Persons fruit tent
City of Yelm
Community Development Department
105 Yelm Avenue West
P.O. Box 479
Yelm, WA 98597
Pre-Application Meeting
February 3, 2010
These comments are preliminary in nature and are not intended to represent final comments and or requirements for the City of Yelm. Until a complete application is made, the Community
Development Department can only attempt to inform the applicant of general requirements as they appear in the form presented by the applicant at the time of pre-submission.
Proponent: Timothy Persons
Owner: Cynthia Schmier
Project Proposal: 40x40 tent and fresh produce stand temporary Use
Project Location: Corner of Yelm Avenue West and Edwards
Zoning
The property is zoned Central Business District (CBD), Chapter 17.24 YMC. This district allows the seasonal sale of unprocessed agricultural products as a temporary use, limited to
location on lots not used for residential purposes in commercial zones which are improved to current city standards.
The parcel proposed for the temporary use is not improved, and site plan review is required to bring the parcel in to code standards.
Critical Areas
All of Yelm is considered a critical aquifer recharge area. The City critical area maps indicate that the property is located outside of wetlands, flood zones, and high ground water
areas.
Site Plan Review Process
A Site Plan Review application as established by Chapter 17.84 YMC is an administrative review process. The minimum application requirements are found at Section 17.84.060 YMC and are
listed on the application form. A notice of application is mailed to all property owners within 300 feet of the site.
The site plan review committee’s decision on a site plan review application may be appealed to the Hearing Examiner, who would hold an open record hearing on the
issue. The Examiner’s decision can be appealed to the City Council, which would hold a closed record hearing and determine if the decision was supported by substantial evidence or contrary
to law. If a SEPA appeal is filed, the site plan review would be combined with that appeal and the Hearing Examiner would become the decision maker with a recommendation from the SPR
Committee. An open record hearing would be held by the examiner on the site plan review application, if combined with a SEPA appeal.
A conceptual landscaping plan is required at the time of application for site plan review. The final landscaping and irrigation plan is required as an element of civil plans, with installation
and approval prior to occupancy of the business.
Land use approval typically contains conditions of approval that the applicant must complete prior to receiving a building permit. Upon satisfactory completion of all conditions of
land use approval, the applicant can submit building plans for approval.
State Environmental Policy Act Process
A SEPA threshold determination will be required before action is taken on the Site Plan Review application. An environmental checklist is required when the proposal is for a commercial
building over 4,000 square feet in size or 20 or more parking stalls. .
The SEPA threshold determination is appealable to the Hearings Examiner, who would hold an open record hearing on the issue. The Examiner’s decision may be appealed to City Council,
which would conduct a closed record hearing and determine if the Examiner’s decision was contrary to law and supported by substantial evidence.
Land Use Fees
Site Plan Review $350.00 + $50 per 1,000 sq ft per gross floor area.
SEPA $150.00
Civil Plan Review Billed on a cost recovery basis
Traffic Impact Analysis $500.00 scoping fee, and actual cost for review
Traffic Impact Fee $1,321 .00 per peak PM trip
Water Meter Fee Based on meter size
Building Plan Review Based on 1997 UBC fee Schedule
Building Permit Based on 1997 UBC fee Schedule
Sewer Connection Fee $6,050 per ERU or $2,927 if part of LID
Sewer Inspection Fee $145.00 per ERU
Water Connection Fee $1,500 per ERU
Fire Impact Fee $0.32 per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area.
Design Review
Street Fronts
All development for properties not on pedestrian oriented streets shall include site planning measures to create an attractive street edge, accommodate pedestrian access, and support
downtown design objectives. Examples of requirements based on Downtown Goals and Policies are stated in the following:
Define street edge with building landscaping or other features.
Provide direct access to building fronts from the sidewalk.
If parking is adjacent to street frontage, provide substantial landscaping to spatially define the street edge and create a distinctive perimeter along the street front.
Street Corners
New development on corner lots at street intersections must enhance the property’s visual qualities at the corner. This can be achieved by installing substantial landscaping at or near
the corner of the lot which includes a decorative screen wall (at least 3 foot high) with a length of at least 20 feet, along the front property line. Height and location of elements
should not create a visibility or security problem.
Side and Rear Yards/ Siting Service Areas
The design guidelines indicate that service areas, and outdoor storage be located away from neighboring properties to reduce conflicts and requires screening of refuse containers located
behind the building. No refuse container shall be permitted between a street and the front of a building.
