Approval was granted as a zoning exception to city code

Middle school and high school students will soon have their own space at The Summit teen center.

West Linn City Council on Monday approved a one-year temporary use permit for the vacant 3,300-square-foot space at Cascade Summit shopping center.Willamette Christian Church submitted an application for use of the space — formerly Healthy Pet — earlier this year as a teen center with additional church activities.

According to the city’s general commercial zone rules, the teen center requires a conditional use permit — meaning the city council had to grant a zoning exception to Willamette Christian Church. The church can request a second one-year temporary use permit next year.

If the church decides to pursue long-term occupancy at the shopping center, it will have to apply for a conditional use permit and design review approval through the city.

The space is being designed to be open with a loft or warehouse atmosphere. One corner will be raised to form a separate seating area or could be used as a stage. A 7-foot loft with seating is also planned.

However, most of the space will be open and the furniture will be moveable so youth can create their own seating arrangements. The church plans to add two ADA-compliant restrooms to the location.

The Summit is set to open this September. In accordance with the temporary use permit, hours of operation on school days are until 6 p.m. and on non-school and early release days from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The space may be used for church activities weekdays from 6 to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Summit cannot have amplified live music. Noise louder than municipal code constraints will be grounds for terminating the temporary use permit; however, the church plans to add soundproofing material to protect from potential noise.

“I think this is a great effort. I applaud this,” Councilor Jody Carson said, referring to the coalition of church representatives, West Linn representatives and community members involved in the project. “We have needed a place for middle school students to hang out, and the shopping center has been that, but without supervision.”

Students from Rosemont Ridge Middle School, as well as other schools, have hung out at Safeway and the surrounding businesses since Cascade Summit opened. Several attempts have been made to deter unruly behavior and kids from congregating there with limited success. The issue was brought to West Linn City Councilor Mike Jones’ attention last fall.

In response, he held a meeting with business, city, school and community representatives on Feb. 13 to discuss it. It was at that meeting the church declared its interest in leasing a site for its own use on Sundays and in running a drop-in teen center after school.

Since then, the city has waived fees associated with the planning application because of the public benefit of the teen center, including the initial $1,090 deposited — just as the council did with the Robinwood Station community center.

On Monday, the council also approved the donation of $1,300 from the city of West Linn Citizens’ Budget Committee fund to the teen center.

“We see this as a great opportunity to serve youth and families in this community,” said Chris Yarco, executive director of Willamette Christian Church. “There has been a bit of a vacuum in providing activities for middle school kids. ... This space is designed to be a cool, fun place to hang out."

The church annually supports 50 groups ranging from the Boy Scouts to the city of West Linn. The church has also jointly hosted the monthly 789 Jam dance parties for sixth- and ninth-graders with the city police and parks and recreation departments. But it’s not just teens who need the space. Yarco said the church, which sees 1,600 people on any given weekend, has outgrown its location.

“There is a conflux of need,” Yarco said. “Our growth and the city’s issues happened simultaneously.”

Yarco said the church has invested $100,000 in the site and will spend $100,000 annually to lease the space. The church and the YMCA have a draft agreement that allows the YMCA to operate the center’s programming, with YMCA staff working during the hours the space functions as a teen center.

The YMCA is now exploring funding options for programming Mondays through Fridays. The YMCA of Columbia-Willamette operates a traditional teen center in Sherwood and offers teen programs and drop-in centers in Clackamas County and Estacada. Although the teen center hasn’t received direct opposition, community members and Yarco said the center is a financial gamble.

“This is a first,” Yarco said. “We are willing to say it’s a new adventure but we are excited about it. Our church family is excited about it, but most importantly our community is excited about it.”

For more information about the teen center, visit http//willamettechurch.com/thesummit. To make a donation toward the teen center, call 503-656-2328.