PL 012506 Gorder Westbrook Crystal Springs
City of Yelm
Community Development Department
105 Yelm Avenue West
P.O. Box 479
Yelm, WA 98597
Pre-Application Meeting
January 25, 2006
These comments are preliminary in nature and are not intended to represent final comments and or requirements for the City of Yelm. Until a complete application is made, the Community
Development Department can only attempt to inform the applicant of general requirements as they appear in the form presented by the applicant at the time of pre-submission.
Proponent: Westbrook Investments
Owner: Kim Gorder
Project Proposal: Subdivide 9.76 acres into 26 residential lots.
Project Location: 9003 Crystal Springs Road, tax parcel number 22718320300
Zoning and Setbacks
The property is zoned Low Density Residential (R4), Chapter 17.12 YMC. This district allows residential subdivisions at a gross density of up to 4 units per acre. The total number
of units allowed on a 9.76 acre parcel would be 39, although the actual area of the property would be determined through a survey as part of the subdivision process.
Side yard setback Minimum 5 feet with a total of 12 feet in both side yards.
Rear yard setback 25 feet
Front yard setback 15 feet with a 20 foot driveway approach
Flanking yard setback 15 feet
Maximum building height 35 feet
Chapter 17.72 YMC requires a minimum of 2 off-street parking spaces per unit.
Landscaping
Chapter 17.80 YMC codes requires landscaping for subdivisions in order to screen adjacent uses, to soften the hardscape between parking lots and buildings as well as streets and parking
lots, to provide shade in parking lots, and to ensure storm water treatment and storage areas are aesthetic.
Type II landscaping is intended to provide visual separation of uses from streets, and visual separation of compatible uses so as to soften the appearance of streets, parking areas,
and building elevation. This landscaping is used around the
perimeter of a site to provide visual separation between compatible uses. For a residential subdivision, a solid wood fence may be used for perimeter landscaping.
Type II landscaping is characterized by an 8 foot landscape strip between uses and a 5 foot strip around buildings of any combination of evergreen and deciduous trees (with no more than
50 percent being deciduous), shrubs, earthen berms and related plant materials or design features may be selected; provided, that the resultant effect is to provide partial screening
and buffering between uses and of softening the appearance of streets, parking and structures.
Type III landscaping is intended to provide visual relief where clear sight is desired. This landscaping is utilized along pedestrian corridors and walks for separation of pedestrians
from streets and parking areas.
Type III landscaping is typified by a six foot landscaping strip with street trees for a large overstory canopy along streets and pedestrian corridors and grass or other approved vegetation
for groundcover. Earthen berms with grass or other vegetative groundcover and other design features may be worked into landscaping provided the resultant effect of providing a pedestrian-friendly
environment and visual relief where clear site is required can be achieved.
Type III landscaping would be required along the property frontage at Crystal Springs Road, as well as new internal streets.
Type V landscaping is required in storm water retention areas, if required.
The floor and slopes of any stormwater retention/detention area shall be planted in vegetation that is suitable and will thrive in hydric soils. The landscaping of the stormwater facility
shall be incorporated with all on-site landscaping.
A conceptual landscaping plan is required with the application for subdivision. Final landscaping and irrigation plan is required as element of civil construction drawings, with installation
prior to final subdivision approval.
Traffic
The City has adopted at Chapter 15.40 a Concurrency Management Code that requires payment of a Transportation Facility Charge (TFC) of $750.00 per peak PM trip by new developments.
The Code provides a default table that the applicant can use to determine new PM trips generated. A single family dwelling generates 1.01 peak PM trips, which is equivalent to a TFC
of $757.50. The TFC is payable at time of building permit issuance.
The Subdivision Code, Chapter 16.16 YMC requires every subdivision of 25 or more housing units to provide more than one vehicular access from an arterial or collector street. Access
to collector streets shall be limited to one access in 300 feet.
