Washington Fyrst (2)
City of Yelm
Site Plan Review Committee
105 Yelm Avenue West
Yelm, WA 98597
March 29, 2017
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: Tim Fyrst
Project Proposal: Construct 5 duplexes or other multi-family structures
Project Location: XXX Washington Ave
Parcel Numbers: 75300901200, 75600901400
Property Background and Characteristics
The property is vacant. Although it has two parcel numbers, a lot determination could be made
that there are 5 individual lots, each approximately .14 acres.
Zoning
The property is identified by the Yelm Comprehensive Plan Map as (CBD) Central Business
District. Most all commercial uses, including mixed use retail and residential uses are allowed,
subject to site plan review approval.
Allowed residential density is 16 units per acre, subject to R-16 development standards. Based
on approximately .94 gross acres, allowed density is 15 dwelling units. Building setbacks are 15
feet from the front, 10 from the side and 25 feet for the rear. Flanking yards are 20 feet. The
maximum height of buildings is 35 feet or 3 stories, whichever is lesser. All acreage is subject to
actual survey.
Critical Areas
The City critical area maps indicate that the property is located outside of wetlands, flood
zones, and high ground water areas.
All of Yelm is considered a critical aquifer recharge area. Protection measures for development
within a critical aquifer recharge area are met through treating and disposing of stormwater
through an approved stormwater system.
Presubmission Meeting
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Fish and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Areas
The Critical Areas Code maps indicate the property contains soils possibly suitable as habitat for
the Mazama Pocket Gopher, a protected species listed on the Washington Priority Species and
Habitat List as well as the Federal Threatened Species List. If members of the species are found
on the property, a critical areas report is required.
Compliance with Yelm’s requirements under the Critical Areas Code does not ensure
compliance with the provisions of the Endangered Species Act. The applicant should contact
Tim Romanski of the US Fish and Wildlife Service at 360.753.5823 or tim.romanski@fws.gov
with any questions about compliance with Federal standards for threatened species.
Development Standards
Water
The proposed project is located in the City of Yelm’s water service area. There is a 10 inch
water main located in the alley. Nearby fire hydrants are reuse water, a hydrant will most likey
be required.
All commercial buildings and irrigation systems are required to provide for cross-connection
control through the provisions of a back flow prevention device (reduced pressure backflow
assembly) installed on the water services. A list of approved devices can be found at Chapter
246-290-490 WAC. The backflow device is required to be installed after the meter and tested
by a certified backflow tester. If a separate irrigation meter is installed, an approved backflow
prevention device shall be provided.
The Unified Development Code, Title 18 YMC, requires the Community Development
Department to make a written finding of concurrency for any approval for a land division or site
plan (including any development activity). For water, the finding must include the fact that
“improvements necessary to provide city standard facilities and services are present or are in
an approved and funding plan to assure availability in a time to meet the needs of the proposed
development.”
The State Subdivision Act, Chapter 58.17 RCW, requires that the City of Yelm make a written
determination that appropriate provisions are made for potable water supplies as part of the
preliminary land division process.
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. If the City does not have sufficient approved water connections
Presubmission Meeting
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at the time a building permit for the proposed development is ready to issue, the permit will be
denied until additional water resources are available.
The City currently has sufficient water connections to serve some anticipated growth. A site
plan review approval is good for 18 months. It is anticipated that the City will have adequate
water at the time of development of this proposal.
Sewer
The site is within the City of Yelm sewer service area. There is a 4” C900 sewer main located in
the alley. This line will need to be tapped by a tapping company. S.T.E.P. tanks are to be
located in the front yard of the units. S.T.E.P. tank sizing is governed by the Criteria for Sewage
Works Design (Orange Book) published by the Washington State Department of Ecology.
A properly sized oil/water separator is required if there is any potential for oil to enter the
sanitary sewer system. A properly sized grease interceptor will be required if there is any
potential for the introduction of fats, oils, or greases from food preparation to enter the
sanitary sewer system.
Stormwater
The City of Yelm has adopted the 2014 Stormwater Management Manual for Western
Washington published by the Washington Department of Ecology. Stormwater from new
impervious surfaces is required to be treated and released. Roof runoff shall be distributed to
individual dry wells.
Transportation
The City of Yelm Development Guidelines and the concurrency requirements of Chapter 18.16
YMC require all new developments to improve street frontages to current City standards.
