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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBrian BartleyBrian Bartley 4618 Gap Creek Ave Caldwell, Idaho 83607 Caldwell City Council 205 S. 6th Ave Caldwell, Idaho 83605 December 2, 2024 Dear Caldwell City Council: My name is Brian Bartley, and I live in the Cumberland Estates subdivision which sits Southeast of the Soterra Project. I have multiple concerns regarding this project. First, I would like to take a moment to thank the Planning and Zoning Commission, for listening to our concerns about this project and recently voting four to zero against the proposed changes to this project. I would also like to state that we are not against developing Caldwell. I appreciate that this developer has multiple projects in Caldwell and wants to be a part of the community. However, the proposed changes to this project will have a negative impact on the community. My first concern is that when this project was first approved it was described as a subdivision of homes of equal or similar size and value to the homes in Cumberland Estates. The current median home value in Cumberland Estates is $625,000 (as per Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Silverhawk Realty). Now the developer no longer wants single residence homes but wants to change the project to multiplex style apartments and townhouses, which will decrease the property value of the homes in Cumberland Estates and other surrounding subdivisions. At the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting in September the developer stated that since this project was first proposed home prices have risen significantly and he is right they have, which is why multiplex apartments and townhouses is not the correct answer to this issue, it is the reason that will lower property values in the area. East Pineville Street is slated to run from the Soterra Project into Cumberland Estates, being one of only two entry and exit points for Soterra. The other exit being Ustick Road and Kimball Avenue. The amount of traffic that will be pushed into Cumberland Estates is going to be astronomical and will be a detriment to the residents of Cumberland. There are multiple families with small children and special needs children who live on Gap Creek Ave. that will be greatly impacted by allowing that large of an apartment complex with hundreds of cars traveling back and forth daily through Cumberland Estates. Gap Creek Ave. is going to be a major thoroughfare of traffic for people avoiding Ustick and Kimball and trying to make their way to Tenth Avenue. This is already become an issue with work trucks who have been asked multiple times to use the entrance located at Ustick and Kimball, and not to come through the Cumberland Subdivision. Not to mention the trucks who use the Phyllis Cannel Access road (Via Laster St.) causing dust dirt and other debris to be kicked up and thrown into the backyards of the homes along Gap Creek Ave. This will ultimately destroy the value, family friendly and quiet nature that Cumberland Estates is known for. There is a lack of commercial infrastructure on this side of Caldwell. We currently have only on gas station (Maverick) and one grocery store (Walmart Neighborhood Market), both located on the South-East Corner of Ustick and Tenth Ave. The addition of multiplex multifamily apartments is only going to add additional strain on these establishments. There is a lack of amenities on this side of Caldwell, what we need is more commercial establishments not more apartments or multiplex multifamily style housing. All of these new rental properties are located within the Caldwell School District, which is already overwhelmed with the number of students in the district. The school district recently had to rezone the entire district, closing one elementary school due to funding issues and is currently looking to relocate a high school due to infrastructure issues. How will the Caldwell School District be able to accommodate the influx of new students to the district? Class sizes are already well above the state standard and are underfunded. At the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting in September we heard from a representative for the Caldwell School District who said that the district owns land near the Soterra project, and they can build a school. How long will this take to build a new school, not to mention the current infrastructure needs in the area of better roads, water districts being overwhelmed? This area of Caldwell needs to have more commercial establishments and improved infrastructure, not just add more multifamily housing. The City Council must stop allowing developers to have their way with Caldwell at the expense of the residents of Caldwell. This is not the first time that a developer has submitted a plan to the city that was approved, and then later submitted changes to that plan and given blanket approval. The Toll Brothers Project, Pradera Subdivision on Tenth Avenue South of Cumberland Estates submitted a request to raise the height of the homes in their subdivision after construction had already begun and were approved. Please stop allowing developers to submit a plan they feel the community will be okay with and then at the last minute after work on the approved project has already begun, to drastically change that plan knowing that it will be approved by the City Council against what the residents of Cadwell want in the area. We understand that the growth of Caldwell is important, but not at the expense and detriment of other subdivisions in the area, which is exactly