overland Road were part of a proposed multi-million dollar development, a package deal of around 23 properties in the valley. Because of the banking crisis, this deal fell through. 20 years later, a millionaire comes and buys two properties on the cheap and proposes this development in a residential neighborhood. Back then, all of us living on the frontage were in agreement to sell our 1acre properties, and the surrounding neighbors were okay with this. This current proposed development, however, only encompasses two out of the seven properties, and we are not all in agreement. Everywhere you go in this valley, there's new development. Our road system and infrastructure isn't keeping up. It's already a hassle getting in and out of my property, especially during peak driving hours. The center turn lane on Overland, which I use along with the

businesses at Silverstone, will know will now have to accommodate traffic going to the new restaurant currently being built on the corner across the street and this development if approved. I'm only three houses down from Topaz. I can't imagine how frustrating and dangerous this is going to be, not only for me and my family trying to get into our driveway, but everyone else. With a new restaurant and this development, coupled with all the new and future development near Top Golf, this small stretch of Overland Road from Beyond Topaz to Eagle Road is going to be a nightmare and is only going to get worse and more dangerous. I really don't think ACD has had the chance to fully consider the impact of all of this. Please put yourself in my shoes. How would you like this being built next to your house? Going from having one neighbor to now having 23 neighbors, not to mention two commercial businesses next door, that is a lot of neighbors that are now two stories tall with the bird's eye view into your backyard. We have a beautiful 8-year-old daughter who just got to swim in her first big girl's pool last summer. She had privacy. We have privacy. In conclusion, consider the impact not only to me and my family, but to the folks in this neighborhood. Think about the safety concerns and difficulty to everyone that will need to enter and exit off Overland Road. Our only sanctuary is our backyard. Besides the roar of the freeway, we at least have privacy and a buffer from the noise and eyeballs from Overland Road. If approved, the privacy and peace me and my family have will will be gone.

Don't take that away from us. Please vote no on this proposal. Thank you. Thank you, council. Any questions? Thank you. And Mr. That was everyone that marked that they wanted to speak.

Is there anybody else present that would like provide testimony on this item? Either in the room or if you're online, use the raise your hand feature. Seeing no one coming forward and no one raising their hand. Would the applicant like to close? mayor, members of the council, um we empathize with with the neighbor and and with traffic and growing up in this community, I I understand. Um but we have someone here uh that is looking to take an economic opportunity further. Uh we believe that um we're we're developing a good project for the community. Um we really feel like we're meeting that mixeduse designation and and that providing interconnectivity will allow walkability not just for the residents but for the businesses. Um and I think it it provides something unique in terms of the community that we that we're going to see more of with that vertically integrated um opportunity. I can I can tell you that um in doing this project and looking at other projects that there are a number of uh of people that are becoming older that don't want to do yard work. Um and there are a number of younger people that didn't grow up doing yard work that don't want to do any of that either. And so um uh this this product I think uh provides a difference in housing types and business types for our community. And and that is really the goal of the comprehensive plan. So, um I know it's a little unusual to have a planning and zoning commission recommendation and a staff recommendation for denial, but we feel like we worked hard uh to get to get to where we needed to be and and the

frankly the planning and zoning commission took all that into in if if you if you review those minutes, they took all that into consideration and uh and ultimately moved us forward with an approval. And so, we would ask uh for your approval and stand for any questions. Thank you, council. Any additional questions for the applicant? Mr. Mayor, Council Sher,

could you just walk me through? You were looking for a waiver on a buffer. I just wanted to further understand that where that is exactly located on this project. So this western property line is we're looking for right in this particular area 2T versus 5T for that for that landscape buffer. Mr. Mayor Sher and am I understanding correctly that that is your that is where that gentleman's property borders yours?

Correct. And can I just ask a question? Like what are you doing to try to address his privacy concerns and other concerns that he mentioned? Mainly privacy is what I heard besides traffic and so forth. Uh so we we are um providing fencing there.

Yep. So we've got we've got privacy fencing here. Um in add that was one of the concerns with the strip. The reason for two feet is because we need to put the fence in there, right? versus it's it's we're not using it as a drainage swale or or or anything that would require from the public works. Um again, we we empathize, but we also understand that, you know, many of these properties, especially along Overland, are redeveloping and they're they're redeveloping quickly. Mr. Mayor Shader,

I understand that, but not everyone wants to redevelop their property. And I what really kills me is um if you ever I don't my kids watch this cartoon, Big City Greens, where there's like a little house and it's surrounded by skyscrapers. I'm not saying that's what's happening here, but even even with just looking at the heights and considering that there is a single family home here on the west that does not intend to redevelop at this time, I have to be sensitive to that as well. And I I just want to understand what you guys could do to enhance privacy and stuff to to be a good neighbor. I love the question because I did contemplate this as I laid out the site and I laid out the design. It got blew up a little bit when we have this connection piece that uh we're being asked to provide to the adjacent parcel. And where his home sits is actually to the west of the uh the vertically integrated building which is on the southernmost portion of the site. It's the one that fronts overland. And what I did in the design was pulled the building back from that property line. And out there we actually have our drainage swale occurring as well as some landscaping around it. Um and then we have the fence in as well. Um uh we're going to have It was the best way I could address and knowing that there's a a single family home next door, knowing I wouldn't want that in my own backyard, too. I did try to address that. I also didn't put any balconies out there on the west side specifically with that home in mind. Council, additional questions for the applicant. Thank you,

Councilman Taylor.

