Keizer Council directs staff to allow drive‑throughs in Keizer Station Area B but bars gas stations near homes

Keizer — The Keizer City Council on Monday directed staff to draft an ordinance to allow certain auto‑oriented drive‑through uses in the commercial mixed‑use portion of Keizer Station Area B while excluding gasoline service stations and adding a roughly 150‑foot buffer from residentially zoned property.

The action followed a lengthy public hearing during which residents pressed the council on traffic congestion, pedestrian safety and quality‑of‑life concerns for homes that back onto McLeod Lane, Dennis Ray and Aldine Drive. Planning Director Shane Witham framed the item as a “policy level decision” and said the amendment would move drive‑through restaurants and gasoline service stations from “outright prohibited” to conditional uses, triggering later master‑plan or conditional‑use reviews.

Why it matters: Area B is a visible, partially vacant portion of Keizer Station adjacent to the Keizer Transit Center. Developers said greater flexibility would allow uses that could activate the site; neighbors said activation should not come at the expense of safety, noise, or neighborhood livability.

Shane Witham, Keizer’s planning director, told the council that a change to the code “simply moves these two uses into the conditional use category,” but he emphasized that any development differing from the adopted 2017 master plan would still require master‑plan amendments and supplemental traffic studies. “It’s 100% a policy level decision,” Witham said.

Residents cited traffic backups near In‑N‑Out and Chick‑fil‑A as evidence existing intersections already struggle. “This station would bring an increase in vehicular activity…congesting streets that are already under strain,” said resident Tasha Rasch, who also highlighted pedestrian risks for students walking to Whitaker and Gubser schools.

Developers and real‑estate representatives urged council to allow conditional consideration so future proposals could be designed with mitigations. “This gives the city the ability to evaluate these uses through the conditional‑use permit process,” said Britney Randall of Brand Land Use. Robert “RV” Van, development manager for Raising Cane’s, said the company would “abide by all the rules and regulations the city would require” and was prepared to accept permit conditions.

Council action and next steps: Councilor Duran proposed — and the council approved unanimously — a direction to staff to prepare an ordinance that (a) adds auto‑oriented drive‑through uses as conditional uses on the east side of Keizer Station Boulevard (the side farther from the residential neighborhood), (b) excludes gasoline service stations from the allowed uses in Area B, and (c) establishes a roughly 150‑foot buffer from residential zoning along the neighborhood edge. Staff and the city attorney will draft the ordinance language and bring it back to council for formal adoption after required public notices and internal review.

Councilors said the buffer aims to preserve the transitional edge between homes and the commercial area. Councilor Duran explained the buffer was proposed so “the citizens know we care” about neighborhood impacts. Council President Starr and other members asked staff to produce precise map‑based language so the rule will be clear and administrable.

What stayed the same: Council and staff emphasized that the text amendment does not itself approve any building or use; it only changes what uses the code will permit to be considered. Any specific project will still require subsequent master‑plan amendments or conditional‑use approvals and associated traffic, noise and design scrutiny.

Looking ahead: Staff will draft ordinance language that implements the council’s direction and return it for public hearing and adoption. Because the change is legislative, any future master‑plan amendments tied to a development application will require separate hearings and traffic analysis.