Washington Avenue is classified as a local access residential street and requires an 11 foot drive
lane, a 7 foot parking lane, concrete curb and gutter, 6’ planter strip and 5 foot sidewalk (on
one side). Rice Street is considered a Local Access Commercial street, and includes an 11 foot
travel lane, a 7 foot parking lane, a 6 foot planter strip and 5 foot sidewalk (both sides).
While frontage improvements are required for all new development in the City, partial
improvements are typically not encouraged. A deferral request would be considered.
Presubmission Meeting
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Parking
Although the CBD allows minimum parking requirements to be waived where on street parking
is available, the owner, developer or operator of the premises shall be responsible for providing
adequate amounts of, and arrangement of parking space.
Chapter 18.54 YMC requires residential dwelling units to have two parking spaces for each unit.
A garage may be counted as a parking space. Shared parking area off the alley would also be
allowed. Access from the alley requires the alley to be paved and signed one-way (east to
west).
Full size parking spaces in banks of 90 degrees are 9 feet in width by 20 feet in length and
require a 23 foot drive aisle. 45 degree angled parking requires a 12 foot one-way drive aisle.
Parking areas are required to be landscaped to provide visual relief and shade. At least 24
square feet of landscaping is required 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. Each
planting area must contain at least one tree, and no parking stall shall be located more than 50
feet from a tree. Live groundcover shall be provided throughout each landscaping area.
Building and Design Guidelines
Design Standards
Service areas, outdoor storage areas and other intrusive site features must be located at the
rear of the lot to reduce conflicts with adjacent uses. All trash enclosures must incorporate the
architectural features of the primary structures and landscaping to minimize visual impacts of
the Enclosure. Trash enclosures will be reviewed by Pacific Disposal to ensure adequate service
can be provided.
Perimeter landscaping is required and is characterized by an 8 foot landscape strip along
property lines of any combination of evergreen and deciduous trees (with no more than 50
percent being deciduous), and shrubs. The intent is to provide partial screening and buffering
between uses and of softening the appearance of streets, parking and structures.
A dense sight barrier landscaping is required between the site and the residential use to the
south. A dense sight barrier is required to be 15 feet wide and include a combination of trees,
shrubs, walls, earthen berms and related plant materials so that the resultant effect is sight-
obscuring. This landscape is required on the northwest property line adjacent to the residential
home.
Presubmission Meeting
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Parking lots must be lit to the standards of the design guidelines and include non glare, shielded
fixtures no higher than 20 feet above grade. A lighting plan is required as part of civil
construction plan review.
Pedestrian circulation paths within the property require paved walkways from sidewalks to the
building, should tie into neighboring properties when feasible, and provide pathways through
parking lots. Within parking lots, the path material must be different than asphalt.
Multi-family buildings over three stories or up to 5,000 square feet in gross building footprint
shall include at least one of the following elements, and buildings over 5,000 square feet in
gross building footprint shall include 2 or more of the following elements along their facades:
• A minimum 10 foot setback from the face of a building on an upper story. Building
facades visible from a public right of way or park shall be modulated horizontally every
100 feet, with a minimum depth of 6 feet. Roof deck or balconies as part of the building
modulation shall be a minimum of 60 square feet.
• Roof lines visible from a public Right-of-Way or park shall be modulated vertically every
100 feet. Gable, hipped or shed roofs shall have a slope of at least 3’ vertical to 12’
horizontal. Arched, vaulted, dormer or saw-toothed roof lines shall have a change in
slope, within every 100 foot width.
• Building facades shall include repeating elements such as distinctive window patterns,
porch, patio, alternate dormers, gables, or other roof elements, changing materials,
lighting fixtures, trellis, substantial landscaping and/or pedestrian oriented open spaces
along the building façade.
Buildings facing a public street or park shall be enhanced with at least one of the following
elements:
• Decorated rooflines, such as an ornamental molding, entablature, frieze or other
roofline device visible from the ground level.
• Decorative window and door treatments such as a decorative molding or framing details
around all ground floor windows and doors.
• Decorative railings, grill work or landscape guards.
• Landscape trellises.
• Decorative light fixtures with a diffuse visible light source.
• Decorative building materials.
Blank walls visible from the street, parking or adjacent lot shall be treated in one or more of the
following ways:
• Vertical trellis in front of the wall with climbing vines or plant materials.
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• Landscaped planting bed at least 5’-0” wide or raised planter bed at least 2’-0” high and
3’ wide in front of the wall, and plant materials that obscure or screen at least 35% of
the wall’s surface within 3 years.
