8354 Approval LetterDecember 3, 2003
Steve Rothwell
1011 West Yelm Ave.
Yelm WA 98597
Re: Site Plan Approval for Case # SPR-03-8354-YL, Rothwell Dance Studio
Dear Mr. Rothwell:
The Site Plan Review Committee has considered your application for the above referenced project, and finds that as conditioned below, the proposed project is consistent with the Yelm
Comprehensive Plan, and all applicable City policy’s and development standards.
Pursuant to Chapter 15.49 Integrated Project Review Process, a project, which is subject to Site Plan Approval, is a Type II Permit and can be appealed to the Yelm Hearing Examiner.
An appeal must be filed within 14 days of the date of this notice. Site Plan Approval is valid for 18 months from the date of this letter.
The affected property owners may request a change in property tax valuation from the Thurston County Tax Assessor’s Office.
Proposal: The applicant has applied for Site Plan Review for the conversion of 1,000 sq. ft of an existing structure into a Dance Studio with the addition of 110 sq. ft. for entrance
and restroom facilities. Site plan review is required for any commercial use or activity, with exemptions allowed if the use is similar to the prior use. The building was permitted
for personal use. Operating a dance studio at this site requires Site Plan Review.
The project is approved subject to the following conditions of approval:
1. Transportation
Finding: Yelm is a small compact community most directly affected by two state highways, which bisect the community. The 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 existing
streets, and particularly Yelm Avenue. New developments do in fact burden the city’s central streets, and unless the alternate routes are accomplished, the City would have to require
developers to pay the cost of the internal street widening. The city plans show, and the City finds that adequate facilities will be accomplished better and in a timely fashion by the
alternate route facilities as a substitute for the widening of existing facilities. As a result, the City finds that the regional plans in fact benefit projects in all areas on the
City and will accomplish the goal of providing adequate facilities to City standards within a reasonable time to serve the demands created by the proposed project.
Finding: The City has adopted a Transportation Facility Charge (TFC) of $750.00 per pm peak trip. The Ordinance provides a default table that is used to determine new pm trips generated
by the proposed use. The table does not list a dance studio, so a similar use was determined. The new trip generation rate is based on 1.37 new pm peak hour trips, per 1,000 sq. ft.
of gross floor area.
Finding: Street frontage improvements are required as part of Site Plan Review and approval. At this time the City of Yelm is granting the project a “frontage deferment”. A deferment
means that at any time the City can require this project to complete its frontage. Typically this is when the city has more than one project located along side each other that are required
to construct frontage improvements. Your frontage improvements will be required when the Yelm High School improves its frontage on SR 510.
Conditions of Approval:
The applicant shall mitigate traffic impacts to the transportation system. Mitigation includes payment of the Transportation Facility Charge (TFC). The TFC charge of $1,140.75 is based
on 1.37 new pm peak hour trips generated by the project, and is due and payable at Civil Plan Approval.
The applicant shall provide a waiver of protest for the deferral of the frontage improvements.
2. 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 place - e.g. award of a grant, a binding letter commitment
for third party 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: Connection to City water services is required for all new development.
Finding: The City of Yelm is dedicated to providing the best quality water possible to its consumers. The Washington Administrative Code, section 246-290-490 requires that the City
take measures to ensure that contamination does not occur as a result of a cross contamination.
Finding: The existing single-family dwelling and mobile home are served by an exisiting well. State and County health codes required a Group B water system for more than 1 single-family
dwelling. The well has not been approved as a Group B system.
Conditions of Approval:
The applicant shall connect all existing structures to the City water system. The cost to connect shall include a fee of $1,500.00 per Equivalent Residential Unit (each ERU equals 240
gallons of water consumption per day, fee subject to change.). The applicant shall provide proposed water usage calculations for the dance studio to the Community Development Department
for review and approval, to determine the number of gallons of daily use.
The applicant shall abandon the existing well per Washington State Department of Ecology standards, and transfer any existing water rights to the City of Yelm.
The applicant shall meet all conditions for cross connection control as required in section 246-290-490 WAC.
3. Sewer System
Finding: The City’s Sewer Comprehensive Plan identifies a portion of the City area for service. The City is pursuing additional land areas or 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 party funding, or the successful formation of a local improvement district.
Finding: Connection to City sewer services is required for all new development. The single-family dwelling is served by a private septic system. It is unclear when this system was
installed. The mobile home is served by private septic system installed in or about 1970.
