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ATTACHMENT 1
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Another difference: there was no public review or approval process for a plat. Property-
owners were required only to have the land surveyed and to file the plat with the county
auditor before they could sell lots. As a consequence, many of the nineteenth century
plats in Olympia have streets and small lots laid out in a grid pattern that works well in
most places, but is unworkable for steep slopes or wetlands. Some plats were even laid
out on tidelands, in the expectation that some day they would be filled and developed (as
with the Port Peninsula).

In the mid-1930s, states throughout the country adopted new planning and subdivision
statutes. Though the standards have changed, the process defined then for local
government review and approval of plats is basically still in use today. The new process
raised the issue of how to deal with the plats filed under the earlier statutes. Should such
lots be grandfathered in, and accepted as still valid?

With many of Olympia’s older neighborhoods already developed under the old plats,
Olympia has until now grandfathered-in any lot that was ever legally created. In
comparison, Thurston County has many nineteenth century plats that were never
developed (e.g., the proposed towns of Puget and Gate). Since 1974 the County’s
subdivision ordinance has provided that lots created prior to June 9, 1937 are valid lots
only if they were already developed or under separate ownership (with a few technical
exceptions). Unopened rights-of-way are allocated to the abutting property-owners.

SCOPE. TRPC staff analyzed 63 plats filed prior to 1937. There are actually more than
63 such plats in Olympia and its UGA. We focused on those that a) had lots that would
be substandard under today’s zoning requirements, and/or b) had street and lot patterns
that conflicted with current critical area requirements, and/or c) were not fully developed,
or might otherwise be potential sites for redevelopment using the original platting. We
did not analyze any of the First Class Tidelands plats which were neither filled nor
developed, and hence remain below the water line.

METHODOLOGY. To support the analysis, TRPC produced two sets of maps of the
subject plats: a) one with plat lines, parcel lines, and critical areas; and b) one with parcel
lines and aerial photos. There are six “tiles” of two maps each covering the city and
UGA.

For the first map, TRPC staff overlaid a plat map 1 of Olympia and its UGA with a
current tax parcel map to identify the degree of correspondence between the original
platting and current ownership patterns. We measured the approximate lot and right-of-

1
It had not been updated since the mid-1990s, so it does not reflect any plat vacations or replats that might have
since occurred.
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way dimensions from the maps, and tallied the numbers of original lots. From Assessor’s
records we tallied the number of owners 2 and dwellings. The plat-and-tax-parcel map
layers then were overlaid with critical area maps to determine where antiquated plats
created a potential conflict with current critical area regulations. Within the
unincorporated UGA we used Olympia’s definition of steep slopes rather than Thurston
County’s, on the assumption that the City’s regulations would go into effect if the
property was annexed. We found that in the residential locations being analyzed, 100-
year flood plains are almost entirely contained within identified wetland areas and their
buffers. Therefore we left flood plains off the maps in order to create maps that were
simpler and less confusing to read. All the plats that became the subject of analysis were
highlighted with a red outline.

For the second map, which compares antiquated plats with existing patterns of streets and
development, the parcel map was overlaid on 2006 aerial photos, also with the subject
plats highlighted.

We did not conduct title searches to determine the current status of each plat; instead, we
relied on map notations to get a quick indication of whether whole plats or individual
streets had been vacated. In many cases the map suggested a possible street or plat
vacation through placement of parcel boundaries along right-of-way center lines, but no
notation of a vacation was present. These are noted in the summary tables with a
question mark, as in “…vacated?” or “…vacated streets?”

