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HomeMy WebLinkAbout180426 LTR_PP Cover Letter & Narrative 1-10-19 332 N Broadmore Way Nampa, ID 83687 Phone (208) 442-6300 Fax (208) 466-0944 info@to-engineers.com to-engineers.com Aviation | Transportation | Land Development | Municipal | Water Resources | Wastewater | Surveying | Landscape Architecture | Environmental January 10, 2019 Jarom Wagoner City of Caldwell Planning Department 621 Cleveland Blvd Caldwell, ID 83605 RE: Highlight Estates Subdivision – Preliminary Plat Cover Letter & Project Narrative Dear Mr. Wagoner: We are pleased to submit the attached Preliminary Plat application for consideration of the proposed Highlight Estates Subdivision on behalf of Whispering Pines Development, LLC (Owner/Applicant). The submittal includes the required Hearing Review Application and checklists for “Subdivision – Preliminary Plat” and “Landscape Plan”. In the event the checklists require duplicate information, only a single copy of that item is provided in addition with an electronic copy. A Pre-Application Roundtable Meeting was held on December 13, 2018 with the City. It was noted during the meeting, as well as in previous communication, that a traffic study was not required due to the number of buildable lots (50 total) being below the required threshold. As such, a traffic study has not been prepared or included with this application. A Neighborhood Meeting was held on January 3, 2019, and a copy of the attendance roster is included with this application. The main concerns voiced during the meeting were: · Increased traffic and general access to the site through existing Easy Street; · Wear and tear on existing Southgate Subdivision local streets due to increased traffic; · Site access during construction; · Fencing type and height around the property; and, · Management of existing shared irrigation surface water. Many neighbors voiced a desire to include a project access off Ustick Road. The Applicant is open to this option, but understands access from Ustick Road is not allowed due to its classification as a Principal Arterial. The Applicant is also committed to work with the neighbors and City to address the other concerns to the maximum extent practicable. Additional project information is provided in the following narrative. We appreciate your consideration of this application. Please contact myself or the applicant at any time should you have any questions or require additional information. Respectfully, Caleb LaClair, P.E. Project Manager (Agent/Representative) cc: 180426 Tim Kristovich (Whispering Pines Development, LLC) Highlight Estates Subdivision – Preliminary Plat Project Narrative Page 2 of 4 Highlight Estates Subdivision – Project Narrative for Preliminary Plat The proposed Highlight Estates Subdivision is located north of Ustick Road and west of Airport Avenue in Caldwell, Idaho. The site currently consists of one parcel (# R3568000000) approximately 16.48 acres in size. The property has historically been used for agricultural purposes, most recently for hay/alfalfa production. There is an old barn and one other minor structure located near the southwest property corner; otherwise the site is vacant. The property is bounded by the following uses: · North – Easy Street and Southgate Subdivision (Caldwell R-1 Zoning); · East – Southgate Subdivision (Caldwell R-1 Zoning); · South – Ustick Road, Nazarene Church and rural residential parcels (County R-2 Zoning); and, · West – Karndell Subdivision and rural residential parcels (County R-2 Zoning). There are a handful of existing trees along the easterly and westerly property boundaries, as well as two trees near the existing barn. The trees along the boundary are intended to remain and be protected if considered healthy, while any trees internal to the site will be removed. The property was recently annexed and zoned as “Residential R-1” within the City of Caldwell in October 2018 as part of Case No. ANN-18-06. The proposed Highlight Estates Subdivision consists of 50 buildable single-family lots; four (4) common open space lots; and one common lot for the pressure irrigation pump station. The pump station lot may be dedicated to the Caldwell Municipal Irrigation District if desired. The gross project density is 3.03 DU/acre. The minimum buildable lot size is 8,176-SF, with an average size of 9,320-SF. All proposed lots meet the dimensional lot standards of the “R-1” zone. The Applicant intends to develop the project in a single phase, with the duration of home construction dependent on market trends and absorption rates. The project proposes primary access from Easy Street with secondary access from Dewey Lane, both being existing local roads constructed with the Southgate Subdivision. Easy Street and Dewey Lane both provide direct access to Airport Avenue (Collector), while adjacent Meadow Avenue provides access to Ustick Road (Principal Arterial). The project proposes to widen pavement and install curb, gutter, and sidewalk along the Easy Street and Ustick Road frontage to meet current City standards. The Caldwell City Engineer indicated that direct street access to Ustick Road is not allowed due to its classification as a principal arterial, and is therefore, not proposed with the project. The Applicant would be open to providing street access to Ustick Road if allowed by the City, as residents from Southgate Subdivision voiced concern over traffic and wear on Easy Street and the other roads internal to their development. Southgate Subdivision was originally a Canyon County development platted in 1970 and 1972. According to residents of the subdivision, the roads were originally gravel, and eventually paved with a shallow lift of asphalt at the expense of the HOA. There is currently a 24’ wide section of paved asphalt within a 56’ wide public Right-of-Way for Easy Street and the other existing local roads. Southgate Subdivision, along with the public roadways, were annexed into the City of Caldwell approximately 15 years ago to allow the City to provide municipal water service due to high nitrate levels in the subdivision community wells. The municipal water system was installed in 2002, and the wells and private water system converted for irrigation only use. The City of Caldwell owns and maintains an 8” water main in Easy Street and Meadow Avenue, which connect to 10” and 12” water mains in Airport Avenue Ustick Road respectively. The Highlight Estates project proposes to connect to the City water system at the project entry off Easy Street and at the Highlight Estates Subdivision – Preliminary Plat Project Narrative Page 3 of 4 Dewey Lane and Meadow Avenue intersection. The