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Planning Commission approves partition, variances for Emmanuel Lutheran Church property on East Lincoln
Summary
The commission approved PAR25‑02 (three‑parcel partition) and VAR25‑05 (variances) for the Emmanuel Lutheran Church property at 1036 and 1100 East Lincoln Street, directing staff to prepare a final decision and imposing conditions including right‑of‑way dedications, a 20‑foot paved access easement, tree protections, and deferred utility burial requirements.
The Woodburn Planning Commission on Oct. 9 approved a three‑parcel partition (PAR25‑02) and related variances (VAR25‑05) for Emmanuel Lutheran Church property at 1036 and 1100 East Lincoln Street and directed staff to prepare a final decision for the chair's signature. The motion to approve — made by a commissioner and seconded — carried on a voice vote.
Staff described the proposal as creating three parcels: Lot 1 (church parking), Lot 2 (the parcel with the existing house and attached garage), and Lot 3 (a new rear flag lot). Staff told the commission the new residential lots would meet minimum RS zoning lot size (a single‑family lot minimum of 6,000 square feet) and that Parcels 2 and 3 would use a single driveway access with a required 20‑foot paved access easement. The staff report said "staff's recommendation is for approval with conditions," and listed required right‑of‑way easements, sidewalk and landscape strip requirements (or fees in lieu) for Parcel 2, a requirement to preserve certain trees, and a plan condition to identify and place an easement for an existing public storm line.
On utility burial, staff explained the code triggers a burial or fee‑in‑lieu when frontage exceeds a threshold; staff estimated "that total fee would be about $165,000" but recommended deferring the burial/fee until the entire church property redevelops so the work can be completed in concert with a larger site redevelopment. Applicant representative Terry Berkey Gonzales told the commission they had "spent upwards of $30,000 just putting this piece together" and asked whether the city could help locate an old, collapsed stormwater line on the property; staff said city plans indicate a storm drain in the area and that locating could be done through standard utility locates.
No members of the public testified in favor or opposition during the hearing. Commissioners said the request appeared straightforward given there is no immediate redevelopment of the church site and accepted staff's conditions. The commission approved BAR25‑02 and variance 25‑05 and directed staff to prepare the final decision consistent with the staff report's conditions.
