West Linn City Council Meeting Summary - July 14, 2026

The West Linn City Council held its regular business meeting on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, beginning at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall in West Linn, Oregon, with virtual participation also available. Mayor Rory Bialostosky presided; Council President Mary Baumgardner, Councilor Kevin Bonnington, Councilor Carol Bryck, and Councilor Leo Groner were present, along with City Manager John Williams and City Recorder Kathy Mollusky. The meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and approval of the agenda. It included public comment, council reports, two proclamations, a consent agenda, and one business item: an Intergovernmental Agreement with Metro for the 2019 Parks and Nature Bond Measure Local Share Program. Although the printed agenda listed four public commenters, many additional community members testified during the public comment period, mostly about House Bill 4037 and the proposed Tannler Drive development. The Mayor stated that the Council would take no action on those matters at this meeting and would not comment on the merits of the land-use application in order to preserve impartiality as a potential appeal body.

Consent Calendar

• The Council approved the agenda for the meeting in a 5-0 vote.
• The consent agenda was approved 5-0. It included Agenda Bill 2026-07-14-01 (minutes of the June 9, 2026 Council meetings) and Agenda Bill 2026-07-14-02 (Resolution 2026-07, revising fees and charges related to Sewer System Development Charges and updating the Master Fees and Charges document). Staff clarified that the fee-schedule item was an administrative scrivener's adjustment and that the full fees document had been considered at a public meeting on June 9.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mayor Bialostosky said the meeting was not a public hearing and that Council would not act on HB 4037 or the Tannler application; he encouraged written comment through the formal land-use process and contact with state legislators.
• Ed Schwarz, a West Linn resident, said HB 4037 is blatantly unconstitutional and argued that it should not apply to the Tannler Drive application because the property is zoned OBC (Office Business Center), not residential. He said the applicant's use of an SB 1537 adjustment to make buildings 100% residential is not permissible, and he urged the city to keep a full public hearing and appeal rights.
• Roberta Schwarz, speaking as an individual, opposed eliminating public hearings and appeals, saying the law is unconstitutional. She said several hundred neighbors have worked for almost a year on the proposed 320-unit apartment development and have hired two attorneys, a civil engineer, and a traffic engineer. She also raised concerns about Tannler Drive closure, access to White Oak Savannah, bus route changes, landslide risk, and lack of notice before HB 4037 passed.
• Gregg Sturtevant, a West Linn resident, opposed HB 4037 and said the proposed development would strain an already congested convergence of Tannler, Blankenship, Salamo, and Willamette Falls Drive near I-205.
• Stephanie Muir, a West Linn resident and teacher at Rosemont Ridge Middle School, said she supports affordable housing but opposes removing public testimony and appeal rights, calling that unconstitutional, anti-democratic, and immoral.
• Nicole Mitchell, a West Linn resident, opposed closing Tannler Drive, saying it is a critical local route; she said giving the street to a private developer seemed unjust and asked the city to consider alternatives.
• Dr. Vickee Cosentino, a 20-year West Linn resident, said she supports housing, especially affordable housing, but is concerned that closing Tannler Drive would affect emergency response, evacuation, and daily traffic while HB 4037 removes transparency and public participation.
• Dr. Kari Fisher, a four-year West Linn resident, opposed HB 4037, said the proposed 320-apartment, 12,100-square-foot retail development is out of scale, and said the project includes no low-income housing.
• Riad Alharithi, a West Linn resident, asked Council to reject the applicant's request to apply Section 17 of HB 4037 to the pending Tannler Drive application, to direct the city attorney to provide a written public legal analysis, and to preserve residents' ability to participate, establish standing, exhaust local remedies, and appeal.
• Greg Rossiter, a West Linn resident, said HB 4037 strips away the right to know, be heard, and seek judicial review, and gives only applicants the right to appeal. He cited a legal challenge reported by The Oregonian and urged Council to reject the law.
• Deb Berggren, a West Linn resident, expressed concern that closing Tannler Drive would slow police, fire, and ambulance response times, with potentially life-or-death consequences.
• Scott Zurschmit, a West Linn resident, said he supports responsible growth and affordable housing but believes the project does not fit the infrastructure. He cited traffic congestion, a parking ratio of about 1.2 spaces per residential unit that he called grossly inadequate, and possible overflow parking and crime, and asked Council to deny the application unless those issues are resolved.
• Kathie Halicki, a West Linn resident, said HB 4037 removes public input, nullifies neighborhood association voices, ties the Planning Commission's hands, and leaves only developers able to appeal. She asked Council to pressure Salem and seek a court stay.
• Katie Bartrom, a West Linn resident, said her constitutional rights are being violated, and she asked Council to fight the law, including by suing if needed, and to represent residents.
• Karie Oakes, a West Linn resident, said the applicant appeared to wait for HB 4037 before completing its application; she described the timeline of the pre-application conference, the application filing, and the neighborhood meeting, and asked Council to stop the applicant from silencing the public.
• Teri Cummings, a West Linn resident, criticized the use of the consent agenda for the fee item and for a prior $596,688 item on January 13, 2025. She said a 2022 survey found only 1% of residents knew about the operations center project and 66% disapproved at a projected $15 million cost, which she said has since grown to $45 million. She also referenced emails and a geotechnical memorandum related to the Norfolk site.
• Rebecca Hollenbeck, executive director of Historic Willamette Main Street, thanked the City and volunteers for the West Linn Old Time Fair Parade and invited community members to volunteer for next year's parade.

