City Council Regular Meeting

CITY OF STAR, IDAHO CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES City Hall - 10769 W State Street, Star, Idaho Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at 7:00 PM PUBLIC NOTICE: THIS MEETING IS BEING RECORDED AND PLACED IN AN ONLINE FORMAT, PERSONS MAY EITHER VIEW OR LISTEN TO VIDEO/AUDIO OF THIS MEETING UNTIL SUCH TIME THE RECORDING IS DESTROYED UNDER THE CITY’S RETENTION POLICY. 1. CALL TO ORDER – Welcome/Pledge of Allegiance Mayor Chadwick called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and led the Pledge of Allegiance. 2. INVOCATION – Pastor David Ax, Calvary Chapel Star Pastor Ax led the invocation. 3. ROLL CALL ELECTED OFFICIALS: Mayor Trevor Chadwick, Council President David Hershey and Council Members Kevan Wheelock, Jennifer Salmonsen and Kevin Nielsen. STAFF: City Attorney Chris Yorgason; City Clerk Shelly Tilton; City Planning Administrator Shawn Nickel; Assistant City Planner and Sports & Recreation Director Ryan Field; City Engineer Ryan Morgan; Public Information Officer Dana Partridge; Star Police Chief Zach Hessing and Deputy Chief Fire March Victor Islas. 4. PRESENTATIONS: Star Police Chief Zach Hessing discussed the creation of a volunteer program that will help keep watch of the community and help with events. He introduced Phil Sardinia as a volunteer with the Star Police Department heading up this program. Sean Huddleston was introduced; he is filling an open deputy position within the department. 5. CONSENT AGENDA A. Approval of Claims B. Approval of Minutes: March 4, 2025 C. Terramor Subdivision Findings of Fact/Conclusions of Law D. LifeSpring Church Rezone Findings of Fact/Conclusions of Law  Council Member Salmonsen moved to approve the consent agenda consisting of 5A Approval of Claims, 5B Approval of Minutes for March 4th 2025, 5C Terramor Subdivision Findings of Fact/Conclusions of Law and 5D LifeSpring Church Rezone Findings of Fact/Conclusions of Law. Council Member Nielsen stated that he would like a couple of items looked into. Those included Microsoft Licensing being purchased directly from the store rather than under the state contract at a discount. The IT Director will be asked about that. In the LifeSpring Church findings he doesn’t feel the Development Agreement captures the council’s intent relating to uses, he would like to ensure that the conditional uses are for church use rather than for commercial use. Council Member Salmonson amended the motion to include the changes for LifeSpring Church in the conditions, to include the changes to reflect the original motion (made by council in the previous Page 1 of 6  CITY OF STAR, IDAHO CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES City Hall - 10769 W State Street, Star, Idaho Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at 7:00 PM meeting). Council Member Nielson seconded the motion. ROLL CALL VOTE: Hershey – aye; Wheelock – aye; Salmonsen – aye; Nielsen – aye. The motion carried. 6. PUBLIC HEARING A. State & Main Streets Multiple Use Development Conditional Use Permit (CU-24-07) The Applicant is requesting approval of a Rezone (R-4 to CBD DA), with a Development Agreement to accommodate improvements to the facility. The property is located at 174 & 198 N. Star Road in Star, Ada County, Idaho, and consists of 1.64 acres. (ACTION ITEM) Mayor Chadwick opened the hearing at 7:13 p.m. Council members have had no ex-parte communication. City Planning Administrator Shawn Nickel reviewed the application to construct a multi-use building, the property consists of multiple lots on .95 acres. Existing zoning on the parcel is Central Business District (CBD). Uses include commercial space on the ground level and residential units on second and third floors with a rooftop residential amenity. The application has been reviewed and meets submittal requirements including legal notices and site posting. The application is compliant with the Unified Development Code (UDC) and City Comprehensive Plan. There were 3 late exhibits which are letters from neighboring property owners. Items for consideration include a parking waiver and a height exception. The owner has removed the trailer park that was on the property, proposes a mixture of commercial uses with residential units on the upper floors which meets the purpose statement of the CBD. Shawn said the proposed 55’ height is allowed in the CBD; the proposed height as well as the reduction in parking can be approved by the council. Additional adjacent on street parking can be included as well as parking that the Star Merc is willing to share. The UDC requires commercial buildings to be located adjacent to State Street with parking located in the rear with utilization of existing alleyways. The application meets setback requirements. Staff recommends approval of the application. Shawn reviewed maps of the area, site plans and elevations. Walter Lindgren with Lindgren Labrie Architecture presented the application. He stated the applicant is looking to provide a quality project to create a core area in downtown Star. He discussed density and having a walkable area that is pedestrian oriented and bikeable that would allow a safe, connected area. He said this would establish a precedent for the CBD and create an identity for the city with business and residential opportunities. The ground level is approximately 10,000 square feet of commercial space, with restaurant uses on the corners to have outdoor patio space. The upper floors would be residential with a rooftop terrace. The building would be 55 feet, three stories, with tall lower-level storefronts as well as one- and two-bedroom residential units on the second and third floors. Walter discussed proposed parking options, saying that residential parking usage is lower during working hours, allowing the spaces to be available for commercial parking. The project has a deficit of 10 parking spaces for which a waiver is requested. He said there is plenty of on-street parking stating that public parking promotes walking which is good for street facing businesses. Four residential units face the alley, the decks can be removed so they