The refuse area must be large enough to accommodate a dumpster and recycle bin. Refuse areas must be screened with an enclosure of a material and design compatible with the overall
architectural theme. A six foot wall or fence shall enclose any outdoor refuse collection point. The fence shall be a solid material such as wood or masonry. The following describes
the intent in siting service areas based on the Design Guidelines:
To “reduce the visibility of unsightly uses”.
To minimize the visibility of “backs” of buildings where service areas are located.
To “encourage more thoughtful siting of trash containers and siting areas by screening its negative aspects”.
To reduce the noise impacts of service areas.
Pedestrian Circulation
The following elements must be provided as part of the site plan for new developments:
All pedestrian paths must comply with the ADA.
Adequate lighting must be provided for pedestrian access.
Walkways should be integrated with the required parking lot landscaping.
Provide pathways through parking lots
Integrate transit stops into the planning of site improvements
Provide weather protection such as a canopy to create a covered pedestrian open space.
Provide at least 200 square feet of landscaping at or near the entry.
Provide pedestrian facilities such as benches, kiosks, or bicycle racks.
Provide pedestrian scaled lighting
Adjacent window displays
Provide artwork or special pedestrian scaled signs
Building Design and Details
To encourage buildings that are comfortable at a human scale, at least three of the following features must be incorporated into the building design:
Balconies in upper stories
Bay windows
Pedestrian oriented space
Individual windows
Gable or hipped roof
Porch or covered entry
Spatially defining building elements that define an occupied space
Upper story setbacks
Composing smaller building elements near the entry or pedestrian oriented street fronts
To ensure new development is compatible with Yelm’s architectural size and character, at least two of the following features must be incorporated into the building design:
Upper story setback
Horizontal building modulation
Modulated roof line
Building articulation
To encourage unique, identifiable architectural features at intersections, at least one of the following features must be included on a façade facing a public street:
Decorated roofline
Decorative treatment of windows and doors
Decorative railings, grill work, or landscape guards
Landscape trellises
Decorative light fixtures
Decorative building materials (masonry, wood details or patterns)
Concrete block walls must use textured blocks, colored mortar or a mix of other masonry types. Concrete must be architecturally treated.
Metal roofing must be of high quality with a standing seam and can not be brightly colored.
Blank walls must be treated through trellis and plantings, landscaping beds or other methods.
Parking Lot Location and Design
The requirements for off-street parking 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 is in excess of the minimum set forth.
Shared parking agreements are acceptable only if the physical relationship between the premises makes such sharing possible and results in superior design in terms of layout, access,
reduced curb cuts and the like.
Chapter 17.72 Retail sales require one (1) space per 250 square feet of gross floor area. A 40 x 40 tent is 1,600 square feet, requiring a minimum of 6 parking stalls.
A standard stall is 9 feet by 20 feet while a compact stall is 8 by 16.
All parking areas must be surfaced with asphalt or concrete, and shall be striped and landscaped to the standards of the development guidelines. The site will require a paved drive
lane adequate to accommodate emergency vehicles, which is a minimum of 20 feet wide.
The design details for parking lot construction can be found in the Yelm Development Guidelines.
Landscaping Types and Description
The purpose of landscaping requirements is to preserve the aesthetic character of communities; to promote retention and protection of existing vegetation; and to reduce the impacts of
development on drainage systems and natural habitats.
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. It is used around the perimeter of a site with a minimum planting area of eight-feet in width. When used adjacent to a building, a minimum five-foot planting area
shall be provided.
Type IV landscaping is intended to provide visual relief and shade in parking areas. Parking shall have at least 24 square feet of landscape development for each parking stall proposed.
Each area of landscaping must contain at least 100 square feet of area and must be at least six feet in any direction.
Type V landscaping is to provide visual relief in storm water retention/detention areas with vegetation that is suitable and will thrive in hydric soils.
Transportation
Ingress and egress at the site shall be consistent with the Yelm Development Guidelines, section 4B.140. Existing vehicular access to the site is by the alley in the rear, and pedestrian
access on Yelm Avenue. The alley shall be paved to City Standards.
Frontage improvements are required for all new development within the city. Frontage improvements on Yelm Avenue are currently incomplete. Edwards Street is complete.
The City of Yelm has adopted a Transportation Facility Charge (TFC) of $1,321.00 per PM peak trip generated by new development. The code provides a default table that the applicant can
use to determine the number of new PM trips generated by a proposal.
To determine the projects impact and fee, use the following formula for the use proposed:
((Peak PM Trip Rate * Gross Floor Area)/1,000) * $1,321.00 = TFC
Traffic Facilities Charges may be applied to off-site improvements required to mitigate
potential significant impacts attributed to the proposed development if the required improvements are capacity related.
