Approval Letter
City of Yelm
Community Development Department
105 Yelm Avenue West
P.O. Box 479
Yelm, WA 98597
August 17, 2005
Steve Chamberlain, P.E.
Tahoma Terra LLC
4200 6th Avenue SE, Suite 301
Lacey, WA 98503
Dear Steve:
At it’s regular meeting of August 10, 2005, the Yelm City Council took action to approve the Tahoma Terra Conceptual Master Site Plan and Final Master Site Plan for that portion of the
property lying east of Thompson Creek.
The Council upheld the Hearing Examiners recommendation with one change to condition 6 of the Conceptual Master Site Plan Approval. Based on this action, the Conceptual and Final Master
Site Plan is hereby approved and development permits may be processed within the area of the final master site plan.
Conditions of Mitigated Determination of Non-Significance
1. The developer shall mitigate transportation impacts through the payment of a transportation facility charge (TFC) pursuant to Chapter 15.40 YMC. The fee shall be paid at the time
of building permit issuance.
2. The applicant shall be responsible for the following transportation improvements:
Prior to the final subdivision approval of any lots the applicant shall reconstruct Longmire Street to a modified collector standard from the project entry to Yelm Avenue West (SR 510).
Prior to the approval of any development permit (including a final subdivision) which includes the 90th peak P.M. trip generated from the project, the applicant shall construct a center
left-turn lane on Yelm Avenue West (SR-510) at the Longmire Street intersection with sufficient storage to serve the anticipated traffic volumes generated by the project.
Prior to the approval of any development permit (including a final subdivision) which includes the 513th peak P.M. trip generated from the project, construction of the Killion Road Boulevard
extension from the property to
Yelm Avenue West (SR-510) along with the realignment of Killion Road, a traffic signal, and left turn lanes on all four legs of the intersection with sufficient storage to serve the
anticipated traffic volumes generated by the project.
Prior to the approval of any development permit (including a final subdivision) which includes the 1,100th peak P.M. trip generated from the project, reconstruct Mosman Avenue to modified
collector standards from Longmire Street to 1st Avenue (SR-507) and the Mosman Avenue/1st Avenue intersection to include realignment and a center left-turn lane on 1st Avenue (SR-507)
with sufficient storage to serve the anticipated traffic volumes generated by the project.
Prior to the approval of any development permit (including a final subdivision) which includes the 1,301st peak P.M. trip generated from the project, define and construct the Mosman
Avenue connector between Longmire Street and Solberg Street OR; continue the Boulevard to SR 507 through the Thurston Highlands property.
Plans for approval of all transportation improvements associated with Yelm Avenue (SR 510) and 1st Avenue (SR 507) shall be submitted to the Washington Department of Transportation and
the City of Yelm for review and approval and all required improvements shall be constructed by the applicant pursuant to approved plans, and inspected and approved by the City of Yelm
and Washington Department of Transportation.
3. To mitigate previous impacts from agricultural activities to surface waters, plant communities and animal communities along the Thompson Creek corridor and its associated wetlands,
the applicant has prepared a mitigation and enhancement plan to improve the surface water features of the site for both habitat and recreation purposes. Each Final Master Site Plan
shall include a schedule for implementing improvements tied to the number of dwelling units of each subdivision within the Master Planned Community.
4. The developer shall enter into an agreement with Yelm Community Schools to mitigate project impacts to the School District.
5. Prior to the approval of any development permit (including a final subdivision) beyond the 89th lot, the applicant shall convey water rights to the City of Yelm sufficient to serve
the proposed use within that area of the final master site plan and the first 89 lots. The conveyance shall be made to the City through a water rights agreement between Tahoma Terra,
LLC and the City of Yelm. This condition is not applicable if the City obtains water rights through the Department of Ecology which are sufficient to serve the projected density of
the City, its urban growth area, and the subject property.
