Residents of The Cove at Jordan River community, the Saratoga Springs City Council, City Planners, Planning Commission, and developers Colliers, Bruder and Pepperdign have approved and built the Steele Ridge Plaza that directly abuts our residential area. We know that expansion and development are a vital part of a city’s growth, but not at the expense of existing residents’ well-being from the lack of responsible development.

Due to the grade of the business buildings and the closeness of drive-throughs to our townhomes, the Steele Ridge development has created both safety and privacy concerns for the existing residents in The Cove at Jordan River.

In the opinion of residents in our neighborhood, the City Council and Planner have been more permissive toward the developers (Bruder and Pepperdign), and slow to respond to residents’ concerns.

After a year of seeking a voice in the Steele Ridge Plaza development, we created this petition to urge both Saratoga Springs city officials and developers to address our safety and privacy concerns. 

Privacy and Public Nuisance

The land under development has been graded significantly above The Cove at Jordan River community, resulting in visibility into the homes and yards of residents from the Steele Ridge Plaza property.

The developers have proposed a 6/ vinyl fence to line a small segment of the property  line between the commercial development and the residents below. The intent of the fence is to provide privacy and separation of residents from adjacent drive-thru lanes and parking lots situated above the existing residential homes, which we appreciate. 

After seeing the development however, residents remain concerned. The proposed vinyl fence does not incorporate a sufficient crash barrier to safeguard residents in the event that a vehicle inadvertently leaves the roadway. Without an effective crash-rated structure to halt vehicles, there is a risk that cars could descent into residential yards or homes, thereby posing a threat to the safety of property, pets, and individuals -particularly children- who may  be outside. 

We still have public nuisance (city code section 10.10.02.9a) and safety concerns regarding the developer’s proposed 6’ vinyl fence.

To remedy this: 

1. We urge Saratoga Springs City leaders and developers to engage in transparent discussion with the community and take preventive and evidence-based corrective measures before any tragic incident occurs.
2. We strongly urge the city leaders and planners along with developers to provide transparent and preventive measures that will ensure compliance with city code (changing city code if necessary) now, during the final stages of development, rather than having to address violation grievances in a costly and time-wasting manner post-development, at taxpayer expense. To date, the City Planner has not been forthcoming regarding plans to address these concerns. We ask the city leaders and planners to address the following:

a. Safety: Residents have already experienced construction debris in their backyards (corrugated metal and vinyl panels, garbage, and a wheelbarrow). We believe that adding safety measures like crash barriers, steel posts, large boulders, etc. to keep cars from going into yards is essential.

b. Privacy: Installation of higher fencing or a privacy hedge so that drivers can't see into our second-story windows.

c. Noise and light pollution: Implementation of noise and light curfews, along with the use of higher fencing and privacy hedges, to help reduce sounds from car noises, engines idling, car lights, and drive-thru speaker systems.

d. A clear timeframe for completion of the fence and barriers: To date, city planners have been unable to provide the residents a concise timeframe for completion of the fence and barriers. Meanwhile, residents already experience passing vehicles, construction equipment, light, noise, and garbage from the ongoing development process.

Please join us in protecting our community by signing this petition to hold the Saratoga Springs City Council, City Planners, Planning Commission, and developers (Colliers, Bruder and Pepperdign) accountable and ensure they prioritize the safety and peace of our residents over development interests.

Let’s work together to demand a safer environment for all the families in Saratoga Springs now and in the future – please sign and make your voice heard!

Click HERE to watch a video of a truck driving what will become a drive-thru, incredibly close to residential backyards.

Click HERE to view a photo repository of other vantage points of the construction and its impact on the Cove's residents.