"What we have is urban uses in a rural area," says Carol Markt, CPO chairwoman. "Some of the people are local, but many more drive in from far away, from cities all over."
...church leaders are quick to point out that each and every construction project was carried out only after obtaining the proper conditional-use permits...
I hope congregation members listen hard when residents talk about how they feel overrun by well-intentioned worshippers on Sunday mornings. After all, these residents are the folks who find meaning in that same neighborhood seven days a week.
No separation of church and traffic
The clock in my dashboard told me I needed to stop at a store so I could bring home something for lunch.
And the bumper-to-bumper traffic reminded me that it was Sunday.
It took me several minutes to inch my way through Wankers Corner, the intersection at Stafford and Borland roads, southwest of West Linn.
When I finally made it through, heading toward Interstate 205, I was still shaking my head. So I drove back for a second look.
I guess I'd forgotten that the area had become Worship Central. In the past 20 years, six large churches have been built within a two-mile radius.
Rolling Hills Community Church, a true "megachurch" with a 2,500-seat sanctuary, opened on Borland Road.
Church of the Resurrection opened on Stafford Road.
The Neighborhood Church opened on Stafford Road.
Southlake Foursquare Church opened on Borland Road.
Athey Creek Christian Fellowship began meeting in Athey Creek Middle School on Borland Road.
And just up a way on Stafford Road, the Cambodian Buddhist Society of Oregon Temple opened.
All, except for the Buddhist temple, hold services on Sunday mornings, drawing thousands of worshippers to Stafford from all over the region during a narrow time frame.
The traffic situation has drawn attention from the Stafford-Tualatin Valley Community Planning Organization, which was chartered by Clackamas County to monitor local issues.
"What we have is urban uses in a rural area," says Carol Markt, CPO chairwoman. "Some of the people are local, but many more drive in from far away, from cities all over."
"I volunteer at a cat shelter in Sherwood," Markt continues. "If I come back at the wrong time, the lineup at Borland Road is tens and tens of cars long. I have nothing against churches, but they create traffic."
Sally Visher, CPO vice chairwoman, says the weekly confluence of congregations puts a lot of pressure on the neighborhood.
"On Sunday morning, most of the churches hold two services," Visher says. "We're pushing the limit for what our roads can handle."
Church leaders, for the most part, are sensitive to neighbors' traffic concerns. Rolling Hills even posts members on Sundays to direct traffic.
And church leaders are quick to point out that each and every construction project was carried out only after obtaining the proper conditional-use permits from Clackamas County.
But now, Athey Creek Christian Fellowship wants to establish a permanent home of its own off Ek Road, near its intersection with Stafford Road. According to a preapplication letter to Clackamas County, Athey Creek proposes to build an 85,000-square-foot complex with a 2,000-seat sanctuary, meeting rooms and offices. A separate 6,000-square-foot building on the site would house a children's ministry. Parking would be provided for 700 vehicles.
You might guess the county would be concerned about how much more Sunday-morning traffic the new church could add to the already-busy mix.
But you'd be wrong.
The Clackamas County commissioners unanimously amended their land-use ordinances in January 2005, so they now consider only weekday traffic counts when siting churches.
To me, this is something like monitoring traffic around a baseball park on the team's day off.
Personally, I hope congregation members listen hard when residents talk about how they feel overrun by well-intentioned worshippers on Sunday mornings.
After all, these residents are the folks who find meaning in that same neighborhood seven days a week.