aren’t too close to neighboring existing homes. Page 2 of 6  CITY OF STAR, IDAHO CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES City Hall - 10769 W State Street, Star, Idaho Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at 7:00 PM Mayor Chadwick discussed parking in lieu of fees to cover parking. He discussed police and fire mitigation fees that help pay for services as residents are added in the area. He likes the idea of removing the balconies for the privacy of the neighbors. Council Member Neilsen wondered how removing the balcony but leaving the windows solves the privacy concerns. Wayne said that windows are interacted with differently than a deck, they wouldn’t be outside hanging out. Council Member Nielsen wondered if covenants could disallow balconies from being used as storage areas so that they don’t become unsightly. Parking was further discussed, and the rooftop terrace location was reviewed. Council Member Hershey asked where future street parking opportunities would be located. Shawn provided a layout of on street parking. Council Member Salmonsen stated that the Ada County Highway District (ACHD) response recommends a 10’ wide sidewalk along the highway, the city only requires 8’ she would like to see the sidewalk increased to 10’. Walter thinks it is closer to 11’; he agrees it is important to have a wider sidewalk with the busy highway. ACHD suggested that the city not approve the diagonal parking. Mayor Chadwick feels diagonal parking is a good way to go, he talked about other cities that have it in their Central Business District areas. Council Member Salmonson asked about specific intended uses for the commercial space. She asked if they are open to limiting the type of usage due to the parking restrictions as food and drink businesses generally have higher parking needs. Wayne discussed calculations with 4500 square feet being proposed for restaurant use based on parking availability. Landscaping and signage opportunities were discussed. Permitted uses were discussed. Mayor Chadwick listed permitted uses in the CBD section of city code that he feels should and should not be allowed in this area both due to the specific area and for the parking and traffic that would be generated. Council Member Wheelock discussed parking concerns, he suggested removing the third floor to have sufficient parking that doesn’t impact neighboring residential areas. Walter said the project may not make sense financially if the third floor goes away. Ceiling height for each level of the building was discussed. Council Member Neilson would like to see the existing trees retained. The agreement with Star Merc was discussed. It would be designated as a public parking space. The $60,000 payment in lieu of parking would go toward the rental of that space. If the owner of the Merc sells the property, the agreement will not transfer. Mayor Chadwick said a plan is being worked on to secure additional parking for the downtown area. Todd Collins spoke neutral on the application. He provided a handout regarding 3 exceptions that are being requested that include building height, sidewalks and parkways and parking spaces. His concerns included having enough parking and the Star Merc parking spots going away if they decide to sell or redevelop the property. He feels with the busy highway it is imperative to maintain the required setback with an 8’ planter strip providing safety for pedestrians. He said ACHD advises that the applicant must extend the alley 4 feet into the property to make the alley 20 feet. Exceptions to height standards will make it difficult to maintain code standards, the exception will become the rule. Ron Ishii spoke against the application. He said this development is not keeping with the vision of a small-town family friendly community. It is more like a stacked metropolitan building with zero Page 3 of 6  CITY OF STAR, IDAHO CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES City Hall - 10769 W State Street, Star, Idaho Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at 7:00 PM setback. Placement of the building doesn’t leave any area in front of the building for trees. The proposed 30 residential units are out of place in a commercial district. Parking is shown on the street, and he feels that it would greatly impact the flow of traffic which is already difficult. He feels the proposal is based on maxing everything out, it doesn’t fit. Sarah Allwardt spoke against the application. She discussed narrow sidewalks; this doesn’t fit with Star’s aesthetics. She agrees there is a need for business to help with the economy but doesn’t think this is the plan. She likes the idea of taking it down a level. She wondered if the residents have guaranteed parking spots. Jason Arey spoke against the application. The height is his main concern. He wonders about an apartment complex in the downtown area. Kylee Marlin spoke against the application; she lives north of this property. She is concerned about parking; without enough parking spaces for the retail, she would have people taking up the street parking at her house. People in the apartments would look into her yard. Council Member Salmonsen asked about street parking she has at her house; she has room for 2 on-street parking at her house. Kylee said people park in front of her neighbor’s gate blocking access. Council Member Wheelock said the trash and recycling area will be a concern when dumpsters are dumped early in the mornings. Denise VanDoren spoke neutral on the application. She discussed the lack of parking and the height of the building. The spots at the Merc are shared spaces, not dedicated as well as being temporary. She has safety concerns with people driving and parking on unimproved street parking. She isn’t against the project but feels it is aggressive and doesn’t feel this is where it should go. She suggested scaling it back. She wondered about ingress and egress. Theresa Tinsley spoke neutral on the application. Theresa continued with Denise’s written comments stating that one of the most important considerations for the application is that the intended use not affect neighborhoods in