Reconsider Decision 001OFFICE OF THE HEARING EXAMINER
CITY OF YELM
DECISION ON RECONSIDERATION
CASE NO.: APPEAL OF BOUNDARY LINE ADJUSTMENT DENIAL
BLA-04-0099-YLRPP-04-0128-YL
APPELLANTS: Kathryn Dotson
16440 Middle Road SE
~1'eim, vVA 98:91
Freestone DFF Yelm II LLC
J. Scott Griffn, Jr.
P.O. Box 73669
Puyallup, WA 98373
ATTORNEY FOR
APPELLANTS: William Lynn
Attorney at Law
P.O. Box 1157
Tacoma, WA 98401
The following exhibits were submitted and made a part of the record as follows:
EXHIBIT " 2" - Request for Reconsideration dated November 8, 2004
EXHIBIT " 3" - Memorandum from Examiner circulating Request for
Reconsideration dated November 16, 2004
EXHIBIT "4" - Response from City dated November 19, 2004
EXHI~I' "5" - .°.esYass `ro; vi=.! !.; ^., ~1g._+ December g, 2n0a
By Report and Decision dated October 27, 2004, the Examiner granted the appeal of Kathryn
Dotson and Freestone DFF Yelm II LLC of the City's denial of a boundary line adjustment
(BLA) request. On November 8, 2004, Cathie Carlson, Parametrix, timely filed a Request for
Reconsideration which [he Examiner circulated to parties of record on November 16, 2004.
On November 19, 2004, the Examiner received a response to the reconsideration request
from Grant Beck, Director, Community Developr,~ent Department. The Examiner also
received a letter from William T. Lynn, attorney at law, dated December 6, 2004.
Based upon the reconsideration request and responses thereto, the following additional
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findings are hereby made as follows:
Condition No. 1 of the decision granting the appeal reads:
The appellant shall connect the newly created, smaller lot to City
sewer and water.
The appellant asserts in its reconsideration request that it cannot comply with
Condition No. 1 due to the property owner's refusal to connect to City water and
sewer until completion of the purchase of her property. The applicant asserts that it
cannot complete the purchase of the property until the BLA is approved and recorded.
The appellant therefore proposes to posi d bond v/ith the City in zn amount equal fo
150% of the total cost of the connections. The appellant desires a maximum of 90
days from the date of recording to complete the connections. In his letter of December
6, 2004, Mr. William Lynn advises that the improvements will meet Health Department
requirements and offered an assignment of cash as opposed to a bond.
2. It appears that Health Department regulations control the requirements for and timing
of connection to sanitary sewers and public water. Mr. Lynn notes that the project
would meet Health Department requirements by connecting only to sewers, but the
appellant agreed to connect to both sewer and water. Mr. Beck notes that the City
accepts financial guarantees only when circumstances outside the control of the
developer prevent the completion of a project, and when the work remaining is minor
and would not permit the development from basic functionality when not completed
immediately.
3. While Mr. Beck conectly asserts that the circumstances of the purchase of the lot are
not beyond the appellant's control, at the same time the appellant has proposed an
assignment of funds for 150% of the cost of connection and a maximum of 90 day
period to complete the work. It also appears that the applicant has agreed to connect
the smaller Ict t.^, vrate~ which !':ea!?h Departmen! regulations would not require. While
the City's position is technically in accordance with its policies, the only issue
prohibiting compliance is the timing of the improvement (subsequent to the BLA).
Such timing constraint does not affect the substance of the original decision nor does
it create a risk for the City. Therefore, the request for reconsideration should be
granted and Condition No. 1 modified as follows:
The appellant shall connect the nevdly created, smaller lot to City
sewer and water; provided, however, that the appellant may make
such connections within 90 days of the recording of the BLA.
Provided, further, that the appellant shall post an assignment of cash
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in an amount of 150% of the total amount of the estimated cost of
the improvements. Failure of the appellant to post the assignment or
complete the project as required will automatically render the BLA
null and void.
DECISION:
The request for reconsideration is hereby granted as set forth above.
ORDERED this 7'M1 day of January, 2005.
. CAUSSEAUX, JR.
Hearing Examiner
TRANSMITTED this 7" day of January, 2005, to the following:
APPELLANTS: Kathryn Dotson
16440 Middle Road SE
Yelm, WA 98597
Freestone DFF Yelm II LLC
J. Scott Griffin, Jr.
P.O. Box 73669
Puyallup, WA 98373
ATTORNEY FOR
APPELLANTS: William Lynn
Attorney at Law
P.O. Box 1157
Tacoma. U2A 9°-~01
OTHERS:
Parametrix City of Yelm
Attn: Cathie Carlson Attn: Tami Merriman/Grant Beck
8830 Tallon Lane NE 105 Yelm Avenue
Lacey, WA 98516 P.O. Box 479
Yelm, Washington 98597
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CASE NO.: APPEAL OF BOUNDARY LINE ADJUSTMENT DENIAL
BLA-04-0099-YL and APP-04-0128-YL
NOTICE
APPEAL OF EXAMINER'S DECISION: The foal decision by the Examiner
may be appealed to the city council, by any aggrieved person or agency of record, oral or
written that disacrees with the decision of the hearing examiner, except threshold
determinations (YMC 15.49.160) in accordance with Section 2.26.150 of the Yelm
Municipal Code (YMC).
NOTE: In an effort to avoid confusion at the time of filing a request for
reconsideration, please attach this page to the request for reconsideration.
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