Remarks by Sebastian Griffin
124 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 2 of 5
“You know, I'm bored now that school's done. Might as well go back, huh?”
“We're going to see, as the valley grows and Nampa grows and Caldwell continues to grow towards us, a lot of abutting properties between the City of Nampa and the City of Caldwell. I would be hot mad if the City of Caldwell approved a project and put three or two neighbors behind one of our larger lot properties. I think it's a trend that we need to start creating now. Conversations between staff needs to be happening now and the development community needs to be happening now. So Sabrina, you always do a great job. I don't disagree even with the zoning designation on the other side. I think…”
“Mayor, if I could, the only counter that I have to that That's what the point of the public hearing process is. This is our final stage to say, are we going to give it the City of Nampa stamp of approval for the electeds rather than staff, not to look at maybe the letter of the law, but the spirit of the law of what the community looks like. I'm taking the opportunity now to state, as one council member in Sabrina, I can count pretty well you're going to get an approval tonight. I look at this as an opportunity for staff to know Maybe we should ask applicants to not put two or three to one…”
“Yes. In regard to my comments, I'll cite to Napa City Code 10-2-3.C.3, the proposed amendments are or would be in the interest of the public and reasonably necessary. I don't feel that putting two to one is in the interest of the public or reasonably necessary. So if there is an argument that I'm off base, I'm trying to put us back on base.”
“That open green space is beautiful. I can't wait to see that over there.”
“Irregardless of the direction that the vote might go this evening, is there anything that we can do with the county for a request to change maybe a development agreement or to allow for a lighting? I know one's the highway district, one's actually the county's requirement for the lighting. If it doesn't go this way, is this all or nothing? Are we not going to be able to have lighting in the park? If”
“So at a later date, we need to request a variance from that. We can do so potentially. Potentially. After November 3rd, especially. Is the commissioner still here? Good deal. Thank you.”
“In regard to this development, from a similar developer, I think there's a couple perspectives I'm trying to keep. Because I was supportive of the Adora project for a number of reasons. But one of the biggest heartaches that we've had with that project has been the delay in accessing the roadways. Because they've shut down Flamingo. It was supposed to open back up in August. And that won't open up again until potentially December, if not later. In terms of developing out these roadways, what is the current plan for developing or expanding or adding to these roadways, whether it be a…”
“For immediate closures, would Smith be closed during this development? Would Lone Star be closed during this development? Would a portion of Middleton or Midway be closed during this development?”
“And then in regard to the... Now thinking, because people are either going to go north or they're going to go east, that comment stood out to me. When running down Smith, Smith has a future development to put in the light installation and expand the roadway, similar with... Middleton, no. So Midland and Smith and Midland and Davis.”
“So we don't think there'll be a significant impact to Midland per se, more so Middleton and Midway.”
“Thank you. And then one final one for Rodney, just off the coattails, that comment. Final? Final. Okay. In regard to our decision tonight for annexation, are we getting a second or third bite of the apple for preliminary plat or final plat? Or is our decisions tonight the last time we'll have this brought forward before us outside of a consent agenda?”
“This is a comment, Mayor, not a question. Council, if there are development agreements that we're going to be requesting tonight, I would encourage that we are extremely specific in our verbiage. I'm having similar heartaches with the Adura. We've already hashed this out before about berms and about roadways because we've left ambiguity. If there are going to be specific things, for example, having that preliminary plaque come before city council rather than planning and zoning or along those lines, I think we should be very specific on so it's not left up in the air or for a different…”
“Surprise. Big surprise. In regard to the Southwest Area Plan, when we look at the Community Mixed Use Midway slash Lone Star District, the permitted zoning districts would be BC, BN, RML, RP, and this is considering RMH. What is the difference for the City of Nampa to approve RMH in this area rather than RML? And was it ever intended to have RML because it wasn't placed in the plan that was approved?”
“So in terms of, and I know you worked heavily on this Rodney, uh, is RML more conducive with the area than RMH is for this specific site? Because that's what the plan calls for. Um, To even get to the point of the plan being approved, it was slightly controversial, and now we're seeing the fruits of it. So if we're going to stick with the plan or not stick with the plan, I just want to know your thoughts in terms of planning and why those zones potentially weren't called out, or if you feel that one would be better than the other.”
“Yes, questions? I'll say, Commissioner, because I am a betting man and I think I know how November will go for you. Thank you. Irregardless of tonight's vote, while you are on the commission, will you help us with the Midway Park getting lighting to that site?”
“So you still want lights? Sorry, Belinda. I personally would like lights in the parking lot because I drive by late at night and see what's happening there. So I'm one of the frequent calls saying that there's an issue going on in those parking lots at night.”
“Thank you. Mayor, just for the sake of preserving the record, LaRae, did I in any way insinuate how I was going to vote in my email response to you?”
“And for the 42 emails that I did respond to, I didn't insinuate how I was going to vote prior to the hearing?”
“Yes. I would just like to make a comment. Likely not very popular. It's supporting councilman Bill's. I've sat here and I hear things that I absolutely agree with from the citizen side and things that I absolutely agree with, with Councilman Bill's perspective. One of the things that I have written down three different times when it's brought up was serving the developers or playing for the same team. Even tonight, I think you're going to hear Councilman Bill scrutinize the developers because he has a unique perspective as a developer on what they do correctly and incorrectly. While I may or…”
“Yes. I'll kick it off with my comments. My very first thought is, while this may not be in my district, the development, it's in Councilman Rodriguez's district, all those trips come through my district. Whether you go east, you're going to hit me when you hit Middleton, or north when you hit Orchard. I think the traffic is a major and serious, serious concern. You feel the traffic and growing pains at every direction. No fault to the current council. I don't even blame the previous councils, and I definitely don't blame Crystal. I think we're all working with a boom and an explosion in Nampa…”
“I feel that you need some direction. The surrounding area is RS 8.5. I would like to, if this is ever brought back, see RS 8.5 if possible with neighborhood business or neighborhood community business, if it ever gets to that point. So if you're trying to poke into the mind of what could go there, that would likely be what I would be in favor of if the time came. In terms of we need to... Pack it densely in to avoid sprawl and take up our farmland. I would actually agree with that. What I challenge on the other side of the coin is, but we also need to be willing to say stop. Midway is where…”
“Mayor? Yes. Can I get clarification on why originally it was only the $250,000? Was there not enough funds in the balance to be able to do the full $500,000 at the time? Or what was the hesitation for the full $500,000?”
“Was there any deliberation on why it ended up failing originally?”
“What's the fund balance currently from the collections from the hotel revenues? I think $750,000.”