Trying to Move to Meridian. (Boise: landscaping, malls, moving to)

[la45]

We are trying to relocate from Seattle to Meridian, Idaho. Specifically, the Paramount Community within Meridian. Can anyone tell me anything about this community other than the info we receive from the listing agents? Any opinions would be appreciated.

I am also wondering what the winters are truly like in the Meridian area. We don't mind cold, but can we expect lots of snow? We can handle weeks of really cold weather, I just can't handle our weeks of gray and wet any longer!

I have also been seeing all the negative vibes towards CA's moving to idaho. Are Washingtonians just as bad? Basically, we want to move because our pretty Washington has been taken over by houndreds of zero-lot line developments and strip malls!

[Anchorless]

Originally Posted by la45

We are trying to relocate from Seattle to Meridian, Idaho. Specifically, the Paramount Community within Meridian. Can anyone tell me anything about this community other than the info we receive from the listing agents? Any opinions would be appreciated.

I am also wondering what the winters are truly like in the Meridian area. We don't mind cold, but can we expect lots of snow? We can handle weeks of really cold weather, I just can't handle our weeks of gray and wet any longer!

I have also been seeing all the negative vibes towards CA's moving to idaho. Are Washingtonians just as bad? Basically, we want to move because our pretty Washington has been taken over by houndreds of zero-lot line developments and strip malls!

Though it's not as gray and wet as Washington, winters in Boise/Meridian are pretty drab. They're not altogether cold - maybe 2 or 3 weeks in the 20's, and most weeks in the 30's. You'll get a good mix of sun and clouds. The past 15 years we've been getting less and less snowfall - it used to be we'd get a good couple of inches every week or so, but not lately.

As for the vibe - you won't notice any ill will. But if you're moving to get away from development and stripmalls, Boise (and especially Meridian) probably isn't the place you'll want to go. Beside the downtown, Northend, and SE Boise (around Parkcenter to Warm Springs), most of the Treasure Valley is sprawled out retail and strip malls mixed in residential areas. Pretty non-descript, and getting worse by the day.

[la45]

Thanks so much - We were in Boise this past August - it is still so lovely, despite the development. It reminds me so much of what the Everett/Seattle area looked like 20 years ago. I do have pangs of guilt because we want to leave our area since it has become so over developed. We then move to Boise and become part of the over development over there.

[Syringaloid]

Originally Posted by la45

We are trying to relocate from Seattle to Meridian, Idaho. Specifically, the Paramount Community within Meridian. Can anyone tell me anything about this community other than the info we receive from the listing agents? Any opinions would be appreciated.

I am also wondering what the winters are truly like in the Meridian area. We don't mind cold, but can we expect lots of snow? We can handle weeks of really cold weather, I just can't handle our weeks of gray and wet any longer!

I have also been seeing all the negative vibes towards CA's moving to idaho. Are Washingtonians just as bad? Basically, we want to move because our pretty Washington has been taken over by houndreds of zero-lot line developments and strip malls!

I think because Washington borders Idaho that most people don't think twice about WA citizens moving here, even to Southern Idaho. According to the last census, most of the newcomers to Boise are from the Seattle area. On a side note, one peculiar habit I notice about people from Washington who still have WA plates is that they are very heavy on the gas peddle and get into lane weaving big time, much like Utah drivers. In fact some of the most rude and clueless drivers I have seen in Boise have WA plates, with Utah a close second. I have theories as to why WA and Utah drivers suck, but I better not discuss it in this forum
I guess the reason I mention bad drivers is that I experienced silly antics this morning on the way to work. And of course the autos had WA and UT plates!

[Anchorless]

Eh, I'm not sure about gauging driving manners on plates. I used to be horrible driving around here. So are most of my friends. Thank god I only bike now.

Boise still has this problem with people that love to lolly-gag, 5, 10, sometimes 15 miles under the speed limit. It's infuriating, especially when their road manners show no concern for other drivers.

My policy has always been that you should always drive with regard for other drivers, as ironic as that sounds, considering my driving habits. But I'm safe, and I show regard for other people. My policy of going fast isn't to terrorize other drivers (I don't do that), but to get the hell out of the way. If you're first at the light, get a f-ing move on. Don't lolly-gag when coming up to a light - get through it so others can get through it. When you come up to a stop sign or red, squeeze over so people can make a right turn. Let people by if you're going too slow, let people merge, let people in. And if you're let in, don't drive horribly slow - keep up with the pace of traffic. AND USE YOUR FRIGGIN' SIGNALS!

Idaho drivers are simply the worst - they show no concern for other drivers. Ugh.

Again, SOOO happy I've made the switch to a bike.

[Syringaloid]

Yeah, it is true that a person cannot always judge a driver on the state their plates indicate they are from. Every state has good and bad drivers, but I do stand by my remarks about Washington and Utah drivers. And just think, a lot of them now have Idaho plates and associate their horrible driving habits with Idaho! What is really funny is that a friend of mine in Minnesota says that they feel the same way about Utah drivers too, even though they don't see them very often.

But, I guess we should steer this thread back to its original intent.
Speaking of strip malls, they are kind of a given in any growing area. It is just the American way and I bet it would take years and years of "change" for sprawling strip malls to not be built anymore, especially in the West where there is so much land to build on. I don't always agree with strip malls and sprawling development, but one thing I notice is that a lot of the developments in the Boise metro area are built with lots of landscaping and there is the attempt to make the buildings look nice and not drab.