Um, Nick, can you remind me um the plan for Topaz becoming a collector and is there a light planned on Topaz and Overland? Can you give me the time frame we're looking at those improvements? Uh, Mr. Mayor, Councilman Taylor. So, yes, you know, the applicant's going to be required to construct their half of Topaz for that first portion to the collector standard for ACD. Um, I believe that the restaurant that fronts on Overland did as well. Um, so this front portion would be constructed to that full collector with, you know, with the parkways and the trees. Um, there won't be a signal at Topaz. Um the signal as of right now is actually going to be in alignment with Mavado um which is quite a distance away. The future collector roadway, it's a little hard to see with this master street map actually does do this kind of horseshoe or U upside down U. Um you know it's definitely not set in stone there. And I think that's one of the biggest um challenges with this area is the connectivity. Um but to answer your question, you know, and as development comes along Topaz, that is when we will get the improvements for that collector roadway. Typically, collectors are development driven and and HD does not actually construct collectors. That's correct.

Mr. Mayor, a followup real quick. Councilman Taylor. So Nick, I think you're jogging my memory from an application we had maybe a year, 18 months ago close by. And I do recall uh while I don't think ACD had in their their uh master street plan, but conceptually we had I remember talking about Mavado going up and kind of coming around and maybe connecting at Topaz somewhere

or maybe it was Rolling Hill Drive. Can you remind me or refresh me of some of the connectivity plans that are in place or are we we just don't even have them? And I think my memory was we don't have any plans. Mayor, uh, Councilman Taylor, you know, it's a great question and before I was even with the city, u, I guess I haven't been here that long, so I shouldn't say even, but um, you know, I got some feedback or I got some I talked with our team because a lot of them have been here a long a lot longer than me and are experienced. And I know back in 2016, 2017, you know, the city looked at potentially doing a a master plan for this area to, you know, solve some of those issues with the connectivity. And ultimately at that time it um I guess we didn't get a lot of buy in the from the residents at that time. It just wasn't something that um was they didn't feel that it was you know necessary at that time and you know I think we respected that and uh kind of didn't go with that plan to kind of create this as a master plan um or an overlay district is what I should say to you know really solve some some of those connectivity problems. So as you see it now is really solving those transportation issues um are going to be kind of as development comes in and that is uh some of the challenges that you're going to see here in the future as well. I can't talk about it. We have we have other applications coming in in this area as well that um are going to have similar challenges. So, um, I think that's where staff's going to lean on you guys as well and your opinions on how you guys want to see and how you think we can address this transportation, primarily the transportation concerns out here. Um, and how, you know, I know you guys have that development agreement for Rolling Hill, uh, to be emergency access here. Eventually, Topaz and Rolling Hill is going to have a connection. Hopefully, that's the goal. uh we have had some of those preliminary conversations but don't actually have an active

application that would bring that forward at this time. So um you know it is a little bit of it peacemealy and it's challenging and um I feel for the residents out here and um I feel for the developers as well because it is um not an easy situation to figure out. Uh, so I don't know if that fully answers your question, but we don't really have a a a we have a plan, but we don't have one that is going to be easily executable that will show it without other developments coming in or other properties. If we had all the properties together, we could definitely make it work and we could get this figured out right now. But that's the challenge, Mr. Mayor. Councilman Taylor,

a thought here. Um, I feel like we're just really stuck in this whole area. You know, we looked at a few things and if there's more coming along, I think everyone needs to be treated the same, which is really hard because um the unique um aspect of each project that we might see and kind of where it lies and with respect to some of these roadways, where the lights are. I mean, Overland is an incredibly challenging road, especially this close to Eagle Road. Um, I just I really struggle with this because I just feel like we're just really stuck without a really a plan and what we want to do. What's hard is it requires um the residents in this area to really help us work through it. And everyone's got their own interests and desires and wishes and so it's really really challenging to do that. and the lack of a a plan for what the roadway system would look like through there because we can't dump all that traffic out onto Overland. That's just not acceptable. Um, but I really feel stuck. I, you know, my own observations, I really think this is a very attractive project. I really like the design. I think the parking's not good. That's my only biggest hang-up is I think that's not a realistic parking expectation. But as far as what you've laid out, I there's a lot I like about it and I do agree with your argument that it fits the area. Um, well, it fits the area in terms of what we kind of envision there, but there's also a lot of, you know, acre small farms and animals and and rural neighborhoods. It's a really rural neighborhood and inside of one of the the largest most commercialized areas we have in the Treasure Valley. So, it's a very unique thing and I'm I'm really perplexed as to what's the best way forward. I think development is required to help us move through it and work through it, but we don't have a clue

what the next couple applications will look like, how they might connect. So, I'm really struggling with this on on that regards, but there's a lot I like about it aside from the parking. Mr. Mayor, Councilwoman Roberts.

