This is Powers Avenue in North Albany. The road might have to be widened if Benton County approves a proposal for a large church campus near its eastern end.
Talk about long meetings. After a four-hour public hearing about plans for a large church campus in rural North Albany, the Benton County Planning Commission postponed a decision until May 5.
Northside Christian Church wants to build the campus at 4500 Powers Ave. NW. It would be built in two phases over possibly 10 years and would include a 54,709-square-foot sanctuary building, an 18,902-square-foot gymnasium, and a 269-space parking lot.
Opponents objected mostly to the scale of the massive development on a 19-acre open field in the county’s rural-residential zone. Church members testifying said they would respect the character of the neighborhood and build the facility so it would fit in.
The church, which now rents Oak Grove School for its Sunday services, is seeking a conditional use permit and a variance from parking requirements in the county code. It first wants to build the gym for services for up to 500 people.
The hearing Tuesday night dealt mostly with a details such as how many parking spaces would be required (the county staff says more than 700), and how much traffic the place would generate at what times.
Powers Avenue is about 19 feet wide and is often used by people on foot or bikes. The county staff said that before the church could start phase 1, the road would have to be widened for its whole length, 3,700 feet, from Oak Grove Drive to Scenic Drive.
The road would need a four-foot gravel shoulder on the north side, two 10-foot travel lanes, and a four-foot paved shoulder and a two-foot gravel shoulder on the south side.
The applicant objected to the road requirement, saying it would cost more than $1 million.
After four hours of talk, the commission decided to keep the record open seven days for any new testimony, and an additional seven days for the applicant’s rebuttal.
May 5 was set as the date for deliberations and a commission vote.
As I think I mentioned in a previous story on this proposal, I live in this neighborhood and have a more than passing interest in how this thing comes out. (hh)
They should just buy Fir Grove school from the school district.
“The applicant objected to the road requirement, saying it would cost more than $1 million.”
This tells you everything you need to know about this project. They should have known this would be a requirement. They don’t care about the area residents, just themselves and their private little country club. Get outta here!
There’s a lot for sale off Scenic inside the city limits, go get it.
Very rude comments about people you don’t even know.
Melissa,
The people that are rude are the ones barging into a rural community with a mega complex and spouting outright lies that its compatible with the neighborhood. Perhaps you and your friends should actually read the ten commandments they like to plaster everywhere.
I completely agree with you Mac.
One of the requirements for this is to widen the entire length of Powers rd. which could mean purchasing adjoying properties!
The Planning commission has allowed people one more week for written testimony- If interested in giving feedback:
You can email to the County Planning Commission at publiccomment@bentoncountyor.gov (please include your property address with your thoughts.
Link to the meeting minutes can be found here when posted –
https://bentoncountyar.gov/county-planning/planning-board/
Check your email link
It is for Benton County, Arkansas – not Benton County, Oregon.
How come it was never mentioned by staff or commissioners that a gymnasium is not a permitted use of land in an RR-2 zone?
Also, it appeared as though at least one commissioner was trying to cue the applicant as to how they could get around the parking requirement.
Also, I thought the applicant was trying to get around the parking requirements by positing that the entire building is not used for attendees. Specious reasoning.
Finally, the applicant does not want to pay for road improvement needed solely due to the church’s usage. And they say they only want to do good for the community.
Thank you for attending the meeting, Hasso and for reporting back. I live about a mile from here but travel it often. The idea of a monstrous building in this rural, beautiful setting is preposterous and selfish. I hope and pray the commission rejects it. The million dollar road upgrade is a good start.
I did not attend the meeting but watched it on Zoom.
Not only is Powers the road this will affect. Metke has a hairpin turn onto Oak Grove that is not setup properly for 500-700 cars. (As well as Oak Grove access).
If they are putting in a gym, daycare and offices as well as a large sanctuary this will not be a Sunday morning only agenda. This will end up an ongoing 7 days a week days and nights depending on whatever event(s) happen to be scheduled.
This area is not inside the city limits and should not be treated like it is. I fail to see how in the world this WON’T have a negative impact on all of in the surrounding area!!
1) One of the conditions of the proposal is that the entire length of Powers Rd would have to be widened. This may very mean that people with property next to Powers may lose some of their property.
2) Here is a link to the meeting minutes once they become available:
https://cd.bentoncountyor.gov/planning-commission/
Two burning questions:
1.) How much do they pay GAPS for the Sunday school rental space?
2.) You’ve only mentioned a passing interest. Curious way to put “dearly impacted” so please spell out your personal feelings on this matter.
OK, on 1, I’ll try to find out. On 2, I don’t like to see open countryside spoiled with a big parking lot and huge buildings.
Wow, someone got you to answer a question that has to do with the plans of a religious organization!! I’m impressed with OG Anon.
As for question 1, David Bolin, executive director of operations for GAPS, says the rental charge varies a little from month to month but averages about $1,400 a month. The school district has a schedule of hourly fees for different spaces in a school building.