what will happen to Cumberland Estates, as well as other subdivisions in the area, with the amount of multifamily multiplex style housing and the amount of traffic being added. Caldwell is not an apartment first city, lets fill the apartment complexes and homes that sitting empty just approving the next multiplex, multifamily complex. Caldwell needs to build commercial establishments that can meet the needs of its residents before continuing to just build apartments and multiplexes on every corner. Thank you for your time and consideration. Brian Bartley Brian Bartley 4618 Gap Creek Ave Caldwell, Idaho 83607 Caldwell Planning and Zoning Commission 205 S. 6th Ave Caldwell, Idaho 83605 September 17, 2024 Dear Caldwell Planning and Zoning Commission: My name is Brian Bartley, and I live in Caldwell, in the Cumberland Estates subdivision which sits Southeast of the Soterra Project. I have multiple concerns regarding this project. When this project was originally approved it was described and platted as a subdivision of homes equal or similar in size and value as to the homes in Cumberland Estates. The current Median home value in Cumberland Estates is $625,000 (as per Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Silverhawk Realty). Now the developer of the Soterra Project, no longer wants single residence homes, but wants to change this project into multiplex apartments, an apartment city if you will, decreasing the property value of the homes in the Cumberland Estates and surrounding subdivisions. East Pineville St is slated to run from Cumberland Estates into this new Soterra Project, being one of only two entry and exit points for Soterra, the other being via Ustick & Kimball Ave. The amount of traffic that will be pushed into Cumberland Estates is going to be astronomical and will be a detriment to the residents of Cumberland. There are multiple families with small children and special needs children who live on Gap Creek Ave. that will be greatly impacted by allowing that large of an apartment complex with hundreds of cars traveling back and forth daily through Cumberland Estates. Gap Creek Ave is going to become a major throughfare of traffic for people avoiding Ustick/Kimball and this is ultimately going to destroy the value, family friendly and quiet nature that Cumberland Estates is known for. There are already multiple apartment complexes in this area currently under construction, or recently completed. Apartments on the Northeast corner of Ustick Road and 10th Avenue butting up to a small family-owned Veterinary office. Town home rentals, currently under construction on the West side of 10th Avenue North of Ustick Road. There is the apartment complex under construction next to Heritage Community Charter School and the YMCA on Ustick & Indiana, as well as the Silver Creek Apartment Complex across the street from Heritage Charter School on Ustick. Another mega, multiplex apartment complex is not what is needing on this side of Caldwell. There is a lack of commercial infrastructure on this side of Caldwell. We currently only have one gas station (Maverick) and one grocery store (Walmart Neighborhood Market), both located on the South-East corner of Ustick road and 10th Avenue. The addition of multiplex, multifamily apartments is only going to add additional strain on these establishments. There is a lack of amenities on this side of Caldwell. We need commercial, not more apartments. All of these new rental properties are located within the Caldwell School District, which is already overwhelmed with the number of students in the district. The School District recently had to rezone the entire district, close one elementary school due to funding issues, and is currently looking to relocate one high school due to infrastructure issues. How will the Caldwell School District be able to accommodate the influx of new students to the district? Class sizes are already well above standard and underfunded. This area of Caldwell needs to have more commercial establishments and infrastructure, not just add more apartments. The Planning and Zoning Department must stop allowing developers to have their way with Caldwell at the expense of the residents of Caldwell. This is not the first time that a developer has submitted a plan to the city that was approved, and then later submitted changes to that plan and given blanket approval. The Toll Brothers Project, Pradera subdivision on 10th Avenue South of Cumberland Estates submitted a request to raise the height of the homes in their subdivision after construction has already begun and was approved. Please stop allowing developers to submit a plan they feel the community will be okay with and then at the last minute after work on the approved project has already begun, to drastically change the plan for the project knowing that the Planning and Zoning Department, City Council and the Mayor will approve the changes against what the residents of Caldwell want in the area. We understand that the growth of Caldwell is important, but not at the expense and detriment of other subdivisions in the area, which is going to happen to Cumberland Estates with the amount of multiplex multifamily apartments and the added traffic. Caldwell is not an apartment first city, lets fill the current empty apartment complexes and homes that are sitting empty before just approving the next multiplex, multifamily complex. Caldwell needs to build commercial establishments that can meet the needs of its residents before just continuing to build apartments on every corner. Thank you for your time and consideration. Brian Bartley