080311 WA Federal Subdivision Alteration
City of Yelm
Community Development Department
105 Yelm Avenue West
Yelm, WA 98597
Pre-Application Meeting
August 3, 2011
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: Washington Federal
Representative: Wayne Potter, Novastar Development
Owner: Washington Federal
Project Proposal: Redivision of McKenzie Meadows
Project Location: Cullens Road SE, Tax Parcel Numbers 21724110100 & 21724110102
Background
Cullens Road Subdivision (now known as McKenzie Meadows) is a subdivision that has been granted preliminary approval by the City, the improvements constructed pursuant to approved civil
engineering plans, but not yet granted final approval. The preliminary subdivision identified a ‘Future Development Area’ which could not be developed at the time because of the location
of a well and associated sanitary control area serving a small community water system. The water system served the property to be subdivided as McKenzie Meadows (tax parcel 21724110100)
and the other property part of this proposed redivision (tax parcel 21724110102).
Adjoining McKenzie Meadows to the south is the Hoffman Subdivision, a preliminary subdivision upon which no improvements are currently constructed.
The proposal would redivide the ‘Future Development Area’ of McKenzie Meadows and tax parcel 21724110102 into 6 residential lots. The existing well and sanitary control area would be
abandoned and all lots would be connected to City services. Access to three of the lots would be from a proposed cul-de-sac in the Hoffman Plat.
Zoning and Setbacks
The property is zoned Moderate Density Commercial (R-6) which is a residential zoning district codified at Chapter 17.15 YMC. The R-6 district is intended to provide a high
standard of development for resdientail areas of moderate density, permit a variety of housing types, and guide development in such a manner to encourage and plan for the availability
of public services and community facilities.
The R-6 district allows single family dwellings, duplexes, and multifamily dwellings at a density of no more than six units per acre and no less than three units per acre.
Building setbacks in the R-6 district are 15 feet from the front street with a 20 foot driveway approach, 25 feet from the rear yard and 5 feet from the side property lines wit a minimum
of 12 feet total between side setbacks. The maximum building height is 35 feet. There is no minimum lot size in the R-6 district, but each lot must be buildable after accounting for
required setbacks.
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 groundwater
areas.
Review and Approval Process
The proposal, as submitted, will be processed as a alteration to the McKenzie Meadow preliminary subdivision. This is the same procedure as the initial approval of a subdivision. A
public hearing before the Yelm Hearing Examiner will be scheduled after a public comment period with notice to property owners within 300 feet and publication in the Nisqually Valley
News.
Additionally, the proposed layout would require an alteration to the Hoffman Subdivision in order to create legal access to the southern of the proposed lot, as Yelm’s development regulations
do not allow easement access to individual lots. This alteration would be a minor amendment and would typically be an administrative action, but would be combined with the alteration
to McKenzie Meadows.
Because access, open space, and other common elements of the proposed subdivision are provided by McKenzie Meadows and the Hoffman Subdivision, a single homeowners association for all
three of the divisions will be required.
State Environmental Policy Act Process
A SEPA threshold determination will not be required, but the application is subject to the previous threshold determination for McKenzie Meadows.
Fees
Subdivision $750.00 + $25 per lot
Subdivision Alteration Combined with underlying subdivision application
Civil Plan Review Billed on a cost recovery basis
Traffic Impact Fee $1,321.00 per peak PM trip
Water Meter Fee Based on meter size
Sewer Connection Fee $6,219 per ERU r $3,179 if part of LID
Sewer Inspection Fee $145.00 per ERU
Water Connection Fee $5,217 per ERU
Building Plan Review Based on 1997 UBC fee Schedule
Building Permit Based on 1997 UBC fee Schedule
Fire Impact Fee $0.32 per square foot of gross floor area.
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. Landscaping standards are found at Chapter 17.80 YMC.
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 II landscaping will be required along the east property line.
The City requires that landscaping include water conservation measures including the use of weather based controllers, grouping species with similar water needs, and the use of drip
irrigation wherever possible. An irrigation water budget will be established based on the amount of area landscaped and irrigation water usage will be limited to this budgeted amount
annually.