As an area native, and current resident, I am saddened by this proposal. I worry about the traffic, noise, road infrastructure, historical barn on this property, and turning a RR neighborhood into a city neighborhood. I wish the congregation well in finding a more suitable, permanent landing spot, and at the same time I have very serious concerns about their intentions with our neighborhood. Surely, there are a variety of better options for their vision.
Albany public school has a $10 million budget shortfall, but we need more church.
There is a proposal to turn this property at 4500 Powers into a MEGA-CHURCH!
· Comprised of 3 buildings (Church-Gym-Storage) totaling 75,771 square feet
· Parking for 736 vehicles meaning concrete or blacktop on 5 ACRES
· Widening the entire width of Powers and potentially needing to buy some of the neighboring properties.
1) if you would like this to remain– You can email to the County Planning Commission at publiccomment@bentoncountyor.gov (please include your address) the proposal is Proposed Action: LU-25-067: CUP – Church and Proposed Action: LU-25-066: CUP – parking variance.
2) Link to public hearing notes (when available) here — note- the meeting was held 3-17-26
https://cd.bentoncountyor.gov/planning-commission/
3) We only have 6 days remaining to submit feedback!
So basically, the church’s scheme is to grab 10 feet of property from all the landowners on Powers so they can widen the road and build a megachurch and fitness center which will RUIN the beautiful rural character of the land out here. On top of that, they will pay no taxes.
According to their website, they have a bunch of requirements to join their group. Therefore, all citizens will foot the bill for the county services they will use but we won’t get any benefit unless we join them in their plan to wreck this lovely part of North Albany. You may struggler with a couple of the requirements to join:
1. You have to give them money. (No surprise there…)
2. You cannot criticize the church. LOL. Sounds legit.
3. You cannot criticize the leadership of the church. LOL. Sounds legit.
4. You have to “have a conversation” with a member of the church. Sounds like a chance to weed out anybody they don’t like for any reason or no reason at all.
Is it truly impossible to find a building somewhere else? Will God send them to hell for worshipping at home or at the school they rent? Maybe the millions needed for construction of the buildings could be used to do something good for the community instead of creating an enormous eyesore on God’s earth and another financial sinkhole for the county.
Wow, Tim! Where exactly did you read those requirements? I couldn’t find that on their website.
Here: https://northside-albany.churchcenter.com/people/forms/980530
“…we would expect members to agree to the following:
…A commitment to respect and speak well of Northside’s leadership.
“Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.” (Hebrews 13:17)
…A commitment to speak well of the Church to others.
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29)”
…A commitment to support the Church financially as God directs.
“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)”
“The willingness to make a membership commitment at Northside Church. This happens after a season of attending Northside (allowing you to get to know the Church and the Church to know you). It involves reading through the membership document and statement of faith, and having a conversation with a Northside staff member.”
I read the church expectations on their website too. Very disturbing to personally. Authoritarian sounding to me. They shouldn’t build there, in my opinion.
Thank you Hasso for your post on this. Glad you are okay. I hope you continue to recover.
At the risk of overdoing it, I have to say the parking lot alone, whether it’s 200 spaces or 700 spaces, will be totally out of character for the area. NOTHING like that exists in the surrounding neighborhoods. The buildings themselves are also of a size that is inappropriate and unprecedented in the neighborhood.
I do not trust claims that there won’t be any impact except on Sunday mornings and during pickup and drop off times for the planned daycare business. The church will apparently have a fitness club business and could (and probably will) use the massive facilities for anything they want in the future–including concerts, coffee shops, and all the other businesses that megachurches typically open. The church will certainly hold weddings, nativity scenes, and other events to generate revenue and attract crowds. Once their buildings are in place, the traffic, noise, pollution, habitat loss, and loss of property value will be permanent and will likely only increase.
This is a country church:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/sitesv/APaQ0SRYd4gRA1ncrGUmob1Y3rF1LvDnPkWaYTytIbMmxiGx6Fr4E1memv0_6yHr8AoAyfxRxDy7IT5q91laL6ZpRu9Yn1j2QzhZuhh8AcEoEqRRQt8F-wWyy5CuJWPMzo0wMWSJPQoYD3-3Mcc_mZzq3JDKtbP3h5DvazclZOqJp2Rc6F3H7BjSaNt0yHITV7ztl_n42yQV=w1280
This is a megachurch like the one proposed:
https://faithconnector.s3.amazonaws.com/5816/images/library/7265385837_website.jpg
Oh, and look at their calendar. Just wait until they have a couple of huge buildings. Cars will be in and out of that place all day, every day. Nobody builds a facility like that so they can use it once a week!
https://northside-albany.com/events/
Wow, again, Hasso. You have loosened up a little. I don’t see that my sainted, long-departed-from-this-earth mother having commented about buying a chicken from a religious person was too “specific” for you to publish. But, you are the boss. But, thank you for printing the opinions of many people on this mega church proposal and how “church business” works.