8309 Approval LetterJune 6, 2002
Five Corners LLC
George Berry
518 Flora Vista Road NE
Olympia, WA 98506
Re: Site Plan Approval for Case # SPR-02-8309-YL, Rainier Commons
Dear Mr. Berry:
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 City Council. 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.
The project is approved subject to the following conditions of approval:
1. Boundary Line Adjustment
Finding: The proposal requires a boundary line adjustment, to provide for the siting and layout of the new development.
Condition of Approval:
The applicant shall perform and record a boundary line adjustment prior to building permit issuance.
2. Transportation
Finding: Yelm is a small compact community most directly affected by two state highways which bisect the community. The two state 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 bypass alternatives 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 bypass 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: Street frontage improvements are required as part of Site Plan Review and approval. The frontage improvements for Creek Street, and the road improvements for 106th Ave. were
constructed during the previous development of the gas/convenience store. It appears that the sidewalks are complete. During the original construction, the road standards were different
than they are today. The planter strip and sidewalks are located on an easement, on the applicant’s property. The planter strip is narrow, and will not support street trees. The street
trees that are normally required are placed on the landscaping area behind the sidewalk.
Finding: The City has adopted a Transportation Facility Charge (TFC) of $750.00 per pm peak trip, to mitigate traffic impacts to the transportation system. The Ordinance provides a
default table to determine new trips generated. The proposed uses do not fall neatly into the definitions in the ordinance, so the TFC was determined by using the Institute of Transportation
Engineers Trip Generation Manual, 5th Edition. The City also provides a reduction of new trips to account for existing traffic. The following is the analysis of new trips generated
by the individual businesses proposed.
Tire Store; (ITE Code 848) creates an average of 5.13 new trips per pm peak hour, per 1000 sq. ft. of gross floor area. The percent of new pm peak trips generated by the proposal
is 2.56 per 1000 sq. ft.
Automobile Care Center; (ITE Code 840) creates an average of 2.87 new trips per pm peak hour, per 1000 sq. ft. of gross floor area. The percent of new pm peak trips generated by the
proposal is 1.43 per 1000 sq. ft.
Specialty Retail; (ITE Code 814) creates an average of 4.93 new trips per pm peak hour, per 1000 sq. ft. of gross floor area. The percent of new pm peak trips generated by the proposal
is 2.46 per 1000 sq. ft.
Conditions of Approval:
The applicant shall mitigate traffic impacts to the transportation system. Mitigation includes payment of the Transportation Facility Charge (TFC) for the new development. The TFC
charges are based on the proposed use, is payable at building permit issuance, and are as follows:
Tire Store: 29.75 new trips = $22,315.50
Auto Service: 15.78 new trips = $11,838.75
Retail: 20.95 new trips = $15,714.38
The applicant shall be responsible for completing the landscaping on 106th Avenue. As stated above, the planter strips are too narrow to support street trees. The applicant shall incorporate
street trees into the required 8-foot landscape buffer that is adjacent to the sidewalks. The sidewalks shall be inspected and approved by the Community Development Department, and
grass or sod planted into the planter strips adjacent to the streets.
3. 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: Water lines were installed on 106th Ave. during the previous construction of the gas/convenience store development.
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, and a meter fee (each ERU equals 240 gallons
of water consumption per day, fee subject to change.) The number of ERU’s required shall be determined during civil project review. Applicant shall submit water use calculations with
civil plans.
All water connection fees are due at time of building permit issuance.
4. 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 parting funding, or the successful formation of a local improvement district.
Finding: Sewer lines were installed on 106th Ave. during the previous construction of the gas/convenience store development.
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 $4,986 per Equivalent Residential Unit (each ERU equals 240 gallons of water
consumption per day, fee subject to change.) The number of ERU’s required shall be determined during civil project review.
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 granted for maintenance.
All sewer connection fees are due at time of building permit issuance.
5. Storm Water
Finding: The completed project will increase the amount of impervious surface on the site and on the adjacent streets. Impervious surfaces create stormwater runoff. Uncontrolled and
untreated stormwater runoff can create health and safety hazards. Yelm Municipal Code (YMC) requires all development to comply with the City Stormwater Manual.
