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3.14 Aesthetics 0610083.14 Aesthetics   This section is based on the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community Aesthetics Technical Report (R.W. Droll Landscape Architect, October 2007). The meaning of aesthetics as it is used in this section is derived from Foundations for Visual Project Analysis (R. Smardon et al., editors, 1986). The value of aesthetics is described as an important interaction between a person and particular landscape features, from the standpoint of how one experiences his/her surroundings. Aesthetics can be both enhanced (e.g., through improved views, elimination of unsightliness, or increases in recreational potential), or it can be degraded (e.g., through unnatural intrusions, unsightliness, scale incompatibility, restriction of views, loss of resource, or long-term irreversible effects). The interpretation of what constitutes an enhancement and what constitutes degradation is a matter of individual interpretation. Affected Environment The Thurston Highlands site is an irregularly-shaped parcel, zoned for development of a Master Planned Community, within the incorporated area of the City of Yelm. It extends nearly 8,000 linear feet (approximately 1.5 miles) east to west at its widest point. The heart of the project site is approximately 1.5 miles west of the City center (i.e., from the intersection of South 1st Street/Yelm Avenue). The Thurston Highlands property is currently undeveloped. Several types of vegetative cover occur on the property: grassland and shrub meadows (±175 acres), a mix of shrub-forest (±300 acres), mature conifer forests (±45 acres), an isolated lodgepole pine forest (±11 acres), deciduous forests (±7 acres), and a wetlands meadow (±5 acres) (Coot Company 2008A). The dominant vegetative habitat on the site is a monotypic forest (approximately 680 acres), comprised of replanted Douglas fir trees, varying in age from 5 to 25 years. The site was formerly owned by Weyerhaeuser and managed for tree harvest. Approximately 74 acres of wetlands occur in the southern and extreme northeast areas of the property. These are vegetated with a diverse assemblage of native and invasive plant species. The topography of the site includes hillocks, ridges and ravines. In addition to forest practices to produce marketable timber, other human alterations to the property have included: the construction of logging roads, gravel extraction, and electrical power conveyance on overhead transmission lines. Former logging roads meander throughout most areas of the site. A former gravel pit approximately one acre in size is located at the base of a steep slope in the southwestern portion of the property. The Centralia Power electrical transmission line easement, a treeless swath 100 feet wide and a little more than one mile in length, diagonally traverses the western side of the property (see Figure 3.14-1). There is a single row of wooden power poles in this corridor and a dirt access road that winds along the length of the corridor. Figure 3.14-1. Aerial photograph – Thurston Highlands property.  Source: Robert W. Droll, Landscape Architect, PS Adjacent Land Use. Land uses adjacent to the Thurston Highlands site include the Fort Lewis Military Reservation, rural residential development, and a master planned community developing at an urban density. The shared boundary with Fort Lewis to the northwest and west is approximately 13,250 linear feet in length. Land north of the Thurston Highlands site consists of rural residential properties, 10 to 20 acres in size, zoned RR 1/5 – Rural Reservation. Rural residential properties to the east and south vary in size from 5 acres to 160 acres. The Tahoma Terra Master Planned Community adjacent to the eastern boundary of the site is currently undergoing development at an urban density of 4 to 8 dwelling units per acre. Other properties adjacent to the east and south boundaries of the Thurston Highlands site are zoned Low-Density Residential (R-4) by the City, or Rural Residential (RR 1/5) by Thurston County (Thurston County GeoData Center). Residential development in these zoning designations would range from 4 dwelling units per acre to one dwelling unit per 5 acres. At the southeast corner of the Thurston Highlands site, a narrow piece of the property extends eastward approximately 600 yards to intersect with SR 507 (see Figure 3.14-1). Viewsheds. Viewing opportunities ( or viewsheds ( are all surface areas visible from an observer’s viewpoint, taking into account the screening effects of intermediate vegetation and structures (R. Smardon, et al. 1986). Viewing opportunities on the Thurston Highlands property at the present time are limited by topography and vegetative cover. Documented viewsheds are shown in Figure 3.14-2, below. Figure 3.14-2. Prominent viewsheds ( Thurston Highlands property, April 2007.  Source: Robert W. Droll, Landscape Architect, P.S. (May 2007). In nearly all areas of the Thurston Highlands property, prominent viewsheds are limited by hillocks and ravines in the landscape, and/or by densely-planted stands of coniferous trees. For example, there are no views from the highest point on the site at the present time (highlighted on Figure 3.14-2 by the cross marking), due to the dense stand of fir trees that cover this feature. The documented viewsheds can be characterized in several ways: open or unfiltered (views not blocked by any substantial environmental feature); filtered (views partially blocked by a specific feature, such as a stand of trees); distant (views of areas lying beyond the Thurston Highlands property); and limited (narrow to wide-ranging views of areas within the boundaries of the property only). Of these types of views, the latter is most prevalent throughout the site, but has been documented only in areas with the most prominent views within property boundaries. Table 3.14-1 describes the most prominent views found on the Thurston Highlands site, as shown in Figure 3.14-2. Table 3.14-1. Description of prominent viewsheds – Thurston Highlands property, April 2007. View Description  1 Lightly-filtered, distant. Views to the northeast, east and southeast, from ridge and adjacent road through a scattered tree stand. View of distant ridge and Mt. Rainier.  