The purpose of this chapter is to establish minimum requirements and standards to create an active safe pedestrian environment, upgrade the downtown and visual identity, unify streetscapes and to improve pedestrian and auto circulation.
(Ord. 995 § 12 (Exh. A), 2015)
For developments with multiple buildings or large lots, mitigate impacts with the following:
A. 
Provide for connecting streets and public transportation.
B. 
Connect all on-site activities to adjacent pedestrian routes and street rights-of-way.
C. 
Design buildings to complement adjacent activities and visual character.
D. 
Incorporate open space and landscaping as a unifying element.
E. 
Incorporate screening, environmental mitigation, utilities and drainage as positive design elements.
(Ord. 995 § 12 (Exh. A), 2015)
A. 
Locate service areas, outdoor storage areas and other intrusive site features at the rear of the lot to reduce conflicts with adjacent uses. All trash enclosures shall incorporate the architectural features of the primary structures and landscaping to minimize visual impacts of the enclosure.
B. 
Trash enclosures shall meet the height requirements listed in Table 18.1, and be constructed of CMU, wood or architectural steel. Gates shall be of similar durable materials and be capable of being secured when shut and at an angle of 135 degrees when open. Enclosure wall shall sit on a minimum six-inch concrete slab. The slab shall be graded to prevent liquids from entering the city S.T.E.P. sewer system or on-site stormwater. The slab shall extend four feet beyond the gate(s).
C. 
Landscaping shall consist of shrub trees of the Thug occidentalis pyramidal variety (or equal) standing three to five feet tall with spacing at two and one half feet on center. Dense site barrier or perimeter landscaping groundcover as required on adjacent site boundaries shall continue around the enclosure.
D. 
No trash enclosure shall be permitted between a street and the front of a building.
E. 
Trash enclosures shall be designed to contain all refuse generated on site and deposited between collections. Deposited refuse shall not be visible from outside the refuse enclosure.
F. 
The location of this enclosure shall be submitted to the local service provider for review and approval.
Table 18.1: Trash Enclosure
Use
Max. for Residential Container
Square Foot/Unit Per Cubic Yard
Minimum Enclosure Size
Additional Enclosures
Minimum Enclosure Height 6 Feet or
Residential
1
6 houses
N/A
Multifamily
6 units
6 houses
8' x 20'
Each 36 units
7 feet over 24 units
Retail
230 sf
1,380 sf
8' x 20'
Each 8,280 sf
7 feet over 5,520 sf
Grocery Store
N/A
1,380 sf
8' x 20'*
Each 8,280 sf
7 feet over 5,520 sf
Multi Tenant Retail
N/A
1,380 sf
8' x 20'
Each 8,280 sf
7 feet over 5,520 sf
Office
972 sf
5,833 sf
8' x 20'
Each 35,000 sf
7 feet over 23,332 sf
Hotel/Motel
N/A
10 rooms
8' x 20'
Each 60 rooms
7 feet over 39 rooms
Restaurant
N/A
670 sf
8' x 20'
Each 4,020 sf
7 feet over 2,680 sf
Restaurant with grease storage
N/A
N/A
8' x 24'
Each 4,020 sf
7 feet over 2,680 sf
Repair Shop
330 sf
1,980 sf
8' x 20'
Each 11,880 sf
7 feet over 7,920 sf
Educational
N/A
7,500 sf
8' x 20'*
Each 45,000 sf
7 feet over 30,000 sf
Industrial
830 sf
4,980 sf
8' x 20'*
Each 29,880 sf
7 feet over 19,920 sf
Industrial Park
N/A
5,000 sf
8' x 20'*
Each 30,000 sf
7 feet over 20,000 sf
Warehouse
N/A
7,500 sf
8' x 20'*
Each 45,000 sf
7 feet over 30,000 sf
Notes:
*Without trash compactor
Example: An office building with 25,000 gross square footage will have an 8' x 20' trash enclosure (column 3). Since it is over 23,332 sf, the wall height will be seven feet to screen the six-yard container (column 6).
(Ord. 995 § 12 (Exh. A), 2015)
All development requiring review by the site plan review committee shall provide site illumination in accordance with the Washington State Energy Code (WEC) and the following standards:
A. 
Walkways and paths shall be illuminated to a minimum of two foot candles, and entries to four foot candles.
1. 
All parking lots shall be illuminated to a minimum of one-half foot candle. Parking garages' illumination levels shall not exceed 0.1 foot candle at five feet past the edge of the property line(s).
2. 
Fixtures shall be nonglare and shielded.
3. 
Fixtures shall be mounted a maximum of 20 feet above grade.
4. 
Fixtures in districts zoned C-2 or C-3 may be mounted at 30 feet above grade, if the total watt/square foot allowed under the WEC is reduced by 20 percent. Industrial zones may have fixtures mounted at 40 feet above grade, if the total watt/square foot allowed under the WEC is reduced by 20 percent.
5. 
Light poles for illumination of athletic fields on new and existing public school (institutional zones) or sites with special use permit approval may exceed the maximum permitted height set forth in subsection (A)(4) of this section, up to a maximum height of 100 feet, ensuring adequate illumination and minimized to the greatest extent practicable, and demonstrate that the additional height contributes to a reduction in impacts from light and glare.
6. 
A lighting plan shall be submitted as part of civil plan review.
(Ord. 995 § 12 (Exh. A), 2015)
New development on corner lots at street intersections must enhance the property's visual qualities at the corner by one or more of the following methods:
A. 
Install substantial landscaping of at least 200 square feet at or near the corner of the lot.
B. 
Install a decorative screen wall at least three feet high, a trellis or other continuous architectural element with a length of at least 20 feet, along the front property line.
C. 
Provide a pedestrian walkway from corner to building entry and/or a building entry at the corner of the building nearest the intersection.
D. 
Locate building within 15 feet of either or both front property lines.
(Ord. 995 § 12 (Exh. A), 2015)
New residential and commercial development shall coordinate with Intercity Transit to incorporate transit stops. Intercity Transit shall determine the type and location of new or upgraded transit stops.
(Ord. 995 § 12 (Exh. A), 2015)
New residential and commercial developments shall coordinate with the U.S. Postal Service for the location of any mailbox(es). Mailboxes shall be cluster box units (CBU) spaced throughout the development on local access residential and private streets only.
New or replacement mailboxes shall not be located on arterials or commercial and residential collector streets. Mail delivery centers on site shall be the preferred option. Off-site mailboxes shall be the CBU type and located on streets intersecting the arterial or collector.
During construction, existing mailboxes shall be accessible for the delivery of mail or, if necessary, moved to a temporary location. Temporary relocation shall be coordinated with the city of Yelm and the U.S. Postal Service. Contact the U.S. Postal Service before reinstalling the mailboxes at the original location or to a new location, if construction has made it impossible to use the original location.
Existing uses or new construction on lots of record who chose to have site delivery shall install mailboxes at the mailbox center designated for said property. The placement of mailbox centers shall be determined by the city of Yelm and the U.S. Postal Service, mailbox centers and mailbox installation shall be in accordance with this chapter and WSDOT design manual, Section 700.
Civil plan drawings submitted for a project will clearly show the location and type of mailbox, and any details provided by the U.S. Postal Service.
(Ord. 995 § 12 (Exh. A), 2015)