Hundreds of acres of farmland in the northwest reaches of Meridian are on the path to development.
That corner of the fast-growing city has been an anticipated development hot spot for the past few years. In recent months, developers have zeroed in, filing plans that could bring almost 3,500 homes, retail and offices to an area about the size of Garden City.
Once developed, the area is envisioned to have a “unique” identity and feel that residents won’t find elsewhere in Meridian, according to Caleb Hood, Meridian’s deputy director of community development. Hood told the Idaho Statesman that planning efforts for the region have been unusual because planners “didn’t have a model to really look at” within the city and instead had the opportunity to “draw up a … mini city.”…