[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6610202,"mediaKeyId","2904836-cd6e40f81ffa0613cb71e133a7d929d4","parentId",2904836,"title","Meridian council approves Pollard North rezone and preliminary plat despite resident concerns about school capacity and density","audioSeconds",5814,"startMs",6086000,"endMs",11900000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2904836-cd6e40f81ffa0613cb71e133a7d929d4&start=6086&end=11900","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2904836-cd6e40f81ffa0613cb71e133a7d929d4/thumbnail_6086000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6610202/Meridian/Ada-County/Idaho/Meridian-council-approves-Pollard-North-rezone-and-preliminary-plat-despite-resident-concerns-about-school-capacity-and-density","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610202-d3b0de50754da79e41343b39dff277e9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448484&Signature=IoDP~AAkx3OCF0vUpKeZe4dRxmQCPCiZKHnEw0xctWRfPlz3IEYb8csgw1ZDL5ahBRCkZ8Ezp1o~9qjTDADQ0cZ-cjuHml~0RT~47t1BHENXcyXgf4B5q-SZyKG5NgowOltu-1uURYYFWf06aSOPtbn~-k6rwwKbYtGM~QTxPMwSJHOHneniJ6QGl90KCMU9dssyKAxE5wdpI5Ik~ST4eciozBDh2RXj6l9ikdu-Pz39CfMGxiu3QHPGqPygShJRsZ3s~j17p656BJ069--wMsdi5FXbO2ewdyKu3d7An8DTSh3pMi-IRhxpwOyLr7o4dZbyaQ9o9LxpCLRuhOu08A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Meridian","date","2025-04-09T02:15:08.277Z","article","The Meridian City Council voted April 8 to approve the Pollard North subdivision application (H‑2024‑0037), granting a rezone, preliminary plat and a new development agreement for a residential project of 157 homes on 19.76 acres.

Decision and vote: the council approved the application as presented in the staff report. The motion passed with all voting members recorded as voting \"aye.\" (Record shows council members present at the April 8 meeting voted in favor; no nay votes were recorded.)

What the council approved: the application before the council included:
- A development agreement modification and new development plan;
- A rezone of about 14.9 acres of the 19.76‑acre site from R‑8 to R‑15 (R‑8 retained along the north and east boundaries); and
- A preliminary plat in two phases proposing 157 building lots and 32 common lots.

Project details from staff and applicant presentations:
- Site and existing approvals: the site is 19.76 acres located north of West Chinden/Chinden Boulevard (near North Levi Lane and West Waiverton Drive) and was part of a larger area annexed with R‑8 zoning and a prior development agreement and preliminary plat.
- Density and lot sizes: the developer reported a gross density of 7.95 dwelling units per acre (net density reported as 13.33 units per acre in staff materials); minimum lot sizes proposed were 4,350 sq ft (R‑8 perimeter lots, average 4,805 sq ft) and 2,238 sq ft (R‑15 lots, average 2,801 sq ft).
- Open space and amenities: the applicant proposed 3.94 acres of qualified open space (19.94% of the site), exceeding the 15% minimum, with amenities including a small dog park with a waste station, a picnic shelter, and a tot lot.
- Housing types: plan mixes front‑loaded detached homes along the perimeter for transitions to existing neighborhoods and alley/ carriage‑lane homes elsewhere; the applicant removed multifamily and the TNR zoning option during the review and reduced paired/attached units in response to feedback.

Applicant timeline and rationale: John Wardle (Brighton Corporation), the applicant representative, told the council the project was revised after council feedback in January and after taking the case back to the Planning & Zoning Commission. Wardle said the applicant reduced the unit count by 20 lots, widened lots along the northern boundary and added pedestrian connections and open space. He said the market and broader changes (including shifts in the assisted‑living market and the acceleration of Highway 16 planning and funding) influenced the revised proposal.

