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FtLewisEIS-Text02.20.083.10 Relationship of the Proposal to the Ft. Lewis Military Reservation The Fort Lewis Military Reservation, Rainier Training Area (Fort Lewis) is located adjacent to the western boundary of the proposed Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community (see Figure __). There is a total of approximately 2.5 miles of shared property boundary. The City of Yelm recognizes the importance and need for military units to sustain and improve readiness for both wartime and contingency operations. The purpose of this section is to review the potential impacts of the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community on Fort Lewis, and conversely, the potential impacts of Fort Lewis operations on the proposed development. All elements of the environment are reviewed below in the specific context of the relationship between the existing Military Reservation and the proposed development. The Fort Lewis Military Reservation is an 86,000-acre facility with approximately 76,000 acres of training area in Pierce County and Thurston County. The Rainier Training Area represents about one-third of that total area. The Rainier Training Area is unimproved, mostly timbered land, with varying topography and wetlands. The land that directly borders Thurston Highlands is heavily timbered, with mature second growth Douglas fir being the dominant species. There are no developed features on this portion of Fort Lewis within at least one mile of the Thurston Highlands property (Coot Company, October 2007B). The majority of Fort Lewis timber land is maintained to support the military mission by providing a variety of forested environments for military training. At the same time, these forests are managed to: develop and maintain late-successional forest habitat for Northern spotted owl and other species, maintain and restore native biological diversity and unique plant communities, and maintain low risk of catastrophic fire. Fort Lewis forest management practices also provide a source of timber and firewood for the local community (ENSR 2006). Fort Lewis regularly conducts training maneuvers within the Rainier Training Area. This training may include on/off-road vehicle movement, light force training, heavy force training, maneuver and gunnery training, and aviation training: fixed-wing aircraft, and helicopters. Special operations exercises include air drops, airborne operations, air assaults, aerial gunnery, and maneuvers (Shapiro and Associates 1996). Fort Lewis staff representatives identified the following concerns during the Thurston Highlands EIS Scoping period (personal communications with Mike Barton, Fort Lewis Public Works, May 9, 2006; Bill Van Hoesen, Public Works, and Deborah Johnston, Environmental and Natural Resources Division, Fort Lewis, August 15, 2006; and letter from Steven T. Perrenot, PE, Director of Public Works, Fort Lewis, May 26, 2006). Possible conflicts with commercial timberland operations on the Military Reservation, which include allowing natural tree growth and fall-over, logging, and possible forest fires. Tower locations; e.g., a water tower, or communications towers that may conflict with airborne operations. Trespassing and unauthorized access by people and/or pets onto the military reservation. Unauthorized dumping. Air quality impacts to future residents that may include dust, smoke and the smell of gunpowder. Visual impacts that may include military vehicles both on the ground and in the air. Possible impact to Northern spotted owl habitat, and/or habitat managed on the Fort Lewis Military Reservation for other species. Noise impacts that may originate from fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, army vehicles, timber logging operations, ammunition, pyrotechnics, grenades and artillery. Fort Lewis will not provide stormwater runoff area, wastewater treatment facilities, or land for this project. Conceptual land use alternatives for development of the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community all include development of an 86-acre Regional Sports Complex and low-density residential development in the area adjacent to Fort Lewis, with a 50-ft wide buffer along this boundary. It is possible that the existing Centralia Power line easement and overhead transmission lines may be relocated from the existing diagonal alignment across the Thurston Highlands site to this west boundary buffer area. If this occurs, the buffer would be cleared for the installation of 40-megawatt electrical power transmission lines, and only low-growing plants would be replanted. Each element of the environment is reviewed below, corresponding to the overall Draft EIS outline. Detailed descriptions of the affected environment on the Thurston Highlands site are provided in those sections of Draft EIS Chapter 3. Where specific information is known about the affected environment on the Fort Lewis Military Reservation, it is briefly described here, preceding the impact analysis. No significant unavoidable adverse impacts have been identified that would affect compatibility between the proposed Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community and the Fort Lewis Military Reservation. Helpful mitigation measures that would minimize the potential for conflicts are described at the end of this section. Sources of information used to describe the affected environment on the Fort Lewis Military Reservation include: Final Environmental Assessment for the Fielding of M56 and M58 Smoke Generators at Fort Lewis and Yakima Training Center. ENSR International. 