Wednesday, October 28, 2026
The Olympia Site Plan Review Committee reviewed a proposal for a pharmacy drive-thru on Cooper Point Road that comes with some challenges.
Those challenges include how to accommodate garbage trucks and disruption the new drive-thru lane would cause to the property's existing route.
The proposal calls for the space at 1217 Cooper Point Road SW, which is currently occupied by Abbey Carpets and Floors, to be divided for two tenants. The other tenant would be a pharmacy with a pickup window and drive-thru lane.
According to a project description, the plan calls for using an existing window on the building’s west side for pharmacy pickups.
During a pre-submission conference on Wednesday, Oct. 21, Olympia Engineering Plans Examiner Tiffani King said the proposed relocation of the garbage enclosure is problematic.
“The solid waste trucks will have no way to get into the site, turn around, and then leave the site,” said King of the proposed enclosure location at the southern end of the property.
She said city solid waste staff identified a possible alternative for the garbage enclosure, but the layout would need further discussion with the project team.
An alternative presented during the review would relocate the garbage enclosure and require collection trucks to pull onto 12th Avenue, reverse into the parking lot, move forward to empty the dumpster, and back up again to exit. The alternative location has not been finalized.
She said the city will require a solid waste scoping meeting to evaluate possible layouts and ensure trucks can access the site for waste collection.
The project could also require additional street frontage improvements, depending on its final valuation and eligibility for an exemption.
King said the city’s criteria allow certain tenant remodel projects to avoid frontage improvements if the work stays below 25 percent of the overall site valuation.
According to King, the county values the property at approximately $2.5 million. The building permit application listed an improvement value of about $609,000, nearing the 25 percent threshold for the site’s assessed value.
King added they would need to determine whether that figure included proposed parking and other site work before deciding whether the project qualifies for an exemption.
Access via 12th Avenue is another issue for review because the road is not a city right-of-way. King said the relevant easement documents would need to be reviewed to clarify access rights.
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TheVirtualOne
This location is a nightmare to get in and out of. Not a good place for any kind of drive-through. My guess is even if the pharmacy drive-through is approved, the pharmacy will fail within a relatively short period.
3 hours ago Report this
turtleman
Why doesn't the pharmacy look into the vacant Rite Aid building up the road?
29 minutes ago Report this
SunterraTrail
What a terrible idea. Multicare and other busisnesses are already there and it is very difficult to find a parking space. There is no traffic light to make left turns. Please do not proceed with this plan!!!
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