Water
The proposed project is located in the City of Yelm’s water service area and there was a previous water service connection.
Water connections are based on a consumption rate of 900 cubic feet a month and are charged at a rate of $1,500 per a connection (fee subject to change) inside city limits. The fees
will be calculated utilizing the water consumption calculations provided by your civil engineer. These fees are payable at building permit issuance.
All commercial buildings and irrigation systems are required to provide for cross-connection control through the provisions of a back flow prevention device installed on the water services.
A list of approved devices can be found at Chapter 246-290-490 WAC.
Any existing well(s) will need to be abandoned per Department of Ecology standards and the water rights will need to be dedicated to the city.
The City of Yelm has been proactive in water planning since 1994, when the City made application with the Washington Department of Ecology for new water rights sufficient to serve the
entire City and its Urban Growth Area.
While efforts are underway to secure sufficient water to provide for Yelm’s long term needs, the City has aggressively pursued the acquisition and transfer of existing water rights in
order to provide for continued growth until new water rights are acquired. Yelm has historically been successful at acquiring and transferring sufficient water to meet demands.
The Washington Department of Ecology recently denied a water rights transfer that the City had been working on for 18 months and which had been approved twice by the Thurston County
Conservancy Board. The denial of this water rights transfer means that the City currently has a limited number of water connections available for new development. The City has appealed
Ecology's decision to the Pollution Control Hearings Board.
Unless Ecology’s decision is overturned by the Hearings Board, the City is no longer able to make a finding of concurrency with the municipal water system for all new developments with
land divisions. Community Development staff will be recommending denial of all preliminary and final land divisions.
The State Building Code at Section 19.27.097 RCW requires evidence of water availability and the issuance of a building permit by the City of Yelm is the City’s commitment to serve a
proposal with potable water.
Sewer
The proposed site is currently located in the City of Yelm’s STEP sewer system service area. There is an existing sewer main and STEP tank locatedin the alley behind the building.
Any on-site septic systems will need to be abandoned prior to site plan review approval.
Commercial sewer connections are based on a consumption rate of 900 cubic feet a month and are charged at a rate of $6,050.00 per a connection (fee subject to change) inside city limits.
An inspection fee of $145.00 per a connection will also be required.
Fire Protection
All projects need to have fire protection for the buildings. It is likely that fire flow may be an issue at this location, which will be addressed through building official review of
the proposed building uses and construction material used for the buildings.
The International Building Code (IBC) provides occupancy ratings for different types of uses. The fire coverage and sprinkler system for the proposed use must meet IBC requirements.
Fire Impact Fee pursuant to Section 15.40.020 (B)(6) YMC is established at a rate of $0.32 per square foot of development for all new development in the City of Yelm.
Stormwater
Developments with additional impervious surface are required to provide stormwater facilities pursuant to the 1992 DOE Stormwater Manual. Stormwater treatment for all impervious surfaces,
such as internal and frontage streets is to be treated on site.
The size and design would be reviewed as part of the site plan review. A preliminary stormwater plan is required as part of Site Plan Review application submittal, and final stormwater
plan review at civil plan submittal. An operations and maintenance agreement will be required.
ADA Requirements
The American Disabilities Act required that facilities are ADA accessible. Facility improvements will have to meet current code. Review of these improvements will be determined upon
further review of the civil and architectural plans.
Civil Plan Review Process
Civil Plan review generally takes place after a land use approval. The Yelm Development Guidelines contain standard details for all infrastructure requirements, including parking lot
layout, sewer and water lines, STEP tank design, and stormwater control.
Building Permit Process
Building Plan review, permitting and inspections will be based on Title 15 Yelm Municipal Code, adopting the 2003 IBC, IMC, UPC, IFC and the 2001 Washington State Energy Code. By resolution,
the City of Yelm re-adopted the 1997 UBC, UMC and UPC Fee schedules.
Building Plans may be submitted after Site Plan Review approval. Five(5) sets of plans, one of which may be half scale, two (2) sets of engineering calculations, energy calculations
and specifications will be required. Due to the size of the occupancy, an integrated sprinkler and fire alarm system will be required. These plans may be submitted at a later date
along with any required kitchen suppression systems. All fire related items 5’ outside the building will be subject to civil review along with domestic water, waste, and storm water.
Concurrently with Site Plan Review two sets of building and accessory building elevations must be submitted for review of the building for consistency with the Design Guidelines.
Allow at least 8 to 12 weeks for Building Plan Review and 2 weeks for design guideline review.