1999. Final Environmental Assessment for Training with Smoke Munitions at Fort Lewis and Yakima Training Center, Washington. ENSR International. 2001. Final Environmental Assessment Fiscal Year 2005 Stationing Actions at Fort Lewis and Yakima Training Center, Washington. ENSR International. 2004. Draft Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan 2006 to 2010. ENSR International. 2006. Draft Environmental Assessment Fort Lewis Integrated Natural Resources management Plan 2006 to 2010. ENSR International. 2006. Installation Compatible Use Zone Study. Shapiro and Associates. 1996. Earth The Fort Lewis Military Reservation has varying topography, with areas of gently rolling and steep slopes, forest cover and prairie habitat, and developed areas. Soils consist of glacial deposits, gravel and till. Training activities and forest management practices on the Fort Lewis Military Reservation would not hamper construction activities, nor affect physical characteristics of the Thurston Highlands site. With any of the Thurston Highlands conceptual land use alternatives, erosion potential during construction would be controlled by temporary stormwater management facilities to avoid discharge across the site boundary. Vegetation in the proposed 50-foot buffer along the west boundary would provide some distance and screening between urban development on the Thurston Highlands site and the military reservation. No direct or indirect impacts to earth elements on or from Fort Lewis would be expected during construction or in the developed condition of the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community. The use of Best Management Practices is both proposed and required to protect neighboring properties. Air Quality Emissions to the air from Fort Lewis may include vehicle exhaust, dust, and smoke. Toxic air pollutants are generated during smoke training by chemical units. Air emissions associated with different levels of smoke training on Fort Lewis were evaluated in the Final Environmental Assessment for the Fielding of M56 and M58 Smoke Generators at Fort Lewis and Yakima Training Center (ENSR 1999), and in the Final Environmental Assessment for Training with Smoke Munitions at Fort Lewis and Yakima Training Center, Washington (ENSR 2001). To ensure that smoke training exercises do not violate air quality standards, Fort Lewis is committed to meeting the smoke munitions and generator limits identified in these two Environmental Assessments (Shapiro and Associates 1996). Fort Lewis is also required to follow National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) at installation boundaries. Emission limits and impacts to the air have been identified in previous Environmental Assessments completed by Fort Lewis. Within Thurston County, Fort Lewis is regulated by the Olympic Region Clean Air Authority (ORCAA) to ensure that activities on the Military Reservation do not exceed air quality standards established by state and federal agencies. The use of rotary-winged aircraft may cause localized dust disturbances. Smoke from prescribed and accidental fires on the Military Reservation may impact residents of and visitors to the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community. Fort Lewis Range Division and training area units are responsible for reporting fires. During periods of high fire danger, the Range Division issues restrictions on training activities. Prescribed burning to maintain prairie quality in Thurston County is regulated by the Fort Lewis Forestry Program, and may occur approximately once a year. With any of the conceptual land use alternatives, construction activities would generate minor emissions of fine particulate matter and vehicle emissions (Geomatrix 2008). Emissions from vehicle exhaust would be concentrated on local roadways and intersections. Proposed roadways that may be affected by vehicle emissions are not located near the Fort Lewis boundary. No significant direct or indirect air quality impacts to or from Fort Lewis would be expected during construction, or in the developed condition of the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community. Best Management Practices require implementation of reasonably available control technology during construction. Also see the applicant’s commitment to measures that would minimize adverse impacts to air quality in Draft EIS Section 3.2. Surface Water and Groundwater Surface Water. Stormwater that falls on the Fort Lewis Rainier Training Area infiltrates porous soils or flows overland to wetlands, kettles, or surface water drainage courses. There is no developed stormwater management system on this area of the Military Reservation. Similar conditions exist at the present time on the Thurston Highlands site. The Grading, Drainage and Utilities Technical Report prepared for the project identifies the western portion of the site (adjacent to the Fort Lewis Rainier Training Area) as on-site Drainage Basin F (KPFF Consulting Engineers 2008). This