West Linn Planning Commission Public Hearing on Car Wash CUP-25-03, March 18, 2026

The West Linn Planning Commission held a quasi-judicial public hearing on March 18, 2026, starting at 6:00 PM, to consider application CUP-25-03/DR-25-03/VAR-25-02 for a new drive-through car wash at 18850 Willamette Drive. The proposal included a conditional use permit, Class II design review, and a variance from minimum window transparency standards. The commission heard staff and applicant presentations, extensive public testimony, and deliberated before voting to leave the record open for additional written submissions.

Consent Calendar

• No items were presented or approved on the consent calendar.

Public Comments & Testimony

• David Robinson (West Linn resident) raised traffic safety concerns, arguing the applicant's traffic analysis was inadequate and failed to address left-turn conflicts and queue spillover onto Highway 43.
• Jeannie Thompson (West Linn resident) questioned whether a third car wash benefits the city and noted proximity of existing car washes.
• Shane Winder (Robinwood neighborhood resident) opposed the proposal, citing inconsistency with the Robinwood Neighborhood Plan and Vision 43, and argued the use would undermine pedestrian-friendly development.
• Elizabeth Deets (speaking as vice president of Robinwood Neighborhood Association) submitted formal opposition, emphasizing environmental risks to the riparian corridor and the need for chemical disclosure and spill response plans.
• Andrew Mulkey (attorney for Elizabeth Deets) argued that the proposal fails to provide an overall benefit to the city under CDC 60.070(A)(3) and contravenes comprehensive plan policies, including those in the Robinwood Neighborhood Plan.
• Katie Mercer (Robinwood resident) detailed chemical hazards from Katie Car Wash products, citing safety data sheets indicating carcinogens and corrosives, and argued the car wash should not be sited on a protected water resource area.
• Larry Holman (neighbor on Rose Way) described existing flooding and runoff on his property from Fern Creek, and expressed concerns about noise from vacuums operating 8 AM to 8 PM and potential chemical contamination.
• Brent Huntsburg (Robinwood resident) presented video evidence of traffic queuing into Starbucks on Walling Way, arguing the car wash would exacerbate congestion and create a head-on conflict zone at the proposed exit.
• Anthony Broccole (Robinwood Neighborhood Association president, speaking as individual) criticized the characterization of the neighborhood plan as irrelevant, questioned the need for a third car wash, and raised noise concerns from the previous Katie Car Wash location.
• Roxana Koshron (Rukshana Koshravi) (former Katie Car Wash employee, Robinwood resident) testified about inaccuracies in the application, including spray patterns, noise levels, and the ability to modify blower settings; she questioned the sound study's validity and the adequacy of the variance request.
• Eric Newgard (West Linn resident, property owner on Fern Creek) described the ecological value of Fern Creek and emphasized that car wash chemicals could wash into the creek via runoff from dripping cars.
• Frank Jalili (West Linn resident) argued the conditional use fails the “overall benefit” criterion because there is no community need for another car wash.
• Paul Kreitzberg (Robinwood resident) reiterated traffic, noise, and environmental concerns, and noted the inconsistency with the Robinwood Neighborhood Plan policies.
• Daniel Mercer (licensed professional engineer, West Linn) testified that the site is within 100 feet of an open waterway, triggering Chapter 32 protections; he critiqued the stormwater filtration system as inadequate for hazardous chemicals, citing an SDS that prohibits product from reaching waterways.
• Ed Schwartz (West Linn resident) argued that odors from the car wash would negatively impact neighboring residential areas, violating Robinwood Neighborhood Plan policies 3.5 and 3.8.
• Kathy Fisher (West Linn resident, adjacent property) opposed due to chemical sensitivity and noted she would be directly affected by smells.

Discussion Items

• Staff Presentation (Darren Wise): Reviewed the proposal, applicable code chapters, and recommended 13 conditions of approval. Highlighted that the variance request from 60% window transparency on the front façade and 30% on the Walling Way façade was necessary due to building design; that the site has a piped water resource area but development is exempt per code; and that ODOT recommended upgrading the ADA ramp at Walling Way and Highway 43.
• Applicant Presentation (Eric Lee, architect; supported by traffic engineer Mike Ard and attorney Wendy Kellington): Emphasized that the car wash would have less traffic than a fast-food restaurant (47% fewer peak-hour trips), meets all noise standards (DEQ 55 dB at sensitive receptors), uses a dual water management system (car wash process water to sanitary; stormwater filtered through new and existing systems), and that the building is more restrained than other car washes. They argued the Robinwood Neighborhood Plan is aspirational and not an applicable standard, and that denial based on need is not permissible.
• Commission Questions: Commissioners asked about stormwater detention details (use of HDPE chambers vs. concrete), the existing stormwater vault and monitoring, noise mitigation at vacuums, the adequacy of traffic analysis (peak-hour queue calculations), and the variance for window transparency. The applicant’s team provided clarifications on filtration, acoustic enclosure design, and that vacuum noise is centralized inside the building.
• Public Testimony: In addition to the comments above, several speakers challenged the traffic study (citing lack of bottleneck analysis), the noise study (alleging cherry-picked data), and environmental risks (spray from open bays, chemicals in stormwater). The former employee provided specific operational details.
• Applicant Rebuttal: Wendy Kellington argued that the Robinwood plan does not apply as an approval standard; that noise and traffic studies met code; that the stormwater system is designed to meet all standards; and that the vacant McDonald’s building is a blight that the car wash would replace.

Key Outcomes

• Motion: Commissioner Walvotney moved to leave the record open for written testimony and final arguments, with deadlines: written public testimony by March 25, 2026 at 5:00 PM; responses to written testimony (no new evidence) by April 1, 2026 at 5:00 PM; applicant final written argument by April 8, 2026 at 5:00 PM. The commission would reconvene for final deliberations on April 15, 2026 at 6:00 PM.
• Second and Vote: The motion was seconded and carried unanimously (4-0). Commissioners present: Acting Chair Jones, Commissioner Watton, Commissioner Kachariski, Commissioner Walvotney.
• Next Steps: The hearing is continued; the commission will deliberate and decide on April 15, 2026 based on the written record and arguments submitted.