11/07/2016
Proposed Firenze Plaza Commercial Project; The following email was sent out yesterday. Since that time ACHD has contacted me and asked if we could set up aTuscany HOA Meeting. We are in the process of trying to do that. Also I have received the Traffic Study for this project from ACHD. It is lengthy so if any one wants to see it please send me your email address at [email protected]
Also if you have any comments you would like to make concerning this proposed project you can send them to the email addresses shown. Thank you.
Delivered Via Email
November 6, 2016
Subject: Firenze Plaza CPAM, AZ, PP H-2016-0102
Extension of Mount Etna Drive
To: Kent Goldthorpe
President ACHD Commission
District 4
[email protected]
To: Josh Beach
Associate City Planner
City of Meridian
[email protected]
Gentlemen:
I am writing this letter to bring to your attention concerns that I do not believe ACHD or Planning and Zoning have considered in the proposal of the above referenced project.
First of all let me say that almost all Tuscany Residents that I have communicated with are in favor of the commercial development that is proposed, especially having an Albertsons grocery store close by.
Our objections are the proposed extension of Mount Etna Dr. making it a through street to the commercial center and to Eagle Road. Our Tuscany subdivision has 1,070 single family homes and 100 patio homes. Also the subdivisions that abut up to Tuscany on the westside are Bellingham Park, Estancia and the new Paisley subdivision with approximately 300 additional homes. That is 1,470 total households with an average of at least 2 cars per household or 2,940 cars within the boundaries of Locust Grove to Eagle Rd. and Victory Rd. to Amity Rd.
If the extension of Mount Etna Dr. from Montague Rd. east is allowed to be built it will result in hundreds of cars on a daily basis using Deerhill, DaVinci and Mount Etna Dr. to reach the commercial center and to exit onto Eagle Rd. That is totally unacceptable and unfair to all existing residents on these three streets. Every one of these existing homes was built with our front yards facing these streets. We purchased our homes with the expectation that we were buying in a quiet, family friendly, kid friendly safe neighborhood. Our children play in our front yards, in our drive ways, and on our sidewalks. They also ride their bikes and scooters as well as walk to school on these same sidewalks and streets.
Approving this project to be built as proposed will without a doubt endanger the safety and security of our children and families that live on these streets. It will be impossible to allow our children to play in front of our homes if traffic is allowed to use Mount Etna Dr. as an access to this center. No one wants a child in be injured and/or killed by a car that is speeding down the street to go buy something at the store or to just exit onto Eagle Rd. Tuscany already has two existing exits that are close by this proposed development, namely Zaldia Rd. and Montague Rd. Both of these existing exits can be easily used by everyone, as they are now, to access this commercial project. A third exit is not required nor wanted.
I challenge you to show me one other commercial project in Meridian and/or in the Treasure Valley where you have approved or allowed the commercial project to convert an existing residential street into a major thoroughfare that will be used by hundreds of cars daily. Not one other Albertsons, Fred Meyer, Wal-Mart, Winco’s, Lowe’s, Home Depot’s etc. have been built this way even though most, if not all, are surrounded by residential neighborhoods. For obvious reasons, it does not make sense and is extremely dangerous to increase traffic into a quiet residential neighborhood.
We respectfully request that you consider all the ramifications that this project will have if approved and allowed to be built as proposed. There are other options available that do not include the extension of Mount Etna Dr.
Therefore we implore you to deny this application for this project as proposed and request alternative designs be submitted that do not include the extension of Mount Etna Dr.
Sincerely yours,
Warren Cays
208-887-6911
[email protected]
cc: Mindy Wallace, ACHD
[email protected]
Machelle Hill
[email protected]