drainage basin has the highest concentration of gravelly soils anywhere on the site. Stormwater that falls in this area, for the most part, infiltrates. Drainage Basin F includes Wetland B in the southwest corner of the site. This wetland is identified as a depressional, outflow system that drains southwest, off-property (onto the Fort Lewis Rainier Training Area), to an isolated kettle wetland (Coot Company, 2007B). The Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community proposal includes retaining large, high-value wetland complexes on the site with substantial buffers. Wetland B will likely be one of the wetlands to be retained, in which case its function in stormwater management will continue as at present. Groundwater. Fort Lewis protects groundwater areas by implementing an Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (ENSR International, August 2006) that includes buffers, restricted vehicle crossings, and protection from forest treatments. No wastewater is generated from the Rainier Training Area on Fort Lewis. The proposed Master Planned Community would be served by the City of Yelm wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal/reuse system. There would be no discharge of sewage to the ground (e.g., in septic tank drainfields). The City’s wastewater treatment system generates Class A reclaimed water for beneficial use. The feasibility of infiltrating reclaimed water for groundwater recharge on the Thurston Highlands site is being investigated. No drinking water extraction wells are known to be located on Fort Lewis property in proximity to the shared boundary with Thurston Highlands. The City of Yelm is currently studying additional water supply wells in a portion of the Thurston Highlands site adjacent to Fort Lewis. Test wells have been installed, and pump tests and modeling have been performed. If the City receives Washington Department of Ecology approval for this additional water right, it is expected that the location of new wells would be in the northwestern corner of the Thurston Highlands site. Water quality protection is vital in the area surrounding a well. Washington State Department of Health Regulations would require a 100-ft radius around the wellhead to be protected from potential sources of contamination. In some cases, the required radius is larger to prevent industrial-type uses from occurring within the wellhead protection area. Possible new water supply withdrawals would not affect Fort Lewis, and it is not expected that wellhead protection areas would extend onto the Military Reservation. No direct or indirect surface water or groundwater impacts to or from Fort Lewis would be expected during construction or in the developed condition of the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community. A NPDES Construction Stormwater permit will be required of the development, to regulate stormwater management during construction. All stormwater generated from the developed condition of the site would be collected, treated, and infiltrated on-site. Studies in-progress at the time of this writing indicate that the direction of flow in the advance outwash shallow groundwater system beneath the Thurston Highlands site is between north and east. In some areas, the confining unit at the base of the advance outwash is absent, and as a result, the shallow groundwater system is not developed. No strongly-oriented westward flow of shallow groundwater (i.e., toward the Fort Lewis Rainier Training Area) has been identified in studies completed to-date (personal communication with Anthony Burgess, Anthony Burgess Consulting, February 6, 2008). Wetlands Fort Lewis protects wetlands on the Military Reservation through implementation of the Fort Lewis Integrated Natural Resources Plan (ENSR International, August 2006). Fort Lewis and the Thurston Highlands site both have identified wetland systems, one of which extends across the shared boundary between these properties in the southwest corner of Thurston Highlands (Fort Lewis PW-ENRD, May 2001; and Coot Company, October 2007B). Identified as Wetland B in the Thurston Highlands Wetland Inventory, this wetland has a Category II rating in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Cowardin Classification System. As described above, this wetland functions as a depressional outflow system that drains to an off-site isolated kettle basin on the Fort Lewis Rainier Training Area (see Figure __ in Draft EIS Section 3.4). Clearing and grading activities within areas to be developed on the Thurston Highlands site would leave large expanses of bare, disturbed ground exposed to the elements, posing a temporary increased risk of erosion and sedimentation in receiving waters. The extent of water quality impacts would depend on several factors, including the effectiveness of erosion and sediment control plans, on-site maintenance of stormwater management facilities, and the potential occurrence of unanticipated extreme storm events during construction when soils are exposed. The potential for adverse impacts to wetlands from any such erosion is considered to be minimal, as on-site wetlands are fully vegetated and do not support anadromous fish (Coot Company, October 2007B). Construction Best Management Practices would be employed, such as installing silt fencing along the