20100129 ACU Presub notes 042010City of Yelm
Community Development Department
105 Yelm Avenue West
P.O. Box 479
Yelm, WA 98597
April 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: Zenczak & Partners Architects
Project Proposal: America's Credit Union
Project Location: 415 Yelm Avenue East -Tax parcel number 22719342800
Zoning and Setbacks
The property is zoned Commercial (C-1) which is codified at Chapter 17.26 YMC. The
C-1 district is intended to provide for the location of business centers to serve the needs
of the community for convenience goods and services such as food, drugs, household
supplies, automobile servicing, recreation, entertainment and other uses related to, but
lesser in scope, than downtown core area uses.
The C-1 district allows banks, savings and loan associations and credit unions; as
permitted uses subject to site plan review.
Building setbacks are 15 feet from the front, 20 feet from the rear and 10 feet from the
side property lines
The maximum building height is forty (40) feet.
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 can be found at
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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
SEPA review is required as the commercial is larger than 4,000 square feet, and
contains 20 or more parking stalls
Land Use Fees
Site Plan Review $350.00 + $50 per 1,000 sq ft per gross floor area.
SEPA $150.00
Civil Plan Review
Traffic Impact Analysis
Traffic Impact Fee
Water Meter Fee
Building Plan Review
Building Permit
Sewer Connection Fee
Sewer Inspection Fee
Water Connection Fee
Fire Impact Fee
Billed on a cost recovery basis
$500.00 scoping fee, and actual cost for review
$1,321.00 per peak PM trip
Based on meter size
Based on 1997 UBC fee Schedule
Based on 1997 UBC fee Schedule
$6,050.00 per ERU
$145.00 per ERU
$1,500 per ERU
$032 per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area.
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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.
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
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• 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 facade 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)
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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.
Chapter 17.72 YMC requires banks, saving and loan associations, to provide (1) one
parking space for every 300 square feet of gross floor area. Based on the proposed
4,450 square feet, a minimum of 15 parking spaces would be required. In all parking
facilities containing 25 or more parking spaces, a maximum of 25 percent of the
required parking spaces may be compact.
A standard stall is 9 feet by 20 feet while a compact stall is 8 by 16. A loading space is
required and must accommodate a truck 45 feet in length, 12 feet in width, and 14 feet
tall.
All parking areas must be surfaced with asphalt or concrete, and shall be striped and
landscaped to the standards of the development guidelines.
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 11 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
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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 around the
perimeter of the site.
Type 111 landscaping is intended to provide visual relief where clear sight is desired.
This type is utilized along pedestrian corridors and walks for separation of pedestrians
from streets and parking areas. The minimum width for Type III landscaping shall be six
feet. Type III landscaping is required as a part of street frontage improvements.
Frontage improvements will be required to meet current code standards.
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.
Refuse
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.
Transportation
Ingress and egress at the site shall be consistent with the Yelm Development
Guidelines, Section 46.140. Ingress and egress to Yelm Avenue East shall be
reviewed as a part of the Traffic Impact Analysis Review. The new plan shows two
driveway accesses that were not part of the original review. At cursory review, we are
not comfortable with this proposal. The TIA will help determine driveway location and
number of accesses.
Frontage improvements are required for all new development within the city. Frontage
improvements on Yelm Avenue East are complete. A Traffic Impact Analysis is
required. This analysis may trigger additional off-site improvements to mitigate traffic
impacts associated with the proposal.
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.
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The TFC charges are based on the type of use proposed as listed in the Institute of
traffic engineers manual.
EXAMPLE: Gross Floor Area / 1,000 x $1,321.00=TFC
Drive-in Bank: 32.73 x 4, 450 = 145, 648.50 _ 1, 000 = 145.64 x $1, 321.00 = $192, 401.67
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 currently
connected to City water service.
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.
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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 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, however not connected to the City of Yelm's STEP sewer system. There is an
existing 8" sewer main located in Yelm Avenue East (SR 507).
This proposal will be required to install step tank(s) and associated equipment needed
to operate with the City of Yelm's step sewer system. This project will be required to
install a City of Yelm STEP sewer tank(s) assembly. The size of the STEP tank will be
based on peak flows as calculated by the developer's engineer, which must be
submitted as part of the civil plan review.
