0781 shoreline exempt ltr
City of Yelm
Community Development Department
105 Yelm Avenue West
P.O. Box 479
Yelm, WA 98597
LETTER OF EXEMPTION FROM SHORELINE MANAGEMENT ACT
SUBSTANTIAL DEVELOPMENT PERMIT REQUIREMENTS
December 19, 2006
Regarding: City of Yelm replacement of a water line crossing Yelm Creek as a result of the Stevens Street Improvement project.
The Shoreline Management Act Rules state at Section 173-27-040 WAC that the following development is exempt from substantial development permit requirements:
Normal maintenance or repair of existing structures or developments, including damage by accident, fire or elements. “ Normal maintenance” includes those usual acts to prevent a decline,
lapse, or cessation from a lawfully established condition. “Normal repair” means to restore a development to a state comparable to its original condition, including but not limited
to its size, shape, configuration, location and external appearance, within a reasonable period after decay or partial destruction, except where repair causes substantial adverse effects
to shoreline resource or environment. Replacement of a structure or development may be authorized as repair where such replacement is the common method of repair for the type of structure
or development and the replacement structure or development is comparable to the original structure or development including but not limited to its size, shape, configuration, location
and external appearance and the replacement does not cause substantial adverse effect to shoreline resources or environment;
The proposal by the City of Yelm to replace an existing water line crossing Yelm Creek located at the bridge over Yelm Creek located at the First Street bridge, between Yelm Avenue (SR
510 & SR 507) and Railway Street, S 19, T 17N, R 2E, Thurston County.
Replacement of utility lines is a common way to repair municipal utilities when they are found to be out of date or failing. This project is exempt based on 173-27-040(2)(b), as it
falls into the normal maintenance or repair existing developments. The water line is old, and constructed of material not meeting current standards. The line is being replaced as normal
maintenance of existing City utilities.
Approved: City of Yelm, Community Development Department, December 19, 2006.