Process DEIS
Master Planned Community
City of Yelm
Community Development Department
Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Public and Agency Participation Process
When the Draft Environmental Impact Statement is issued for the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community (expected in the second quarter of 2007), notice of its availability will
be sent to adjacent property owners within 1,000 feet of the development, to Federal, State and local agencies, and to anyone who commented on the project during the EIS scoping process.
Notice of availability of the Draft EIS will also be published in the Nisqually Valley News.
During the 45-day (minimum) comment period on the Draft EIS, anyone can critique the analysis or conclusions of the Draft EIS. Additionally, this comment period will also be used to
help Thurston Highlands Associates define development concepts that the community may desire to be incorporated into the project.
The open comment period will include at least four (4) open houses at which design options will be able to be compared and contrasted, as well as an opportunity for feedback on alternate
designs. The final open house will include a summary of all feedback received and an opportunity to rate the design suggestions.
The Draft EIS will disclose all potential impacts from the developers initial proposal and the alternatives, along with potential mitigation measures and potential alternatives that
minimize environmental impacts. Before the City Hearing Examiner reviews the conceptual site plan for consistency with City plans, the developers will be amending the conceptual site
plan to incorporate the findings of the Environmental Impact Statement.
At the time the Draft EIS is published, the City of Yelm and the developers will be soliciting public input on the design of the conceptual plan, including:
The look and feel of the development
Design standards for subsequent development (streetscapes, green spaces, commercial design)
Percentage of residential vs. commercial lands
Scale and type of allowed commercial uses
Residential development standards
Percentage of single family vs. multi-family residential development
Types of multi-family development (townhomes, apartments, condominiums)
Common recreational open space design
Regional ball field design
The City of Yelm, through the EIS Scoping process has already provided the developers with some direction to the approach towards the Draft EIS and subsequent review of the conceptual
master site plan. That direction has been to hold true to the basic tenets of the Growth Management Act, the key ideals of which are the same as ‘smart growth’, which has become the
national buzzword for growth management. Many of these principles attempt to lower the cost of providing public services, and most are already codified by the Yelm Comprehensive Plan
and development regulations. Smart growth principles include:
Create a Range of Housing Opportunities and Choices
Create Walkable Neighborhoods
Encourage Community and Stakeholder Collaboration (public participation)
Foster Distinctive, Attractive Communities with a Strong Sense of Place
Make Development Decisions Predictable, Fair and Cost Effective
Mix Land Uses
Provide a Variety of Transportation Choices
Strengthen and Direct Development Towards Existing Communities
Take Advantage of Compact Building Design
Many smart growth principles require and encourage high density urbanization.