Resident concerns raised at the public hearing: multiple residents and nearby HOA representatives testified in opposition or asked for conditions. Key concerns included:
- School capacity: Leah Taylor, a nearby resident, told the council Pleasant View Elementary currently enrolls about 786 students in a school built for 625–650 and projected enrollment could grow; she urged denial or a further reduction in density.
- Traffic and safety: neighbors and Alden Ridge HOA representative Kyle Enzler raised concerns about vehicle speeds, parking, and additional traffic using neighborhood streets; residents said they worry about spillover use of common areas and Fairborn neighborhood facilities.
- Transition and neighborhood character: multiple speakers said the proposed density is higher than surrounding development and asked for stronger transitions (for example, restrictions on north‑facing second‑story windows, dark‑sky‑compliant exterior lighting and parking limits on specific connecting streets).

Staff and commission recommendations: planning staff reported the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval after the applicant returned with revised plans. Staff told the council that no waivers, variances or exceptions were required for the proposal as presented.

Conditions and implementation notes included in the staff report: the application moves forward in two phases. The applicant said phase 1 infrastructure work could begin in late summer with paving by fall; home construction would start after grading and utilities, with additional lots and infrastructure added in the following year. Wardle estimated some homes could be occupied by the end of 2025 with additional buildout into 2026 depending on market timing.

Council discussion and reasoning: council members acknowledged resident concerns about schools and traffic. Several council members noted demographic trends and district plans for capacity management and said the applicant had reduced density and incorporated transition measures (R‑8 perimeter lots and added open space). Council members also noted the project's proximity to freeway‑era highway improvements and collector streets, which they said made the site appropriate for the proposed mix of housing.

Next steps: the approved preliminary plat and development agreement allow the applicant to proceed to final engineering, permitting and site development in phases. The council did not add further conditions beyond those in the staff report at the April 8 vote.

Represented speakers and roles in the public hearing are included below; staff will post the final signed development agreement and recorded plat documents once they are filed with the city clerk's office.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Meridian City Council - 4/8/25","oneSentenceSummary","The Meridian City Council voted April 8 to approve the Pollard North subdivision application (H‑2024‑0037), granting a rezone, preliminary plat and a new development agreement for a residential project of 157 homes on 19.76 acres.","taxTitle","Meridian, Ada County, Idaho","taxId",2628,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6610207,"City attorney outlines proposed rewrite of Meridian parks code, including short‑term vendor rules, noise policy and new arborist duties",2337,1117000,3454000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2904836-cd6e40f81ffa0613cb71e133a7d929d4&start=1117&end=3454","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2904836-cd6e40f81ffa0613cb71e133a7d929d4/thumbnail_1117000.jpg","/articles/6610207/Meridian/Ada-County/Idaho/City-attorney-outlines-proposed-rewrite-of-Meridian-parks-code-including-shortterm-vendor-rules-noise-policy-and-new-arborist-duties","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610207-840136e6f59d0bec0d3e505e8f7ebd77/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448484&Signature=T63PE5WH3ui3XMz32SOi4BTKIcmoOJQ52rd5vP65Whd-HKzuAeLonFulTIqUNZYv57SPwSAkfqg~S5wwaq5HM2y7J1luiMePAQFETF1kNTAXvZAB1jXRBIzYtRRWy2Fj6UG4SyeyAQYKZ416vQG9sNOA4Gc6hUYnBz91tGOOntJcXDTFjFtAxznRSgJ6O1bCFNsDpL1pdz-B4kj~kztYq1qM7~Hjcwu-70F9CS7u38CzbCEs~iNw-A4DlRRiBVY8pg8u4oz3SiY9lqm2yGoDwCbU1BW91KN9h~Fz7x7d~5i8~1LYK6m~ppLli8vPwQlpcYjl4jQpJT936yzsMKv2VQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Meridian City Council heard an overview April 8 of a proposed rewrite of the parks and recreation code that would move those chapters into Title 5 of the Meridian City Code and streamline permitting, enforcement and tree care provisions.