A conceptual landscaping plan consistent with these requirements 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.
Transportation
Ingress and egress at the site shall be consistent with the Yelm Development Guidelines, Section 4B.140. The proposal utilizes flag lots accessing two cul-de-sacs in McKenzie Meadows
and the Hoffman Subdivision. The McKenzie Meadows cul-de-sac
is constructed, but not yet dedicated to the City as a public street and the Hoffman Subdivision cul-de-sac is not yet constructed.
The proposal includes two panhandle or flag lots. Yelm’s development regulations allow panhandle lots provided they are a minimum of 20 feet in width. However the length of a panhandle
is limited by a separate requirement of the Yelm Development guidelines that all buildings be located within 150 of a fire hydrant. As proposed, a fire lane and additional hydrants
would need to be provided to proposed lots 1 & 2, or the roads reconfigured to provide better access from a public street.
Each lot is required to have 20 feet of frontage on a public street. The proposed easements across the Hoffman Subdivision to provide access to the lots on the southern portion of the
proposed division do not meet this standard and an alteration of the Hoffman Subdivision will be required to attach these easement areas to the proposed lots.
Every subdivision or combination of subdivisions of 25 or more units are required to provide more than one access to an arterial street. McKenzie Meadows is 24 lots and has a single
access to Cullens Road. Since the proposed division would bring McKenzie Meadows over 25 lots, final approval of the proposed division will be conditioned on the development of the
Hoffman Subdivision, which provides a second access to Cullens Road for the combination of three divisions.
Frontage improvements on Cullens Road will be required but will only consist of sidewalk and planter strip, as the remainder of the improvements are complete.
The City of Yelm has adopted a Transportation Facility Charge (TFC) of $1,321.00 per PM peak trip generated by new development. A single family dwelling generates 1.01 peak hour trips
for a TFC of $1,334.21. TFC’s are collected at building permit issuance.
Stormwater
Developments with additional impervious surface are required to provide stormwater facilities pursuant to the 1992 DOE Stormwater Manual. The size and design would be reviewed as part
of the site plan review and further review at civil plan submittal. An operations and maintenance agreement will be required.
As proposed, additional stormwater treatment is not required for the division. If streets are extended or altered, a revised stormwater report for either the McKenzie Meadows or Hoffman
Subdivision will be required, depending on which treatment facility the stormwater is entering.
If stormwater treatment is to be any emergent technology as allowed by the 2005 stormwater manual, the entire system must be designed to the standards of that
manual. Likewise, if the disposal of stormwater is to be through an underground injection well, the system must be registered with the Washington Department of Ecology and must be designed
to the standards of the 2005 manual.
Water
The proposed project is located in the City of Yelm’s water service area and some of the buildings on the property are currently connected to City water service.
Water connections are based on a consumption rate of 875 cubic feet a month and are charged at a rate of $5,217.00 per connection (fee subject to change) inside the city limits.
The existing well will need to be abandoned per Department of Ecology standards and the water rights will need to be dedicated to the city.
The State Subdivision Act at Section 58.17.110 requires the City to make a finding that appropriate provisions are made for potable water supply at the time of preliminary subdivision
approval. This determination is a general statement that the City belives it will be able to provide water service when it is required, as building permits are issued. For subdivisions,
the time frame for new connections being added to the system is generally 3 to 5 years from the application.
Currently, the City has sufficient water connections for 2 to 3 years of typical growth. While actively working to increase the source capacity of the water system as well as obtaining
additional water rights, the City may be unable to determine that appropriate water supply is available at the present time. This situation could change depending on approvals pending
before the Washington State Department of Ecology.
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, and sewer mains are available through McKenzie Meadows and Hoffman Subdivision.
Commercial sewer connections are based on a consumption rate of 875 cubic feet a month and are charged at a rate of $6,219.00 per a connection (fee subject to change) inside city limits.
An inspection fee of $145.00 per a connection will also be required. Fees are collected at the time of building permit issuance.
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.
Fire Protection
As previously noted, the panhandle lots are problematic under the provisions of the Yelm Development Guidelines, which are based on the International Fire Code.
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 I the City of Yelm. This fee is collected
at building permit issuance.