Loading...
15152 Berry Valley DeutscherPre-Submission Notes March 18, 2020 Allen & Marijke Deutscher have proposed a mixed-use multi-family and commercial development located at 15152 Berry Valley Road SE. The parcels front on Tahoma Boulevard and Berry Valley Road. (Tax Parcels 21724131001, 21724130800, and 21724131201) The property received a binding site plan approval in October 2011. The daycare was constructed as phase I of the development, however the binding site plan was never completed or recorded. This project cannot be reviewed separate from the Daycare site. The binding site plan review process would allow for phased development, however to complete the final binding site plan to create parcels for individual ownership, all infrastructure must be complete, and the commercial sites pad ready. Process The approval process from initial concept to final occupancy consists of three steps: land use review, civil plan review, and building life/safety review. Land Use The proposal as submitted is allowed in the Commercial zoning district through the binding site plan process. (The previous binding site plan approval for this site has expired) The Binding site plan review process allows notification of the application to surrounding property owners, and triggers a public hearing before the Yelm Hearing Examiner. A complete application will be routed to the City Public Works Department, Thurston County, and other state agencies (including the Department of Transportation) for comment. After the review process, City staff will begin to craft the approval. A typical approval includes conditions designed to ensure the proposal is consistent with the development standards of the City. The project can only be denied if it will have significant environmental impacts or is inconsistent with City, County, or State development regulations. The Binding site plan review process typically takes between 12 to 16 weeks. The Hearing Examiner decision may be appealed to the Yelm City Council. Civil Plan Review The City reviews site construction plans for constructability and consistency with the City's engineering standards and details. Civil construction plans detail all the proposed site improvements down to the size of water and sewer lines and the location of the water meter. Civil plans must be prepared by an engineer licensed in the State of Washington. The City may use a third party peer review service as well as review by City staff. A first review typically takes 3 to 4 weeks. Additional reviews may be needed depending on the quality of the initial plans set. Building Life/Safety Yelm has adopted the International Building Codes and reviews building plans for life/safety and consistency per these codes, as adopted by Washington State. Electrical permits and inspections are through the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. A first review of structural plans typically takes 2 to 3 weeks. Additional reviews may be needed depending on the quality of the initial plan sets. Current Water Situation 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. While the City of Yelm has been proactive in water planning since 1994, when application was made with the Washington Department of Ecology for water rights sufficient to serve the City and its Urban Growth Area for 20 years of growth, the approval of these water rights by the Washington Department of Ecology, the Pollution Control Hearings Board, and the Thurston County Superior Court were overturned by the Washington State Supreme Court. Recent legislation provides that there will be 5 municipal water rights pilot projects, one of which is our water rights package. The project must be approved, and report back to a task force. While this gives us a path forward, the process has yet to be determined. Our water rights experts are working with us and Ecology to put our package together. Once the application is back in for review, we will have a better feel for how soon we can recommend approval of subdivisions again. The City cannot recommend approval of a subdivision at this time. Consistency with Development Standards Potable Water There is a 10 inch water main in Tahoma Boulevard and an 8 inch water main in Berry Valley Road. The engineer preparing the civil plans will need to ensure that the existing infrastructure is capable of supporting the proposed development for both potable water pressure and fire flows. An engineer’s calculation for water usage is required with civil plan submission. These calculations will be reviewed as part of the civil plan review process. 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. Waste Water The City of Yelm operates a Septic Tank Effluent Pumping (STEP) sewer system, which includes a treatment tank on the property with effluent being pumped to the Wastewater Reclamation Facility for further treatment and reutilization. The engineer preparing the civil plans will determine the appropriate size and placement for STEP tanks, which have to be assessable to City staff and protected from damage. STEP tank location may impact the design and layout of the project. Maximum size tank is 6,000 gallon. Any commercial use that potentially generates Fats, Oils, or Greases (FOG) are required to remove FOG from the wastewater before it enters the STEP tank. The City encourages your engineer to consider the potential future uses of the general retail buildings and incorporate appropriate measures to remove FOG during the design of the project. Storm Water The City does not operate a storm water collection and treatment system, so storm water must be collected, treated, and infiltrated on the project site. The engineer preparing the civil plans will determine the required level of treatment and will prepare a storm water plan to the City for review as part of the civil plan review process. The City has adopted the most recent version of the