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HomeMy WebLinkAboutKeyes, Ben & Connie - Letter of Opposition_SpringhouseTownes_05.04.20251 May 4, 2025 To: Caldwell Planning and Zoning: We are writing to express our strong opposition to the proposed “Springhouse Townes Subdivision, Annexation and PUD” in our neighborhood. This property is currently zoned in Canyon County as R2, and is currently being used as irrigated farm ground / pasture. First and foremost, the proposed development is simply too large for this area. According to the newly adopted Caldwell Comprehensive Plan, this parcel could be annexed and labeled “Neighborhood 3,” which states “this should border areas of more intense commercial uses.” Neighborhood 3 should have normally been reserved for properties along Caldwell Boulevard, Interstate I-84 and Highway 20/26; NOT for properties on a minor arterial in residential areas well over a mile from any commercial uses. Allowing this property to become a Neighborhood 3 (N3), where all other properties around it are Neighborhood 2 adversely affects the area around this development. Density in N3 is extremely higher than the current surrounding areas. For example, Oaklund Acres to the North is 1.43 units per acre. London Park to the Southwest is 1.89 units per acre. Burnie Sub is 1.99 units per acre, and Brittany Heights is 3.8 units per acre. 2 Second, Per Riley Planning Services letter to you on February 4, 2025, it states that these townhomes will be on individual parcels for individual home ownership. What it fails to state, is that the townhomes are attached units, making several of these buildings well over 200 feet long, along the north side of the property line. These massive structures would span almost the entire 515 feet of my property line, and set back only 15 feet from my property line. In addition to the unconventional length, the towering height is not consistent with the Caldwell City Code. Again, per the letter, Riley Planning acknowledges that the buildings “minimally exceed the 25-foot height standard by 2.5 to SLIGHTLY more than 3 feet.” Unacceptable. Per the newly adopted Caldwell Comprehensive Plan, it states that Neighborhood 3, “should have gradual increases in height, and efforts to blend building scales should be made in order to avoid abrupt changes in height and building size.” All homes right next to this proposed development are single family, detached, single story ground level homes. I am seeing abrupt changes, no effort at all to blend. Again, the Caldwell Comp Plan states that “Transitions into Neighborhood 3 should be gradual.” This massive development is NOT a transition that anyone wants or needs in this area. Bring us single family DETACHED homes that would be consistent with the area. This would even be consistent with the already approved CBH Wagers Acres development across the street at Homedale and Midway. (118 single family homes on 40 acres). The Caldwell Comp Plan also states “A transition in intensity from surrounding uses of less intensity, should be included. While this may be denser, it should still be compatible in scale to surrounding residential uses.” This development is NOT compatible in Scale. This proposed plan is disorderly development, inconsistent with anything stated in the Comprehensive Plan. Third, the increase in population density would put a strain on our already overburdened infrastructure, leading to additional traffic congestion. Traffic on Midway Road is already terrible. The Caldwell Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) dated 12/12/2024, shows that Midway Road is scheduled to be improved / widened between Flamingo and the Boulevard, sometime between years 2036 and 2041. This roadway cannot handle the increased traffic the way it currently is. To add this many homes would generate a significant increase on our already congested minor arterial road. This is a huge safety concern for those who travel daily on it. What do we do for the next 11-16 years until it is improved? 3 Next, the Vallivue school district is already at capacity. At the last Planning and Zoning meeting in April, 2025, the overcrowded Vallivue school district was discussed. “Vallivue, at this time” could possibly accommodate the current housing situation in the Caldwell area, but cannot accommodate any more without building more schools. Again, Vallivue School District #139 will forever be on the school bond levy/vote. Vallivue School District bonds are never ending – asking for more money again in the May Election. In less than a 2-mile radius, there are more than 8 developments that will be in the Vallivue School District that are already approved … and more on the list that have not even gotten to the approval stage. These will overcrowd Vallivue schools: Just these, which are already approved and are actively being built or have the ability to be built in the near future – 2,721 (possibly 2,798 if you approve the Springhouse Townes). Take each unit times 3 kids on the average = over 8,100 more students for Vallivue schools, let alone bus traffic, foot traffic, etc. 4 Caldwell already has plenty of developments and unit vacancies within a mile of this development. Do we really need 77 more units? • Midway Townhomes, almost completed, 40 units on Midway S of Boulevard; • Faith Landing Apartments, Homedale and Boulevard, still several vacancies; • Jaxon/Canyon Village at Homedale and Boulevard, 409 units / several vacancies; • Wagers Acres just across the street from this proposed development – just started moving dirt in the Northern section (118 homes) Furthermore, this development application states that this almost 9 acres is infill. Per the Caldwell City Annexation Application*: 15. Section 10-03-07(7) – Projects that are classified as infill may have all or portions of amenity requirements waived. To be considered infill, the subject parcel must meet the following three criteria: A) Parcel under 20 acres. (YES) B) Parcel located within largely developed area (at least 50% of the land within 300 feet of the exterior boundaries of the subject parcel) (YES - SOMEWHAT) 40 acres of BARE GROUND across the street is not yet developed – no dirt moved directly east of the property – Wagers Acres to be developed, but nothing on the south portion even started. C) Municipal services are already available (NO) they are planning on hooking up to Wagers Acres after Wagers has it installed – they are not already available. The criteria for infill states “are already available”. This is Not True. * Also, the application states: If you wish to proceed as an INFILL planned unit development, please attach a separate sheet of paper describing how the subject property meets each of the three criteria listed above. * Additionally, please show how the proposed building design(s) is compatible with the existing neighborhood and adjoining properties by taking into account building type, height, bulk, and site location. This was not found anywhere in the application – and nothing was noted by Riley Planning on this. The generic letter with the application to the P&Z and City Council merely states that is suitable for infill development. This is NOT compatible with the existing neighborhood in any way. Building Type, Height, Bulk AND Site Location (200+ feet long massive buildings along the North property lines). This DOES NOT match the surrounding sites in any shape or form. 5 This massive height of this development will overshadow my property. An exact replica of what is proposed at Springhouse Townes, is in Cougar Crossing in Caldwell. This was used for pictures and measurements. At high noon, this structure shadows 48 feet to the North. My driveway, that is less than 15 feet from my property line, will NEVER see the sunshine in the winter time, causing slick conditions and trip hazards. This picture, below, was taken from 60-70 yards away – you can see how massive a structure this is. This is one of the buildings that would be placed right along my property line – at the North edge of the development. There are 2 buildings like this, that would be placed right along my property. 6 The minimum 6 foot “privacy fence” does nothing for the extra 22 feet up and over the fence to block these massive structures. This is a 6-foot-tall man, and 28-foot-tall building a mere 15 feet from the fence line. This is what I will see from my house if this development is approved.