Mayor and Council Reports & Appointments

• Councilors reported on community events, committee meetings, and constituent engagement, including the Old Time Fair, the Water Environmental Services Advisory Committee, and a Chamber of Commerce event.
• Mayor Bialostosky appointed Michal Segal-Rozenhaimer to the Sustainability Advisory Committee and Denise Bergstrom to the Audit Committee. The appointments were approved 5-0.

Proclamations

• Council President Baumgardner read a proclamation declaring July 2026 as Parks and Recreation Month in West Linn. Interim Parks and Recreation Director John LaGarza thanked Council and staff.
• Mayor Bialostosky read a proclamation declaring August 2-8, 2026 as National Farmers Market Week and Wednesdays in Willamette Summer Street Market Week. Representatives from Historic Willamette Main Street reported that the market received more than 200 vendor applications this season, approved approximately 90%, and has averaged 80 vendors per week. They also cited more than 200 volunteer hours and 21 youth vendor applications.

Discussion Items

• Agenda Bill 2026-07-14-03: Intergovernmental Agreement with Metro for the 2019 Parks and Nature Bond Measure Local Share Program. Interim Parks and Recreation Director John LaGarza reported that the program stems from Metro bond Measure 26-203 and that West Linn will receive $1,418,291 in bond funds. The first project submission opportunity is June 1, 2028, and the agreement is valid through 2036. Potential uses include regional trails, land acquisitions, and capital improvements. City Manager John Williams said no project has been identified yet and that project selection would come back to Council after discussion with staff and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, with possible public input.
• City Manager Report: Williams provided updates on the July 21 work session, possible rescheduling of the August 4 meeting to August 18, the successful Old Time Fair, Planning Commission work on the housing production strategy, implementation of the e-bike ordinance with an education-and-safety focus, and state legislative activity, including the League of Oregon Cities' neutral position on HB 4037 and the possibility that West Linn could become a test case for the mixed-use project.

Key Outcomes

• Agenda approved 5-0.
• Two proclamations read.
• Mayor's appointments to the Sustainability Advisory Committee and Audit Committee approved 5-0.
• Consent agenda approved 5-0, including June 9, 2026 minutes and Resolution 2026-07 on sewer SDC fees and charges.
• Metro Intergovernmental Agreement approved 4-0; Councilor Bryck left the meeting at 7:24 p.m. before the vote; the City Manager was authorized to execute the agreement and related documents.
• No action was taken on HB 4037 or the Tannler Drive application. The Mayor said the city will publish a detailed memorandum on the Tannler application procedure, and Council may consider sending a letter to state legislators about HB 4037 at a future meeting.