A corner of a busy Meridian road might not have additional commercial space after all.The Meridian Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval 5-1 for an application to allow a four-story, 88-home apartment building on 2.5 acres northeast of Eagle Rd./Highway 55 and E. River Valley St. Chair Maria Lorcher voted against it; one seat on the commission is currently vacant.The land is part of the third and final phase of the Regency at River Valley, a project by Bach Homes. The first two phases consist of apartments to the east of the phase three site. An initial development agreement called for self-storage units on the northern portion of the phase three site, plus either a retail building or a drive-thru restaurant to the south, according to the staff report for the project. A Mattress Firm store is situated near the corner.A map shows the 2.5 acres, outlined in red, proposed for a four-story, 88-home apartment building at the northeast corner of Eagle Rd. and E. River Valley St. in Meridian. The first two phases of the project are east of the intersection. Map: Via Bach HomesThe project asks to modify existing development agreements and a conditional use permit to allow the apartments to be built.Commissioners suggested a range of conditions for the project to address concerns about site access, noise, and amenities. The commission recommended approval of the project with several of the conditions modified or removed entirely at the request of the applicant.A site plan for the Regency at River Valley Phase Three shows the 88-home apartment building, parking, amenities, and access points into the rest of the apartment complex to the east. Site Plan: Via Bach Homes“It’s not the best project in the world, but it’s a very awkward parcel,” Commissioner Matthew Stoll said. “I struggle with: can we get anything better out of it? And they’ve come back and tried over and over again.”The application now heads to the Meridian City Council for a final decision.A shifting marketThe applicant attempted to change plans for the site twice after analyzing market conditions. The analysis showed that by late 2026 and early 2027, the market “is expected to fully absorb the 2023-2025 surplus,” prompting a desire to expand the apartment complex in phase three instead of creating commercial space, according to the staff report. The analysis also found an oversaturation of storage units in Idaho, the report said.In 2021, the Meridian City Council denied an application for a five-story, 134-home apartment building with podium parking for the phase 3 site, the staff report said. The council cited the property’s lack of access to some parcels to the north of the site, concerns about traffic, potential issues with parking and traffic circulation, and a feeling that it wasn’t the right time to modify the plans, the staff report said.In 2022, the Meridian City Council denied another set of plans for a five-story, 128-home apartment building and podium parking. The council again cited concerns about traffic circulation within the apartment complex and surrounding area, and said the applicant didn’t demonstrate that the project would serve the area better than the previously approved storage units.Addressing noise, open space, accessIn the staff report for the current application, staff outlined concerns about the project, including pedestrian access to Eagle Rd., noise, and proximity of the homes to Eagle Rd.“High-density residential adjacent to a state highway/major transportation corridor presents significant concerns related to quality of life and the health and well-being of future residents due to vehicle emissions and noise exposure,” the staff report said.While commissioners proposed several conditions to mitigate concerns, the applicant requested that several be removed or modified. For example, staff asked that a gap be created in the fence on the side of the property along Eagle Rd. to allow for pedestrians to pass from the complex onto Eagle Rd. The applicant asked that the condition be removed because the gap in the wall could allow more noise from the roadway. The applicant also said the complex is only 150 ft. from Eagle Rd. and E. River Valley St., according to a slide presented by staff at the commission’s November 5 meeting. Commissioners said they would be ok with allowing the applicant to skip making the pathway.Another condition called for a common space, a grassy area of at least 5,000 sq. ft. to allow for gatherings and other activities. The applicant asked that the condition be removed because residents can use the amenities built elsewhere in the apartment complex, including 12,000 sq. ft. of lawn space and outdoor grilling areas.One condition asked the applicant to submit materials demonstrating compliance with noise abatement standards. The staff report called for a 10-ft-tall berm and wall along Eagle Rd., with a landscaping buffer to help screen the development from the roadway and provide noise abatement. The report notes this still likely won’t be enough to screen a four-story building.The applicant is requesting future alternative compliance for the berm and wall, saying they would use noise-abatement materials on the apartment building and would like to build a 6-8 foot precast fence.Cedar Jordan, representing Bach Homes, said that because the building itself will abate some of the noise, the applicant would like the wall to be closer to 6 feet.“I think we’ll look for a six-foot wall at the end of the day, but probably a 6- to 8-ft. wall without the berm,” Jordan said. “That would suffice for our desires, needs, and community residents.”Lorcher said she couldn’t support the project.“The difference between the four-story (apartment) building and the one-story (retail) building next to it, plus the three-story building behind it — I just think this is too aggressive for that spot, but that’s just me,” Lorcher said. “It also seems like the commission put forth conditions and the applicant’s response was, to either remove it, modify it, strike it … everything that we’ve asked has been met with resistance.”Despite some preference for keeping a full berm and fence for noise reduction purposes, Vice Chair Jared Smith said he was in support of the project.“I think given the proximity to Eagle Rd., it makes sense to err on the side of further sound reductions when possible,” Smith said. “Every decibel counts at that point, especially if you’re on the third floor and those extra two feet might stop some noise from a larger truck or something like that. So I think for the most part, I’m fine with this.”.kb-google-maps-container1398198_df874a-b5{height:450px;} ...read more read less