MAP SET 1: NORTH NORTHWEST

Summary of Analysis
Plat Lots, Lot ROW Devel
Name Date Approval Status Tax Parcels Critical Areas
# Acres Size Width Status
7230 Scammel’s 3/12/1890 Approx 325 25x115 56 Very little County-voided (Cooper 24, most do not 1. Steep slopes &
Addition to West lots, 35.6 developed; Pt UGA); vacated? use plat lines; stream buffer by E
Olympia acres 21 DUs 19 owners Fork Butler Creek;
2. Steep slopes on
Pearl Beach Rd
8300, West Olympia 10/16/1869 425 lots, 50x115 78 Partly County-voided (Cooper 185, some use 1. Wetlands by
8301 (Plat of) 160.0 acres developed; Pt UGA), some vacated plat lines; 136 unnamed lake;
131 DUs streets owners 2. Steep slopes above
Budd Inlet
5040 Gay’s 10/18/1890 112 lots, 9.8 25x100 58 Undeveloped Was County-voided, 13, all use plat None
Subdivision acres now in Olympia plat lines; 2 owners
policy
8020 Townsend’s 8/29/1890 36 lots, 2.7 25x95 58 One house Was County-voided, 3, all use plat None
Subdivision acres now in Olympia plat lines; 3 owners
policy; vacated streets

2
When we encountered two or more parcels in a given plat with apparent overlapping ownerships – e.g., “Blume,
Robert,” “Blume, Robert et al,” “Blume, Robert & Mary,” and “Blume, Mary & Robert – we counted them all as the
same owner. Thus the counts of owners may be a minimum.
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Discussion. There are several large antiquated plats in the far north-northwest side of
Olympia and its UGA. Although extensive in area, they are mostly not developed.
Scammel’s Addition and the plat of West Olympia are in the unincorporated UGA, where
Thurston County has since 1974 not recognized such plats as still valid. Scammel’s
Addition may have been formally vacated by Thurston County, though the legal
descriptions for the parcels still reference the plat. Scammel’s Addition also has two
remnant portions, one along French Road, and another along Pearl Beach Road.

MAP SET 2: NORTHWEST

Summary of Analysis
Plat Lots, Lot ROW Devel
Name Date Approval Status Tax Parcels Critical Areas
# Acres Size Width Status
5260 Harbor View 12/30/1890 47 lots, 5.9 35x100 60 Developed; Olympia plat policy 24, all use plat Surrounded by steep
Addition acres 21 DUs lines; 22 owners slopes
6010 Lynwood Park 10/29/1890 81 lots, 12.8 30x115 58 Partly Olympia plat policy; 29, most use None
acres Developed; some vacated streets plat lines;
24 DUs 27 owners
7360 Second 3/28/1890 24 lots, 4.4 50x125 n/a Developed; Half in County (voided), 8, most use plat None
Railroad acres 9 DUs half in Olympia plat lines;
Addition (Part of policy 8 owners
Blocks 7 & 8)
6780 Parker’s 10/10/1880 46 lots, 5.1 25x120 52 Mostly Olympia plat policy 17, all use plat None
Subdivision acres Developed; lines;
14 DUs 15 owners
7260 Schneider’s 4/6/1891 40 lots, 13.2 Mostly 60 Partly Olympia plat policy 17, which partly Steep slopes above
Subdivision acres 25x125 Developed; use plat lines; West Bay Drive
No DUs 5 owners
3360 Bay View 5/1/1890 36 lots, 4.0 Mostly 30 - Partly Olympia plat policy; 17, all use plat Steep slopes above
Addition to acres 30x110 Young Developed; some vacated streets lines; West Bay Drive
Olympia St 3 DUs 7 owners
7000 Railroad 3/28/1890 38 lots, 4.4 30x130 30 - Mostly Olympia plat policy 19, all use plat Steep slopes above
Addition to acres Young Developed; lines; West Bay Drive
Olympia St 15 DUs 16 owners
8550 AD Wright’s 4/21/1890 59 lots, 8.4 40x100 60 Mostly Olympia plat policy 39, most use None
Subdivision acres Developed; plat lines;
39 DUs 36 owners
8590 Young’s 4/28/1890 182 lots, 25x115 58 Mostly Olympia plat policy 83, most use None
Addition 21.0 acres Developed; plat lines;
91 DUs 78 owners
6340 Mottman’s 9/4/1918 Approx 34 45x105 58 and Mostly Olympia plat policy 39, most use Steep slopes (Garfield
Replat of lots, 23.4 and other developed plat lines; Nature Trail)
Young’s acres larger plus park; 33 owners
Addition 37 DUs
5220 CH Hale’s 2/17/1872 77 lots, 14.4 38x110 75 Developed Olympia plat policy 31, some use Small areas of steep
Western acres plus park; plat lines; slopes on park land
Addition 27 DUs 23 owners
7040 Reagh’s 4/18/1890 198 lots, 25x92 58 Mostly Olympia plat policy; 31, some use Small areas of steep
Addition 17.8 acres developed in some vacated streets plat lines; slopes along 4th Ave
commercial; 19 owners SW
4 DUs