Deputy City Attorney Emily Kane led the presentation and said the rewrite is part of the citywide 2021–2025 strategic plan to review ordinances and simplify processes. \"One thing that I'm recommending is that we move the parks and recreation code from title 13 to title 5,\" Kane told the council.

Why it matters: the proposed code would change permit timeframes, clarify enforcement authority and penalties, set clearer rules for commercial activity in parks and add a city arborist role and tree‑care standards. Those changes affect how park reservations, vendors, amplified sound, pathway use and tree damage are handled by city staff and police.

Key proposed changes and clarifications:
- Reorganization: Parks provisions currently in Title 13 would move to Title 5; certain fire‑related and administrative provisions would be relocated to Title 4 or Title 1.
- Short‑term concession permits: Kane proposed shortening the processing period for short‑term concession permits (food trucks/vendors tied to park reservations) and clarifying when a temporary use permit (TUP) is required. The draft would allow one short‑term concessionaire per reservation; two or more vendors would trigger a TUP. Kane said the change \"cuts out the middleman\" by vesting invitation authority with the reservation holder rather than the director.
- Permit timelines and denial criteria: The draft reduces certain permit processing times (Kane cited a reduction from 21 days to 14 days for some concessions, and a change to 7 days for amplified sound permits) and adds explicit grounds to deny short‑term concession permits when insurance, health requirements, or exclusivity with a city concessionaire are not met.
- Amplified sound policy: The draft ties allowable decibel levels to a park‑by‑park policy prepared by staff; Kane said staff member Garrett White has prepared a policy setting measurement distances by park, and that decibel meters are now widely available on smartphones for enforcement testing.
- Commercial use of parks: The draft would more clearly restrict general commercial activity in parks unless a permit or special authorization is in place; the code would differentiate short‑term concessionaires (food trucks at a reservation) from broader commercial uses.
- Pathways and motorized devices: The rewrite proposes prohibiting licensed motor vehicles, UTVs and golf carts on pathways, with discussion focused on whether devices that can be licensed for road use should be allowed on roadways instead of pathways. Kane said the draft follows a \"reasonableness\" standard similar to that used by Ada County and would permit enforcement based on location and congestion.
- Enforcement, ejectment and exclusions: The draft consolidates fines into a general $100 infraction for most park violations, clarifies verbal park ejectment and written exclusion notices, and recommends extending exclusion periods (from 7 to up to 14 days) to reduce repeat incidents.
- Arborist and tree protections: The draft formalizes the city arborist\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s duties, references national tree care standards (International Society of Arboriculture) and adds construction‑near‑tree notification requirements. Kane said the changes help meet Tree City USA criteria.
- Penalties for tree damage and climbing: The draft would make damage to public trees a misdemeanor to allow courts to order restitution for costly tree replacement. Councilman Geller said a provision prohibiting climbing trees raised concern; Kane responded that the prohibition was intentional to protect both tree health and public safety.

Public process and next steps: The deputy city attorney said she presented the draft to the Parks and Recreation Commission in February and incorporated commission feedback into the draft before presenting it to the council. Kane and council members discussed whether certain provisions (for example, criminalizing tree climbing) should be refined before a public hearing. Mayor and council said they want additional outreach and time to provide comments; the council indicated the next step will be a public hearing at a future meeting.

