PLA26-003 Staff Decision - Laserfiche WebLink

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6. The applicants should contact the Stayton Fire District to obtain a copy of the District’s Recommended Building Access and Premise Identification regulations and the Marion County Fire Code Applications Guide. Fire District access standards may be more restrictive than County standards. 7. All or a portion of this property is located within the identified 100-year floodplain. Development of the properties may require approval of a floodplain development permit with Marion County prior to commencement of the development. The applicants are advised to consult with Marion County Planning prior to commencing development of the parcel. APPEAL PROCEDURE: The Marion County Zone Code provides that certain applications be considered first by the County Planning Director. If there is any doubt that the application conforms with adopted land use policies and regula- tions the Director must condition or deny the application. Anyone who disagrees with the Director's decision may request that the application be considered by a Marion County hearings officer after a public hearing. The applicant may also request reconsideration (one time only and a fee of $200) on the basis of new information subject to signing an extension of the 150 day time limit for review of zoning applications. A public hearing is held on appeals subject to the appellant paying a $250.00 fee. Requests for reconsideration, or consideration by a hearings officer, must be in writing (form available from the Planning Division) and received in the Marion County Planning Division, 5155 Silverton Road NE, Salem, by 5:00 p.m. on March 13th, 2026. If you have questions about this decision contact the Planning Division at (503) 588-5038 or at the office. This decision is effective March 14th, 2026, unless further consideration is requested. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS: Findings and conclusions on which decision was based are noted below. 1. The subject properties are designated Primary Agriculture in the Marion County Comprehensive Plan and correspondingly zoned EFU (Exclusive Farm Use). The primary intent of both this designation and zone is to promote and protect commercial agricultural operations. 2. The properties are located on the south side of Ferry Rd SE, between the North Santiam River and Ferry Rd just outside the boundary of the unincorporated community of Mehama. This location is roughly 2,300 feet east of the intersection of Ferry Rd and Highway 22 following the path of the road. Both parcels are located almost entirely within the 100-year floodplain of the North Santiam River. Tax lot 3900 is currently developed with a little league baseball field complex approved by case CU/FP90-049. Tax lot 3900 has not changed its configuration since this approval and is considered legal for land use purposes. Tax lot 100 is currently vacant and consists of wooded riverbank along the North Santiam River. Tax lot 100 was the subject of two previous land use cases, the most recent of which (AR/FP23-032) approved a lot-of-record dwelling on tax lot 100. The parcel is considered legal for land use purposes. 3. Adjacent properties include a mix of small acreage homesites, small farm operations, woodlot parcels, and more urbanized development within the urban growth boundary of Lyons and unincorporated community of Mehama. To the east and west are SA zoned parcels. The parcels to the west are made up of small homesites and a larger woodlot. The parcels to the east are in use as a small farm operation. The land to the south crosses the county border and is in Linn County. Finally, to the north are a number of Acreage Residential (AR) zoned properties developed as homesites, with the one exception being the site of the old Mehama lumber mill currently zoned IUC (Unincorporated Community Industrial). 4. Soil Survey for Marion County, Oregon, indicates approximately 85.9% of the soils on the subject tax lots are classified as high value. 5. The applicants are proposing to adjust the property lines on a 17.50-acre parcel and an 11.20-acre parcel to create a 17.20-acre parcel and an 11.50-acre parcel. The proposal would transfer a strip of land along the current west property line of tax lot 3900 to tax lot 100 to allow for the creation of a driveway to access tax lot 100, which currently has no frontage along a public road. 6. Various agencies were contacted about the proposal and given an opportunity to comment. Marion County Surveyor’s Office commented: