Several potential infrastructure upgrades in Yelm identified as 640-acre development talks continue

With talks between the City of Yelm and Blue Fern Development over developing 640-acres of land in the region. Yelm City Council approved a purchase and sale agreement of the city’s 640-acre plot last November, following a 6-1 vote.

Councilor Tracey Wood was the lone ‘no’ vote against the purchase and sale agreement of the property. Councilors Joseph Richardson, Stephanie Kangiser, Brian Hess, David Johnstone, Terry Kaminski each voted in approval of the deal. Former councilor Joshua Crossman also voted to approve the agreement.

Todd Stancil, Yelm city administrator, noted that Blue Fern Development has agreed to pay the City of Yelm “a minimum” of $16,500,000 and “a maximum” of $18,550,000 for the property and its development over the next 12-to-19 years. He added the variables in pricing would depend on the exercise of extensions and exchanges for additional non-refundable extension fees for the property.

During a Yelm City Council study session meeting on Tuesday, April 7, Mayor Joe DePinto said meetings between the city and Blue Fern Development are still ongoing. He turned to Cody Colt, Yelm public services director, to provide an update on the specifics of those meetings.

“Our last two meetings with Blue Fern, two weeks ago we had a sewer meeting which was purely about sewer infrastructure and what they need to do up there,” Colt said. “They provided us with a base plan for what they believe their sewer capacity could be, along with a lift station design and where they’re going to be at. It’s all in line with what we expected to see up there in the original plan. We have no concern about sewer.”

Additionally, Colt said the most recent meeting with Blue Fern Development occurred on Friday, April 3, and discussions were centered around transportation and traffic.

“They had proposed about seven intersections that are going to be affected by this 640 development, and they need to provide examples of what improvements need to be done there or when they’re going to do those improvements,” Colt said.

Specifically, Colt identified each intersection and cross street needing improvement.

These included:
-Tahoma Boulevard and Tornado Alley, where there’s potential for a traffic light or a roundabout to be introduced.
-Tahoma Boulevard and SR 510, where there’s potential for a change to the timing of the traffic light, possibly a roundabout.
-93rd Ave. SE and Burnett Rd. SE, where there’s potential for the installation of a roundabout or traffic signal.

-Longmire Street Southeast and SR 510, City of Yelm may provide improvements to this specific intersection with a light or roundabout before Blue Fern Development can get to it.
-Berry Valley Road, Cullens Street Northwest and SR 510, where there’s potential for “some sort of improvements” near Ronda’s Coffee House and Ferguson Insurance Services.
-Mosman Ave SE and SR 507, where there’s potential for the construction of a roundabout.

“When I say proposing an improvement, it doesn’t necessarily mean a roundabout. It could be a median so people can’t make left turns, or putting a signal there. It doesn’t have to be roundabouts,” Colt said. “I would imagine you’ll see a couple roundabouts along with intersection blocking so you can’t make left turns and you’ll have to go to a roundabout and come around to get to the road.”

Each of these projects will occur through a phasing process. Additionally, Colt said a “punch through” must be developed as a connection to SR 507 near Rainier before phase three of the project before any more houses can be constructed.

“We’re not going to be doing these intersection improvements,” Colt said. “These are intersection improvements (Blue Fern Development is) going to do and they have to prove to us that those intersection improvements will fix traffic issues.”

The public services director noted that Blue Fern Development is taking into account different scenarios involving the construction of the Yelm Bypass.

“This does take into account the bypass. They are taking into account that the bypass is built,” Colt said. “The first house won’t be up there until 2028, at the earliest. By then, the bypass should be finished. If there’s a case where maybe the loop gets pushed back, I don’t expect that to happen, they’d have to re-evaluate for the loop not being complete.”

Councillor Brian Hess asked Colt if there’s any way to get this information up and on to the City of Yelm’s website.

“I just think it would be something that really could help the residents out if we could get that online,” Hess said.

Colt told Hess that a timeline of the project will be provided on the City’s website before construction begins.

“I’ve seen a lot of discussion, a lot of concern. I have faith,” Hess said. “I just want to make sure we have something so people can understand that we are aware of what’s happening, and that it’s because of these developers that we’re able to get these improvements.”

Councilor Terry Kaminski asked Colt what the next step in this process with Blue Fern Development is. According to Colt, the group is planning to submit a conceptual design to council for approval in the coming weeks. Originally, Colt noted Blue Fern Development intended to submit those designs to council this month, but he said he’s unsure if the group remains on the same timeline.

“It’ll include zoning, what they want to do. There will be different zoning areas and different requirements,” Colt said. “If council approves that, they can move forward with their master plan. If council denies that, then they go back to the drawing board with ‘what did we miss’ and ‘what did council want to see?’ They’ve listened to what council said, what the public service committee has said. They’re taking those things to heart with commercial development mixed with residential development and having a mix of uses.”

Colt added there’s different aspects to the development of the 640-acre property that will make community members want to live in that region.