New Construction

FYI - Stetson Homes is starting a custom build today in lot #21. 

A meeting time has been set to discuss the Hunter Homes proposal.  This is an important meeting; I hope attendance will be high.  Thanks, Edvin!
Sunday, October 3rd, 2:00 at the pool

Welcome to a blog for homeowners in Meridian's Kingsbridge Estates Subdivision; a platform for Kingsbridge residents to ask questions, post concerns, volunteer and read about neighborhood events. Feel free to communicate, interact and get involved.

We are at a crossroads...

The original plans for the property to our North/East have expired. The “master plan” for the land is no longer legally bound to be developed as it was presented to Kingsbridge buyers. The land is now in the process of being purchased by Boise Hunter Homes. On Monday, September 20^th, an agent for Hunter Homes presented their development plans to a small group of owners from Kingsbridge, Dartmoor and neighbors to our North and East. The agent made it clear that Hunter Homes is financially dedicated to purchasing, planning and developing the land as well as being the sole builder for its individual lots. Hunter Homes has agreed to maintain a few of the original agreements for single-level home lots. However, they have added three additional lots to the plan.  The meandering streets, unique home designs and the promise of a club house and splash park have been discarded. The minimum square footage of these homes will decrease to 2200 square feet. The overall uniqueness and beauty of Kingsbridge I will be absent in the Northern development.

Because the original development plans have expired and Boise Hunter Homes is already heavily invested in the project, it would seem that Kingsbridge I owners have little say about what happens to the North/East. In fact, the agent admitted that Monday's meeting was a courtesy and our approval of their plans is not necessary. HOWEVER, Hunter Homes does want something from us. The agent even implied that if we give it to them, Hunter Homes may be more flexible in its development plans. What do they want? They want to develop the land as “Kingsbridge Estates Phase II Development,” use our current HOA, CCR's and our community amenties. In short, Hunter Homes would like to downgrade the master plan for Phase II, but continue to carry the name Kingsbridge.

If Kingsbridge Phase I owners agree to annex the new development, we could gain a Home Owner's Association professionally run by a property management company. We would most likely receive a much needed landscaping facelift. We have been burdened with the expense of multi-acreage maintenance for some time, and thanks to Edvin Miljkovic and our residents, we have been able to keep afloat. As our HOA inherited debt and little cooperation from the developer, we will not remain afloat for long. So, what we need now is a collective effort and community voice.

We must decide whether to accept Boise Hunter Homes offer. Would the relief of the HOA's burden be enough to compensate for all that we must give? We will be sharing our pool with 74 more families. We will be giving the Kingsbridge name to a neighborhood of straight streets, smaller lots, smaller homes and common homefronts. If Hunter Homes is unsuccessful, we run the risk of more property to maintain and fewer contributors to the HOA. We may face an increase in HOA fees.

If we decline, the new development will carry a different name and not have access to our amenities. However, there will be more pressure than ever for us to establish and effectively institute a true Home Owner's Association. Edvin has done an outstanding job as adjunct President, Secretary and Treasurer. It is not reasonable for us to rely on his goodwill indefinitely. Developing a grass roots HOA would require the input, collaboration and action of its members and residents. Kingsbridge I developer left homeonwers with debt, inadequacies and the need to take care of our own environment. Landscaping, power, irrigation, community pool, mailboxes and the simple recording of ownership is (among other things), unfortunately, left to us. A grass roots HOA will be a lot of work but, in my opinion, has the potential for a lot of reward. Working with neighbors in stead of a corporation could benefit us all. Kingsbridge has experienced more growth in the the past year than it has in a long time; despite the lackluster landscaping. I believe that its meandering streets and beautiful homes will continue to entice buyers, especially as traffic through our neighborhood increases. I believe that if we work together, we can give ourselves a facelift and remain independent.

We will need to inform Hunter Homes of Boise within a few weeks of our collective decision...