The purpose of the central business district is to promote the special characteristics of the existing downtown Yelm area, to provide a pedestrian shopping atmosphere and to promote the rehabilitation of existing structures and the most desirable uses of land.
(Ord. 995 § 12 (Exh. A), 2015; Ord. 1080 § 1 (Exh. A), 2021; Ord. 1086 § 1 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 1090 § 1 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 1095 § 1 (Exh. A), 2023; Ord. 1124 § 2 (Att.), 2025)
A. 
Retail establishments;
B. 
Service oriented establishments;
C. 
Mixed use developments (reference YMC § 18.64.040);
D. 
Public safety and emergency response facilities, including police and fire stations, emergency medical centers, and hospitals;
E. 
Attached and co-located wireless communication facilities;
F. 
Recreation and entertainment venues;
G. 
Duplexes (reference YMC § 18.35.040(P));
H. 
Townhomes (reference YMC § 18.35.040(P));
I. 
Multifamily dwellings (reference YMC § 18.35.040(P));
J. 
Live-work structures;
K. 
Essential public facilities;
L. 
Parking facilities;
M. 
Single-family residential units (reference YMC § 18.35.040(P)).
(Ord. 995 § 12 (Exh. A), 2015; Ord. 1080 § 1 (Exh. A), 2021; Ord. 1086 § 1 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 1089 § 1 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 1090 § 1 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 1095 § 1 (Exh. A), 2023; Ord. 1124 § 2 (Att.), 2025)
A. 
Child day-care centers and nurseries;
B. 
Preschools;
C. 
Repealed by Ord. 1124;
D. 
Funeral homes;
E. 
Convalescent care facilities;
F. 
Assisted living facilities;
G. 
Congregate care facilities;
H. 
Senior centers;
I. 
Freestanding wireless communication facilities;
J. 
Churches and places of worship;
K. 
Emergency housing and emergency shelters (see also Chapter 18.71 YMC).
(Ord. 995 § 12 (Exh. A), 2015; Ord. 1022 § 7, 2017; Ord. 1080 § 1 (Exh. A), 2021; Ord. 1086 § 1 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 1089 § 1 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 1090 § 1 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 1095 § 1 (Exh. A), 2023; Ord. 1124 § 2 (Att.), 2025)
A. 
Drive-through food establishments are prohibited.
B. 
Drive-through establishments other than food service are allowed if drive-through lane exits on to a street other than Yelm Avenue (SR510 or SR507) or First Street.
C. 
Minimum Lot Area. There is no minimum lot area.
D. 
Minimum Front Yard Setback.
1. 
Single-Family Residential.
a. 
Fifteen feet from a local access street.
b. 
Twenty-five feet from a collector street.
c. 
Thirty-five feet from an arterial street.
2. 
All Other Uses. Structures shall be located so as to provide continuity with existing streets, alleys, sidewalks, and bikeways.
E. 
Minimum Side Yard Setback.
1. 
Single-family residential: five feet side yard and 15 feet flanking yard.
2. 
Multifamily residential: 10 feet side yard and 20 feet from any flanking street.
3. 
All Other Uses. Structures shall be located so as to provide continuity with existing streets, alleys, sidewalks, and bikeways.
F. 
Minimum Rear Yard Setback.
1. 
Residential: 25 feet.
2. 
Secondary dwelling units: five feet.
3. 
All Other Uses. Structures shall be located so as to provide continuity with existing streets, alleys, sidewalks, and bikeways.
G. 
Minimum Driveway Approach.
1. 
Residential: 20 feet.
2. 
All Other Uses. Structures shall be located so as to provide continuity with existing streets, alleys, sidewalks, and bikeways.
H. 
Maximum building heights: 60 feet.
I. 
Maximum floor area: 20,000 square feet per floor.
J. 
Secondary Dwelling Units. One secondary dwelling unit may be created on an existing parcel, one acre or less, where such conversion or addition shall not exceed 1,000 square feet.
K. 
Repealed by Ord. 1124.
L. 
Properties fronting on a "pedestrian oriented street" shall include:
1. 
Paved pedestrian walkway from the street corner to the building entrance.
2. 
Transparent window area or window displays along at least 50 percent of the length of the ground floor facade.
3. 
Sculptural, mosaic or bas relief artwork over 50 percent of the length of the ground floor facade.
4. 
Pedestrian oriented space, located adjacent to the sidewalk. At least 500 square feet of pedestrian oriented space must be provided for every 100 linear feet of facade as measured along the property lines adjacent to the street right-of-way.
5. 
Other special landscaping or building design feature approved by the city.
6. 
Building entries must have direct access to the public sidewalk.
7. 
No more than 50 percent of the street frontage measured parallel to the curb may be occupied by parking and/or vehicle access.
8. 
For properties fronting on two or more pedestrian oriented streets, parking may be located on one of the streets; provided, that a building or pedestrian oriented space is situated between the parking and the street corner.
M. 
In addition to site planning measures above, provide at least two of the following pedestrian amenities near the sidewalk:
1. 
Pedestrian furniture, such as seating, lighting, drinking fountain, etc.
2. 
Pedestrian weather protection at least three feet wide along at least 80 percent of the building's street front face. The weather protection may be in the form of awnings, marquees, canopies or building overhangs; provided, that canopies or awnings not extend above 15 feet above the ground elevation at the highest point nor lower than eight feet at the lowest point.
3. 
Pedestrian oriented open space.
4. 
Substantial perimeter landscaping.
5. 
Artwork.
6. 
Transit stop with seating.
7. 
Window displays over the majority of the front facade.
8. 
Decorative screen wall, trellis, or other building or site feature.
9. 
Pedestrian lighting.
N. 
Architecturally accentuate building corners at street intersections. All new buildings located on properties at the intersection of two public streets shall apply one or more of the following design elements:
1. 
At least 100 square feet of sidewalk or pedestrian oriented open space in addition to required building setback.
2. 
Corner entrance to courtyard, building lobby, atrium or pedestrian pathway.
3. 
Corner architectural elements such as bay windows, roof decks or balconies on upper stories, notched or curved facade surfaces.
4. 
Sculpture or artwork or distinctive use of materials.
5. 
Special treatment of pedestrian weather protection canopy.
6. 
Building corner entry.
O. 
Building Design. Building shell colors shall be earth tones such as taupe, brown, red-brown, buff, gray, cream, white, natural wood, brick, or stone. Trim should be white, black, dark blue, dark green, dark teal, dark red, or other deep saturated colors. Bright accent colors should not cover more than 10 percent of any building facade.
Stucco must not be treated in a sculptural manner with curved surfaces or relief patterns. Stucco surfaces should be trimmed with wood, brick, or masonry or in a way that protects them from the weather.
P. 
Residential Restrictions. Duplexes, townhomes, and multifamily that are not mixed use developments may be located on lots that are at least 160 feet from an arterial or collector, measured from the nearest parcel boundary to the centerline, and may only be located on lots two-tenths acres or smaller in size.
Q. 
Density. Mixed use developments shall have a minimum average density of 16 units per acre. There are no minimum or maximum density requirements for duplexes, townhomes, or single family.
(Ord. 995 § 12 (Exh. A), 2015; Ord. 1057 § 7, 2019; Ord. 1080 § 1 (Exh. A), 2021; Ord. 1086 § 1 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 1090 § 1 (Exh. A), 2022; Ord. 1095 § 1 (Exh. A), 2023; Ord. 1124 § 2 (Att.), 2025)