the vicinity, she asked the council to consider reducing it to a 2-story structure. Theresa found the payment in lieu of parking interesting. The applicant requests a reduction on parking and staff finds it to be justified, she doesn’t see how this benefits the citizens of Star. The mayor discussed the Master Parking Plan to help people have parking to participate in downtown activities, he discussed the growth of 12,000 people moving to Star in the last 5 years and the Comprehensive Plan that was put together with community input. Theresa said the council does a good job, but she sees the problem with a developer being allowed to make the project this size without enough parking spaces. Shawn clarified that the rent for the parking spaces at the Merc will be inexpensive. Art Soukup had a question about the size of the apartments. Micah Kelly spoke in favor of the project. He feels this will define where Star is, he thinks it makes sense to establish the downtown area. People could watch parades from the rooftop. He feels it has a purpose and provides a sense of downtown. Walter Lindgren addressed the public comments. He stated the sidewalk was designed per the established plan. Assigned parking is provided for residents. Ingress and egress and the size of residential units were discussed. He believes this is the right site for the project. Page 4 of 6  CITY OF STAR, IDAHO CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES City Hall - 10769 W State Street, Star, Idaho Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at 7:00 PM Council Member Wheelock discussed traffic and parking impacts. He would like to see a noise barrier for the trash pickup. He asked about commercial uses with lower parking needs. Council Member Salmonsen likes the idea of this project but also discussed parking concerns. Tabling this application until a downtown core study is completed was discussed. That study is estimated to be completed in December. The public hearing was closed at 9:33 p.m. Council Member Hershey said the main problem is parking. With the agreement with Star Merc being able to be cancelled at any time, that isn’t a good solution. He doesn’t want to deny the application, he sees merit in this project, it brings small business to Star. He feels it needs to be tabled to resolve parking.  Council Member Hershey moved to table this application until the 15th of July to have consideration taken for parking by whichever means necessary; recommendation for myself and I believe at least one other council person is that it will have to come somewhere from the density overall of either residential or commercial. Council Member Wheelock clarified that if 15 apartments were removed that would take care of the parking deficit and he would 2nd the motion. City Attorney Chris Yorgason recommended leaving the motion more vague if they would like the applicant to come up with a solution, if there is only one solution then adding the specific wording is the way to go. Council Member Wheelock said his solution would solve the height issue also so he is leaning toward using his wording. Council Member Nielsen would like more discussion. Council Member Hershey withdrew his motion. Council Member Nielsen discussed the Central Business District design, Comprehensive Plan and other plan reviews, discussing the allowable option for parking to be reduced. He said that any project that comes to the council is going to face the same challenges, these plans give the council the ability to start somewhere. The City of Star has to make some choices so that the downtown area can be developed. Many in the community participated in the Comprehensive and CBD Plans. This is what was envisioned and is a good start. Council Member Salmonsen is not sure about restricting density. She is ok with tabling to get creative with the parking issue, safety and sidewalks. She said we have to start somewhere, and thinks it is the right project, and it fits the comp plan. Council Member Wheelock has a hard time saying this application fits the comp plan when there are two different waivers being requested for height and parking; it can fit the plan but he doesn’t feel it does currently. Council Member Salmonsen would like commercial uses to be identified in the motion, uses in the staff report were discussed. Council Member Nielsen reviewed the notes he had taken regarding conditions that included balconies not being used for storage, potential of a bay window to replace the balconies for units that face the alley, limit restaurant square footage to 4500 maximum, three existing legacy trees will remain and height allowance to allow for 18’ ground level ceiling height. Mayor Chadwick added mitigation fees for police and fire to ensure that is included. In tabling the application Council Page 5 of 6  CITY OF STAR, IDAHO CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING MINUTES City Hall - 10769 W State Street, Star, Idaho Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at 7:00 PM Member Nielsen would be looking for the applicant to work with city staff to come up with a plan that is not ambiguous, something that could be used to plan with. Council Member Salmonson would like to add that public signage be added as well as 10’ minimum sidewalks. Commercial uses on page 4 of the staff report were reviewed, uses will be discussed further in a future meeting.  Council Member Hershey moved to table this application to the 17th of June with all the stipulations as noted in the listing by Councilman Nielsen and the Staff Report showing the permitted and conditional uses as determined plus there will be some conversation on that, also to remind you that there will be police and fire mitigation fees that have not been included. Council Member Nielsen seconded the motion. ROLL CALL VOTE: Hershey – aye; Wheelock – nay; Salmonsen – aye; Nielsen – aye. 7. ACTION ITEMS There were no action items. 8. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Chadwick adjourned the meeting at 10:19 p.m. ________/s/______________________ ATTEST: ______/s/______________________ Mayor Trevor A. Chadwick Shelly Tilton, City Clerk Page 6 of 6