Mr. Mayor, um my colleague is right. It's it's such a unique area because we it's not like Mavado. We don't have a big comprehensive area to put a plan. And so it almost feels more like infield than really what it is with just individual properties. and but it does fit really well in the scope of the other things that you mentioned like Silverstone and Mavado and we are going to be dependent upon developers to get connectivity through there. So I appreciate you leaving the stub area. Um but I do support the pro support it. I think it's a great kind of what we're looking at I believe in that area but it is kind of tricky to our crystal ball is not clear but this is a way that we can move forward

Mr. Mayor Council Sher,

I'm struggling a lot with this project. I like the project itself. Um I'm struggling a lot with the project's integration in this location. Um I think some of the same issues that staff was hung up on, I'm also hung up on. Um I think that the parking plan uh leaves some some work to be done or some maybe additional spaces to be desired. It's tricky, I think, anytime, um, you're trying to park something like this and just making sure that that those spots are in a convenient place because without um without on street parking nearby, especially if the commercial areas are successful, I think we're going to have a real like situation here. I also think Overland Road is a nightmare right now in this location. Um, this is something that's come up in numerous projects in this area. I I'm not inclined to grant the waiver on the western part of the property. Um I don't think a waiver is appropriate in this case considering the privacy concerns of the neighbor. Uh I'm I'm just struggling. I I really echo um Councilman Taylor's point. It I I do want to be consistent in this area. I want us to try to come up with some kind of a plan for this for this sub area, whether it's an overlay district, whether it's, you know, working closely with ACD or whatever we need to do. Um, but we just we need some kind of an overall vision for how to develop this area. I think that these peace meal developments really set us up for a nightmare. Uh, that's my fear. So, still chewing on it, but I do have some concerns. I'm gonna make a few comments on this one because I, you know, for me the challenge when I look at this is it's we kind of took a took a chance on a restaurant right across the street from

this. So, in a lot of ways, we've started the process for what this area is going to develop through. This is right across the street. same roadway components are being shared. Um so to me it's not that much different in we are starting we are beginning this process. Yeah. I mean we we've had other applications where we've said no to other ways that you know could have helped to find this answer. Um and don't know when they're when when they may or may not come back. But this still is taking access from the same place that we said yes to the restaurant. So that issue to me is very similar uh in context. Um traffic count versus the tube. Well, you all determine the traffic count issues and whether or not that's relevant or not. I tend to agree. I think I think it's got a few too many units for the parking. Um it's it's it's right on it. It it meets code. But when you're the first first in, you don't have anybody else to share. If you're successful, you're going to have a problem. And I think that's the question. Do we hope that you're not successful, so you don't create a problem or do you want to be successful and then you don't really have any place else for people to park in this area? You can't cross park them on the other side of Overland Road if you've actually got a successful business and successful place that people want to live. So to me that's that is the my perspective the biggest challenge is is it adequately parked being the first one uh through here where you don't have a real good I know you're cross accessing with a business but it it still can be quite challenging um unless you're going to assume that

everyone here only uses a storage unit to put all their recreational equipment. These garages are going to have more than just cars in them. Um, which means you don't necessarily have other and that's the challenge. That's the reality of Idaho life. We talk about the Idaho life. I'm going to look at the owner of the property if and and say, but I'm sure that you don't have any toys that you worry about where you're going to put them and you don't have any kids and or family members. No, people only have two cars. So that's the challenge when when you look at a place like this is can you act is it going to reflect the Idaho lifestyle with the parking realities of u Meridian Idaho our families and our enthusiasts um that are here and that's that to me is the biggest challenge that I personally see um with this but it is to me in the right place for where you want to start this conversation. I think if you were two properties over, this would be a non-starter. I don't think I don't think council would even be having a conversation if it wasn't these two parcels. And so it's like if you don't start here, then are you saying you're not going to start anywhere or you going to wait for all seven of them to come back like the gentleman mentioned before you ever have a con another conversation about this property? So the the only only other place it makes sense is to go over and buy the Zamzos and come from that direction and then you might run into people on the other side and have similar problems on that. So I I'm not opposed to moving to seeing something like this develop in this location. The people that move here are going to deal with the traffic. Um, and um, I I I hate the approach that and I know it's it's life, but well, there's already a problem here, so we can't let anybody else

um do anything. And, you know, I drive through this area as much or more than anybody else. And quite frankly, I find my way around without any problems. Um, now I don't have to access out of my property on onto Overland Road. I I I get that 100% in those seven properties. But frankly, they shouldn't be doing that. That's not the way we want long-term to happen. So, we got to start creating that cross access to get them to the roadway network somehow eventually. Um because I guarantee you, if you're not familiar with what Boyisee is doing on Overland Road to the east, they're creating more density. They're creating more infill. They're putting more pro people on this road. And I they're coming this direction as much as our people are going that direction. So, um I I don't think it's fair to say they the traffic is the reason why we shouldn't allow this when others are not going to take that approach along this corridor. And I'll be quiet.

