El Rey Burro Narrative
03/07/2021
To: City of Yelm Community Development
Re: El Rey Burro
Project: Mexican Drive Thru Restaurant
Parcel #s: 21724141300
City of Yelm Staff,
Please accept this narrative and attached plans for submittal. The following narrative is intended
to provide an overall direction of the development and help address any issues that might arise
over the course of the project.
Existing Conditions
This site is 0.30 acres zoned as commercial. There is currently a building on site that was
previously used for a restaurant and retail establishment. The site is flat with a very gentle slope
to the northeast. Soils onsite are Spanaway Gravel per the USDA soil survey. A geotech report
was prepared and confirmed course granular soil consistent with USDA. Water, sewer, power,
and communications are onsite and currently serving the existing building.
Proposed Improvements
This project proposes to demolish the existing building and build a 1400 sq ft drive through
restaurant with stormwater facilities. The site will be paved and will include 8 parking spots.
Frontage improvements along Longmire Street is also proposed. Yelm Highway is already
improved however a secondary access will be placed onsite at the extreme north end of the
property.
Zoning
The projects zoning in C-1(Commercial). Per Yelm Municipal Code 18.36.020, retail and
service-oriented establishments are listed as a permitted use within the zone. As such, a
restaurant appears to be an appropriate use withing the zone.
While SEPA was mentioned in the pre-application notes, this project appears not to trigger any
SEPA thresholds. The closest triggering threshold would be traffic. This threshold states the
construction of any office, school, commercial, recreational, service or storage building 10,000
square feet or smaller which creates fewer than 25 new peak p.m. trips to the transportation
system and with 90 or fewer associated parking stalls is not required to prepare SEPA. This
project will create 23 new trips per the TIA prepared. Additional trips due to pass by are
accounted for in the TIA but these would not be considered “new” to the transportation system.
As such, the project appears to be below the threshold for SEPA and has not been provided.
Water
The existing water meter currently serving the property will be repurposed to serve the new
restaurant. Details of these utilities is shown on the civil plans.
Sewer
A STEP tank currently serves the existing building. This same STEP tank system will be
repurposed to serve the new restaurant. Details of these utilities will be shown on the civil plans.
Dry Utilities – Power/Communication
The power utilities on this site are currently served by PSE. Power will be repurposed as needed
to the new building. PSE will provide electrical plans as needed.
Stormwater
The development triggers all 9 minimum requirements. The site employs filtering catch basins
and underground infiltration facilities to meet all 9 requirements. Details of these facilities are
provided in the drainage report and civil construction plans.
Critical Areas
This site has been determined to be a potential Mazama Pocket Gopher site. A pocket gopher
study has been completed and submitted to the City of Yelm. Also, the site is located within a
class 1 critical aquifer recharge area due to the highly infiltrative soils onsite. Since the site
proposes to infiltrate all runoff and not use wells, this critical area is unimpacted.
Roads/Access
The site currently has direct access from Longmire St. The current entrance to the development
will be redirected the northeast corner of the property along Longmire St. A secondary access
will be constructed at the west corner of the parcel along Yelm Ave. As discussed above a TIA
has been completed on this project. The TIA determined this project will create 23 total trips in
the pm peak hour and that additional mitigation to the surrounding roads is not necessary.
Buildings
The building plans are being prepared by another designer and will be provided during later
phases of project approval. All proposed building permits will be applied for and approved
before building construction begins.
Thank you for accepting this application for submittal. We look forward to receiving your
comments. Feel free to call or email if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Aaron Fuller
Fuller Designs
(360) 807-4420 Office
admin@fullerdesigns.org