Washington State Department of Ecology Storm Water Manual. The stormwater pond located east of Yelm Day Care was designed by SCJ Alliance for a Binding Site Plan involving Parcels 21724131001 and 21724131201. The drainage report dated July 26, 2011 sized this pond by the 1992 DOE Manual to treat and infiltrate runoff from a total of 4.02 ac. Record drawings suggest that there may be some possibility to extend drainage onto the proposed site. Biofiltration swales and stormwater facilities are to be located to the rear of the property or under paved parking areas. If located at side or front they are to be designed as a positive landscaping feature. Environmental Maps indicate the property contains soils moderately 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 there is evidence of pocket gopher activity on the property, a critical areas report would then be required before the permit is processed. If a critical areas report is required, it must be prepared by a qualified professional. Compliance with Yelm’s requirements under the Critical Areas Code does not ensure compliance with the provisions of the Endangered Species Act, and a federal permit may be required if pocket gophers are found on the property. This permit would be issued through the US Fish and Wildlife Service (360.753.5823). 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. Transportation Tahoma Boulevard and Berry Valley Road are constructed to City standards. The conceptual drawing shows two full access driveways adjacent to an existing full access driveway for the Daycare, which causes conflicting traffic movements. While the number meets the design standards, the locations provide a safety hazard. A trip generation and site circulation memo is required at application. Site Design The Yelm Comprehensive Plan encourages mixed-use developments that provide for a more efficient use of open space and more cost effective public infrastructure. The Unified Development Code implements this policy by allowing mixed-use developments that encourage imaginative design and the creation of open space by preserving or creating environmental amenities superior to those found in conventional developments. These policies tend to favor a traditional mixed-use development comprised of multi-family buildings with ground floor retail where services and infrastructure can be combined and shared. Development on pedestrian oriented streets (Tahoma Boulevard) have specific design standards such as paved access from the street corner to buildings, pedestrian open space, special landscaping and corner enhancement. See Section 18.36.040(I) & 18.59.060 YMC. Parking for mixed use development is based on the sum of the requirements for the several uses computed separately. Provisions for shared parking facilities between adjacent is required. This would include a provision for future access to the parcel to the north, and the daycare. The Unified Development Code includes standards for parking lot design and landscaping, requires adequately sized service areas for both commercial and multi-family residential, pedestrian access between buildings, corner enhancements, and mailbox clusters on site. Additionally, multi-family developments are required to provide open spaces that provide active recreation for the residents. Buildings should be located to screen parking areas, and pedestrian access is required from public sidewalks to all buildings, as well as between buildings. Pedestrian circulation between uses is required by providing pedestrian paths of different material than the parking lot. Building Design Building setbacks are 15 feet from the front, 10 feet from the side and 20 feet from the rear property lines, with a maximum building height of 40 feet. Building design standards for pedestrian oriented streets can be found at Chapter 18.61 YMC. Life/Safety: Apartment buildings are to be protected by a NFPA 13 Fire suppression system. (Sprinklers) Fire lanes and hydrant placement, dead end fire lane apparatus roads are required to meet 2015 International Fire Code. Accessibility: One accessible parking space for each 25 stalls. For each six accessible parking stalls one shall be a van accessible. In Group R-2 Occupancies containing more than 20 dwelling units or sleeping units, at least 2% but not less than one of the units shall be a Type A unit. Where there are four or more dwelling units or sleeping units intended to be occupied as a residence in a single structure, every dwelling unit and sleeping unit intended to be occupied as a residence shall be Type B units per 2015 International Building Code. Exceptions may allow a reduction in requirements. ADA access is required for dwelling or sleeping units located on stories above the lowest level of exit discharge. (Elevators) Required ADA dwelling units or sleeping units may be located in the same structure, if said structure is located as close as practical to shared facilities such as clubhouses or pools. Occupancy Separation For mixed-use Occupancy buildings, horizontal and vertical fire separations are required. Fees & Charges Land Use Review Binding Site Plan Review $2,000 Civil Plan Review City Staff Review $250 + $54 per Hour Consultant Review Actual Cost Building Permit Review Plan Review Based on value Building Permit Based on value Sewer SDC Commercial $6,394 Residential $4,795 Water SDC Commercial $6,725 Residential $5,044 Traffic Impact Fee (per new Peak PM Trip) $1,497 Multi Family $898 per unit [Killion Road TFC credit of $564 Per pm peak hour trip] School Impact Fee (per MF Dwelling unit) $1,815 Fire Impact Fee per square foot 0.36 These notes are based solely on the site plan and description submitted in March, 2020. They are meant to map out the process for approval and to point out any potential conflicts with City standards and are NOT meant to fully review the proposed project with all regulations.