Mr. Mayor, Councilman Taylor,

maybe ask the applicant. I'm curious. Is there a way to get more parking on there? I I obviously have to remove a unit. Does that make it financially unfeasible? I mean cuz the reason I ask um we're going to be stuck doing nothing for a very long time until we finally decide we have a we either figure out go through a very long process to create a plan and get all the spa in for neighbors or we we start with a project that seems good. There's a lot I like about it, but your parking is going to be a mess. Um, is there anything you can do to accommodate some additional parking? Because what you've listed, 23 units, 38 stalls with two gas parking. I know it meets code, but it doesn't feel like it's going to work. But what just want to throw that out and see what feedback you have. And I know you're designing the property. I'm sure you went through many revisions and we imposed some uh things on you with the cross access that probably changed it up and you've really limited on what you have to work with and I get it but can you I just wanted to throw that out there and see some of your feedback. Uh Mr. Mayor, Councilman Taylor, we have gone through numerous iterations. One of the things that satiates me on the parking front is the fact that we have the office spaces. And when you do have that nightly party, there's going to be some overflow that eventually falls into those empty office space stalls. So, I ask that you keep that in mind as you consider the integration and the overall layout of this facility. It's not four separate parcels, it's one parcel. So, the idea is it could be available to them. Um, furthermore, there would be five uh guest parking stalls and we have an additional two stalls that have been provided beyond the code on those those

required five and they're allocated up there with those town homes. on the vertically integrated uh we have dedicated stalls just complying with code and uh again we have the potential usage of the overflow stalls for the 8,000 foot tenants space requirement of parking stalls associated to those. Um now maybe there could be conditions where that doesn't function the greatest but I'd say in the majority that's probably going to function pretty well to service this overall development. We have been through this numerous times, lots of iterations. It's why it's been so long for us to even work with staff to get to this level and we've tried to accommodate the best we can and certainly comply with code and even go beyond it.

Mr. Mayor, real quick followup and I I appreciate that and thank you. Um, one question on uh the management of both the residential and the commercial aspect. Same management. I mean, those that own it, are they envisioning managing both? Cuz I'm just I don't disagree with the idea that there's some additional parking maybe available on site in the commercial space. I'm also envisioning the folks managing the commercial space complaining to the residents, get out. This is for commercial. This isn't for you. How do we avoid that?

Uh, Councilman Taylor, yes, it is the same manager. It's the owner of the parcel and they'll be living on site so have pretty direct access to the challenges and management that's going to need to occur on on the development. Mr. Mayor, Council, what's the width of the garages? The garages are all at 16 foot wide. So, it's a two-car garage, typical residential garage. Uh the width of the units are all at 20 ft wide. So, the width is at 20 is 20. The width of each individual unit on those rear town homes is 20t wide. The width of the garage you said is the width of the garage is well it's a 20 foot wide building. 20 foot wide garage.

Garage the same width and the 16 ft door goes into that wall so that you can park two cars in through that door. I park two cars within 20 ft is what you're telling me. Yes. Your typical garage will have either a 16 foot wide garage door or an 18 foot wide garage door. Okay. And no, a 16 foot wide garage door will not park two F350s. Mr. Mayor,

I think that's where I'm getting to is a lot to to the mayor's point is um we see this a lot, right? People are filling their garages full of their stuff. I mean, that's why we've got tons of storage units, too, because they've got tons of stuff. And I and that's not your problem to solve, but we're trying to solve that problem that we've seen play out time and time again with developments like this, which is that well-intent designed to accommodate traffic, but human need overrules that. And we find a lot of cars choosing to find alternative places. We're trying to avoid that, I think, which is where some of that that concern is coming from. So, I appreciate that.

Mr. Mayor, Councilman Cavender, I just wanted to add that um most of these are two-bedroom units. These are in a denser location, a more urban location. It's not going to be your typical um subdivision development, multifamily area. Uh and I guess what I anticipate is most of these are probably going to have one car, potentially two cars associated with them. And we do have three units that are that are a threebedroom unit. But um and I would I would look to see that the city code certainly gets updated to address these concerns because that'd be my desire as well in our in our town.

Council, no worries. Yeah. So in a denser, more urban context.

Okay. Okay. Wonderful. Thanks. uh help me understand kind of how you draw that conclusion about the use. You know, we are seeing more and more of roommate situations, right? So, a so a two-bedroom apartment actually having three vehicles, right? We're not seeing necessarily that the people who are choosing to live in these types of products come with less. It's usually they're coming with with more. And so that I'm I'm interested kind of how you've drawn that conclusion because it's just it's contrary to a lot of what we've seen in the market in Meridian lately.