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.
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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 and further
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.
DESIGN GUIDELINES CHECKLIST
Please provide an explanation of how each applicable design guideline
has been met by the proposal
Project Name America's Credit Union Case No.
DESIGN GUIDELINES Guidelines Guidelines
Project Review Checklist Applicable Met
I.A.(1) Relate development to pedestrian oriented street frontage.
I.A.(2) Relate development to street fronts (other than pedestrian oriented streets). X
I.B.(1) Minimize visibility and impacts of service areas. X
I.C.(1) Take advantage of special opportunities and mitigate impacts of large
developments.
I.D.(1) Reduce impact of service areas and mechanical equipment. X
I.E.(1) Integrate biofiltration swales and ponds into the overall site design. X
I.F.(1) Enhance the visual quality of development on corners.
I.F.(2) Provide a paved pedestrian walkway from the street corner to the building
entrance.
~~
II.A. 1 All pedestrian paths must correspond with federal, state and local codes for
X
handicapped access, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
~~
II.A. 2 Provide adequate lighting at the building entries and all walkways and paths
X
through parking lots.
II.A.(3) Develop an on-site pedestrian circulation concept. X
II.B.(1) Provide a pedestrian path at least 60" wide (preferably 96" wide) from the X
street sidewalk to the main entry.
II.B.(2) Provide pedestrian paths or walkways connecting all businesses and the
entries of multiple buildings on the same development site.
II.B.(3) Provide parking through parking lots. X
Where street Right-Of-Way is insufficient to provide adequate sidewalks,
II.C.(1) buildings and other site features must be set back from the public Right-Of-
Way to achieve at least minimum sidewalk widths.
II.C.(2) Where new streets are developed, provide sidewalks according to minimum
standards.
~~
II.D.1 Provide, where feasible, pedestrian circulation routes to adjacent uses and
X
transit.
II.D.(2) Integrate nearby transit stops into the planning of adjacent site
improvements.
II.D.(3) Encourage pedestrian paths from all transit stops through commercial areas
to residential areas within 1200 feet.
II.E.(1) Enhance building entry access. X
DESIGN GUIDELINES
Project Review Checklist Guidelines
Applicable Guidelines
Met
II.F.(1) Provide pedestrian oriented open space at key locations.
III.A.(1) Provide access roads through large lots with more than one street frontage.
III.B.(1) Minimize driveway impacts. X
III.C.(1) Meet requirements for location of parking lots on pedestrian oriented
streets.
III.C.(2) Meet requirements for parking lot design detail standards. X
III.D.(1) Minimize parking areas through joint use and management.
III.D.(2) Encourage structured parking.
III.D.(3) Reduce impacts of parking garages.
IV.A.(1) Incorporate human-scale building elements. X
IV.B.(1) Reduce scale of large buildings.
IV.C.(1) Architecturally accentuate building corners at street intersections.
IV.D.(1) Enhance buildings with appropriate details. X
IV.E.(1) Retain original facades.
IV.E.(2) Use compatible building materials. (See Building Material Summary Matrix,
pg. 59.) X
IV.F.(1) Treat blank walls that are visible from the street, parking or adjacent lot(s). X
IV.G.(1) Locate and/or screen roof-mounted mechanical equipment so as not to be
visible from the street or from the ground level of adjacent properties. X
~~
IV.G. 2 Where practical, locate and/or screen utility meters, electrical conduit and
other service and utilities apparatus so as not to be visible from the street.
X
V.F.(1) Use plant materials that are approved for use in downtown Yelm.
Pro onents ma use other lant materials a roved b the Cit . X
V.G. 1 Develo a site landsca a desi n conce t. X
V.H.(1) Provide substantial site landscaping. X
V.H.(2) Protect and enhance natural features.
V.I.(1) Screen all parking lots as required by Chapter 17.80, Landscaping. X
V.I.(2) An alternative to the required perimeter parking area landscaping plan may
be submitted.
V.I.(3) Provide internal parking lot landscaping. X
V.J.(1) Consider alternative building and parking siting strategies to preserve
existing trees.
V J (2) Consider the integration of pedestrian and bicycle paths with stands of
mature trees where feasible to connect adjacent uses.