Yelm, YCS and RSD to discuss responsibilities in building a new school in Blue Fern’s 640-acre planned development

During the first joint meeting between the City of Yelm and Yelm Community Schools (YCS) since 2019, it was revealed that — due to Blue Fern Development’s planned construction in the recently purchased 640-acres — a new school will have to eventually be built to accommodate for the population growth in that region of the development.

Specifically, Chris Woods, YCS superintendent, said that a kindergarten through eighth grade school would have to be constructed in Blue Fern Development’s 640-acre plan.

Before Yelm City Council voted to allow the development group to purchase the city’s 640 acres last November with a 6-1 vote, it was specified by Todd Stancil, city administrator, that Blue Fern Development would pay the city “a minimum” of $16,500,000 to “a maximum” of $18,550,000 for the property and its development over the next 12-to-19 years.

The variables in pricing would depend on the exercise of extensions and exchanges for additional non-refundable extension fees for the property.

According to Cody Colt, Yelm public services director, the entire 640-acre lot lies within the Rainier School District boundary. Additionally, the City of Yelm expects anywhere between 2,500 to 3,000 new units in the new development.

“Those are all currently in Rainier School District,” Colt said. “I know Rainier is aware of that. I know Yelm is aware of that. I know there’s other conversations happening between those two.”

Woods stated that there have been initial discussions between YCS and Rainier School District (RSD) relating to the planned development and potential for a new school within the Nisqually Valley region.

“I believe, I think it’s 657 (new) homes per-phase for five phases over the next eight to 12 years. That’s all Rainier School District, however, it’s in our backyard,” Woods said. “The way that works is Yelm school district would typically not have anything to do with it unless Rainier said, ‘we can’t accommodate this growth.’ At that point, we would enter into conversations and see if there’s a way that Yelm school district would be able to accommodate. You have to do an annexation of that property and then move it into Yelm school district. There’s a lot of factors that go into that.”

If and when either of the two districts has to accommodate for the growth in that region, Woods stated the new school could be funded in a number of different ways. Specifically, impact fees would become a factor in paying for the potential kindergarten through eighth grade school. He would also expect the builder to assist in funding the new school as well.

“In a situation like that, you would have to build a school there. We would not be able to accommodate that many students in our district,” Woods said. “You would have to work with the builder to see if you can use impact fees, but also if the builder would help and pitch in to build a school in that community.”

Woods also specified there have been preliminary discussions between himself and the RSD superintendent, Bryon Bahr. The conversation between the two districts has started, he claimed.

The Nisqually Valley News emailed Bahr on Tuesday, May 5 for comments on the potential for a new school in Rainier and on the development in the region. As of Tuesday, May 12, Bahr did not respond prior to the story being published.

As conversations between the City of Yelm, YCS and RSD continue to heat up, Colt is planning on presenting information to the Rainier School Board on the anticipated development by the builders.

“After that meeting, then we are going to meet —Bryon Bahr and myself — to talk about how the Rainier School Board feels about them accommodating that area,” Woods said. “Obviously, there are pros and cons. Rainier would also be in a similar situation where they would not be able to take on those students without building a school. Then, you’re stuck with either running a bond or building a school running a capital levy to help build, along with impact fees and the builder also pitching in to build that school.”

He also acknowledged some of the potential funding challenges that lie ahead, such as passing a bond at a 60% “yes” rate when it’s already difficult enough to pass a levy with a majority vote.

“We’ll see what Rainier decides,” Woods said. “For us, we would literally have kids on one side of the street going to Rainier and on the other side of the street in Yelm Community Schools. More conversations will happen. We are having those conversations, and more to come. It takes a lot of time, a lot of planning and a lot of conversation.”

He reiterated that impact fees can and would be used to finance the new school, and that the district would receive $4,500 per new household in those fees. Woods noted that, typically, those collected fees aren’t enough to construct a new school.

Additionally, Woods spoke on the challenges of passing a bond at a 60% “yes” rate in the current in-state climate.

“The other way is you can pass a capital levy, which can help you build but is not always enough to build a school,” Woods said. “That’s when you have to talk with the builder. A combination of it could be a capital levy, working with the builder and impact fees together to help you get to the place of building a school to accommodate.”

The superintendent claimed that builders of this size have typically been able to accommodate with funding in situations like this. He believes it will be beneficial for the builders to accommodate construction of the school as potential residents won’t want to move into a community that advertises homes that have to send their kids across town for school.

“Whether it’s for Rainier or us, it’s to their benefit to see a school go in that community to serve those kids,” Woods said. “That’s going to be a selling point for them.”

Mayor Joe DePinto told the panel of councilors and board members that Blue Fern Development has already designated space within its 640-acre parcel to build the new K-8 school.

“They do have a space that is designated for a school, whether it’s Rainier or Yelm, there is a space,” DePinto said. “We are going to have those conversations regarding what needs they need to take care of. We’ll absolutely go to bat for whichever school district and make sure there is a school in that area.”

When asked if the builder is going to participate in funding the construction of a school at this point, DePinto said that Yelm is just now beginning to see plans that designate certain areas within the 640-acre plot.

According to Colt, the conversation, up to this point, has only been based around land.

“We’re in the middle of negotiating what the entire buildout looks like. That should be part of the conversation,” Colt said. “That’s why I’m hoping to get in front of Rainier School District and figure this out. The conversation that’s happening now should also include what’s going on with the school.”

He did specify that 10-acres will be set aside to construct a new school. In addition to the school, DePinto said that the city wants a government agency, such as a fire department, in that region.

Yelm City Councilor Brian Hess was curious if the new school could be constructed without any enrolled students, or if builders would have to wait until students enroll to begin construction.

According to Woods, the answer depends on the funding method utilized.

“That determines the timeline of it. You also want to be confident that the students are going to come before you enter into that,” Woods said. “That’s where we would want to have that conversation, in conjunction with the city, to say ‘okay, what’s realistic to expect even though we’re doing 657-houses per phase with five phases, does that mean we’re going to need a school for 600 kids?’ That’s where we have a really detailed conversation and study to determine what we’re expecting per-household in Yelm with schools.”

He noted that there’s more property within the Yelm district, regardless of what happens with the K-8 in Blue Fern Development’s 640-acre plot, to build a new school.

“We’re going to be faced with the conversation of ‘how do we serve these students’ because we don’t have the capacity in our schools right now,” Woods said. “We’ve had to turn away a large number of transfer students from out of our school district just so we could adequately serve our own students.”

A new school will be a conversation down the road “no matter what,” according to Woods — regardless of which district ends up accommodating students in Blue Fern Development’s planned community.