Mr. Mayor, Councilman Kavana, um my my idea with that is that usually these urban developments tend to draw a different type of um living style. They're not the ones with the playground and the kids running around and the single family homes that are surrounding it. So they they tend to have a different demographic. And I I do work all across the United States. So I I am in a lot of different backgrounds and I would say that you are going to be more of an expert on that than I will be. It's just the vision that I carried when I did develop this site as I looked at the integration with the commercial lots as I looked at the parking challenges and I tried to get uh landscaping and areas where there can be some communal development occurring um and of course meet the code and even go above it. So I I would hope we can address this in the code and get it solved if this isn't meeting the needs.

Yeah. So Mr. Mayor. Yes, maybe one more cuz my good colleague kind of asked the question about reduction of units to increase the parking count. Is that something that your employer is is amunable to opposed to? Um, Councilman Cavender, I I'm not sure what the owner would be willing to I I do know that if we reduce a unit off the site, we will add two additional stalls. That's the gain that we can gain the way that it's designed because all we're doing is shortening the length. So, we only have a spot to be able to fit in two stalls. Um, that northernmost most unit already is two stalls.

So, the quick answer is I apologize, but I don't I mean, if you remove a unit, you're going to gain two stalls. So, that would be the benefit loss scenario. Mr. Mayor Jim, don't go too far, please. Councilwoman, uh, I just blinked on your name, so little Roberts. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. So, Jim, will what you've designed work if we don't approve the reduction from 5 feet to feet next to the neighbor?

Uh, Mr. Mayor, Councilwoman Little Roberts, um, it's a challenging, tight site. Will it work? Yes, I can make it work. Does it improve the quality of the site? No, because I actually have to shift the building over 3 ft closer to the other building. And my goal is to maximize that area between those two buildings to maximize the usability of that grassy area with the sidewalks leading up to every one of the units. I'm trying to create more space and more separation in those buildings, which is part of the reason why we're asking for it. Followup. So tell me how five feet versus two feet impacts your neighbor.

Uh Councilman Little Roberts, um basically what it Oh, how does it impact the neighbor? Well, we're still installing a privacy fence. We're still putting some landscaping in through that area. And the majority of this area is into his he's a long lot. So, the majority of my attention was such as I have no residential windows on that west facing side of the vertically integrated mixeduse building because I know that there's a home right there with a yard right behind it that would be visible. So, most of what he has happening is unfortunately happening around where that required um access point occurs on the site.

So, followup question Roberts. So what you have happening to protect his property and his privacy can happen within two feet as well as it can five. Your privacy fence, what landscaping you're doing and things can all be contained equally within two feet as well as five. Okay.

Yes. uh uh Councilwoman Annne Roberts. Um it is a uh a future ideology with that narrower strip there as well because the idea if you saw that future phase plan is that when you have that connection coming across, you're probably going to have more commercial development happening that's going to be fronting Overland and something else happening on the rear side of the site. But there's a good chance that there could be parking lot back there that's basically going to be integrated into the design of the future phases. That was another reason why we worked with staff to consider that two foot instead of the 5- foot, which I do believe staff was okay with when we were having those conversations and supportive of. Yes,

Jim. Maybe just to stay on that topic. What does the three I know it creates more space between in that green. What are you programming that space? Are you have something in there that if you take away the three feet that's can't be there or just for the feel of the space? Cuz in in some regard, you're saying we want the people that going to be here to feel like they got more space. So, we're going to take it away from this one over here.

So, Mayor Simson, in response, uh what it does is it pushes our building C, which is that westernmost building. It pushes it 3 ft closer to building B, which is just going to make it feel a little bit more tall and narrow in that space between those two buildings, which everybody's front doors face onto. So, does that answer the question? I apologize. Yeah. So, there's no program space. There's nothing that you have in that that goes away except for feeling. Yes, that's correct. And and how much space is between those two buildings in theory? We vary from 20 ft up to 22 or 23 feet depending upon the undulations of the various buildings as they oppose each other.

And do you know how far away the structure is on the neighbor's property? To the to west

to to the west. I don't know how many feet away from the property line he is, but I do know that where his where his home sits is more in this realm where my cursor is, not necessarily up here where this narrower strip is. Now, he probably uses his rear yard and and has attention there. Um, but I'm trying to to plan the future as well as deal with the present. So, I'm trying to be respectful of where he's at today as well as what the future development goals and and ideas are on how to access and manage through this site. That is a unique challenging infill site. I think that's a a great way to look at it. Mayor, Councilman Lock,

you just hit the nail on the head for me. A unique challenging infill site and that's what I'm struggling with. Um, and similar to other conversations this evening, I mean, you didn't create Overland, you didn't create Topaz, you didn't create FiveM Creek through the middle of your property that makes the the Northwest piece unusable. Um, it is unique and challenging and infill and a struggle. Councilman Whitlock, may I follow or uh Mr. Mayor, may I follow follow up with that? Um, this owner even went so far as we started a design on just the one parcel and he saw that it wasn't going to be cohesive and and as good as what the development could be. and with his ability and his private property rights and him advocating for him being, you know, in our economy and and taking the risks that we know that are in the planning and zoning code and managing a design and dealing with a a tricky situation. You know, he even acquired a diff a secondary parcel uh to be able to do this development with a whole different design that functioned much better because we just couldn't make it make sense with the first parcel. So again, I lean back on the fact that we don't have a big developer out here that's just going to sell this product in two and a half years once capital gains allows him to do so or her to do so. But we have a developer here who really is a member of the community and going to be living here and wants to invest and has a great product. And I just I hope that our city can see these are the types of developers that we want. We want to encourage who are asking their architect, how do we make this a more livable, enjoyable space? I'm going to live here. So that's that's the idea with it all. Uh just to support your thought process with the challenge of the site. We we did even go through that,

