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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPinto Apartments Appeal Request PROJECT LETTER 499 Main Street Boise, Idaho 83702 (208) 343-2931 www.taoidaho.com Date: January 3, 2025 To: City Clerk, City of Caldwell 205 South 6th Avenue Caldwell, ID 83605 Project: Pinto Apartments Case No.: ANN24-000012/CPM24-000004/SUP24-000017 Subject: Planning & Zoning Commission Appeal Please accept this letter as our application for appeal to the City of Caldwell Planning & Zoning Commission’s project denial at the hearing on December 19, 2024. The stated reason for their denial is: “the project is incompatible with the area”. We believe this decision was made in error by the commission by incorrect facts stated by the commission after the public testimony was closed, therefore these facts could not be corrected. 1. The main justification given for the denial was based on an email from the City of Nampa indicating that our proposed development would be incompatible with the approved and existing adjacent Nampa residential development. Note, the property owners / developers of the project to the south did not respond with any comments and did not testify at the hearing. Our follow-up inquiry with the City of Nampa revealed that they never reviewed any drawings of our proposed project. After we sent them the actual drawings and indicated that this project was only 36 multi-family residential units, the City of Nampa responded with the following: “The project has setbacks that is typical for City of Nampa multi-family development and that the proposed buildings have an architectural articulation that is complementary to typical residential construction”. The City of Nampa has revised their previous comments and offers no objections about the proposed development. Please see attached email letter. 2. It was stated in the commissioner’s discussion for denial that the development to the south (in the City of Nampa) was a single-family development. This is very misleading if not factually incorrect. The development to the south, Astaire Development, is a very large mixed-use development and directly to the south (across the street) is a 90-unit townhome component of that development. Please see attached Astaire Subdivision drawing. 3. It was stated in the commissioner’s discussion that R-3 zoning is incompatible with R-2 zoning. It is true that R-2 zoning would be the most compatible with R-2 zoning. The next most compatible zoning to R-2 would be R-1 or R-3 zoning. To make the statement that R-3 zoning is incompatible with R-2 zoning is not supported by Caldwell’s zoning ordinance. In most cases, R-3 zoning is adjacent to R-2 zoning. Furthermore, R-3 zoning is more appropriate zoning than R-2 when adjacent to a major arterial road. PROJECT LETTER Page 2 of 2 4. Caldwell’s planning staff stated an opinion in their report that they have concerns with the density of this project at this location due to the distance from other R-3 zoned properties. This was stated in the commissioners discussion as part of their justification for non-approval. They stated that the nearest R-3 zoning was 1.33 miles away. Caldwell’s city code does not state any requirements on how close or far apart zoning designations can be. We feel that the comprehensive plan wants more mixed-use and multi-zoning zoning options it its development and less mono-zoning development. Adding a higher density component (25 multi-family residential units) adds this diversity of development to the area and is most appropriate to serve as a buffer zone to the arterial road and the commercial uses to the north and east. Thank-you for your consideration and please call with any questions or concerns, 343-2931 ext. 5. Sincerely, Matthew Rhees, Architect The Architects Office, PLLC From: Doug Critchfield Sent: Friday, December 27, 2024 3:13 PM To: 'kwright@cityofcaldwell.org' <kwright@cityofcaldwell.org> Cc: 'rckulchak@gmail.com' <rckulchak@gmail.com>; 'Matt Rhees' <matt@taoidaho.com> Subject: RE: Request for Comments on ANN24-000012, CPM24-000004, SUP24-000017 Hi Katie – I have spent some time with the project applicants gaining more understanding about the nature of this proposed development. The building is split into two units with a 25’ setback from the back of walk on Laster Lane. This is a typical setback that Nampa utilizes for multi-family development. The building units have an architectural articulation that is complementary to typical residential construction. After this review, Nampa would like to revise our previous comments (below) and offer no objections about the proposed development. Thank you - Doug From: Doug Critchfield Sent: Monday, October 14, 2024 12:02 PM To: 'kwright@cityofcaldwell.org' <kwright@cityofcaldwell.org> Subject: FW: Request for Comments on ANN24-000012, CPM24-000004, SUP24-000017 Hi Katie – Regarding the proposed Pinto Apartments with 35 dwelling units on 1.45 acres (density of 24 dwelling units to the acre) at 17597 Midland Blvd in Caldwell: Nampa has approved single-family residential development immediately to the south of this parcel (Astaire Subdivision) with an RP (Residential Professional) zoning designation and density is about 3 dwelling units per acre. There is existing single family residential development to the southwest of this parcel that is zoned RS 8.5 (Single-Family) with a density is about 2 dwelling units per acre. Nampa has Industrial-zoned property to the east of this parcel. The proposed Pinto Apartments density is significantly different from the adjacent Nampa residential development density. Although Nampa encourages the development of high-density residential, the proposed development in that location will likely be incompatible with approved and existing adjacent Nampa residential development. Sincerely - Doug Doug Critchfield, Principal Planner, ASLA O: 208.468.5406, F: 208.468.5439 500 12th Ave. S., Nampa, ID 83651 Plannin and Zoning - Like us on Facebook Citizen’s Guide to Planning – Learn More About Planning!