2020.0003 Variance Memo Page 1 of 2
TO: Tami Merriman, Associate Planner
City of Yelm Community and Economic
Development
DATE: January 14, 2020
FROM: Todd Sawin, PE
Tacoma - (253) 383-2422
PROJECT NO.: 2190155.10
PROJECT NAME: Yelm Middle School Replacement
SUBJECT: Design Variances
This memo accompanies the Land Use Application submittal for the Yelm Middle School Replacement project.
Several variances to City of Yelm standards are required as part of the proposed improvements. Below is a
discussion of each of these variances along with a discussion of why these changes to City of Yelm standards
help improve the functionality and safety of the proposed middle school site.
· The maximum height of the proposed school will be less than 41-feet. Per section 18.40.040 of the Yelm
Municipal Code, the maximum building height within the Open Space/Institutional District (OS) is 40-feet. A
variance to this maximum building height limit for this zone is required for the proposed Yelm Middle
School. The only portion of the proposed building that is above the maximum height of 40-feet is the
proposed gym. This height is required to provide both a usable gym and a cost effective roof structure with
room for the required mechanical and electrical units. Lowering the height of this gym area will increase the
cost of the proposed school construction; this increase in cost will take away from improvements elsewhere
in the site. This reduction will negatively affect the functionality of the middle school site.
· The proposed middle school site will utilize chain link fencing to provide additional security for the proposed
site. Per section 18.61.050.B. of the Yelm Municipal Code, chain link fencing is prohibited when visible from
the street (except for temporary purposes such as a construction site). A variance to this allowable
materials standard is required because chain link fencing can provide the required security to the school by
keeping the students within the school site and preventing students from entering vehicle travel areas
during school hours. Chain link fencing also provides the required visibility to the surrounding areas that a
school requires. Acceptable wall types such as concrete block walls, architecturally finished vinyl or
fiberglass, and wood shingles/shakes do not provide visibility to the areas surrounding the school; this is a
safety concern.
· The proposed middle school site will utilize existing perimeter landscaping to satisfy the perimeter
landscaping requirement outlined in section 18.55.020.B. of the Yelm Municipal Code. W Yelm Ave,
Edwards St NW, and Coates Ave NW all have existing street trees between the roadway and school site;
these trees will remain under proposed conditions as perimeter landscaping. There are also several very
large existing on-site trees along the Solberg Street NW right-of-way; these trees will be protected, when
possible, as perimeter landscaping. Additional perimeter landscaping could compromise the visibility to the
areas surrounding the school site which is a safety concern to the proposed school. New landscape
plantings are proposed within the proposed on-site parking areas.
· Frontage improvements are required along Solberg St NW. Solberg St NW is classified as a Local Access
Commercial street per section 2.10.030 of the Yelm Engineering Specifications and Standard Details,
Chapter 2 Transportation and Dwg. No. 2-6. This road section typically requires a half-street section with
11-foot traffic lane, 7-foot parking lane, 6-foot planter strip, and 5-foot sidewalk. A variance to this standard
is required for the proposed Yelm Middle School to remove the parallel parking requirement from the
northern side of the Solberg St NW frontage, north of the proposed driveway. This portion of the frontage
improvements is up against the proposed bus drop-off loop; providing parallel parking to this area will
encourage parents to drop their children off within the Solberg St NW right-of-way in this parallel parking
instead of the proposed on-site parent drop-off loop located off of Coates Ave NW. This is a safety concern
because students would then walk through the proposed bus loop as busses are entering the site. Parents
Project Memo Page 2 of 2
Yelm Middle School Replacement
2190155.10
January 14, 2020