8342 Approval LetterAugust 19, 2003
Mike McKinnon
7310 Huckleberry Road NW
Olympia, WA 98502
Re: Site Plan Approval for Case # SPR-03-8342-YL, Forbest Retail Building
Dear Mr. McKinnon:
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 construct an 8,324 square foot retail building to include a fast food restaurant with drive through, a fast food restaurant
without drive through, a bank with drive through, and miscellaneous retail space.
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 two fast food restaurants, a drive-through bank, and a retail use yet to be determined. 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 fast food restaurant creates 18.27 new pm peak hour trips, a drive through bank creates 32.73 new pm peak hour trips, and miscellaneous retail
creates 7.57 new pm peak hour trips.
Finding: Street frontage improvements are required as part of Site Plan Review and approval. The property is located on the southeast corner of Plaza Drive and Yelm Avenue East. Frontage
improvements for Yelm Avenue East are complete. Frontage improvements for Plaza Drive will be required.
Finding: Proposed ingress and egress to the site is located on a private access easement from Plaza Drive. Yelm Development Guidelines provides guidance for placement of driveway accesses
into commercial developments. The proposal shows five (5) driveway accesses into the site. Two of the accesses are an entrance and exit to a fast food drive through window. One access
is the main entrance into the parking area. The other two access the eastern parking area. However, the placement of the drive through window proposed for the bank creates a substandard
lane of travel for patrons leaving the bank drive through, and patrons entering the east parking area.
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 for shall be based
on use and square footage.
The fast food restaurant at 2,421 sq. ft. creates 44.23 trips, equaling $33,133.75
The fast food restaurant at 1,500 sq. ft. creates 27.40 trips, equaling $20,553.75
The drive through bank at 2,000 sq. ft. creates 65.46 trips, equaling $49,095.00
The miscellaneous retail at 2,400 sq. ft. creates 18.16 new trips equaling $13,626.00
The TFC charges are due and payable at tenant improvement building permit issuance. If the square footage of the proposed uses are different than listed above, or the applicant finds
that a different retail use will be in the building, the formula listed in the concurrency ordinance shall be used to determine the TFC charge at tenant improvement.
Ingress and egress to the site shall be on a paved private easement access road, off of Plaza Drive. Street frontage improvements to Plaza Drive shall be required, and
to include the mitigation listed in the SEPA determination. Frontage improvements shall be consistent with the City of Yelm’s Development Guidelines. Frontage improvements for Plaza
Drive shall be consistent with the section “Local Access Commercial”.
The applicant shall make the eastern most entrance into the site a one-way entrance only, and the next eastern access, a one-way exit only. The exit only will include the lane of travel
leaving the bank drive through window.
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 retail building is proposing multiple uses, which will create different water demands. Water connection fees are based on water usage of 240 gallons of water consumption
per day. This 240 gallons is referred to as an Equivalent Residential Unit.
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 connect the waterline on Plaza Drive to the waterline at the eastern end of the access easement to result in a loop connection.
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.
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.
The applicant shall provide for a grease trap sufficient to accommodate all proposed uses, which shall be maintained by the property owner or tenant.
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.
Yelm Design Guidelines I.E.(1) provides guidance for placement of biofiltration swales in the commercial areas. The guidelines intent is “to incorporate biofiltration swales and ponds
into the project site design and landscaping more effectively.” DG I.E.1.a) states, “locate biofiltration swales, pond, or other approved biofiltration systems at the side or rear of
the lot, and incorporate as part of a landscape screen. The guidelines show effective ways to incorporate swales into site design, by providing screening that does not shade the grass
within the swale, and the swale shall not impede pedestrian circulation.
Conditions of Approval:
The applicant shall design and construct all stormwater facilities in accordance with the DOE Manual, as adopted by the City of Yelm. Best Management Practices are required during construction.
The west side of the wet pond along the Plaza Drive shall be landscaped with a mixture of mostly evergreen shrubs, and other site obscuring vegetation to effectively screen the swale
and to provide sunlight to bioswale grasses and plants. This vegetation must be large enough at time of planting to provide an effective separation between the sidewalk and the slope
of the pond.
The east side of the wet pond along the sidewalk on plaza drive shall be a pedestrian access into the site. See Landscaping comments section 8 below.
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.
