20110231 JWMA Repair Rpt 05052013
JWM&A
Jerome W. Morrissette & Associates Inc., P.S.
1700 Cooper Point Road SW, #B-2, Olympia, WA 98502-1110
(360) 352-9456 FAX (360) 352-9990
February 5, 2013
Yelm Prairie Christian Center
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Attn: Pastor Brad Carlson
501 103rdAve NE
Yelm, WA 98597
RE:Onsite Riparian Buffer Impacts Repair Report.
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Project Site is a 7-acre parcel located at 501103AvenueNE in the City of Yelm, WA.
Tax Parcel Number 64303601802;inSection 19, Township 17N, Range 2E, W.M.
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NTRODUCTION
This letter report is provided inresponse to a September 19, 2011City of Yelm letter(from Gary
Carlson, City Building Official),which referenced an August 18,2011Stop Work orderat the
Yelm Prairie Christian Center(YPCC)site (described above and shown in Figure 1 below) in
relation to grading and stockpiled materials that werepossiblylocated within the Yelm Creek
riparian setbackand/or a flood zone. Mr. Carlson required that YPCC provide “an
environmental checklist , a critical areas report, and a completed...topographicalsurvey
including property corners,
Figure 1. Site location map
original and finish grade,
septic tank and drainfield
location, and theflood
zone, wetland and riparian
buffers shown”.Mr.
Carlson also referencedthe
following City code:
“Section 14.08.080 states
that when a critical area or
its buffer has been altered
in violation of thisChapter,
all ongoing development
work shall stop and the
critical area shall be
restored.”
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CC; Tami Merriman, City of Yelm
Civil Municipal Geotechnical Land Surveying
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It is our understanding that YPCC has already provided a SEPA checklistand a site mapto the
City, but hasnot yet provided the requested Critical Areas Report. It is also our understanding
that one of theYPCC church members independently removed thestockpiled soilmaterials from
theriparian areassoon after the church received theSeptember letter from Mr. Carlson, and prior
to the City receiving any Critical Areas report or mitigation plan.Typically, the City requires
that such work be carriedout during following preparation of a formal mitigation plan, but they
are allowing a post-impact documentation of the repair work in this case.For that reason,YPCC
asked that JWM&A staff (Lisa Palazzi, CPSS, PWS) meet with the City Planner (Tami
Merriman) to determinethe level of “after thefact”reportingneeded at this time.
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ESULTS AND ISCUSSION
Inconformance with the YPCC request, this letter report describes what was carried out at the
YPCC site in regard to removal of soil fill from the regulated 150’Yelm Creek buffer, and
subsequent restoration of the surface to the pre-existing vegetated condition (i.e., pasture grass
mix).
Figure 2. Survey map showing area of impact, riparian setbackand FEMAfloodzone.
Weprovide in Figure 2 an extracted subsection of theNovember 8, 2011 survey map prepared
for theYPCC by Dennis Baker (Licensed Professional Surveyor at JWM&A). The fill areas are
circledin red. The Ordinary High Water Mark (OHWM) of Yelm Creekis marked is red dashed
line, andthe150’setback from the OHWMis marked in red dotted line.The area between the
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OHWM and the reddotted line istheripariansetback area, and in general is supposed to remain
undisturbed and vegetated.
The survey map also shows the new FEMA floodzone area (crosshatched).We note that the
new floodzone coverage is farther north than the previous FEMA floodzone mapping, and with
the new FEMA mapping –there were no impacts to thefloodzone.
JWMA staff (Lisa Palazzi, CPSS, PWS) visited theYPCC siteon December 27, 2012to
document site conditions in place at that time.We found that there wereno significant soil piles
in the 150’riparian setbackzone, and that all soil surfaceswere grassed with the same type of
pasture grasses that cover therest of theonsite riparian area. Instead of the 3-8 feet high piles of
soil shown in the JWMA survey map in Figure 2, there was a long, linear soil berm
approximately2-4 feet in height that paralleled Yelm Creek. We hand-measured the distance
between the OHWM of Yelm Creek and theedge ofasoil berm, and found that the linear berm
is approximately150 feetfrom the OHWM.So it appears that the soils removed fromthe
riparian area were piled to create the linear berm just outside of the ripariansetback. All areas
within the riparian area as well as the berm soil surfaces are grassed,and stable(not eroding).
We provide arevision of the Figure 2 drawingin Figure 3 that provides an approximation of the
condition we observed when onsite in December.
Figure 3. Depicting the relocationof the soil that was previously piled in the 150 riparian buffer.
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The crosshatched ovals in Figure 3 showwhere previously stockpiled soilwas removed, and the
surface was graded flat.The brownshaded area shows theapproximate location of the relocated
soil berm.
Figure 4 is a 2012 aerial photo showing the same impacted areaswhere soils were originally
stockpiled, and later removed. Note that the area along the northwestern fenceline is already flat
and grassed; theberm along the southern edge of teh riparian area is still being moved, and the
grading impact is not yet grassed.
Figure 4.2012 Aerial photo showing the mpacted areas.
Figure5is a panorama photograph of thelinear berm areataken during our December 2012 field
visit,after the soils were moved out of the riparian area. The previously cleared area as well as
the new bermsurfacesare covered with well-established grasses.
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Figure 5. Showing soil berm (outlined in yellow dotted line) at the edge of the 150 ft ripariansetback.
The Photo provided in Figure 6shows that the soil that was previouslypiled along thenorthern
fenceline was removed, and he surfaceis covered in well-established grasses as well.
This survey map and photo record information
Figure 6. Showing northern fencelinewhere soil was
shows that the previouslydisturbed 150’
previously piled.
riparian setback area no longercontains any
fill soils, and that the previouslybare soil
surface are covered with grass, so are not
erodingor contributingsedimentto thestream
or riparian setbackzone.
This informationappears to satisfy theCity of
Yelmrequirements that we provide
documentation that the previous riparian zone
disturbance has beenaddressed.
We suggest that in the future, prior to any
permitted grading work carried out onsite (in
particularin theproximity of the main church
structure and associated warehouse structures located to the west)asilt fence be erected at the
edge of the 150’riparian setbackzone to ensure that there is no accidental entry.This will help
the church to avoid any future violation notices.Please note that the OHWMof Yelm Creekis
not the edge of the stream. Please refer to the JWMA survey maps for clear guidance as tothe
location of the150’riparian setback boundary, and feel free to call us with questions if you have
concerns.
Sincerely,
Jerome W. Morrissette & Associates Inc., P.S.
Lisa M. Palazzi, CPSS, PWS
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