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Hearing Examiner Staff ReportDate: September 19, 2003 To: Stephen Causseaux, Jr., Hearing Examiner From: Tami Merriman, Assistant Planner Re: Yelm Senior Multipurpose Center, CUP-03-8336-YL LIST OF EXHIBITS: Exhibit I: Original Site Plan Exhibit II: Finding of No Significant Impact Exhibit III: Revised Site Plan Exhibit IV: Public Hearing Notice Applicant: Yelm Senior Center P.O. Box 757 Yelm, WA 98597 Proposal: The applicant is applying for a Special Use Permit to construct a 6,000 square foot Senior Multipurpose Center within the city limits of Yelm. The project will occur in two phases, with approximately 3,000 square feet being built at this time. The project is being reviewed in its entirety to assure that when the Senior Center is ready to complete their second phase of construction, all approvals shall be in place. Public Notice of the date and time of the Public Hearing was posted on the project site, mailed to property owners within 300 feet of the project site on September 16, 2003, and advertised in the local newspaper on September 19, 2003. The City has performed an environmental review, to include SEPA and NEPA, and issued a Finding of No Significant Impact on August 22, 2003, with a comment deadline of September 5, 2003, and an appeal deadline of September 12, 2003. Summary: Staff recommends approval of the proposal, subject to the conditions listed in this report. DEPARTMENT ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS: 1. Public Notice: Notice of the public hearing was published in the Nisqually Valley News on Friday, September 19, 2003, and posted in public areas on Wednesday, September 17, 2003. The notice was mailed to adjacent property owners, and the applicant on September 17, 2003. 2. Existing Land Use and Zoning. Finding: The site is zoned Moderate Density Residential, (R-6), YMC Chapter 17.15. In the R-6 zone, Special Uses are allowed as provided for in Chapter 17.66, Special Uses. Conclusion: A Senior citizen center is classified as a special use and is allowed in any zoning district provided any unique impacts resulting from the proposal can be mitigated. 3. Lot Size and Setbacks: Finding: This property was used residential in the past, however at this time, the property is vacant. There is located on site an uninhabitable mobile home, and a dilapidated water tower. In April 2003 the Washington State Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation deemed that the water tower was not eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, and the City does not have the water tower listed as an historic site. Both the mobile home and water tower will be demolished and removed from the site. The R-6 zone does not have a minimum lot size requirement, however all buildings must meet required setbacks. The setbacks for the R-6 zone are; a minimum of 5-feet on side yards with a minimum total of both sides 12-feet, 25-feet on rear yards, and front yards 15-feet with a minimum of 20-foot driveway approach. The maximum height of buildings shall be 35 feet. Conclusion: The proposal meets current minimum setbacks and lot size requirements. 4. Adjacent Land Uses and Zoning. Finding: The property to the north is zoned OS, Open Space/Institutional District, and is developed as an elementary School. The properties to the east, and southeast are zoned RR 1/5, are in residential use, and are not within City Limits. The properties to the southwest are zoned C-2, Heavy Commercial to include residential apartments, and a plumbing business. The property to the west is zoned C-1 Commercial, and is improved as a church site. Conclusion: There is a mixture of uses of the surrounding properties. Where there are residential uses, a 15-foot dense landscape buffer will be required. This is reflected in the landscaping section. Perimeter site landscaping, Yelm Creek, or 103rd Avenue will separate the other commercial uses. 5. Environmental and Shoreline. Finding: The applicant is constructing this facility and site improvements with funds received through a Community Development Block Grant. This funding source requires projects to perform both a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) environmental review and a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental review. The City performed both the SEPA and NEPA environmental review as required, and has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact on August 22, 2003. This finding was mailed to interested parties, state agencies, and published in the local paper. Finding: The project site is bisected in the southwest corner by Yelm Creek, which is listed as a Shoreline of the State. Finding: All of the site improvements are situated outside of the Shoreline Jurisdiction area, and the shoreline jurisdiction area will be left undisturbed and in its natural state. Finding: All of the site improvements are situated outside of wetland buffers and flood zones. Wetland and wetland buffer areas will be left undisturbed in and their natural state. No construction or fill will be placed in flood zone areas. Finding: The applicant is required to extend a City sewer service line along the frontage of their property, which requires a conduit crossing under an existing bridge over Yelm Creek. Conclusion: The City has performed an environmental review, issuing a Finding of No Significant Impact. The project is outside of the Shoreline Jurisdiction area, and does not require a shoreline substantial development permit. The project meets wetland buffer requirements. The project will not construct or place any fill in flood zone areas. The sewer line bridge conduit crossing was reviewed in the SEPA/NEPA environmental review, and deemed to create no impact. The sewer line bridge conduit crossing is exempt from Hydraulic Project Approval, Section 220-110-100 WAC. The sewer line bridge conduit crossing is exempt