Mr. Mayor. Councilman Overton,

really. This isn't just for you, Jim, and for Sean. Um we've had a couple projects in this area, and I made comments on the first one, but this is a blank canvas. A blank canvas that you can't go north on because there's an interstate. You can't go east on unless you're going to get into or excuse me, west on unless you're going to try to get onto the other uh road that comes out to a signal which is very close to Eagle Road. But it's a blank slate. So, I have trouble with the concept that this is an infill project. To me, it's not. Infill project to me means it's one of the last things we've got left and we're trying to fit that puzzle piece in to make it all work. This is one puzzle piece in a much larger picture. And what I said on the first project and I said no to that one was we need a master street map. So, and we just dealt with this on other projects. We need a master street map from ACD that tells us what and where we can develop and how it can develop and how we're going to move traffic through this area because this particular area has such a restriction on it on which ways we can push traffic. and Movado was the one that was lined up for that signal when we first heard it, but it was a conceptual plan. It wasn't on an Ada County master street map. I wish it was. I wish it would give us the authority to sit here and say, "Hey, we know how this is going to work. We know where we can put houses." Uh what really concerns me is you front Overland Road, probably one of the least worrisome lots. But some of the comments made were made by a realer representing five of the other homeowners that want to sell their lots.

A yes vote on this is going to send a message that, hey, we're ready to develop this. Well, I'm not ready to see this developed until we have a plan. And we need to have a plan that knows exactly how this is going to work. So we don't back ourselves into a corner that we can't get out of down the road because we can't get the transportation network to work to move the vehicles. Um I know these old county roads well. I mean Topaz goes around to Jade comes all the way back out but every afternoon especially during school time Overland Road backs up past both of them. And it's it's tough. It's tricky. It's very very busy and we still even if this gets approved, we don't have a roadway network that is eventually going to have to handle all this traffic. We don't have that signal down the road on MVAT that's going to handle that traffic. And I'm I'm I know you heard me earlier, but we've got to think about the future and making the right choices now for how these projects get allowed to be built so that we're making the right choices down the road as we look at these other projects that come in front of us. And and I'm I'm truly struggling with this one, the parking issue. Um we have a development that's been there for several years. It backs up on records right off of Ustick and they got twocar garages. Most of them have one vehicle in them and they have one or two vehicles on their little driveway blocking the sidewalk uh bumpers in the street. It's compact, but it didn't come out to be how it was proposed and how it was going to be used because there's a lot of big rigs and there's some rigs that are just they want one in a garage because they've got all their stuff in there. Um, and and

I sit up here and I drive through the city and see those things. And I don't live in that utopian world where I can say a two-car garage is going to have two cars in it. Um, come to my house, I'll take in my next door neighbors. He's got a threecar garage. It's full of stuff. Four cars on the street. I have a perfect example I wake up to every single day. Blocks my mailbox half the week. So quite familiar. But that's the real world and we have to be prepared for it and we have to think about it and I I think the rest of council's made comments about the parking and I get it that you're over by two um guest parking. I understand what you're saying about the the the commercial building up front. That would be good. I'm more worried about the parking that's going to be needed by the residents when they need more than just what they've got. So I I honestly Bottom line, I think you're trying to fit too much into this lot. I think it needs more room and I don't know what that answer looks like.

Mr. Mayor,

Councilman Taylor would be a question maybe for the old heads who have been around Meridian for a long time. How do we develop a plan for this area? Is that something that the city should say this is what we want to do? Is this something that planning could propose? I I just I really don't know. I'm just so stuck here with with this. I feel it's very unfortunate for people who come in with really great applications. We and we can't say yes because we don't have a plan. But I don't know that I've ever seen a process where we've gone in and say here's what we want to see. I know we need to we might plan the use, but we don't plan how it should look. So, but I'm newish here. How would we how would we plan this area? How would we lay this out? What What does that even look like? Because if we don't know how we're going to handle this, I'm more inclined to say this is a good project and a good way to start, but I'm jumping into the void that I cannot see the the end. And so I may come back in 20 years when I'm like Councilman Overton and I'm wise with grandchildren and may say that was a dumb idea. Wish I didn't do that. I just don't know. So how could someone help me here?