Conditions of Approval:
The applicant shall connect all existing structures to the City S.T.E.P. sewer system. The cost to connect shall include a fee of $5,125.00 per ERU (each ERU equals 240
gallons of water consumption per day, fee subject to change). The number of ERU’s required will be determined by approved water consumption calculations.
The applicant shall abandon the on-site sewage systems per the Thurston County Department of Health standards, and provide proof of approval to the City.
Upon completion of the onsite installation as per the City’s Development Guidelines, the S.T.E.P. sewer equipment shall be deeded to the City, and an easement provided for maintenance.
4. Storm Water
Finding: Impervious surfaces create stormwater runoff. Uncontrolled and untreated stormwater runoff can create health and safety hazards. YMC requires all development to comply with
the City Stormwater Manual. The manual states that projects creating less than 5,000 sq. ft. of impervious surface must contain and treat all stormwater runoff on site
Conditions of Approval:
The applicant shall submit civil plans that show appropriate stormwater containment.
5. Parking
Finding: The City of Yelm Development Guidelines, Design Guidelines, and Municipal Code address parking regulations from many aspects, including, but not limited to; design, number of
stalls required, pedestrian pathways, and safety.
The requirements of 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 or its arrangement is
in excess of the minimum set forth.
Chapter 17.72 YMC requires one parking space for every 10 occupants, based on the maximum occupant load as determined by the Uniform Building Code for Assembly areas of less-concentrated
use. Based on a maximum occupant load of 49, 5 parking spaces would be required.
Conditions of Approval:
The applicant shall create a paved parking area, meeting the City of Yelm Development Guideline standards, with a minimum of 5 parking stalls, one being handicap van accessible.
Parking area shall be landscaped per YMC 17.80.
6. Fire
Finding: Fire protection to the buildings must be provided per the Uniform Fire Code. Requirements for installation of fire hydrants will be determined in civil plan review.
Finding: The Uniform Building Code (UBC) provides occupancy ratings for different types of uses. The fire coverage for the commercial use must meet UBC requirements.
Conditions of Approval
The applicant shall submit fire flow calculations for all existing and proposed hydrants. All hydrants must meet minimum City standards.
The applicant shall submit a fire hydrant plan to the Community Development Department for review and approval.
7. Landscaping
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: Type II landscaping is intended to provide visual separation of uses from streets, and visual separation of compatible uses so as to soften the appearance of streets, parking
areas, and building elevation. This landscaping is used around the perimeter of a site, and adjacent to buildings.
Type III landscaping is intended to provide visual relief where clear sight is desired. This landscaping is utilized along pedestrian corridors and walks for separation of pedestrians
from streets and parking areas.
Type IV landscaping is intended to provide visual relief and shade in parking areas.
Type V landscaping is required in storm water retention areas, if required.
Conditions of Approval:
The applicant shall provide for Type II landscape buffer adjacent to parking, drive aisles, and the west and south side of the building.
Type III landscaping shall be required when frontage improvements are installed.
Type IV landscaping is required in parking areas.
Type V landscaping is required in stormwater facilities.
The applicant shall submit a final landscape plan with civil plan submittal
8. Refuse:
Finding: The City of Yelm Development Guidelines, Design Guidelines, and Municipal Code provides guidance for refuse storage and screening.
Conditions of Approval:
The applicant must provide for refuse storage. Refuse container screening shall 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.
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.
A six-foot wall or fence, with sight obscuring gates shall enclose any outdoor refuse collection point. The fence shall be a solid material such as wood or masonry, and shall be designed
per the City of Yelm Development guidelines.
9. Other Conditions of Approval:
9a. Business must have a current City of Yelm Business License to operate a business within the City.
Site Plan Approval is a Type II Administrative land use approval. An appeal of this decision can be filed within 14 days from the date of this letter, pursuant to YMC, Chapter 15.49,
Integrated Project Review Process.
The Site Plan is valid for eighteen (18) months from the date of this letter. The applicant may request a six-month extension on the approval, if the request is made in writing prior
to the expiration date of this approval. If you need additional information or assistance, please call the Community Development Department at (360) 458-3835.
Sincerely,
Tami Merriman
Assistant Planner
cc: Bill Turner, P.E., Contours & Concepts Engineering
Grant Beck, Community Development Director
Jim Gibson, Development Services Engineer
Gary Carlson, Building Official