2 Heavily-filtered, distant. Views to the northeast and east, from ridge and adjacent road through dense conifer tree stands. View of distant hills.  3 Open, limited. View typical of many throughout the property: unfiltered or minimally-filtered views of several hundred feet or more of various areas within property boundaries. These views are most common along existing roads and along much of the powerline corridor. Views vary in width, from narrow to wide-ranging.  4 Open, limited. Views to the east of large scrub meadow, surrounded on edges by tree stands, hillocks.  5 Open, limited. Views to the northwest and west of cleared, meadow-like setting bounded by dense, linear tree stands.  6 Open, distant. Prominent views to the east, from road corridor. View of distant hills and Mt. Rainier, distant building structures and open, cleared areas. This viewshed is unique in that it was created by preliminary site clearing work at the adjacent Tahoma Terra project, where the removal of trees and alteration of topography has opened up prominent views beyond the Thurston Highlands property.  Source: Robert W. Droll, Landscape Architect, P.S. (October 2007). Potential Impacts During Construction Full Build-Out Conceptual Land Use Alternatives With any of the conceptual land use alternatives, a majority of low- and/or moderate-density housing would be constructed on the western portion of the site. Construction activity is likely to begin with residential units in the northeastern portion of the property, followed by development of parks and trails, and other designated land use areas. Newly-settled residents would likely experience views or other impacts associated with specific construction activity. Aesthetic impacts to adjacent properties would be most distinctly experienced by Tahoma Terra residents on the northeastern boundary, who would observe western views of undeveloped forest altered by extensive clearing, grading, and construction activity. Alterations due to construction would likely have a minimal aesthetic impact on sparsely populated rural properties to the south, or the unpopulated Fort Lewis Military Reservation to the west and northwest. Illustrations of the three conceptual land use alternatives and representative “zoom-in” site plans are provided in Chapter 2 (Figures 2.5-1, 2.5-2, 2.6-1, 2.6-2, 2.6-3, and 2.6-4). Phase 1 Development Concept The Phase 1 conceptual plan includes low- and moderate-density housing, the beginnings of a village center, preserved open space, arterial roadways, residential streets, a potential elementary school site, and approximately 87 acres for future development of a Regional Sports Complex (see Figure 2.5-6 in Chapter 2). Construction activity is likely to begin with residential units, followed by the development of mini parks or neighborhood parks, trails, and possibly a school. Newly-settled residents would likely experience views or other impacts associated with specific construction activity (e.g., noise from machinery, clearing and earthwork activities, stockpiling of building material, construction staging areas, dust from project construction, dirt or mud tracked onto roadways, temporary fencing, and construction debris). Aesthetic impacts to off-site, adjacent properties as a result of Phase 1 development would be most distinctly experienced by Tahoma Terra residents on the eastern boundary, who would likely observe western views of undeveloped woods being altered by extensive construction activity. The 87-acre Regional Sports Complex in the northern portion of the site would have the most significant potential for construction impacts associated with aesthetics. Similar impacts to those described above for new residents would occur during construction of the Regional Sports Complex, but on a larger scale and for a longer period of time. The change in the appearance of this area of the site during construction associated with the Regional Sports Complex would be visible to passers-by traveling on the boulevard through Thurston Highlands, and to rural residential properties north of the site, in addition to new residents of Thurston Highlands. Depending on the timing of uses developed on the proposed public service sites adjoining the Regional Sports Complex (e.g., one or more schools, a fire station, and a possible satellite police station), these uses could be exposed also to the temporary construction impacts of the Regional Sports Complex. No Action Alternative There would be no change to the present appearance of the site under the No Action Alternative, as there would be no construction activity in the near-term. Potential Developed-Condition Impacts Full Build-Out Conceptual Land Use Alternatives Potential developed-condition impacts to the aesthetics of the Thurston Highlands property will likely vary, depending on the individual experiences and interpretations of Thurston Highlands residents, adjacent property owners, visitors and/or passers-by. Final site planning for the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community will not be completed until after the public participation process, and is conceptual at the time of this writing. Alternative conceptual land use plans schematically depict possible locations and features of various elements of the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community, such as residential lots (Figure 3.14-3), commercial areas, village centers (Figure 3.14-4), streets and street corridors, open space, vegetative buffers, and institutional facilities (e.g., schools, parks, a fire station, and a Regional Sports Complex). Figure 3.14-3. Conceptual streetscape: two-unit townhomes.  