development edge bordering wetland buffers, and utilizing temporary stormwater basins throughout construction areas to detain stormwater runoff. Proposed and other possible mitigation measures during construction are further described in Draft EIS Sections 3.1, 3.3 and 3.4. Given that construction Best Management Practices are both proposed and required by applicable regulations, no direct or indirect impacts to wetlands on the Fort Lewis Military Reservation would be anticipated during construction or in the developed condition of the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community. Plants Land in the vicinity of the Fort Lewis boundary is currently heavily vegetated with a mixed coniferous/deciduous forest of Douglas fir, red alder and Oregon big-leaf maple trees. Vegetation within and adjacent to Wetland B along the shared boundary between Thurston Highlands and Fort Lewis includes: ash, alder, dogwood, spiraea, salmonberry, rose, sedge and water parsley (Coot Company, October 2007B). No direct or indirect impacts to plant species on or from Fort Lewis would be expected during construction or in the developed condition of the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community. The Fort Lewis Integrated Natural Resources Plan (ENSR International, August 2006), and Thurston Highlands mitigation measures identified in Section __ of this Draft EIS would ensure protection of valued wetlands and buffers, and of existing forest habitat on the Fort Lewis Military Reservation. Wildlife Fort Lewis provides habitat for numerous wildlife species, including listed species, candidates for listing, and other special status species. Wildlife management on Fort Lewis is directed by the Fort Lewis Fish and Wildlife Management Plan (Department of the Army 2006). The wildlife and habitats investigation of the Thurston Highlands site did not identify any Washington State Priority Species, regulated oak habitat, or Federally-listed threatened or endangered wildlife species on the property (Coot Company, October 2007A). Bird species are predominant on the site, along with black-tailed deer, and a minor occurrence of elk. At least one cougar occurrence was also noted. The Thurston Highlands Fish and Wildlife Species and Habitats Report (Coot Company, October 2007A) recommends constructing a perimeter fence along the shared boundary with the Fort Lewis Military Reservation, sufficient to deter access to the Master Planned Community by deer, elk, bear and cougar. If City decision makers concur with this recommendation, large mammal movement between the Fort Lewis Rainier Training Area and Thurston Highlands would be blocked. The long-term implications of this may be minimized when lands surrounding Thurston Highlands also build-out to an urban density. When this occurs, this area of the City will be significantly degraded for terrestrial wildlife use. Discouraging wildlife access into the City and across state highways (SR 510 and SR 507) is recommended by the Thurston Highlands wildlife consultant, based on numerous recent encounters that demonstrate: allowing animals like deer, elk, bear, or cougar to integrate with humans and their homes almost always has an undesirable and potentially dangerous outcome. There is limited high-value habitat on the Thurston Highlands site, no protected habitats, and no use of the site by State- or Federally-listed species. For this reason, no adverse impacts to wildlife species and habitats managed by Fort Lewis on the Military Reservation would be anticipated (Coot Company, October 2007A). Impacts to Fort Lewis during construction of the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community may include relocation of wildlife from the Thurston Highlands site to Fort Lewis, to the extent that there is available carrying capacity on the Military Reservation. Energy and Natural Resources The Fort Lewis Rainier Training Area is undeveloped. There is no regular, on-going consumptive use of energy or natural resources in this area of the Military Reservation at the present time. Energy and natural resources required to serve Thurston Highlands would be extended and distributed on-site from the existing systems of public and private providers, without disturbance to Fort Lewis. Gasoline and diesel fuel for construction equipment will be used during construction of the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community, along with temporary electrical connections. Gravel processing is proposed on-site for the construction of roads, utilities and building pads. Electricity, natural gas, and solar heating may be used within the developed condition of the project, under any conceptual land use alternative. No direct or indirect impacts to energy or natural resources on or from Fort Lewis would be expected during construction or in the developed condition of any of the conceptual land use alternatives. Environmental Health Contaminants and Hazardous Materials. The Rainier Training Area is forested land with some prairie, used for military training exercises. During training activities, the chance for hazardous or toxic waste spills is minimal. Fort Lewis protects the environment and human health from exposure to harmful substances by following and being in compliance with the Integrated Contingency Plan at Fort