from Shoreline Management, Section 173-27-040(2)(b) WAC. 6. Transportation and Site Access. Finding: Yelm is a small compact community most directly affected by two state highways which bisect the community. The two state highways are used by local residents for transportation throughout the city and for access to commercial and residential areas throughout the community. In lieu of widening existing streets, the City has elected to create certain alternatives, Y-1, Y-2, Y-3, which will avoid the need to significantly widen It was determined that the frontage improvements for this project shall not include improvements to the 103rd Avenue bridge, and the amount of road leading to the bridge that would be part on bridge improvements shall be deferred. Conclusion: The construction of this project will create impacts to the existing traffic system. The City of Yelm has created mitigation measures through its Municipal Code, Comprehensive Transportation Plan, and Development Guidelines. 7. Parking. Finding: Chapter 17.72, Off-Street Parking and Loading provide guidelines for parking requirements. Chapter 17.72 does not list a senior center as specific use; it does however provide guidelines for places of assembly without fixed seats. This use was determined to be the closest to a senior center. This type of occupancy requires 1 stall for each 10 occupants. For a 6,000 square foot facility, a maximum occupancy is approximately 400, which requires forty (40) parking stalls. Finding: Chapter 17.72, Off-Street Parking states; The requirements for off-street parking and loading facilities and their design shall be regarded as the minimum; however, the owner, developer, or operator of the premises for which the parking facilities are intended shall be responsible for providing adequate amounts and arrangement of space for the particular premises, even though such space is in excess of the minimum set forth in this chapter. Finding: The facility has it’s own transportation van to transport some seniors to and from the center. Chapter 17.72.090, Incentives for reducing the number of parking stalls, allows for a 25% reduction in parking stall requirements when a private vanpool operation is provided by the development. Conclusion: Off-street parking shall be provided on site. Number of stalls may be reduced by 25%. 8. Water Supply. Finding: The City’s Water Comprehensive Plan identifies a portion of the City area for service. The City is pursuing additional land areas for approval and the extension of facilities. Completion of such activities is dependent on grant and developer funding, as well as planned bonding and existing public funds. The status of such plans and funding sources must be considered in any review of concurrency. Developer extensions and or dedications, latecomer agreements, oversizing agreements, and the creation of local improvement districts may all be considered. In the event of a new funding source, however, concurrency is not found until the funding source is in fact in pace - e.g. award of a grant, a binding letter commitment for third parting funding, or the successful formation of a local improvement district. Any necessary water rights are considered, only after approved for municipal use by the Washington State Department of Ecology, or appropriate appeals board, and the time for appeal or challenge has expired. Finding: The site is in the City’s water service area but is currently not connected to the City’s Water system. The applicant is required to connect to the existing 6-inch water line that is currently installed in 103rd Avenue. Connection charges are based on water consumption. One connection is based on a consumption rate of 240 gallons per day. This connection is referred to as an “ERU”. Conclusion: The proposed development to this site creates an impact on the City’s water system. 9. Wastewater: Finding: The city’s Sewer Comprehensive Plan identifies a portion of the City area for service. The City is pursuing additional land areas for approval and the extension of facilities. Completion of such activities is dependent on grant and developer funding, as well as planned bonding and existing public funds. The status of such plans and funding sources must be considered in any review of concurrency. Developer extensions and or dedications, latecomer agreements, oversizing agreements, and the creation of local improvement districts may all be considered. In the event of a new funding source, however, concurrency is not found until the funding source is in fact in place - e.g. award of a grant, a binding letter commitment for third parting funding, or the successful formation of a local improvement district. Finding: The site is not currently connected to the City sewer system. Sewer ERU’s are based on water consumption. The property is assessed for sewer ERU’s through a City LID. Participation in the LID provides a reduced cost for sewer connection. Conclusion: The proposed development to this site creates an impact on the City’s sewer system. 10. Drainage/Stormwater: Finding: The completed project will increase the amount of impervious surface on the site, and on the adjacent streets. Impervious surfaces create stormwater runoff. Uncontrolled and untreated stormwater runoff can create health and safety hazards. YMC requires all development to comply with the adopted City Stormwater Manual. 11. Fire Finding: Fire protection to the buildings must be provided per the Uniform Fire Code. Requirements for installation of fire hydrants, fire lanes, or sprinkler systems will be determined in civil plan, and building permit review. Conclusion: Fire protection will be reviewed and approved through civil plan, and building permit review. 