The Meridian City Council has unanimously approved rezoning about 12 acres at the northwest corner of Ten Mile and Franklin roads, clearing a path for a new commercial development on land owned by Ten Mile Christian Church. The council also modified an existing development agreement covering roughly 5 acres of the same property. A conceptual plan calls for more than 52,000 square feet of office and commercial space, though no tenants have signed leases and construction remains at least a year away.
The rezoning shifts the property from Neighborhood Business District to Community Business District, according to BoiseDev. That distinction matters beyond paperwork: the old zoning restricted business hours to between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., while the new designation carries no such limits and allows broader commercial uses serving a larger area. Michael Meuret, the applicant, said he is purchasing the land from the church to develop it himself.
Meuret told the council the church is looking to pay off about $9 million in debt through the sale, the outlet reported. The conceptual plan he presented includes a 10,700-square-foot office and retail building, a 3,000-square-foot office building, a 9,000-square-foot restaurant building and a 15,000-square-foot mid-box retail building, mixing retail, restaurants, office space and drive-thru businesses across the site.
Potential Tenants Remain Far From Finalized
Meuret said several retailers have expressed interest in the property, naming the Boise Co-op, Trader Joe's, Discount Tire and Take 5 Oil Change, though none of those businesses have confirmed a lease. He also said he's in discussions for a roughly 500-square-foot 7 Brew Coffee location with a drive-thru, but called a finalized lease “far out,” per the same BoiseDev account. As of now, the identity of any eventual tenants remains unconfirmed.
As the land moves toward development, church leaders say they are looking for the right kind of neighbors. Henry Boyd said church leaders want good neighbors for a long-term partnership, according to Idaho News 6, which reported that church leaders are seeking suitable partners as the land develops. The property sits within the broader Ten Mile Christian Church campus at the intersection.
Longtime Resident Watches the Country Disappear
Gay Boonen, who has lived in the area for more than 20 years, told Idaho News 6 that the neighborhood used to be in the country but isn't so much anymore. She also voiced concern about traffic on Ten Mile, a worry shared by several council members during deliberations. The station's report notes that growth has steadily reshaped what was once a rural stretch of the corridor.
Those traffic concerns aren't coming from nowhere. BoiseDev's account notes that several council members expressed concern the development would exacerbate traffic issues already building along Ten Mile Road, and the applicant is now conducting an abbreviated traffic impact study to help determine access points for the site. Meridian Mayor Robert Simison pointed to relief on the horizon, saying the Highway 16 and Linder Road overpass project is anticipated to be completed in fall or early winter 2027.
Construction Still at Least a Year Out
Even with the zoning change approved, nothing will break ground soon. Developers said construction is at least a year away, according to BoiseDev's reporting, with roughly 10 months needed for preliminary and final plat approvals and at least six more months of site improvements before vertical construction could begin.
The project adds to a wave of development reshaping the Ten Mile and Franklin corridor. The Gateway at 10 Mile, planned for the same intersection, is expected to bring 390 homes and 15 commercial buildings at full buildout. A few miles away, the Idaho Statesman reported that The District at Ten Mile broke ground in May on a commercial area spanning more than 220 acres near the Ten Mile Interchange, with its first phase including two industrial buildings and a fitness center topping 100,000 square feet.
Meridian's planning staff has for years fielded multiple development applications per day, and the Ten Mile and Franklin area in particular has drawn heavy multifamily interest, including projects like Outer Banks and Foxcroft Apartments, per earlier Idaho Statesman reporting. Drive-thru components, like the one proposed for this site, have become a near-standard fixture in the city's commercial applications. Idaho News 6, which first reported on the council's vote, said it will continue following the project as it moves forward.