Source: BCRA Design. Figure 3.14-4. Conceptual streetscape: farmers market.  Source: BCRA Design. Conceptual depictions of open spaces and vegetative buffers are more closely aligned with a potential final design, as they relate to areas that will be preserved in a manner similar to a natural, undisturbed environment. No final determinations had been made at the time of this writing as to the specific layout or size of various features (e.g. buildings, streets, parks), or other significant schemes affecting aesthetic elements, such as scale, visual character, extent of views, signage, or landscape plantings. Consequently, the aesthetics impact analysis is somewhat generalized. Development of any one of the conceptual land use alternatives would change the aesthetics of the Thurston Highlands property, as the overall character of existing site conditions would be significantly altered. The grading proposal would make the topography more uniform in elevation, and much of the monotypic forest would be removed to construct buildings, roadways, and site amenities (personal communication with Doug Bloom, Partner, Thurston Highlands, L.L.C., April 30, 2007). Within the boundaries of the Highlands property, some aspects of the built environment are consistent between the three conceptual land use alternatives; most notably, the Regional Sports Complex (same location, similar layout), residential neighborhoods at the northeast area of the property (similar layout to the adjacent Tahoma Terra Master Planned Community to the east), and a four-lane boulevard winding through the development from the northeast to the southeast corner of the property. The Regional Sports Complex is proposed for future development under any build alternative, and would include athletic fields and parking surrounded by vegetative buffers. The residential neighborhoods would be characterized by a mix of residential densities and small-scale commercial establishments. Figure 3.14-5 illustrates a group of street-level establishments, with medium- or high-density residential units in the stories above. Figure 3.14-5. Conceptual streetscape: commercial/residential mix.  Source: BCRA Design. Figure 3.14-6 depicts a concept of a multi-family streetscape, which could be implemented as a component of any of the three conceptual land use alternatives. Customized design guidelines for the Master Planned Community will be developed and reviewed with the City of Yelm during the Master Site Plan approval process. Figure 3.14-6. Conceptual streetscape: multi-family (apartments or condiminiums).  Source: BCRA Design. The conceptual land use alternatives would preserve between approximately 315 and 500 acres of open space and common area (25 to 40 percent of total land area) in the form of a village square, farmers market, parks, trails, play fields, wooded areas, steep slopes, critical habitat areas, and vegetative buffers. In this manner, the natural landscape would be incorporated as part of the Master Planned Community layout and design, which could be aesthetically perceived in different ways by different people. Some may find the change from a dense, monotypic stand of Douglas fir trees to urban residential development with parks, trails and athletic fields to have a negative aesthetic impact on the area. Others may find the creation of these features to be an integration of built and non-built environments, and thus an aesthetically-pleasing addition to the community. From a contextual standpoint, the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community would create a significant contrast with most of the surrounding environment. The Fort Lewis Military Reservation adjacent to the site on the west is expected to remain a large, unoccupied forest and military training ground. Despite a contrast in land use that would be created between the two properties, however, no residential population would be impacted on the uninhabited Military Reservation side. Vegetative buffers proposed along boundary lines (50 feet, minimum) would partially screen views of the development from adjacent properties; however, the contrast between adjacent rural residential properties and the Highlands site would be considerable. The developed-condition of Thurston Highlands would be most compatible with the Tahoma Terra Master Planned Community to the northeast, currently undergoing urban residential development similar in density to the Phase 1 development concept for the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community. Phase 1 Development Concept The Phase 1 conceptual site plan would create approximately 1,008 dwelling units (single-family detached and multi-family) on approximately 351 acres, in the northeastern portion of the Thurston Highlands site. Phase 1 development under any build alternative is anticipated to be traditional neighborhood development, for compatibility with the layout of the adjacent Tahoma Terra neighborhood to the east. Higher-density residential development (Figure 3.14-7) and a village center (Figure 3.14-8) are proposed in the west and south portions of the site, in future phases of the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community under the Preferred Alternative or Urban Village Alternative. Figure 3.14-7. Conceptual streetscape: 4-plex or 6-plex townhomes.  Source: BCRA Design. Figure 3.14-8. Conceptual streetscape: village square.  Source: BCRA Design. An 87-acre site would be reserved within the Phase 1 development area for a Regional Sports Complex (Figure 3.14-9), to be constructed at a later time when population levels would support this use. Figure 3.14-9. Conceptual streetscape: regional sports complex.  