Olympia's Site Plan Committee recommends approval of building a single-family residence

Proposed building near a geologically hazardous area

Posted

The Olympia Site Plan Review Committee approved a "reasonable use exception" of building a single-family residence within the stream and landslide hazard buffer at 1203 Bowman Avenue NW on Wednesday, October 26.

Olympia associate planner Jackson Ewing said the SCJ Alliance proposes constructing a single-family residence on a parcel encumbered by stream buffers and affected by landslide hazard buffers.

Ewing explained that "reasonable use exception" is the city's process to develop a parcel with codes and regulations. The environmental regulations would restrict development on the parcel.

"But the hearing examiner will be the determining factor on the project,” Ewing clarified.

"The applicant has worked through mitigation sequencing to try and avoid the impact as best as possible, mitigate for the impacts, and are proposing minimal economic use of the parcel," Ewing said.

The committee has recommended approval to the hearing examiner based on the applicant's work.

The recommendation entails conditions that move forward to the hearing examiner, who will decide on the project.

Ewing said the hearing examiner could add or delete conditions as they feel appropriate.

Some of the conditions are regarding critical areas:

  • All mitigation measures outlined in the stream mitigation plan, as well as the geotechnical report, be followed during construction and post-construction
  • A split rail fence is required along the designated mitigation area. Critical area signage shall be required to be placed every 50 feet along the fence. A required fence must be shown on the construction plans submitted to the building permit.
  • The property owner shall record a critical area notice with the Thurston County Auditor. The city must approve this notice to record critical areas affecting the parcel and note that on the title.
  • A mitigation monitoring report prepared by a qualified biologist will be required on a yearly basis for a period of five years. The monitoring report shall document the mitigation project's milestones, successes, problems, and contingency action.
  • There will be a hold harmless agreement on the development pursuant to OMC 18.32.645. The covenant will waive the right of the owners to assert any claim against the city for any loss or damage relating to developing adjacent to a geologically hazardous area.

Comments

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  • TonyW33

    What could possibly go wrong. snark alert~

    Saturday, October 29, 2022 Report this

  • northbeachcomm

    I agree with you, Tony!

    With the huge Climate change rain storms that we have had in the past,

    it does not seem wise to build in a geologically hazardous area.

    Why does the city keep allowing these exemptions?

    Who lives below this lot?

    Do they know about this?

    Thanks,

    Saturday, October 29, 2022 Report this

  • olyhiker

    Hmmm. The approval must be coming from the people who think it's ok to build all those new buildings, including City Hall, where it will be under water in the not too distant future.

    Tuesday, November 1, 2022 Report this