6. Prior to disturbance of any identified geologic hazard area, the applicant shall submit to the City of Yelm Community Development Department a geotechnical report that identifies
established best management practices for all activity within the geologic hazard areas and only allows activities which:
will not increase the threat of the geological hazard to adjacent properties beyond pre-development conditions;
will not adversely impact other critical areas;
are designed so that the hazard to the project is eliminated or mitigated to a level equal to or less than pre-development conditions;
are certified as safe as designed by a qualified engineer or geologist.
7. Prior to building permit issuance, the applicant shall enter into a mitigation agreement with the City of Yelm which includes a mitigation fee toward the replacement of a police station
required to be expanded in order to serve the proposed development. The mitigation fee shall be based on the applicant’s aliquot impact on the need for replacement police station, which
is $310 per housing unit.
Conditions of Approval - Conceptual Master Site Plan
1. The conditions of the Mitigated Determination of Non-significance are hereby referenced and are considered conditions of this approval.
2. The average density of the proposal be not less than four dwelling units per net developable acre within each final master plan area, consistent with Growth Management policies.
3. Proposed neighborhood commercial areas shall be centrally located within the master plan development and shall be screened from residential neighborhoods.
4. A minimum of 55 acres (25% of the site) shall be set aside as permanent open space with a variety of active and passive recreational improvements. An area within the identified open
space equivalent to five percent of the gross area of each final master site plan application shall be identified and improved within the community park area as part of each final master
site plan approval and implementation.
5. A minimum of 55 acres (25% of the total land area) shall accommodate medium and high density residential development. This can be accomplished through all four proposed land use designations.
6. Prior to approval of any residential development west of Thompson Creek, the neighborhood commercial center shall be improved and ready for the construction of commercial buildings.
Improved means that any applicable land use or land division approvals have been issued and all required site improvements for the land use or land division approval has been completed.
7. For every 300 single family detached, duplex, or town home dwelling units, 48 multi-family units shall be constructed. The multi-family dwelling units required to meet the prescribed
ratio shall be under construction prior to issuance of building permits for the next block of single family dwelling, duplex, or town home dwelling units.
8. Prior to approval of any development within a final master site plan approval area, the applicant shall prepare an infrastructure plan that includes water, sanitary sewer, reclaimed
water, and streets. The plan shall be consistent with the Capital Facilities Plans for the City and shall include sufficient design detail in order to review subsequent development
approvals. The plan shall be submitted to and approved by the City prior to the issuance of building permits for dwellings or commercial buildings within each approved development within
a final master plan area.
9. Each final master plan shall include provisions for a full network of sidewalks and pathways throughout the master plan to encourage multimodal opportunities. The boulevard shall
accommodate transit stops for school and public transit opportunities.
10. Each final master plan application shall provide for the continuation of streets within the Yelm Urban Growth Area pursuant to the polices of the Comprehensive Plan.
11. A minimum of 55 acres (25% of the site) shall be identified as permanent open space with a variety of formal and informal recreational improvements. Prior to dwelling construction
in any development, land equivalent to five percent of the gross area of each Final Master Plan area shall be developed within the community park area.
12. Every final master plan shall include provisions for one pocket park for every 50 residential units within a neighborhood. Larger ‘community’ parks of between ½ acre and 5 acres
which are centrally located may be substituted for half the required ‘pocket’ parks at a ratio of 1 acre for every 50 lots.
Conditions of Approval – Final Master Site Plan
The applicant has established that the request for Final Master Plan approval for Phases 1 and 2 satisfies all criteria set forth in Chapter 17.62 YMC, is consistent with the City Comprehensive
Plan, and meets all other requirements of the YMC. Therefore, the Final Master Plan should be approved and the Tahoma Terra Final Master Plan Development Guidelines should be adopted
to cover development of Phases 1 and 2.
If you have any questions regarding the Councils action on the Tahoma Terra Master Plan Development, please don’t hesitate contact the Community Development Department.
Sincerely,
Grant Beck, Director
Department of Community Development