Mr. Mayor, Council Governor,

I think here's here's the challenge is our planning staff tried to do that a decade ago and the the residents in that area said, "No, we don't want that. We're going to live here for time and eternity. We're never selling. We're never moving. We're never leaving. And I think even as recently as what maybe four or five years before we went to do a revision of the comprehensive plan, we went back and said, "Are you sure?" And they said, "Yeah, we're sure." And so that's the part that I where I have wavered back and forth is we as a city have tried to address that that same concern that you have that I have multiple times and the residents weren't interested. And now we have one who is. And the part that I struggle with is this is a lot easier to support if it's the last piece of the puzzle. It's more challenging for when it's the first piece, not because of this project. It's because it's the real first piece of the puzzle. Um, and if I had a sense as to what everything else would look like, this may or may not be complimentary. This may generate what the rest of it looks like. We don't know. And that's that's the hard part is I I wish these other five property owners and the folks that live in the area all would have come together. I'm sure the applicant wishes that too to have a sense about what what could be achieved because I think what could be achieved could be even bigger and better than what's before us. But to answer your question, Mr. Chair, what it would take is I guess a willing partner in the residents in that area. And until very very re recently, there has not been any interest on their part to do that.

And maybe I'm going to take a little slightly different thing. We have had a plan. We had a plan developed. Council didn't like the project of the plan. And I think that's that comes into the question when the private sector has put forward a a way to develop this, but we didn't like what came with it. And so you're you're right in that there's not something on a map that that is a master street map showing an exit, but but we know what the plan is. We know where this is going for the most part. It's just a matter of when is that going to when when are the rest of the dominoes going to fall and who's going to take those steps to create that access point. I mean, there's a connection that can go to the south or north to a property eventually, you know, make that connection. We're going to make it up to Overland at Mavado or one of those other two locations. This U-shape is a problem. you know th this this road network in this area is a problem. It's about how do you punch the other direction and that was part of the conversation with the restaurant and cross access to open up for those things. So to me this is not a master quandry of how does the traffic flow happen. It's a matter of when does it happen and what how does it develop. That's that's just you know what I've seen. Um but you know eventually like all things you have to start taking those steps and that's what I felt council did the last time you you allowed a development here. You start taking that first step. Maybe you don't want to go to the left for your next step. Then then you're going to go to the right for the next step. I don't know. But um I feel like there's a plan. It's just not drawn on a map the way we want it to be drawn on a map.

Mr. Mayor, Councilman Taylor,

this is a puzzle piece and this is that easy corner piece that you always start with, not that awkward one you stick that you can't find and figure out where it goes or you can't find it. Um, I you know, I think I think I appreciate your comments, mayor. I think that's probably the way I want to start viewing this. I've struggled with this as I've seen other projects just to know what does the future look like. I don't have a high level of confidence that in any time while I'm serving on this council that there will be a plan approved by with the neighbors and sort of a grand plan. So, I do think it's going to have to be peace mill in some way. So, I think I'd probably end up um I'd be supportive of this tonight. Mr. Mayor, Council

L Roberts, unless we have any other comments or anything, I would move we close the public hearing. Second. Have a motion, a second to close the public hearing. Is there discussion on the motion? If not, in favor signify by saying I. I. Opposed? Nay. Have it. The public hearing is closed. Mr. Mayor, Councilwoman Roberts, if we don't have any more discussion, I will make a motion. Ready for that?

I move that we approve on file number H 2025-00004 with the request of two feet instead of five. and noting in all the comments and the staff report and the hearing date of March 10th, 2026. Second. Have a motion and a second to approve item 42025-004. Is there discussion on the motion? Mr. Mayor, Councilman Cav,

I think I've come to the conclusion that I'm supportive of annexation in this property. Um, but I will not be voting in favor of the motion. I I do think there are still some parking challenges that need to be resolved. Um this is just seeing what I believe are seeing more and more in our our valley without a long-term plan for where to put that traffic. So motion passes is great. If not, I may be open for a substitute motion, but um I I'm okay with the annexation, but I think there's some some work that still needs to be done on this project. Any further questions, comments? Oh, uh,

Mr. Mayor, Councilman Taylor, let

me make a comment. Um, just some thoughts I had earlier that I didn't get out. What's interesting in in um that we're seeing a lot of movement towards and I'm not sure if I like where it's going in terms of uh not just Meridian but in development is less parking. Um some of the larger cities are are moving this direction. Some of the things I've read uh that's been successful in making things more affordable, more accessible to folks. didn't envision how much we'd have to discuss parking as a city councilman, but I totally understand it because I'm sensitive to it. I do think in this particular part of Meridian, Top Golf, some fantastic uh office space, some really nice um multifamily, um some medical space coming on. This is the kind of area that I'm not going to move to. I'm not looking to live in a kind of a a place where it's kind of a walkable. There's things close by. I kind of like my, you know, single family home and that area, but there's people who are looking for something like this, I think. And um I'm I'm going out a little bit on um into the void of the unknown with this with some of the parking. Again, I think what's to be fair, they're complying with city code. They've done a vast And so to say parking is insufficient is a is a gut feeling. And certainly we have the that's well within our ability to make that determination. If we feel it's not quite right, we we we have that right to vote that way. And and I've done that myself. Um, so I I do feel like I've been um convinced enough that in

order for this area to start moving forward and hopefully slowly, hopefully thoughtfully, um, we do have to take that first step. Um, but I do really like how the project's laid out and designed. I think it's very fitting for the area. I think it's well done. And I remember seeing a project at one point not, you know, a year or two ago that I didn't think fit very well at all. And this is quite the opposite. So just wanted to share those thoughts before we did vote. Mr. Mayor, Councilman Will,