Source: BCRA Design. Aesthetically, there would be significant changes on the site during Phase 1 development. Views into the Highlands from adjacent properties would be filtered or screened by vegetative buffers. Within the development, views would likely be expanded outward, as a result of tree removal and topographic alterations. For example, traditional neighborhood development on the eastern boundary would likely have views of the distant Cascade foothills and Mt. Rainier that were previously screened from view by existing environmental features. No Action Alternative It is assumed that under the No Action Alternative, the property would temporarily remain undeveloped; therefore, aesthetic features that include the absence of prominent viewsheds would remain unchanged, and there would be no resident population associated with the site to alter aesthetic features in any significant way. The undeveloped condition of the site would temporarily preserve its present character, though due to private ownership, the property would not technically be available for public use. Mitigation Measures Incorporated Plan Features. The Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community conceptual land use plans were developed with the intention to provide aesthetically pleasing features within the overall context and scale of the project, and consistent with the community of Yelm. Features such as critical habitat preservation, vegetative buffers, parks and retained natural open space are intended to integrate existing site features with the built environment of the Master Planned Community. Landscaping and screening throughout the site will be necessary to buffer both compatible and incompatible land uses, to ensure privacy, and to create a “walkable” environment. Landscaping and screening throughout the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community – including perimeters, parks, open space and stormwater management areas – would comply with all applicable City of Yelm codes and the development standards of the approved Master Site Plan. The following table indicates the responsible party for each type of landscaping and maintenance requirement in the Master Planned Community. Table 3.14-2. Landscaping responsibilities – Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community. Feature Installation Maintenance/Upkeep  Regional Sports Complex Thurston Highlands LLC, through L.I.D. or bond measure Public venues by the City of Yelm (when transferred); private venues by occupying Private Businesses  Public Service Sites School District, Fire District, or other public service entity School District, Fire District, or other public service entity  Neighborhood Park Thurston Highlands LLC City of Yelm (when transferred)  Mini Park Thurston Highlands LLC Homeowners’ Association  Main Entries to the Master Planned Community Thurston Highlands LLC Homeowners’ Association  Boulevard, Primary Street Corridors Thurston Highlands LLC City of Yelm  Neighborhood Streets Thurston Highlands LLC City of Yelm  Individual Trees on Lots Builder of home or developer of subdivisions, depending on final Master Site Plan Homeowners’ Association or Individual Homeowner  Commercial/Retail Frontage improvements by Thurston Highlands LLC; landscape on property by Builder Homeowner’s Association and/or Private Business  Perimeter Buffers Thurston Highlands LLC Homeowners’ Association  Stormwater Facilities Thurston Highlands LLC Homeowners’ Association  Source: Personal communication with Doug Bloom, Thurston Highlands, LLC, August 2007. Applicable Regulations. The approved Master Site Plan of Thurston Highlands will guide development activities over the next 10 to 30 years, to full build-out. Each phase of development will be reviewed in the context of project-specific development standards recorded in a Development Agreement (or similar instrument) between the City and Thurston Highlands, L.L.C., and with applicable City, State and Federal regulations in effect at the time applications are submitted and deemed to be complete. Streetscapes, for example, would require a specific layout of traffic lanes, landscape strips and vegetation (e.g., street trees) that would create an aesthetically appealing entry into an established neighborhood or village center. Building permits will require compliance with City regulations or more restrictive provisions in the Development Agreement. Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs) would impose measures for the maintenance and upkeep of mini-parks and other common areas, as well as minimize the impacts of construction, upgrades or repairs within the development. The CC&Rs, to be implemented and enforced by the Homeowner’s Association, would therefore help to preserve aesthetically-pleasing conditions within the development. Other Possible Mitigation Measures. The combination of neighborhood layout, appropriate scale, proper orientation, opening of views, type of building materials and landscaping are intended to minimize negative aesthetic impacts. The City may want to consider whether it would be desirable for the development to optimize distant views to a greater extent with the orientation of thoroughfares and buildings, or to provide more significant vegetative buffers between the Thurston Highlands development and neighboring, lower-density uses. Significant Unavoidable Adverse Impacts Development of the Master Planned Community under any of the conceptual land use alternatives would substantially remove existing vegetative cover from the site and alter existing topography to more level grades. In place of the dense reproduction forest and open meadows, an urban community would be created, permanently altering the existing character of the site. The aesthetic impact of this change would likely be interpreted differently by different observers; i.e., it may be pleasing to some and objectionable to others. The Thurston Highlands site is within the City of Yelm, and thus is anticipated to develop as an urban community whether at this time or in the foreseeable future.