Yelm Municipal Code Section 17.72.050 Mixed Occupancies states “In the case of two or more uses in the same building, the total requirements for off-street parking facilities shall
be the sum of the requirements for the several uses computed separately.
The minimum parking requirements for a fast food establishment is 1 stall per 200 sq. ft. of gross floor area, miscellaneous retail is 1 stall per 250 sq. ft. of gross floor area, and
a bank requires 1 stall per 300 sq. ft. of gross floor area. The total number of parking stalls required for the entire project is 36.
Finding: Yelm Municipal Code Section 17.72.060 Off Street Loading states, “Off-street loading shall be required for all commercial establishments which are engaged in the retailing or
wholesaling of merchandise requiring regular delivery such as food retailers, lumber yards, hardware stores and the like.” The number of off street loading spaces required is determined
by total gross floor area. The food establishments proposed creates approximately 3,900 sq. ft, which requires one off-street loading area.
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 36 parking stalls, 5 of which shall be ADA compliant. The
parking area must show defined pedestrian access from Yelm Avenue, the corner of Yelm Avenue and Plaza Drive, the corner of Plaza Drive and the access easement road, and from the eastern
parking area.
Off-street loading area must accommodate a vehicle 45 feet in length, 12 feet in width, and 14 feet in height.
Parking lot landscaping shall be required per YMC 17.80, Yelm Development Guidelines, and Yelm Design Guidelines.
6. Building Department
Finding: The City of Yelm has adopted Design Guidelines for projects located in Yelm’s Commercial Zones. These guidelines determine specific requirements for development. Design Guidelines
II, Pedestrian Access. All pedestrian paths must correspond with federal, state and local codes for handicap access, and ADA requirements. All buildings shall have a paved pedestrian
path from street sidewalk to the main entry, and provide pathways from parking lots to the main entry.
Finding: Yelm Design Guidelines provides guidelines to enhance the visual quality of development on corners. Design Guideline I.F.(1) states, “new development on corner lots at street
intersections must enhance the properties visual qualities at the corner, by installing substantial landscaping at or near the corner of the lot or by installing a decorative screen
wall, trellis or other architectural element along the front property line.
Conditions of Approval:
6a. Pedestrian pathways must be shown from the eastern parking area to the building, from Yelm Avenue to the building, from the corner of Yelm Avenue and Plaza Drive to the building,
and the corner of Plaza Drive and the easement access road. The access from corner of Plaza Drive and the easement access road shall be along the eastern side of the storm pond, to
the crossing that leads from the corner.
6b. The conceptual landscape plan submitted does not adequately meet the City of Yelm Guidelines. The applicant shall resubmit a landscape plan with civil plan submission.
7. 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
7.a Applicant shall submit fire flow calculations for all existing and proposed hydrants. All hydrants must meet minimum City standards.
7.b The applicant shall submit a fire hydrant plan to the Community Development Department for review and approval.
8 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: Yelm Design Guidelines I.F.(1) provides guidance to enhance the visual quality of development on corners. Due to the location of the stormwater pond adjacent to a sidewalk,
and other possible changes to the stormwater pond area, substantial landscaping surrounding the pond will be required. The corner location will require enhancement per Yelm Design Guidelines
I.F.(1). Combing the stormpond and corner location, I.F.(1)b) a decorative wall will be required. This may be detailed through the civil plan review.
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:
8.a Applicant shall provide for Type II landscape buffer along the north, south, and eastern property lines.
8.b Type III landscaping shall be required on Plaza Drive.
8.c Type IV landscaping is required in parking areas.
8.d Type V landscaping is required in stormwater facilities, providing substantial landscaping between the storm pond and sidewalk to create both visual quality, and pedestrian safety.
8.e Applicant shall provide for a decorative wall, such as the prairie rock walls installed at the corner of Yelm Avenue East and Vancil Road to enhance the corner location.
8.f Applicant to resubmit landscape plan with civil plan submission.
9. Refuse:
Finding: The City of Yelm Development Guidelines, Design Guidelines, and Municipal Code provides guidance for refuse storage and screening.
Conditions of Approval:
9.a 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 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.
9.b No refuse container shall be permitted between a street and the front of a building.
9.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: Hatton Godat Pantier
Forbest Partners
Grant Beck, Community Development Director
Jim Gibson, Development Services Engineer
Gary Carlson, Building Official