Lewis (Ken Smith 2003). During construction, vehicle fluid leaks may occur. Developed conditions in any of the conceptual land use alternatives would result in the operation of motor vehicles on the site, and the application of chemicals for landscape maintenance. The proposed Master Planned Community does not include any industrial or manufacturing uses, thereby limiting the potential for toxic or hazardous waste to be generated on the site. Stormwater collection and treatment facilities proposed within the Master Planned Community would protect Fort Lewis from contaminants that may enter surface water runoff from the site. All stormwater would be detained, treated and infiltrated on-site. Noise. Many activities associated with military reservations can generate high sound levels. Military maneuvers can result in noise from a variety of sources, including aircraft, artillery, explosives, and small arms firing. Sound levels associated with such exercises can extend beyond installation boundaries and can affect neighboring land uses. Fort Lewis has identified three noise zones for land use planning guides. Noise Zones I, II and III are based on noise levels compatible with surrounding uses. Zone I is considered generally acceptable to residential uses. Zones II and III, generating higher noise levels, are considered incompatible with residential uses. Fort Lewis Noise Zones II and III are located in the northern portion of the Military Reservation, near Interstate 5, several miles north of Yelm. The Rainier Training area is not considered a Noise Zone II or III (Shapiro and Associates 1996). Aviation, demolition, and gunnery training activities would have the potential to cause short-term impacts to Thurston Highlands residents and visitors at any time. Fort Lewis has an established procedure to deal with noise complaints. This procedure allows the Army to explain the steps that have been taken to keep noise at a minimum while allowing the Army to continue to fulfill the need for combat-readiness training. No direct or indirect impacts to environmental health on or from Fort Lewis would be expected during construction of the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community. Construction noise levels would be less than noise generated by military training exercises, and there are no permanent established uses on the adjacent Rainier Training Area. Noise generated by military training exercises during Thurston Highlands construction may be heard by construction workers; however, the noise level at the property boundary could be expected to be less than what is experienced by workers operating construction equipment. In the developed condition of the Master Planned Community, under any of the conceptual land use alternatives, residents and visitors to public areas on the site would, at times, experience noise generated by training activities on Fort Lewis. Land Use The Rainier Training Area is primarily forested land with some prairie, used for military training exercises. Similarly, the Thurston Highlands site is currently vacant and surrounded by rural lands in Thurston County, residentially-developed land within the Yelm City limits, and the Fort Lewis Military Reservation. Under any of the conceptual land use alternatives, the Regional Sports Complex, low-density residential development, and open space are proposed along the west boundary, adjacent to Fort Lewis. The Master Planned Community permitting process requires analysis and requirements to assure compatibility with existing uses and land use plans. There are no shorelines of statewide significance within the boundaries of Fort Lewis or the Thurston Highlands site. All of Yelm is considered a Critical Aquifer Recharge Area. City stormwater management regulations require measures to protect this aquifer. No direct or indirect land use impacts to or from Fort Lewis would be expected as a result of the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community. Light and Glare Light sources from the Fort Lewis Rainier Training Area may include the use of high-intensity spotlights and flares during nighttime exercises. During maneuvers, bright spotlights may sweep across the Thurston Highlands site, and numerous flares may light-up the sky. Fort Lewis training activities that produce light would be short-term and occasional. Fort Lewis is currently in the process of securing off-installation special use areas for training activities that may include this type of activity (personal communication with Bill Van Hoesen, NEPA Program Manager, Fort Lewis Public Works, February 19, 2008). Off-site sources of light and glare can be observed from the high points of elevation on the Thurston Highlands site (Robert W. Droll Landscape Architect, October 2007B). Examples include the “sky glow” of light reflecting off low cloud cover coming from the direction of downtown Yelm, and bright light from the Yelm High School football stadium (when illuminated). No direct or indirect light and glare impacts to or from Fort Lewis would be expected during construction of the Master Planned Community. Construction would occur mainly during daylight hours, regulated by applicable City codes. There may be night-time security lighting on the site, or illumination from headlights and construction equipment in the