Discussion. Several plats in this neighborhood feature small lots and steeply-plunging
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street rights-of-way on the hillside above West Bay Drive. Several of these rights-of-way
are unopened, and were evaluated for potential pedestrian connections in the recent past.

Nearly all small lots (e.g., 25 feet wide) are actually held in groups of two or more,
typically with a house spanning the parcel.

Mottman’s Replat of Young’s Addition includes the Garfield Nature Trail, where the
City owns several parcels in the ravine, as well as some unopened rights-of-way.

MAP SET 3: SOUTHWEST and SOUTH CAPITAL

Summary of Analysis
Plat Lots, Lot ROW Devel
Name Date Approval Status Tax Parcels Critical Areas
# Acres Size Width Status
6860 Percival’s 2/24/1870 77 lots, 20.8 60x120 60 Mostly Olympia plat policy; 46, some use Steep slopes above
Addition acres developed; some vacated streets? plat lines; Deschutes Parkway
157 DUs 39 owners
3870 Capital View 4/21/1905 573 lots, 30x130 48 Mostly Olympia plat policy; 273, most use Small areas of lots
Addition 73.7 acres developed; some vacated streets plat lines; adjacent to steep
247 DUs 222 owners slopes above
Deschutes Parkway
8240 Wellington Park 10/27/1890 92 lots, 10.1 25x105 60 Partly Olympia plat policy; 16, most use None
acres developed; some vacated streets plat lines;
7 DUs 11 owners
5900 Lemon Addition 5/26/1890 65 lots, 12.2 Mostly 60 Mostly Olympia plat policy; 18, most use Some small steep
acres 50x105 undeveloped; some vacated streets plat lines; slopes abut Auto Mall
2 DUs 6 owners
3500 Billings Addition 5/20/1890 Approx 40 30x120 60 Undeveloped Olympia plat policy; 5, none use plat Steep slopes along
lots, 12.8 some vacated streets; lines; Percival Creek
acres city-owned open space 2 owners Canyon
3940 Central Addition 4/29/1871 79 lots, 17.7 50x95 58 Mostly Olympia plat policy; 76, almost all Steep slopes east of
acres developed, some vacated streets? use plat lines; Adams
except critical 67 owners
areas; 83 DUs
7630 Stevens’ 7/19/1890 95 lots, 8.9 25x95 60 Mostly un- Olympia plat policy 17, most use Steep slopes above I-
Addition (part) acres developed; plat lines; 5
6 DUs 6 owners
3850 Capital Park 9/23/1891 144 lots, 25x115, 45 Developed; Olympia plat policy; 52, few use plat Steep slopes above
19.1 acres 40x95 53 DUs some vacated streets? lines; 41 owners Capital Lake
7250 Schloss Park 7/10/1890 54 lots, 6.7 30x110 58 Developed; Olympia plat policy; 20, most use Steep slopes above I-
acres 21 DUs some vacated streets? plat lines; 5
19 owners
4330 Crosby’s DLC 10/14/1869 Approx 45 60x110 55 Partly Olympia plat policy; 27, some use Steep slopes above I-
lots, 19.0 developed; some vacated streets? plat lines; 5 and Capital Lake
acres 20 DUs 23 owners

Discussion. There are a few unopened streets on the hillside above Capital Lake (in
Percival’s Addition on the Southwest side, and in Capital Park in the South Capital
Neighborhood), but mostly this is not an issue in these neighborhoods. On the Southwest
side, Capital View Addition and Wellington Park 3 have large numbers of narrow lots.

3
Most – but not all – of Wellington Park was replatted in the last decade to become Wellington West.
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Capital View has some undeveloped ones here and there, while Wellington Park has large
undeveloped blocks still held by investors.

