[Vision2020] Subdivision off Joseph Street
Donovan Arnold
donovanarnold@hotmail.com
Mon, 10 Nov 2003 19:16:12 -0800
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<P>This bothers me a great deal. This zoning segregates people on the bases of family size and income. I really think if Moscow wants to be a small town community where people know each other this not the sort of thing we should allow.</P>
<P><EM>"This subdivision will have R-1 single family home on the hill tops and R-4 apartments in the lowlands along an extension of White Avenue which will curve to meet Joseph. There will be businesses at the intersection of White and Joseph." </EM></P></DIV>
<P>In English. We are going to create another housing development. This development will put the large wealthy households on top of a hill with a great view, away from development, traffic, pollution, crime, and possible flooding. We are going to put the poorer areas in cramped spaces, with high traffic, pollution, and more prone to crime and flooding.</P>
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<P>Social and economic segregation of housing destroys the community atmosphere of diversity. We need to stop creating housing districts on the bases of rich and poor. Why can't we build community neighborhoods that are diverse and share in the burdens and privileges that are inherent in the area?</P>
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<P>Donovan<BR><BR></P>
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<DIV></DIV>>From: Kit Craine <KCRAINE@MOSCOW.COM>
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<DIV></DIV>>To: 2020 Vision <VISION2020@MOSCOW.COM>
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<DIV></DIV>>Subject: [Vision2020] Subdivision off Joseph Street
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<DIV></DIV>>Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2003 15:39:54 -0800
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<DIV></DIV>>86 Acres to be subdivided south of Joseph
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<DIV></DIV>>On Wednesday, November 12, 2003 the Planning and Zoning Commission
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<DIV></DIV>>is scheduled to hear propositions to annex approximately 86 acres of
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<DIV></DIV>>land located south of Joseph street just beyond the bridge to
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<DIV></DIV>>approximately where the city limits currently are on the north side
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<DIV></DIV>>of Joseph, At the same hearing P&Z will consider revising the
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<DIV></DIV>>comprehensive plan, rezoning the area, and reviewing a preliminary
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<DIV></DIV>>subdivision plat for 62 acres. This subdivision will have R-1 single
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<DIV></DIV>>family home on the hill tops and R-4 apartments in the lowlands
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<DIV></DIV>>along an extension of White Avenue which will curve to meet Joseph.
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<DIV></DIV>>There will be businesses at the intersection of White and Joseph.
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<DIV></DIV>>As of today (Nov. 10), notice of this hearing has not been posted on
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<DIV></DIV>>the city's website; the only published legal notice was in the Daily
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<DIV></DIV>>news on October 25th.
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<DIV></DIV>>The November 12th hearing is compressing three different processes
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<DIV></DIV>>which are governed by three different sections of code into one
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<DIV></DIV>>package. When one considers the State and City codes, there are some
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<DIV></DIV>>questions as to whether the city can do this:
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<DIV></DIV>> • Annexation is governed by Idaho Code 50-222 and 67-6525. In the
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<DIV></DIV>>state defined process, the city council must request and receive a
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<DIV></DIV>>recommendation from the planning and zoning commission concerning
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<DIV></DIV>>the final zoning PRIOR to the annexation (67-6525.) The council must
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<DIV></DIV>>then follow the procedures stated in IDC 50-222-5(a) to pass an
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<DIV></DIV>>annexation ordinance (50-222.) Both the commission recommendation
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<DIV></DIV>>and council decision involve public hearings.
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<DIV></DIV>> • Rezoning, and any related changes to the comprehensive plan, is a
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<DIV></DIV>>Type 2 Administrative Hearing under Moscow City Code (4-10-3(B)).
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<DIV></DIV>>This process requires public notice and a hearing before the
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<DIV></DIV>>Planning and Zoning Commission which produces a recommendation, then
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<DIV></DIV>>a second noticed hearing before the Council, which produces the
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<DIV></DIV>>decision.
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<DIV></DIV>> • Review of subdivision plats is a Type 1 Administrative Hearing
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<DIV></DIV>>under Moscow City Code (4-10-3(A)). The decision from this type
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<DIV></DIV>>hearing is final, pending appeal from a higher authority.
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<DIV></DIV>> • Although state code says that the council shall amend the
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<DIV></DIV>>comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance "concurrently or immediately
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<DIV></DIV>>following" the adoption of an ordinance of annexation (ID 67-6525),
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<DIV></DIV>>Moscow's code contains a district (FR - Farm, Ranch, Outdoor
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<DIV></DIV>>Recreation) which was created specifically to hold open and annexed
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<DIV></DIV>>areas until land use studies are completed and the appropriate
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<DIV></DIV>>zoning determined. Moscow City Code explicitly states that "[a]ll
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<DIV></DIV>>land hereafter annexed to the City SHALL be classified FR"
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<DIV></DIV>>(4-11-6(J)). The city code clearly defers the zoning decision until
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<DIV></DIV>>after the annexation.
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<DIV></DIV>> • The area proposed for annexation will not be within the city
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<DIV></DIV>>limits until the annexation ordinance is passed by council and
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<DIV></DIV>>recorded. As a result, the proposed subdivision will still be in the
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<DIV></DIV>>area of impact during the November 12th hearing. Creating a
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<DIV></DIV>>subdivision in the area of impact requires county involvement.
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<DIV></DIV>> • One of the criteria for approval of a preliminary subdivision
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<DIV></DIV>>plat is that it conforms to the existing zoning regulations (MCC
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<DIV></DIV>>5-1-8-7). At the time of the merged hearings, the "existing" zone is
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<DIV></DIV>>Agriculture Forestry, not R-1 or R-4; the zones that would allow the
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<DIV></DIV>>proposed development will not exist until after the council adopts
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<DIV></DIV>>an ordinance changing the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance.
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<DIV></DIV>>The above information was sent to all City Council members on
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<DIV></DIV>>November 3.
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<DIV></DIV>>Given the magnitude of the impact a subdivision such as the proposed
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<DIV></DIV>>will have on a town, the public needs (and has a right) to be fully
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<DIV></DIV>>included in the decision. In the November 12th hearing, the process
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<DIV></DIV>>is collapsed to a point where it appears as if the annexation and
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<DIV></DIV>>rezoning are done deals and the city is simply going through the
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<DIV></DIV>>motions of accepting public input. While that may be an advantage to
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<DIV></DIV>>the applicant, it restricts the peoples' right to participate in the
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<DIV></DIV>>future of their community.
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<DIV></DIV>>Kit Craine
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