Finding: There is constructed on the property, a stormwater retention pond from the previous development. The applicant states that the pond was sized for complete project build out.
Conditions of Approval:
The applicant must provide stormwater calculations with civil plan submission, to assure the stormwater facility is adequate to serve the proposed development. If the existing facility
is inadequate, the facility shall be upgraded pursuant to approved plans.
The applicant shall submit a stormwater maintenance plan with civil plan application.
6. 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.
Chapter 17.72 does not specifically list parking requirements for a tire store, or an auto repair facility. 17.72.030(F) allows a determination for parking requirements based on the
most comparable use. For the tire store, it was determined that the Motor vehicle or machinery sales was a similar classification, and that it would require one parking stall per 400
sq. ft. of gross floor area.
The auto service facility will require one space per employee, based on the greatest number of employees on a single shift, plus one sq. ft. of parking per sq. ft. of display or retail
area, and one space for each vehicle owned, leased, or operated by the company.
Chapter 17.72 also allows for shared parking in the commercial area, if the physical relationship between the premises makes such sharing possible, and results in superior design in
terms of layout. Chapter 17.26, Commercial Zone states, “Where adjoining parking facilities of two or more ownerships are developed and designed as one parking facility, a reduction
of up to 15% of the total combined required parking space may be permitted. Chapter 17.26 also states that up to 25% of the required number of parking spaces may be designated for compact
cars.
Using the above calculations, the tire store requires 29 stalls, and the auto repair 10 stalls. The total minimum number of stalls required for the shared parking is 39. When a 15%
reduction for shared parking is applied, the total number of stalls required to be 34. The 8,500 sq. ft. retail building requires 35 stalls.
Finding: Design Guidelines Section II, Paragraph B, subsection (3), requires applicant to provide pedestrian pathways through parking lots.
Finding: ADA requires at least 1 handicap van accessible stall for each business.
Conditions of Approval:
The applicant shall provide for at least 34 parking stalls, to be shared by the tire store and auto repair. Each business must provide for handicap accessible parking.
The applicant shall provide for at least 35 parking stalls for the retail facility.
The applicant shall create a shared parking agreement between Lots 3 & 4, and the agreement shall be assured by a sufficient legal document such as a covenant or reciprocal easement
agreement or recorded covenant on the approved site plan.
The applicant shall provide for pedestrian access through the parking area, to connect all businesses.
The applicant shall provide for at least 1 off-street loading space for each of the businesses.
7. Building Department
Finding: The City of Yelm has adopted design guidelines for its commercial zones.
Conditions of Approval:
Building design shall be in accordance with Design Guidelines. Design compliance shall be reviewed by the City at or before time of building permit submittal.
8. 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.
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.
9. Landscaping
Finding: Landscaping and screening are necessary to promote safety, to provide screening between compatible and incompatible 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: Chapter 17.80.060 provides for alternative landscaping options. The approval authority may grant a modification of the landscape requirements if the proposed landscaping represents
an equal result that could have been achieved by strictly following the requirements of the landscape chapter.
Conditions of Approval:
The applicant shall submit a final landscape and irrigation plan, pursuant to Chapter 17.80, to the Community Development Department for review and approval.
The applicant shall be allowed to reduce the landscape buffer on the north property, adjacent to the vehicle lanes line to 5 feet. The averaging shall include increased landscaping
to the northwest of the auto repair facility, and to the tire store.
Landscaping shall be installed and approved by the Community Development Department prior to building occupancy.
10. Refuse:
Finding: Chapter 17.26.130(C) Commercial Zone, Landscaping provides guidance for the placement and screening of refuse containers.
Conditions of Approval:
Refuse container screening shall be required, and 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 high.
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.
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
Planning Technician
cc: Grant Beck, Community Development Director
Jim Gibson, Development Services Engineer
Gary Carlson, Building Official
Tim Peterson, Public Works Supervisor
Shelly Badger, City Administrator