Comment letter on Creekside Meadows & Shoshoni Plains subdivisions in Driggs

May 31, 2017

Driggs City Council

Planning & Zoning Administrator Ashley Koehler

60 S. Main Street

Driggs, ID 83422

Re: Creekside Meadows Subdivision & PUD Master Plan Amendment and Shoshoni Plains PhIVB Plat Amendment

Dear City Councilors:

Creekside Meadows:

Valley Advocates for Responsible Development is supportive of the PUD Master Plan Amendment to Creekside Meadows Subdivision.

• The addition of 29 single family units in the City of Driggs which are proposed to sell in the $225,000 range is a welcome development. Homes at this price are within the 80-120% of the Area Median Income which makes them “affordable” according to the 2014 Western Greater Yellowstone Housing Needs Assessment.
• These homes are more affordable than the median list prices identified in the Housing Needs Assessment which are $291,000 for Driggs, $427,000 for Victor, and $395,000 for the County.
• Valley Advocates is supportive of public comment made during the Driggs Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing by the Creekside HOA and neighboring property owners seeking privacy and screening.

Shoshoni Plains:

Valley Advocates for Responsible Development would like to see 2 key issues resolved in regards to the Plat Amendment with Phase IVB of Shoshoni Plains:

• Secured bonding for infrastructure; and
• Completion of the remaining incomplete infrastructure in Shoshoni Park

Since the original plat in 2008, Shoshoni Plains has been left incomplete due to financial issues and the failures of the developer to see the project through to completion. Valley Advocates shares the concerns of residents of Shoshoni Plains in regards to Western Teton Development LLC’s failure to properly administrate the Homeowner’s Association. We also support the condition recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission that Western Teton Development (or its successors and assigns) initiate the process of restarting the Shoshoni Plains Homeowners Association. Valley Advocates is also able to help a newly formed Shoshoni Plains HOA with getting started.

In 2010 Mr. Rood was sent a notice of default by the City of Driggs for failure to complete his public park improvements and the unexplained disappearance of his $1.3 million letter of credit that was supposed to finance the subdivision’s infrastructure. In an effort to repay the city while stuck in this legal impasse, Rood gave the last two properties that he owned in Shoshoni Plains to the City of Driggs. These properties were not able to be sold by the city until 2015, at which time they sold for $53,500 total. These funds were then used to partially complete Shoshoni Plains park to the condition that it is in today. We request that the City ensure that secured bonding for infrastructure and completion of the remaining incomplete infrastructure in Shoshoni Park be required before any approval of the Phase IVB Plat Amendment to Shoshoni Plains. This improvement should come with a firm completion date.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment. Please let us know if we can be of service going forward.

Respectfully,

Brendan P. Conboy

Program and Development Associate

Valley Advocates for Responsible Development