project will also extend the 12” water main in Ustick Road across the project frontage concurrent with road widening. The City of Caldwell owns and maintains an 8” sewer main located at the intersection of Airport Avenue and Rothbury Drive, which was installed as part of the Newbury Subdivision in 2005/2006. Approximately 920 lineal feet of offsite sewer main extension in Airport Avenue and Easy Street is required to serve the property. The City requested the Applicant/Developer install sewer laterals to existing adjacent lots at the time the sewer main is constructed to provide opportunity for future connection, and indicated the Applicant/Developer would be eligible for latecomer reimbursement. Overhead power and communication lines are located along the south side of Ustick Road and along the easterly property boundary. Systems maps and record drawings also indicate the presence of gas mains along both Ustick Road and Easy Street. The property is located within the Wilder Irrigation District and has 15.31 acres of water rights. Boise Project Board of Control delivers the water via head-gate 6.28 off the Pioneer Lateral. This head-gate is shared by both the subject property and the Southgate Wilder Lateral Ditch User’s Association, which includes the Southgate Subdivision and the Gary Allington property located at the south west property corner. Irrigation water is conveyed from the head-gate to a concrete ditch located along the westerly boundary of the property. Water flows to the northwest property corner where it is piped across Easy Street to the Southgate Subdivision irrigation system. An overflow structure releases unused irrigation water to a pipe along Marshall Avenue and back into the Phyllis Canal. A second and separate delivery pipe runs along the west side of the westerly property boundary to a separate structure at the northwest property corner that discharges to a ditch along the south side of Easy Street. The ditch terminates at the northeast property corner and enters a pipe along Easy Street that conveys irrigation water and runoff to a structure on the east side of Airport Avenue, and eventually back to the Phyllis Canal. It is our understanding that this lateral used to provide irrigation water to the property that is now the Newbury Subdivision, but is not actively used at this time. Regardless, the project proposes to pipe the ditch along Easy Street to maintain lateral functionality. To supply irrigation water, the project proposes to pipe the existing concrete ditch along the westerly property boundary, and install a new flow diversion box at the proposed irrigation pump station lot. The diversion box would be designed to split flow between the Highlight Estates and Southgate Subdivision uses, while also providing overflow back into the pipe. A preliminary design has already been reviewed by both Caldwell Municipal Irrigation District (CMID) and representatives of the Southgate Wilder Lateral Ditch User’s Association. The Applicant intends to construct the gravity irrigation improvements prior to the start of the 2019 irrigation season. Also, as required by CMID for projects that receive water from BPBC, the project is proposing to install a backup irrigation supply well. Both the well, pump station, and irrigation system would be constructed to CMID standards. The Applicant has already submitted a supplemental irrigation water right application with the Idaho Department of Water Resources on behalf of CMID to procure the water rights necessary for the well. The adjacent Gary Allington property is irrigated via siphon tubes off the concrete ditch. Since the ditch is proposed to be tiled, the Applicant plans to provide pressure irrigation service to the Gary Allington property. The site drains generally from the northwest corner to the southeast corner at slope of 1% or less. A waste ditch is located along the north side of Ustick Road, with culverts at driveway approaches, and along the easterly property boundary. Both ditches convey to an existing 10” storm drain pipe near the Highlight Estates Subdivision – Preliminary Plat Project Narrative Page 4 of 4 southeast property corner that runs to the east along Ustick Road. The project proposes to install a pipe along the Ustick Road landscape buffer to maintain drainage flow. Onsite drainage is proposed to be conveyed to a combined seepage bed and surface detention facility located in the central open space. An emergency overflow pipe will connect to the Ustick Road drain pipe. Runoff from Ustick Road and Easy Street are proposed to be conveyed to new seepage beds located at the southeast and northeast property corners respectively. All site drainage features will be designed to conform with the current Caldwell Municipal Stormwater Management Manual. A geotechnical analysis has been performed for the site. Test pits revealed a sandy layer with gravel at approximately 10 feet below ground surface. Groundwater was not encountered in any test pits down to 14 feet below ground surface. This indicates favorable conditions for both drainage facilities and general site development. There are no floodways or floodplains on the property based on FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps. The proposed project includes significant active open space along with passive landscaping. A 10’ and 25’ landscape buffer is incorporated along Easy Street and Ustick Road respectively, totaling approximately 0.61 acres. The proposed tree plantings meet the requirements of the City of Caldwell Landscape Ordinance. The project also includes a large central open space totaling approximately 1.31 acres. The open space is designed with walking paths with connectivity to Ustick Road, a large grassed active use area, and two reserve use areas to allow the HOA to incorporate future amenities as desired. A smaller landscaped common lot near the Easy Street project entry will include a monument sign and staging area for school pickup. Based on comments at the neighborhood meeting, the Applicant proposes to install a 6’ high cedar or vinyl fence along the perimeter of the subdivision. The total useable open space is approximately 1.92 acres, or 11.6% of the gross project area. Based on the information provided above, we believe the proposed project complies with all City of Caldwell codes and standards. We believe there is sufficient utility and roadway infrastructure, both existing and proposed, to serve the development. Additional and ongoing public services will be supported via development impact fees paid at the time of Building Permit issuance, as well as, increased property taxes due to the land use change from agriculture to residential.