Central Addition and Stevens’ Addition have undeveloped land on steep sites above I-5.
Capital Park has similar sites along Old Oregon Trail above Capital Lake. Crosby’s DLC
has steep sites between Capital Way and Capital Lake, south of I-5.

MAP SET 4: NORTHEAST

Summary of Analysis
Plat Lots, Lot ROW Devel
Name Date Approval Status Tax Parcels Critical Areas
# Acres Size Width Status
4930 Galliher’s 12/31/1871 Approx 262 50x100 60 Partly Olympia plat policy; 140, most use Steep slopes and
Addition lots, 49.4 developed; some vacated streets? plat lines; ravines above East
acres 124 DUs 109 owners Bay Drive
7320 Sebree’s 1/31/1890 285 lots, 40x115, 60 Mostly Olympia plat policy; 212, most use Steep ravine above
Addition 61.1 acres 50x115 developed; some vacated streets plat lines; East Bay Drive
218 DUs (school) 195 owners
7325 Sebree’s 5/9/1890 115 lots, 25x115 60 Mostly Olympia plat policy; 24, most use Steep slopes above
Subdivision 11.6 acres developed; some vacated streets plat lines; East Bay Drive
Block B 25 DUs 23 owners
7440 Simenson’s 7/5/1890 47 lots, 5.4 25x115 56 Mostly un- Olympia plat policy 17, most use Steep slopes and
Subdivision acres developed; plat lines; ravines above East
Block A 7 DUs 10 owners Bay Drive
5200 CH Hale’s 2/8/1872 52 lots, 14.4 60x115 60 Mostly Olympia plat policy 45, most use Steep slopes above
Addition acres developed; plat lines; East Bay Drive
20 DUs 20 owners
5210 PC Hale’s 6/4/1890 668 lots, 30x120 58 Mostly Olympia plat policy; 246, most use 1. Steep slopes above
Subdivision 85.4 acres developed, some vacated streets? plat lines; East Bay Drive,
except critical 219 owners 2. wetlands between
areas; Fairview & Wilson
236 DUs
6890 Phoenix Park 4/4/1889 374 lots, 50x100 58 Mostly Part County (voided), 229, most use Wetlands draining to
Addition 74.6 acres developed, part Olympia plat policy; plat lines; Bigelow Lake
except critical some vacated streets? 164 owners
areas;
202 DUs

Discussion. Most of the issues in the Northeast Neighborhood are either 1) on its west
side, on the hillside and in the ravines above East Bay Drive; or 2) on its east side, in the
wetlands at the head of Mission Creek. Most of the unopened rights-of-way plunge down
steep hillsides and ravines, or cross through wetlands, and are not vacated.

The platting pattern is fairly convoluted in this neighborhood, where C.H. Hale platted
much of it in 1872, and P.C. Hale (perhaps a son or daughter?) replatted much of that in
1890 from 60-foot lots into 30-foot lots.

Phoenix Park Addition includes undeveloped wetland property at the headwaters of a

sub-basin that drains north, to Bigelow Lake, before the basin drains south again into
Indian Creek.
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MAP SET 5: EASTSIDE AND NEAR SOUTHEAST