No formal vote was taken April 8; staff will return with a public‑hearing date after additional review and feedback.","Deputy City Attorney Emily Kane presented a draft overhaul of the parks and recreation code (moving it into Title 5) and discussed changes to short‑term concession permits, amplified‑sound permitting, pathway rules on motorized devices and expanded duties and penalties tied to the city arborist and public trees.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6610212,"Transportation Commission delivers 2024 year‑end report to Meridian City Council",583,288000,871000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2904836-cd6e40f81ffa0613cb71e133a7d929d4&start=288&end=871","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2904836-cd6e40f81ffa0613cb71e133a7d929d4/thumbnail_288000.jpg","/articles/6610212/Meridian/Ada-County/Idaho/Transportation-Commission-delivers-2024-yearend-report-to-Meridian-City-Council","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610212-7681630d6fb94d896a7745fba4f759df/orig.mp4?Expires=1770448484&Signature=il6oDT6rjsFTiAnp60qmCwuGrUf6nl-cFFGXWplVU6ExrK5vtXUnnN5q1fHtar04ySnDswFRvpVWOa8Y-kom36gpcjHMyl4A807Y8Kew56IiO7r7IP~JwMd-IxkyRiX605JnCAOhd2WDN07F1dZSrQx~6PPTzcQgMiRD6BIAAMnjA5b3ip9BJswIphZNuMm9aDWYJvm4woKSwyv-nE7HP2J2NmeljtGme2lr0VUABta2-zdyabFyfVySTkcHA8Pm0twcvpDasEiwi4vNS8sQ7~kJG-QjlY0hsnAVOmV1tTTlXHq6nXQh0YTSojQ5RWQmtNoCT~4qZGRIApNGOZjjHQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Meridian Transportation Commission presented its 2024 year‑end report to the City Council at the April 8 work session, outlining the group\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s monthly activities, coordination with state and county agencies and the commission\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s top project priorities.

The report was delivered by Walter Steed, the commission chair, who described the commission\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s routine: monthly meetings, regular updates from ex officio members and responding to issues raised by staff and residents. \"We're pleased to be here today to talk about the Transportation Commission end of year report for 2024,\" Steed said.

Why it matters: the commission reviews and prioritizes roadway and intersection projects that feed into the city's five‑year work plan and coordinates with Ada County Highway District (ACHD), the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) District 3, Valley Regional Transit and other agencies. That coordination helps the city shape requests to ACHD and shape local infrastructure spending.

Key points from the report:
- Prioritization and coordination: In January and February 2024 the commission finalized recommendations on the highest priority roadway and intersection projects and community programs; those recommendations were refined after council review in late February.
- Major project briefings: ITD presented updates on State Highway 16, including timelines and planned interchanges; ACHD staff briefed the commission on concept studies such as Linder Road and other corridor work.
- Master street map and section line arterials: City staff and the commission reviewed section line arterial design and preservation, and the commission discussed requested amendments to ACHD's master street map; the commission asked staff to evaluate traffic counts before preserving some segments at full width.
- Safety and traffic calming: the commission reviewed crash data for specific intersections, considered ACHD\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s draft traffic calming policy and identified pedestrian safety projects for FY25 funding.
- Public and partner engagement: ex officio members from ITD, ACHD, Compass and West Ada School District provided regular updates; commission members noted substantial input from agency partners.

Members of the council praised the commission\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s tenure and steady membership. Councilman McArthur said the commission members were \"very seasoned\" and asked what council could do to support their work; Steed recommended council continue sharing constituent transportation concerns so the commission can review them.

The commission noted a recent decline in agenda items and invited council members to forward constituent or staff referrals as they arise. The commission also said a complete record of Transportation Commission minutes is posted on the city website.

The council did not take formal action at the work session; the presentation served as an informational update and planning check‑in for the council and city staff.

About the commission: the Transportation Commission was formed in 2013 by ordinance and consists of nine appointed commissioners; it meets on the first Monday of each month and routinely hears reports from ITD, ACHD, Valley Regional Transit and West Ada School District representatives.","The Meridian Transportation Commission presented its 2024 year‑end report to the City Council on April 8, highlighting project reviews, ongoing coordination with ITD and ACHD, and the commission\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000\u0000s role in prioritizing roads, intersections and community programs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Meridian council approves Pollard North rezone and preliminary plat despite resident concerns about school capacity and density

City attorney outlines proposed rewrite of Meridian parks code, including short‑term vendor rules, noise policy and new arborist duties

Transportation Commission delivers 2024 year‑end report to Meridian City Council