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Today I got into the weeds of one particular development app, and it got me thinking about a lot. In it, @TommyAhlquist's dev firm BVA pointedly calls out Meridian for a disconnect b/w what it outlines in its comp plan & the types of projects its City Council actually approves.
@TommyAhlquist BVA is looking to develop this area near Eagle Road. Their original plans included some multifamily housing, in line with what Meridian in 2011 said they wanted there. weblink.meridiancity.org/WebLink8/0/doc…
@TommyAhlquist Here's an article we did in July about the area: idahostatesman.com/latest-news/ar…
@TommyAhlquist BVA’s lawyer writes in the application, “We are concerned that there has been a concerted attempt by the City to elevate its comprehensive plan above its zoning ordinance.”
@TommyAhlquist Here’s the thing: the property is zoned for commercial development. But the City’s comp plan from 2011 (which is currently under revision) asks that 10% of this area be residential (higher density). Basically, they’re asking for apartments in an area not zoned for that now
@TommyAhlquist Thus, BVA would have go to City Council and ask for permission to build the apartments that Meridian asks for in its comp plan.
@TommyAhlquist But this has BVA asking: why bother? 13 neighbors showed up for a meeting on this project. “There was clearly a negative and visceral response from those property owners to the inclusion of multi-family residential development on the property as part of the project," they say.
@TommyAhlquist (Side note — BVA says NONE of those people have properties that would even be connected to this project by a public road.)
@TommyAhlquist Yet BVA is taking their NIMBY-ism seriously. Why? Because it knows the City Council will take it seriously, too.
@TommyAhlquist They mention Tanner Creek Subdivision, a similar project where the City Council shut down multi-family housing. “Both the findings & minutes relating to that application evidence the discomfort the City Council had with a multifamily project within property already zoned C-G.”
@TommyAhlquist @DonLDay BVA points to a contradiction in how city staff are handling requests for apartments in commercial areas (generally giving approval) vs. response they get from Council (which, at least in the case of multi-family within commercial zones, they don’t approve of)
@TommyAhlquist @DonLDay There are apartments in Meridian, sure — and they often get built in areas that are mostly residential already because of concerns for “traffic.”
@TommyAhlquist @DonLDay But the point of building mixed use — where people live closer to the places they work and shop — is that, in theory, it eliminates the need for people to drive as far and… get this… eliminates traffic.
@TommyAhlquist @DonLDay So, here’s what BVA decided to do instead, because the apartment housing looked like it might be too difficult to pass. They said, Let’s put a TopGolf (or something like that) there instead. That’ll pass! idahostatesman.com/news/business/…
@TommyAhlquist @DonLDay Now, whether they actually in earnest were dedicated to building apartments there isn’t something I can speak to. Maybe they wanted a Top Golf there all along? 🤷
@TommyAhlquist @DonLDay But the end result is this — Meridian is likely losing out on a mixed use development that could bring dense, affordable housing to the area.
@TommyAhlquist @DonLDay This is something that Meridian @MayorTammy has brought up a lot lately in my conversations with her: residents say that they want to preserve agriculture and farmland in Meridian, but no one wants density. These are at odds with each other.
@TommyAhlquist @DonLDay @MayorTammy They don't want dense housing, even when it’s in a mixed use property like this. There’s still a need for those residential units, but where are they going to be built now? Probably a parcel of land much larger, eating into more farmland.
@TommyAhlquist @DonLDay @MayorTammy .@MayorTammy is asking for the city to confront the dilemma over farmland preservation vs. resistance to density at the same time as we’ve seen controversy around the Tanner Creek subdivision, and this (thus far) internal controversy around the new BVA development.
@TommyAhlquist @DonLDay @MayorTammy I’m curious to see the result of these conversations, and what implications it might have for Meridian's new comprehensive plan.