Summary of Analysis
Plat Lots, Lot ROW Devel
Name Date Approval Status Tax Parcels Critical Areas
# Acres Size Width Status
8110 Union 2/3/1891 42 lots, 4.9 30x110 76, 30 Mostly Olympia plat policy 15, all use plat Steep slopes along
Subdivision acres developed; lines; 12 owners un-opened 11th Ave
15 DUs
3540 Bloom’s 5/29/1890 48 lots, 6.4 30x110 60 Developed; Olympia plat policy 18, most use None
Subdivision acres 18 DUs plat lines;
17 owners
7730 Summit Park 12/27/1890 80 lots, 10.0 30x120 60 Developed; County-voided 30, all use plat Small steep slope
Addition acres 31 DUs (unincorp. Island) lines; 24 owners between 11th and 12th
3920 Carpenter’s 1/7/1891 Approx 43 25x125 60 Mostly County-voided 17, most use Steep slopes above I-
Addition lots, 10.5 developed; (unincorp. Island) plat lines; 5 and above
acres 16 DUs 12 owners Woodland Trail
4880 Fourth Street 8/2/1890 Approx 183 50x90 60, 140 Partly Part County (voided), 112, most use Steep slopes above I-
Boulevard lots, 45.0 undeveloped part Olympia plat policy; plat lines; part of 5 and above
Addition acres (County), some streets vacated Woodland Trail; Woodland Trail, some
partly 96 owners wetlands, stream
developed buffer along Indian
(Olympia); Creek
103 DUs
5290 Hawley’s 5/1/1890 28 lots, 5.3 50x115 58 Cemetery, County-voided 3, all use plat None
Second Addition acres 2 DUs (unincorp. Island) lines; 1 owner
7830 Swan’s Addition 1/17/1871 13 lots, 3.2 Approx 65 Developed; Olympia plat policy 10, few use plat Steep slopes above I-
(part) acres 60x150 5 DUs lines; part of 5 and along Woodland
Woodland Trail; Trail
7 owners
7450 Simmon’s 7/2/1890 11 lots, 1.0 30x110 n/a Partly Olympia plat policy 4, use some plat Steep slopes above
Addition acre developed; lines; 4 owners Watershed Park
2 DUs
3950 Central Park 10/21/1891 20 lots, 4.7 45x110 n/a Partly Olympia plat policy 16, all use plat Some small steep
acres developed; lines; part of slopes
11 DUs Woodland Trail;
16 owners
3270 Ayer’s Addition 3/2/1885 Blocks only, n/a 76 Mostly Olympia plat policy 9, all use part of Steep slopes and
(part) 13.7 acres undeveloped; block outline; wetlands
2 DUs part of
Woodland Trail;
9 owners
8330 White & Maris 5/5/1890 Approx 32 50x110 60 Mostly Olympia plat policy 17, most use Steep slopes and
Subdivision of lots, 8.9 undeveloped; plat lines; part of wetlands
Blk 9 acres 3 DUs Woodland Trail;
8 owners
8320 Wheeler’s 2/20/1889 16 lots, 5.1 56x130 60 Undeveloped; Olympia plat policy 4, all use plat Steep slopes and
Subdivision of acres No DUs lines; 2 owners wetlands, stream
Blk 11 buffer along Indian
Creek
4070 Church’s 5/16/1890 Approx 45 40x105 60 Undeveloped; Olympia plat policy 21, all use plat Steep slopes and
Subdivision of lots, 11.2 No DUs lines; includes wetlands
Block 26 acres part of
Woodland Trail;
9 owners
4030 Champe 8/20/1890 Approx 70 40x110 60 Mostly Olympia plat policy 25, all use plat Steep slopes and
Addition lots, 11.4 undeveloped; lines; part of wetlands
acres 5 DUs Woodland Trail;
8 owners
8410 Wilson’s 2/20/1889 63 lots, 16.0 60x102, 60 Mostly Olympia plat policy; 49, many use Small area of steep
Addition acres 50x105, developed; some vacated streets plat lines; slopes at far NE,
48x100 43 DUs 46 owners some wetlands
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Plat Lots, Lot ROW Devel

