Letter to Jerry re latecomersCity of Yelm
Community Development Department
105 Yelm Avenue West
P.O. Box 479
Yelm, WA 98597
November 8, 2004
Jerry Morrissette, P.E.
JWM&A, Inc.
1700 Cooper Point Road SW #B-2
Olympia, WA 98502-1110
Dear Jerry:
I am sorry I missed you Friday before you left on vacation. The Community
Development Department has received your request for a Street Latecomers
Agreement for the improvements to Yelm Avenue West (SR 510) required of Yelm
Community Schools as part of the High School remodel project.
After a quick initial review of proposed agreement, the City has concerns with the
methodology used to allocate costs amongst the benefitted parcels. Specifically, it does
not appear that the three `benefit classes' which you propose have a close correlation to
the actual costs and benefits of the street improvements within each class.
For example, the 100% share includes the construction of full half street frontage
improvements including sidewalk, planter strip, curb, gutter, a bike lane, an 11 foot
travel lane, and half of a 12 foot turn lane. The 90% share only includes widening to
provide for half a 12 foot turn lane and a 2 foot shoulder. Upon improvement of a parcel
within the 90% share area, the developer would still be responsible for the construction
of a bike lane, curb, gutter, a planter strip, and a sidewalk. Clearly, these parcels are
not benefiting at a rate close to 90% of those that will have full frontage improvements.
The Community Development Department will not support the creation of a Latecomers
Agreement under the terms you have proposed for reimbursement. Please contact me
at your convienance if you would like to discuss this matter and, hopefully, find a
methodology that is fair to all and which the Department can support.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please feel free to contact me at
458-7408.
Sincerely,
Grant Beck, Director
Department of Community Development
c. Erling Birkland, Yelm Community Schools
(360) 458-3835
(360) 458-3144 FAX
www.ci.yelm.wa.us