early morning or late afternoon hours. The primary source of light and glare in the developed condition of any of the conceptual land use alternatives would be street lighting and indoor lighting within housing areas, and automobile headlights associated with traffic traveling on Tahoma Boulevard and local streets. Fort Lewis timberland would filter light generated from the Thurston Highlands site at ground level; however, sky glow would be generated by thee? uses, particularly under conditions of low cloud cover. Aesthetics As part of its Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan, Fort Lewis may occasionally remove trees from the forested area adjacent to the west boundary of Thurston Highlands. It is likely that this would be a selective harvest rather than a clear-cut. During construction of the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community, approximately 100 to 300 acres of the site would be cleared and graded at any one time during phased development of the site (KPFF Consulting Engineers 2008). Work on the Regional Sports Complex adjacent to the Rainier Training Area may be initiated during Phase 1. Low-density residential development adjacent to the Fort Lewis boundary is not anticipated until later phases of development. Under any of the conceptual land use alternatives for the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community, a mix of residential and commercial density is proposed. Buildings taller than an average home would occur in the high-density and commercial districts proposed near the interior of the site. Development regulations would limit the height of buildings, towers and antennas, to be reviewed at the application stage to assure that there would be no interference with military flight maneuvers. Altering the appearance of the Thurston Highlands site would not impact Fort Lewis training activities. Therefore, no direct or indirect aesthetic impacts to or from Fort Lewis would be expected. Recreation Public access for hunting, dog training, orienteering, and equestrian opportunities exist on Fort Lewis by permit authorization. Equestrian activities usually receive a 5-year-term permit. Hunting permits are issued day-by-day, aligned with State hunting seasons. People occasionally enter the Thurston Highlands site at the present time for the purpose of hiking, using abandoned logging roads as equestrian trails, and hunting. These persons may or may not have the property owner’s permission to enter this private land (personal discussions with various adjacent property owners in the years 2001–2007). There is an existing fence between the Fort Lewis Rainier Training Area and the Thurston Highlands site; however, the fence is in poor repair, and there are areas along this boundary where there is no fence at all. Formal and informal recreational opportunities would be increased on the Thurston Highlands site with development of the Master Planned Community. Proposed elements include the 86-acre Regional Sports Complex, neighborhood and local parks. Walking trails around wetlands and open space areas may also be developed. If the Yelm City Council approves wildlife fencing along the west boundary of Thurston Highlands, between the Master Planned Community and Fort Lewis, this fencing would also discourage unauthorized entrance onto the Rainier Training Area. No direct or indirect recreation impacts to or from Fort Lewis would be expected. Historic and Cultural Resources Following the enactment of Federal cultural resources legislation in the mid-1970s, Fort Lewis conducted cultural resource surveys to inventory archaeological sites, historic structures, and traditional cultural properties within the boundaries of the Military Reservation. Several sites were identified, but none near the boundary adjacent to the Thurston Highlands site (personal communication with Bret Ruby, Ph.D., Cultural Resources Manager and Coordinator for Native American Affairs, Fort Lewis, August 15, 2006). There are no known historical or cultural sites within the boundaries of Thurston Highlands. No direct or indirect impacts to historic or cultural resource sites would be expected on the Fort Lewis Military Reservation. Transportation There are no roads that provide vehicular access between the Fort Lewis Rainier Training Area and the Thurston Highlands site at the present time, and none are proposed. In the developed condition of the Master Planned Community, Thurston Highlands traffic may occasionally encounter a military vehicle crossing of SR 510 south of the Nisqually Reservation, and would contribute to the queue of vehicles on SR 510 that would accumulate during these instances. Military vehicle crossings at this location are infrequent (personal communication with Bill Van Hoesen, NEPA Program Manager, Fort Lewis Public Works, January 15, 2008), and this occurrence would not be considered a significant impact. Public Services Fort Lewis provides and regulates services on the Military Reservation. No public services would be required from Fort Lewis to serve the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community. The public service requirements of Thurston Highlands would be met by existing City and County agencies, as described in Draft EIS Sections __ through __. Utilities There are no utility services in