I'm I'm still struggling internally on where I'll be with this. And I remember with the restaurant, I was okay approving that because there was commercial to the east and I saw this I saw that application as just a continuation of what was there. This piece is harder for me because it is the first piece. It's that corner piece of the puzzle. And as I look at those seven acres that front Overland, um I'm just I'm stuck on five mile creek going through there. And this is the easiest piece to develop, I think, out of those seven. Um, and maybe this dictates what happens with the other five. But, um, I'm one side of the fence, I'm saying you got to start somewhere. The other side of the fence saying, where does that fence lead to? I I I just don't know what's on the other side of that fence. So, I just wanted to voice some of the struggles that I've had with this, but also trying to be consistent with, okay, let's let's have progress. Let's move forward. And that's what I felt we did with the restaurant to the east of this. So, I'll listen to what everybody else says and see where I land. Mr. Mayor,

Councilman Overton,

I'm in the same boat. I'm I'm going back and forth on on part of this I really like and part of this I I just want to see what the future is and I want that crystal ball right now and it's not here. And what I keep coming back to is probably the aspect that I've heard many times we require quite a bit of parking in our city and I've been thankful for it and on this application we required quite a bit of parking in this and you exceeded it by two plus with the mixture of commercial and front. I think if there's any after hours parties, I think that will swallow up that extra traffic. I think it will help the residents that still live there because now we'll have the roadway as it approaches Overland being built out to collector status from both sides. Um, if there's going to be a first piece on this west side, I'm glad that it fronts Overland. And uh I'm I'm at the point that uh I can be supportive of this project, but with a warning to the next one, we've got to start having a plan to go forward so that we know what to expect and how we're going to deal with that traffic.

Mr. Mayor,

Council Shader. Yeah, I think I, you know, I kind of explained where I was, where my thoughts were at earlier. Um, I'm still not there. I I think with annexation, you know, we have a lot of discretion. Sometimes it's a question of timing. I think this is really close, but my parking concerns are are still there. Um, I still think there might have been some changes you could have done to try to help shield your neighbor to the west. I think You know, I I have lived on the city council long enough to have seen some of of some similar developments with um similar style of kind of garage um challenges where we're not seeing people use our garages the way they're intended. And what ends up happening in this kind of a site where it's so constrained is um and especially if you have success, right, which we hope for, is you're going to have a huge nightmare that's going to spill onto the neighboring roadway. And I just Yeah, I just don't think that the parking is there for me. Um, I get it that we have our code, but we also have, you know, common sense and just what we're seeing in the city and probably our code needs to be looked at. Um, we we've looked at parking again and again. I I don't think we've built the best mouse trap, but it's always something evolving, but we we've seen a total nightmare with similar developments and a sim very similar parking situations. I just really question how this is going to function. Um, I also think, you know, getting that first piece of the puzzle right is really important. I I think we're really close, but I just don't think it's quite there. I'm not going to be in favor tonight. I wish I was.

Hope to get there at some point, and it may very well pass. So, let's just see.

Well, and I'll, you know, I I didn't know where you all were going to be. I still don't know where this is going to go. Um I I figured I may be in a place where I vote tonight on on this topic and originally I was concerned over the um there's too many spaces and not enough but Councilman Taylor, you're right. It it does make code and you know if that's the issue and quite frankly uh I mean part of it is like ask for continuance. See what the legislature does. You might be able to get three times this density in uh a month at the rate they're going. And and and honestly, I mean, that's part of the reason why I I came back to be like, how how can I go how can I be opposed to what the legislature is doing if I tell people no because they meet our code? So that's that's ultimately where as I've been dealing with dealing with bills before the legislature tomorrow on this very topic as I've been looking at my emails is like I you meet the code and everything else seems to it's hard for me to sit here and say that and even if I said no they could come back and do something three times as dense with the way the legislaturator is looking at things here in four months and fear is not a good rationale to make a decision. But consistency is something that I think we have to live within, especially when we understand what the legislature is looking at. So that's my two cents into this direction. So with that, it's correct to call the role.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Cavana, no. Taylor, I strainer. No. Whlock I Little Roberts Overton. Four eyes, two ns. I miss greet you. Good luck. Be successful. Don't put any businesses in that place to go beyond 5:00 pm. You're you'll have problems and we will we will make sure towing is strictly enforced on Topaz and your residents will not like that. So, okay. Council, anything under future meeting topics? No. Then do I have a motion? Mr. Mayor, I move that we adjourn. Second motion second to adjurnn. All in favor signify by saying I.

I. Post nay. The eyes have it.