The following materials are allowed as described below:
• Metal siding over 25% of a building’s façade must have a matted finish in a neutral or
earth tone color, and must include visible window and door trim painted or finished in a
complimentary color and corner and edge trim that cover exposed edges of the sheet
metal panels.
• Pre-finished metal roofing must have standing seams & muted colors.
• Concrete block walls, or exposed concrete surfaces that are visible from a public street
or park must be architecturally treated by split face or grooved surface, colored mortar,
or other masonry types in conjunction with concrete blocks.
• Roof-mounted mechanical equipment shall be screened so as not to be visible from the
street or from the ground-level of adjacent properties.
• Screening shall blend with the architecture of the building.
• Building shell colors shall be earth tones such as taupe, brown, red-brown, buff, gray,
cream, white natural wood, brick or stone. Trim should be white, black, dark blue, dark
green, or other deep saturated colors.
Permit Process
State Environmental Policy Act
This project is exempt from a SEPA threshold determination as there are less than 24 dwelling
units.
Preservation of trees with new development
All site plans shall include the location of all trees to be retained and removed exceeding 8
inches in diameter. Mitigation for tree removal is required.
Critical Areas Report
If a critical areas report is required, it must be prepared by a qualified professional using
scientifically valid method and studies in the analysis of critical area data and field
reconnaissance, and reference the source of science used. The report must evaluate the
proposal and all probable impacts to critical areas in accordance with Chapter 18.21 YMC.
Minimum report requirements may be found in Chapter 18.11 YMC.
Presubmission Meeting
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Compliance with Yelm’s requirements under the Critical Areas Code does not ensure
compliance with the provisions of the Endangered Species Act. The applicant should contact
Tim Romanski of the US Fish and Wildlife Service at 360.753.5823 or tim.romanski@fws.gov
with any questions about compliance with Federal standards for threatened species
Land Use Review Process
A ministerial site plan review is required when new residential construction contains between 2
and 9 dwelling units. An administrative site plan review is required for the construction of 10 or
more dwelling units.
The Site Plan Review process is an administrative approval designed to ensure compliance with
development regulations. The process is codified at Chapter 18.10 YMC. A notice of
application is required for the administrative site plan review.
A site plan review 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.
Civil Plan Review
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, S.T.E.P. tank design, and stormwater control.
The City uses a third party engineer for peer review of civil plans. Depending on the number of
revisions, the process can take 2 to 4 weeks for each revision.
Building Permit Process
The City of Yelm has adopted the International Codes as amended by the State Building Code
Council for Building, Fire, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Existing Building, the Uniform Plumbing Code
and the Washington State Energy Code.
Building elevations, site utility screening and refuse enclosure shall meet the design standards
in the Unified Development Code, and shall be submitted with the site plan review application.
Spaces used for food service shall be reviewed and approved by the Thurston County Health
Department prior to building permit issuance.
Building plans may be submitted after site plan review approval, along with civil engineering
plans, although they will not be reviewed until the civil plans have undergone at least one
review cycle.
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Prior to permit issuance two complete revised plan sets will be required for approval.
Integrated sprinkler and fire alarm system permits may be deferred.
Building permit review typically takes 8 to 12 weeks.
Fees & Charges
Site Plan Review Depends on project, fee schedule on city website
Civil Plan Review Billed on a cost recovery basis
Building Plan Review Based on 1997 UBC fee Schedule
Building Permit Based on 1997 UBC fee Schedule
Sewer Connection Fee $6,394.00 per ERU*
Sewer Inspection Fee $145.00 per ERU*
Water Connection Fee $6,289.35 per ERU*
Water Meter Fee Based on meter size*
Utility connection fees for multi-family (greater than 4 units) is 75%
Transportation Facilities Charge $1,497.00 per peak PM trip*
*Paid at the time of building permit
Single family dwelling creates 1.01 trips $1,511.97
Multi family dwelling creates .60 trips per unit. $898.20 per unit
“Allowable Density” When calculating the number of dwelling units allowed on a parcel, the
gross area is used and the subsequent number of units is rounded to the first significant digit.
Gross area includes all land within the exterior boundaries of the development, including, but
not limited to all land allocated for open space, critical areas, buffers, streets, roads, and public
and private rights-of-way.
“Contiguous Land” means land touching other land at one or more points and having the same
owner regardless of whether or not portions of the parcels have separate tax lot numbers, were
purchased at different times, lie in different sections, are different government lots or are
separated from each other by watercourses or private easements.