the Fort Lewis Rainier Training Area at the present time, as this area is undeveloped, unpopulated, managed for forest resources, and used for military training exercises. Fort Lewis will neither require nor provide utility services from or to the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community. All utilities required to serve the proposed development would be provided by municipal and franchise services typically extended to new community development. It is possible that the existing Centralia Power line easement and power lines may be relocated from the existing diagonal location across the Thurston Highlands site to the west boundary. If this occurs, the 50-ft wide easement would be cleared for the installation of electrical power transmission lines, and only low growing plants would be replanted. Mitigation Measures to Enhance Compatibility between the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community and the Fort Lewis Military Reservation The City of Yelm could request Fort Lewis to notify neighboring residents of the date and time of any prescribed burning. The applicant proposes to include notification in real estate transaction documents to advise prospective home purchasers and business owners of the proximity to Fort Lewis, and of possible noise and visual impacts associated with military training exercises. This notification should include the most current update of Fort Lewis noise complaint procedures. References Burgess, Anthony, Ph.D., P.E. Anthony Burgess Consulting. February 6, 2008. Personal communication by e-mail with Vicki Morris, Vicki Morris Consulting Services, re: preliminary findings of shallow groundwater investigations on the Thurston Highlands site. City of Yelm. February 2000. Yelm historic inventory. City of Yelm. 1988 – 1989 Town of Yelm historical building inventory. Department of the Army. 2006. Fort Lewis fish and wildlife management plan (an ecosystem-based approach to sustainability). Fort Lewis, WA. ENSR International. November 2004. Department of the Army, Fort Lewis, Washington. Final environmental assessment: Fiscal year 2005 stationing actions at Fort Lewis and Yakima Training Center, WA. ENSR International. January 2005. Department of the Army, Fort Lewis, Washington. Final environmental assessment: Stationing regimental aviation assets at Fort Lewis and Yakima Training Center, WA. ENSR International. August 2006. Department of the Army, Fort Lewis, Washington. Draft integrated natural resources management plan, 2006 – 2010. ENSR International. September 2006. Department of the Army, Fort Lewis, Washington. Draft environmental assessment: Fort Lewis integrated natural resources management plan, 2006–2010. Geomatrix Consultants. 2008. Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community: Air quality assessment. Prepared for Thurston Highlands, L.L.C., Lacey, WA. GIS data base search. August 7, 2006. Washington State Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation. Internet search www.oahp.wa.gov. July 2006. Internet search of available historic databases. Found and printed properties in Thurston County that are listed on National Registers, State Registers and Surveys. KPFF Consulting Engineers. 2008. Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community: Grading, drainage and utilities technical report. Prepared for Thurston Highlands, L.L.C., Lacey, WA. PW-ENRD Fort Lewis, Washington May 2001, Environmental coordination map, Version 2.1. R.W. Droll, Landscape Architect. October 2007A. Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community: Aesthetics technical report. Prepared for Thurston Highlands, L.L.C., Lacey, WA. R.W. Droll, Landscape Architect. October 2007B. Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community: Light and glare technical report. Prepared for Thurston Highlands, L.L.C., Lacey, WA. R.W. Droll, Landscape Architect. October 2007C. Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community: Parks and recreation technical report. Prepared for Thurston Highlands, L.L.C., Lacey, WA. Ruby, Bret, Ph.D.; Cultural Resources Manager and Coordinator for Native American Affaris. Fort Lewis Environmental and Natural Resources Division. August 15, 2006. Personal communication with Tami Merriman, Associate Planner, City of Yelm; and with Vicki Morris, Vicki Morris Consulting Services, re: cultural and historical sites identified on the Fort Lewis Military Reservation. Shapiro and Associates, Inc., August 1996. Installation compatible use zone (ICUZ) study. Fort Lewis Military Reservation, WA. Smith, Ken 2003. Integrated Contingency Plan at Fort Lewis. Van Hoesen, Bill; NEPA Program Manager. Fort Lewis Public Works. August 15, 2006; January 15, 2008; January 28, 2008; and February 19, 2008. Personal communications in meetings and via e-mail with Tami Merriman, Associate Planner, City of Yelm, re: the potential for impacts from Fort Lewis military training exercises on the Thurston Highlands Master Planned Community, and conversely – the potential for Thurston Highlands to impact the Rainier Training Area of the Fort Lewis Military Reservation. Various adjacent property owners. 2001-2007. Personal communications with Tami Merriman, Associate Planner, City of Yelm, re: informal recreational use of the undeveloped Thurston Highlands site.