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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04 Public Response ., - ....-E.... 1 PUBLIC RESPONSE ITEM DATE SUBMITTED BY ,v_c‘ c .,2AAAS's I Ilir 9 \ -a- j) ,617i-- OaCt/b6Q, • I 4., 4 JQIIA e . . iatit i V capiali , , - j ) _ . ' , t - __. From: Ice House Partners 2711 S Curtis Road Boise,ID 83705 To: Caldwell, Idaho Planning&Zoning Dept 621 Cleveland Blvd Caldwell, ID 83605 RE: Case Number SUP-349-11 Attn: Planning&Zoning Commission Dear Sir, Please accept this letter regarding our comments&concerns over the above referenced case number SUP-349-11. Ice House Partners general Partnership is the owner of the property located at 315-421 Main Street in Caldwell,Idaho. This property is the location where Scotts Ice Company operated since the early 1900's. The most valuable asset on the property is a subsurface artesian well to which we hold the water rights. The well water is 100%pure and our concern is the possibility of contamination should the ground water from the surface get contaminated and enter the aquifer at or near the well head which is approximately 12 foot below the surface. Ultimately we would prefer to see a Level II EPA ground water study be required around the entire proposed site and the site of United Metals existing facility. We feel that this would be a very valuable study should contamination occur in the future in order to determine the source. The City of Caldwell indicated some interest in the well several years ago and it would be an Ideal source of drinking water for a city that so desperately needs it. If you have ever had a drink out of the water fountain across the street from the Caldwell Police Station,I am sure you understand what I am talking about. I will be in attendance at the meeting November 9111. Si eaely • Pat Large • Anne Marie. Skinner From: Kelly Kehrer[kelly©kmengllp.com] Sent: Wednesday, November 02, 2011 3:50 PM To: Anne Marie. Skinner Subject: RE: Still planning on paving? Yes. In fact they have already began the work. The site is also underlain by an 8' layer of caliche which is impermeable. The only portion that is not paved is a portion of the storm drain basin that has to retain the water qualify storm which has to infiltrate in. However there is a forebay area before that that is setup to catch any oils or similar fluids before it can go into the area that infiltrates. Kelly Kehrer, P.E. Principal Engineer KM Engineering 391 W.State St.,Suite A Eagle,ID 83616 208.639.6939 Fax 208.639.6930 kelly@kmengllp.com From: Anne Marie. Skinner [mailto:amskinner@ci.caldwell id.usl Sent: Wednesday, November 02, 2011 2:23 PM To: Kelly Kehrer; rod@unitedmetal.us Subject: Still planning on paving? Hi Kelly, Are you still planning on paving the entire site before United Metals begins any salvaging? If so, I'd like to stipulate that as a condition of approval—the reason being that I believe that will almost completely mitigate Mr. Large's concerns. If your site is paved, no fuels or liquids can seep into the ground. Thoughts? Anne Marie Skinner Senior Planner City of Caldwell Planning and Zoning 621 Cleveland Blvd. Caldwell, ID 83605 Direct Line: (208)455-4662 Fax: (208)455-3050 amskinner(aci.caldwell.id.us 1 `' 11/9/2011 To: Planning and Zoning- City of Caldwell Hearing Examiner RE: Public hearing- Case # SUP349-11 concerning United Metals special use permit request to operate a metal/wrecking/salvage yard on property addressed as 219 Main Street. The Caxton Printers Ltd. owns properties directly across from and adjacent to the proposed metal/wrecking/salvage yard that is being considered at 219 Main Street. Ours is one of the last office environments at the west end of Main Street in downtown Caldwell. We have concerns about the impact that a metal/wrecking/salvage yard would pose to our property values and to the business environment in which we have operated for more than 100 years at our site. Additionally, the west end of Main Street, as it transitions from Simplot Boulevard, is a significant entry point to the downtown Caldwell corridor that we have all spent so much money restoring. Our concern is also for what the existence of a salvage yard at that entry point might mean for future development of downtown Caldwell. Despite these concerns we believe that the proposed special use of the property at 219 Main Street can operate without undue negative impact to Caxton and the rest of downtown business and future development should a few restrictions be placed upon the use of said property. United Metal currently operates a similar metal/wrecking/salvage yard about 200 yards on the other side of the rail line and opposite our front door. Thus, we are well aware of the noise and visual impact that is caused by the operation of such a facility in a downtown environment. We have spoken with United Metal's Rod Eckart. He walked us around the proposed site and answered many of the questions and concerns that we have about this project. He explained his desire to erect a 6 ft. fence on top of a 2 ft. concrete wall thus shielding Main Street traffic from the operation of the proposed site. He explained that United Metal's intent is to utilize this second site (219 Main) as a site for demolishing large equipment for scrap metal and then loading it onto train cars for transportation, not for long term storage of scrap metal. He explained that the size of the "pile" should never approach that of the pile on the other United Metal site and that, in fact, the addition of the 219 Main Street site should work to reduce the size of the existing pile. After the meeting with Mr. Eckart we still had concerns but we walked away trusting that Mr. Eckart's honest intention was to continue to work as a good neighbor in the downtown area and to minimize any negative impacts that the 219 Main St. project might create for those of us that currently operate businesses in the subject area. Our concern however isn't with Mr. Eckart and United Metal's intentions. Our concern is with the potential for future utilization of the property by future owners and users should the site be approved without significant safeguards. In short-we trust United Metal and Mr. Eckart but we cannot know who or what might occupy the site in question should United Metal choose to sell or vacate the site at some future date. It is our recommendation that the proposed special use permit be approved but with the following conditions of approval in place. A: A fence/barrier that obstructs the clear view of the materials and operations of the 219 Main St. site from Main St. and neighboring businesses must be erected. The fence/barrier must be at least 8 ft. in total height (example 6 ft. fence on top of 2 ft. wall = 8ft.) and must shield pedestrians and automobile traffic in the downtown area from the operations on the site itself. B: Any "pile" of material on the 219 Main St. site may not exceed 12 ft. in height for a period of more than one week at a time. It is our belief that, with these safeguards in place, Caxton's businesses will not be significantly harmed, our property values will not be significantly reduced, and the future development of the downtown corridor will not be significantly impacted. It is our sincere hope that the imposition of these conditions of approval will not represent a significant added expense for United Metal and that the city of Caldwell will continue to benefit from United Metal's presence and contributions. We thank you for considering this request. Scott Gipson President The Caxton Printers Ltd.