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Property owner and applicant raise concerns about conversion of old church at 38091 Sunset Street
Summary
Owner Julie Wilde and representative Jim Gaither addressed the council about difficulties in getting a buyer approved to reuse the historic church at 38091 Sunset Street. The speakers asked the city for clarity on zoning, parking and preapproval requirements; staff said they will follow up.
Julie Wilde, owner of the building at 38091 Sunset Street (the former church behind the Tollgate Inn), told the council the property has sat vacant and she has had prospective buyers repeatedly stymied by permitting and approval steps. Wilde said the building is historic, built with old‑growth fir and redwood, and that vandalism while it sat vacant has added costs for the city and property owner.
Jim Gaither, representing a prospective buyer, said the building has been vacant for about 14 years and that his client spent thousands of dollars pursuing purchase and preapproval steps. Gaither said a December 19 meeting indicated the lot would not meet current parking and green‑space requirements and that the city requested costly technical studies (civil engineer, architect) for preapproval. He said the process left his client feeling they had been “led down a path” and requested clearer upfront guidance.
Council and staff responded that the building department has Gaitherʼs information and that staff will follow up. The city manager later reported staff will look into the two issues raised during public comment and provide information to the council as soon as practicable. No formal application decision was made at the meeting.
Speakers requested the city consider extending street parking, review how the area was rezoned historically, and clarify what variances or exemptions might apply for a historic structure being repurposed for daycare or other commercial uses. Gaither said the buyer is pursuing a daycare use and that current plans submitted have been turned down because of parking and loading constraints; he asked whether the city could expedite a response so the buyer does not incur further costs.
