Yamhill County leaves record open in church land-use appeal amid traffic, septic and access concerns

The Yamhill County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 19 heard an appeal of a planning director decision approving construction and operation of a proposed Chehalem Christian Fellowship church and unanimously voted to leave the record open for additional written submissions and rebuttal.

The hearing centers on a proposal for a church on tax lot 3206-04900 in the county’s AF10 zone. Senior Planner Lance Woods told the board the planning director approved the application Oct. 17, 2025 and that an appeal was filed Nov. 3, 2025. Woods said the property is about 7.7 acres; the applicant estimates about 70–80 vehicles on a typical Sunday, with roughly 220 people attending Sunday services and about 50 at a midweek youth service.

Supporters and the applicant described planned site improvements and mitigation. Jason Arsenault, speaking for the applicant, and others said the project would renovate two accessory structures for church use and include stormwater management and septic expansion. Architect Tom Louris summarized proposed building and septic improvements, and counsel Andrew Stamp said the site includes a road that is a public access road and that the church would either pave the road or maintain it.

Opponents, including local residents and the appellants’ representative Jessica Cain, raised concerns about traffic, road access, and neighborhood impacts and cited case law about access conditions for conditional use permits. Multiple neighbors offered similar testimony opposing the application.

County agency reports and expert testimony were a major part of the hearing record. Yamhill County Public Works noted Chehalem Drive is classified as a major collector and concluded it can accommodate increased traffic but recommended intersection improvements. The county sanitarian commented on the septic system, the building official said a fire, life and safety analysis will be required, and Soil and Water Conservation flagged noxious-weed and watershed considerations.

Traffic engineer Melissa Webb of AKS Engineering and Forestry testified that the two nearby intersections evaluated in an operational analysis are operating above the applicable performance standard, that three collisions were reported at NE Chehalem Drive and NE North Valley Road in the last five years (with no fatalities and no collisions involving pedestrians or bicyclists), and that sight distance at the intersections and at the proposed site access exceeded recommended standards.

In rebuttal, Andrew Stamp and applicant representatives clarified aspects of road maintenance and attendance estimates: Stamp stated the road adjacent to the property is a public access road and said Yamhill County would not be responsible for maintenance; he also estimated about 80 cars and roughly 200 attendees. Counsel and the applicant said exterior lighting would follow light-pollution prevention measures and that services or housing for homeless individuals would not be allowed and would be included as conditions of approval.

After hearing testimony and agency reports, the board approved a staff-recommended motion to keep the record open to 5:00 p.m. on Feb. 26, 2026 for additional evidence, then to 5:00 p.m. on March 5, 2026 for rebuttal filings, and to 5:00 p.m. on March 12, 2026 for the applicant’s final written argument (no new evidence). The board scheduled reopening the hearing at 10:00 a.m. on March 19, 2026 in Room 32 of the Yamhill County Courthouse. Commissioner Kit Johnston moved the staff motion; Commissioners Johnston, Mary Starrett and David “Bubba” King voted aye.

The board did not take a final land-use decision at the Feb. 19 session; the hearing will resume on March 19, 2026 with the staff recommendation as the starting point for continuing deliberations.