Approval LetterOctober 24, 2003
Erling Birkland
P.O. Box 875
Yelm, WA 98597
Re: Site Plan Approval for Case # SPR-03-8351-YL, West Road Commercial
Dear Mr. Birkland:
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 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 to convert a residential structure into commercial office use. The structure is located at 10344 SE West Road, Yelm, WA.
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 applicant has proposed commercial office space. The TFC charges are due and payable, based on the use and square footage, at the time of tenant improvement.
The following formula will be used to determine the TFC charge at the time of tenant improvement; New Trip Generation Rate x gross floor area ÷ 1,000 x $750. A commercial office creates
3.68 new trips per 1,000 sq. ft. The site will be credited for the existing traffic rate of 1.01 trips for a single-family residence.
Finding: Street frontage improvements are required as part of Site Plan Review if site improvement costs meet or exceed 60% of the assessed value of the structure.
Finding: Proposed ingress and egress to the site is located on West Road. Yelm Development Guidelines provides guidance for size and placement of driveway accesses into commercial developments.
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 shall be based on
use and square footage, with a credit for the existing residential use. The TFC, based on the square footage of 1,600 shall be $3,658.50 and due at tenant improvement.
Driveway access shall be located on West Road, and must be a minimum of 24 feet in Width. See (Section 5 Parking.)
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: The site is currently served by a shared well. Connection to City water is required. The water line shall be extended from connection at 103rd Ave., across the property frontage
to the western property line.
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.
Conditions of Approval:
The applicant shall connect 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 to the Community Development Department for review and approval, to determine the number
of gallons of daily use.
The applicant shall disconnect any and all use from the shared well.
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 pace - e.g. award of a grant, a binding letter commitment
for third party funding, or the successful formation of a local improvement district.
Finding: The site is currently served by an on-site sewage system. Connection to City sewer is required. The onsite system may possibly be retrofitted to allow connection to the City
sewer system. The system must be inspected and approved by the City of Yelm. If the current system is not able to be retrofitted, a new tank shall be installed, and the old system
abandoned per Thurston County Health Standards.
Conditions of Approval:
The applicant shall connect 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.
Upon completion of the onsite installation as per the City’s Development Guidelines, the S.T.E.P. sewer equipment, appurtenances and lines 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 over 5,000 sq. ft. of impervious surface must control and treat stormwater runoff.
Finding: At this time, that applicant is proposing less than 5,000 sq. ft. of impervious surface. The City of Yelm Stormwater Manual requires that all stormwater runoff be contained
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.
The minimum parking requirements for a professional office is 1 stall per 300 sq. ft. of gross floor area. The total number of parking stalls required is 5.
Finding: Yelm Development Guidelines 4G.110 (5), Parking Lots, states, “Off street parking areas shall be designed to provide for the safe and convenient circulation of vehicle traffic.
If dead end aisles are used in the parking layout, they shall be considered as two-way isles. Turn around areas will be required when deemed necessary.”
Finding: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires handicap accessible stalls. The requirements for ADA stalls are 1 ADA stall for every 5 parking stalls 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, 1 of which shall be ADA compliant.
Parking lot landscaping shall be required per YMC 17.80, Yelm Development Guidelines, and Yelm Design Guidelines.
The applicant shall submit a parking plan that reflects compliance with Development Guideline 4G.110(5) above, providing a turn around area for the dead end aisle, and show how the total
parking requirements shall be met.
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
6.a Applicant shall submit fire flow calculations for all existing and proposed hydrants. All hydrants must meet minimum City standards.
6.b 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 I landscaping is intended to provide a very dense sight barrier and physical buffer to separate conflicting uses, and land use districts. Type I landscaping is characterized
by a 15 foot landscape strip in which any combination of trees, shrubs, fences, walls, earthen berms, and design features provides an effect which is sight-obscuring from adjoining properties.
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.
Conditions of Approval:
7.a Applicant shall provide for Type I landscaping along the western property line, where the adjacent use is residential.
7.b Applicant shall provide for Type II landscape buffer along the north, east and south perimeter of the property, and adjacent to the building.
7.c Type III landscaping is required if site improvements require road frontage improvements.
7.d Type IV landscaping is required in parking areas.
7.e Applicant shall provide a detailed landscape plan to the Community Development Department.
8. Refuse:
Finding: The City of Yelm Development Guidelines, Design Guidelines, and Municipal Code provide guidance for refuse storage and screening.
Finding: This professional office may not require the need for a commercial dumpster. If the refuse pick up is a normal household size refuse container, the applicant may store the
refuse container out of site, and set out for pick up as is standard for residential pick up. If the applicant uses a commercial dumpster, a refuse enclosure as stated below shall be
required.
Conditions of Approval:
8.a The applicant must provide for refuse storage if using a commercial dumpster. 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 in height with a gate enclosure. The fence shall be
a solid material such as wood or masonry, and shall be designed per the City of Yelm Development guidelines.
8.b No refuse container shall be permitted between a street and the front of a building.
8.c 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.
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: 3B&C, LLC
Grant Beck, Community Development Director
Jim Gibson, Development Services Engineer
Gary Carlson, Building Official