State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and Critical Areas
A SEPA Environmental checklist and threshold determination is required, including a Transportation Impact Analysis (TIA). The TIA will be used to identify traffic impacts resulting
from the project and improvements necessary to address safety issues. The environmental checklist and TIA must also analyze the consistency of the project with adopted plans, including
the impact to the SR 510 Yelm Loop corridor from the proposed development. The Loop project is funded through right-of-way acquisition and the Washington State Department of Transportation
has acquired right-of-way within the corridor. The Community Development Department will not recommend approval of the creation of new lots within the SR 510 Yelm Loop corridor.
Yelm School District requires applicants to mitigate impacts to the School District from residential growth. Each developer must negotiate an agreement with the School District. As
of April 2005, mitigation fees per single-family residential unit were $2,140.00.
The property is bisected by Yelm Creek, a shoreline of the state, which also includes a 100 year floodplain as identified by FEMA. A shoreline substantial development permit will be
required for development within the shoreline jurisdiction, which extends 200 feet from the ordinary high water mark of Yelm Creek.
The Yelm Critical Areas Code establishes a 150 foot habitat buffer along Yelm Creek. The National Wetland Inventory maps also indicate that the Yelm Creek corridor contains wetlands.
A wetland delineation and classification is required to establish if there are any wetlands on site, and the appropriate wetland buffer, which can range from 50 feet to 300 feet, depending
on the functions and values of the wetland.
Open Space
Chapter 16 YMC (Subdivision) and Chapter 14.12 YMC (Open Space) require all residential developments to provide five percent of the gross area in open space or pay a fee in lieu of open
space.
Open space must be dedicated and have the following attributes and characteristics:
Environmental interpretation or other education;
Park, recreational land, or athletic fields;
Off-road footpaths or bicycle trails; or
Any other use found by the City to further the purposes of this chapter.
The SR 510 Yelm Loop corridor may be counted towards open space requirements.
Section 14.16.120 YMC provides for the preservation of trees on private property with new development. Section 14.16.110 (A) states “No existing trees shall be removed until a final
decision is made regarding the feasibility of preserving existing trees. Section 14.16.110 (C) states that all plans shall include the location of all trees to be retained and removed
exceeding eight inches in diameter.
Other
Thurston County Health Department Review may be required if any wells and/or septic systems are located on or within 100' of property. All wells and septic systems within 100' of the
property must be shown on preliminary plat drawings. Any existing wells and septic on site must be abandoned, and any water rights deeded to the City.
State and federal laws regulate the demolition of buildings containing asbestos and/or lead paint.
State law (Chapter 173-425 WAC) defines land clearing burning as outdoor burning of trees, stumps, shrubbery, or other natural vegetation from land clearing projects. Olympic Region
Clean Air Authority (ORCCA) issues land clearing permits for burning.
The applicant shall contact the ORCAA, 2940-B Limited Lane NW, Olympia, WA 98502, (360) 586-1044 to secure any necessary permit(s) for the removal of materials containing asbestos and/or
lead paint, and for land clearing burn permits. Prior to issuance of a city building permit the applicant shall demonstrate compliance with any ORCAA requirements, and prior to any
demolition, proof of compliance with ORCAA and a City demolition permit is required.
Application/Process
Development of the site as a residential subdivision requires Preliminary and Final Subdivision Approval, including Environmental Review and Traffic Impact Analysis, and a Shoreline
Substantial Development Permit. Preliminary subdivision approval and shoreline permit approval require a public hearing before the Hearing Examiner. The environmental determination,
preliminary subdivision, and shoreline permit are reviewed concurrently and can be completed in 16 to 18 weeks. The shoreline permit is transmitted to the Department of Ecology for
an appeal process to the Shoreline Hearings Board, after which development may proceed. Preliminary subdivision approval is valid for 5 years.
Preliminary subdivision approval typically contains conditions of approval that the applicant must complete prior to receiving final subdivision approval or permits for construction.
Following land use approval the applicant is required to submit civil construction drawings to the Community Development Department for review and approval, and satisfy all conditions
of preliminary subdivision approval.
Upon satisfactory completion, the applicant submits the final documentation for final plat approval. Final Plat approval takes approximately 6-8 weeks from the time the City receives
a completed application packet.