Demolish 1 and build 8: new subdivision proposed for west Olympia

The Olympia Site Plan Review Committee, on Sept. 18, heard a proposed residential project with a plan to build eight units at 2325 Conger Ave NW.

The project aims to demolish an existing single-family home and subdivide the half-acre lot into four smaller lots, building one duplex on each lot.

Planning and engineering review

According to city Assistant Planner Casey Mauck, the zone allows townhouses, apartments, and multiple detached units on one lot. It means the project applicant is not required to subdivide to have multiple units on the lot.

However, Mauck said the proposed subdivision of the lot involves a multi-step process.

The first step in the subdivision process is to apply for a preliminary plat. Since this is a short plat with less than ten lots, Mauck said it would be a short plat process. After the preliminary plat is approved, the next step is to go through the engineering permit process and complete any necessary construction—finally, an application for the final plat, which officially divides the lots. Once the final plat is approved, the proponent can apply for individual building permits for each newly created lots.

Mauck noted that the submitted site plan included two options - one with back lots with no frontage, and another with flag lots. She advised the proponent to go with the flag lot option, saying that it would still allow for the shared driveway layout but would require a recorded easement for the driveway.

Mauck stated that since this is a subdivision project, the applicant must submit a narrative with the preliminary plat application that addresses how students living on the site would walk to the nearest schools – Capital High School, Jefferson Middle, and the nearby elementary school.

The narrative needs to describe the walking route and whether existing pathways, sidewalks, or other safe routes exist for students to access the schools from the site.

Mauck emphasized that the city will review the safe routes to school analysis to ensure appropriate and safe walking options for students living in the new development. This is a requirement for subdivision projects.

Since the project will create over 5,000 square feet of new hard surface, Engineering plans examiner Zulaika Kim said a stormwater scoping meeting is needed before the preliminary plat. The site's Type C soils may allow for permeable pavement, but the drainage design must demonstrate how it integrates with the overall stormwater plan, which may require very deep dry wells.

Full frontage improvements to the major collector standard are triggered for transportation, including a half-street reconstruction, sidewalk, planter strip, and bike lane. The private access drive meets length requirements, but an emergency turnaround may be needed, and the safe walking route analysis could require extending sidewalks off-site.