Name Date Approval Status Tax Parcels Critical Areas
# Acres Size Width Status
6630 Park Addition 9/6/1892 384 lots, 50x100 60 Mostly Olympia plat policy; 178, most use Extensive steep
76.1 acres undeveloped; some vacated streets plat lines; slopes and wetlands
112 DUs 114 owners
4560 East Side 4/17/1890 163 lots, 40x120 57 About half Olympia plat policy; 75, most use Wetlands and stream
Addition 30.6 acres developed; some vacated streets plat lines; sliver buffer along Indian
54 DUs of Woodland Creek, some steep
Trail; 60 owners slopes
6610 Olsen’s 6/10/1890 28 lots, 5.4 40x120 60 Developed Olympia plat policy; 10, all use plat None
Subdivision acres (residences & some vacated streets lines; 1 owner
church);
3 DUs
6750 Parker & 10/4/1890 27 lots, 5.2 35x120 60 Mostly Olympia plat policy 17, most use None
Jordan’s acres developed; plat lines;
Subdivision 9 DUs 17 owners
7380 Sharpe’s 6/5/1890 32 lots, 5.4 40x115 60 Mostly Olympia plat policy 12, some use Some wetlands
Addition acres developed; plat lines;
12 DUs 4 owners
4450 Doane’s 4/16/4890 Approx 52 25x90 60 Mostly Olympia plat policy 9, some use plat Wetlands
Subdivision lots, 5.4 undeveloped; lines; 9 owners
acres 7 DUs
5000 Garden City 5/14/1890 82 lots, 14.7 37x125 60 Mostly Part in County (voided); 18; most use Wetlands
Addition acres undeveloped; part in Olympia plat plat lines;
13 DUs policy; some vacated 18 owners
streets
8210 Warbass 5/8/1890 48 lots, 8.1 40x125 58 Partly County-voided 6, none use plat Wetlands
Homestead acres developed; (unincorp. Island) lines; 6 owners
6 DUs
4550 East Park 8/24/1891 80 lots, 10.0 30x125 58 Partly Olympia plat policy; 20, most use Wetlands, some small
acres developed; some vacated streets plat lines; steep slopes
11 DUs 10 owners
7600 Squire’s 3/5/1890 314 lots, 50x100 58 Partly Olympia plat policy; 128, most use Wetlands, some small
Addition 63.4 acres developed; some vacated streets plat lines; steep slopes
83 DUs 72 owners

Discussion. This part of the city has the largest concentration of antiquated plats subject
to this analysis. The south side of the Eastside hill has several subdivisions that were
never quite finished, with unopened rights-of-way at 11th Avenue and 12th Avenue, where
steep slopes interrupt the street connections. In addition, much of the Eastside and near
Southwest side was originally platted into large blocks by Mr. Ayer (“Ayer’s Addition,”
1885), but not into lots. Others then replatted them into smaller blocks and/or lots – or
not. As a consequence, some of the lack of street connections is because streets were
never platted, not because they were platted but not opened (e.g., 12th Avenue and Union
Avenue).

Another key feature: part of the south side of the Eastside hill, adjacent to I-5, is an
unincorporated island (Summit Park Addition and Carpenter’s Addition). Hence it is
affected by Thurston County’s policy on pre-1937 plats.

A large area between Wheeler Avenue and 22nd Avenue has generated much discussion
about how to deal with antiquated plats. Straddling much of the Olympia Woodland
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Trail, this area has many individual plats laying a geometric pattern of streets and lots
over a convoluted topography of steep, narrow ravines and scattered wetlands. There are
a few houses scattered through the woods – mostly around the periphery – and there are
multiple owners of the parcels.

MAP SET 6: EAST SOUTHEAST

Summary of Analysis
Plat Lots, Lot ROW Devel
Name Date Approval Status Tax Parcels Critical Areas
# Acres Size Width Status
6510 New State 2/3/1891 Approx 330 50x115 58 Mostly Olympia plat policy; 99, some use Small steep slope next
Addition lots, 72.1 developed; some vacated streets? plat lines; to Pacific Ave.
acres 100 DUs 41 owners
3620 Boyd’s Addition 4/4/1889 55 lots, 9.9 50x95, 50 Mostly Olympia plat policy; 18, few use plat None
acres 90x95 developed in some vacated streets? lines;
commercial; 11 owners
9 DUs
7760 Sunnyside 7/2/1890 48 lots, 4.6 25x120 50 Mostly Olympia plat policy; 5, none use plat None
acres developed; some vacated streets? lines;
5 DUs 5 owners

Discussion. New State Addition is a very large plat along Lilly Road between Martin
Way and the Burlington Northern Railroad right-of-way south of Pacific Avenue. Part is
in commercial development and may have been vacated, and part is in residential
development (between Interstate 5 and Pacific Avenue). Within the residential part,
about one block was replatted in 1957 as Sunset Addition.

Boyd’s Addition is developed in commercial uses, and has a mix of some remaining
streets, and apparently some vacated ones.
26:rb