202 Edwards SWresponse to Karen Kangas letter 082903_ 0* TI p
August 29, 2003
City of Yelm
Community Development Department
105 Yelm Avenue West
P.O. Box 479
Yelm, WA 98597
Karen Kangas
202 SW Edwards Street - Number 11
Yelm, WA 98597
Dear Ms. Kangas:
This letter is in response to your Citizen Action Request. The Community Development
Department has completed its investigation of the noise levels generated by Harding
Evergreen as they relate to adopted noise regulations and has determined that no
violation of existing laws exist, based on the following findings:
Section 17.57.030 Yelm Municipal Code (Environmental Performance Standards
- Noise) adopts Chapter 173 -60 Washington Administrative Code (Maximum
Environmental Noise Levels) and establishes Environmental Designation for
Noise Abatement (EDNA) areas within the City of Yelm.
The City has identifed EDNA's based on the zoning classification of the property,
with Commercial Zones being identified as EDNA Class B. The Harding
Evergreen property as well as the Rainier Apartments are both designated
Commercial (C -1) by the Zoning Code.
Section 173-60 -040 WAC establishes a maximum noise limitation of 60 dBA
when both the source and receiving property are identified as EDNA Class B.
This threshold may be exceeded 5 dBA for a total of 15 minutes, 10 dBA for a
total of 5 minutes, and 15 dBA for a total of 1.5 minutes within a one -hour period
The City contracted with Construction Testing Laboratories, Inc. to conduct noise
tests. On August 20, 2003, Construction Testing performed four tests at
locations along the property line of the Rainier Apartments on Railroad Street.
The maximum recorded noise level in these tests was 50 dBA. The Compressor
at Harding Evergreen was running during two of the tests.
Attached for your information is a copy of Chapter 17.57 YMC and the report from
Construction Testing Laboratories, Inc.
would like to take this opportunity to address your concerns relating to the conduct of
the sound test and why access to the consultant was not provided to either side of the
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