12. Landscaping, Development Guidelines, and Design Guidelines. Finding: Landscaping and screening are necessary to promote safety, to provide screening between compatible land uses, to safeguard privacy and to protect the aesthetic assets of the City. YMC, Chapter 17.80 requires all development to provide on site landscaping. Finding: YMC 17.80.030(B) states; Whenever a nonresidential activity is proposed adjacent to a residential use, a minimum 15-foot buffer area of Type I landscaping shall be provided along the property boundary between the uses. Finding: YMC, Development Guidelines, and Design Guidelines provide regulations regarding street trees, parking lot landscaping, perimeter and interior landscaping. YMC Chapter 17.80 describes the different landscaping regulations by “Type”. 13. Refuse: Finding: The City of Yelm Design Guidelines provides guidance for the placement and screening of service areas. Design Guidelines I.D.(1)(b) states; When service elements are visible from the sidewalk, or adjacent properties, the elements must be screened. A six-foot wall or fence shall enclose any outdoor refuse collection point. The fence shall be a solid material such as wood or masonry. Staff Analysis and Conclusion. Based on the conceptual plan as proposed by the applicant, the analysis and findings above, and the conditions described below, staff finds that the project: Adequately provides for the public health, safety and general welfare, and for drainage ways, streets, potable water supplies, sanitary wastes; and The project is in conformance with The Yelm-Thurston County Joint Comprehensive Plan, the City Zoning Ordinance, the City’s Development and Design Guidelines, and the Shoreline Management Act. CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL: Transportation: The applicant shall mitigate transportation impacts based on the new p.m. peak hour trips generated by the project. The Transportation Facility Charge (TFC) shall be based on the square footage of the building at building permit issuance. The applicant shall make on-site and frontage improvements consistent with City standards. Improvements for 103rd Avenue shall be consistent with the City of Yelm Development Guidelines for a “Local Access Residential Street”, and shall be installed from the eastern property line west to approximately 200 feet east of the bridge over Yelm Creek. Remaining improvements shall be deferred. Parking: The applicant shall provide for a minimum of 30 parking stalls on site. The applicant shall provide for handicap parking stalls as required by ADA. Parking areas shall be landscaped consistent with Chapter 17.80, Landscaping, and City of Yelm Development and Design Guidelines. The applicant may phase their parking improvements to concur with building phases, meeting minimum requirements. Water: The applicant shall connect to the City water system. Water ERU’s are based on a consumption rate of 240 gallons per day and are charged a current rate of $1,500 (fee subject to change) inside City limits. The number of ERU’s required for this project shall be determined by calculations provided by the applicant, and approved by the Community Development Department. Water connection fees shall be paid at building permit issuance. Wastewater: The applicant must connect to the City sewer system. Sewer ERU’s are based on the on the water calculations provided by the applicant, and reviewed and approved by the Community Development Department. ERU’s are based on a discharge of 240 gallons per day. The current rate for one ERU in the LID is $2,620.00.00 (fee subject to change). The sewer main shall be extended along the frontage of the site, from the corner of 103rd Avenue and Creek Street to the eastern property corner. Sewer connection fees are payable at building permit issuance. Drainage/Stormwater: The applicant shall design and construct all stormwater facilities in accordance with the DOE Manual, as adopted by the City of Yelm. Best Management Practices are required during and post construction. Stormwater areas shall be landscaped consistent with Chapter 17.80, Landscaping, and City of Yelm Development and Design Guidelines. The applicant shall submit a final stormwater report with civil plan application. The applicant shall submit a stormwater maintenance plan with civil plan application. The applicant shall provide a blanket easement for maintenance of all utilities deeded to the City, and access to the stormwater facility. Landscaping, Development Guidelines, and Design Guidelines: The applicant shall provide for a 15’ dense “Type I” landscape buffer along the eastern property line, adjacent to the residential uses. An 8-foot, Type II landscaping is required along the north and west property line. A 5-foot Type II landscaping is required around the buildings. Type III landscaping is required as part of the frontage improvements. Type IV landscaping is required in parking areas. Type V landscaping is required in stormwater retention facilities. The applicant shall submit a final landscape and irrigation plan, pursuant to Chapter 17.80, to the Community Development Department for review and approval. Completed landscaping shall be approved by the Community Development Department prior to building occupancy. Refuse: Refuse container screening shall be required, and be of a material and design compatible with the overall architectural theme of the associated structure, shall be at least as high as the refuse container, and shall in no case be less than six feet high, with a gated enclosure. No refuse container shall be permitted between a street and the front of a building. Refuse collection areas shall be designed to contain all refuse generated on site and deposited between collections. Deposited refuse shall not be visible from outside the refuse enclosure. Staff Recommendation: Based on the Analysis, Findings, and Conditions of Approval, staff finds that the project, as conditioned, meets the City’s minimum requirements and standards. Staff recommends that the Hearing Examiner approve CUP-03-8336-YL, as proposed and conditioned herein.