Jeb Bladine: A time for public opinion on housing projects
Complex issues drive the development of McMinnville.
Housing is one prominent topic these days, with complexities that extend to housing types and locations, traffic flow and safety, downtown parking and business vitality, and future city financial conditions.
McMinnville has moved vigorously in recent years into facilitation of subsidized housing opportunities. Two such opportunities — the so-called RB Rubber and Methodist Church projects — have drawn high public interest, but people often hesitate to offer public resistance to projects touting “affordable housing.”
Ultimately, it will be public testimony — not newspaper columns — that shape McMinnville’s development. But we can provide some factors to consider along the way.
McMinnville’s state-mandated analysis showed the need for 4,657 new housing units between 2021 and 2042, an average of about 222 per year. That analysis was based on anticipated population growth from 36,238 people in 2021 to 47,498 people in 2041.
Sidebar: My population source says McMinnville’s population of 34,352 in July 2021 grew to 34,647 in July 2025. The city estimates extended into urban growth boundaries outside city limits, but still, the population growth rate appears well below anticipated levels.
In any event, after the city determined that half or more of housing needs should serve low-income people, we green-lighted project after project of “affordable housing.” That now includes the controversial RB Rubber and Methodist Church plans.
Here’s another interesting sidebar: In 2021-22, McMinnville issued 144 permits for new residential 1 & 2 family dwellings. The number of single/double family permits dropped to 111 in 2022-23, to 83 in 2023-24, to 25 in 2024-25, and just 19 in the first 11 months of 2025-26.
Subsidized housing projects, it is worth mentioning, often entail elimination or huge reductions in development fees and future property taxes that otherwise would come to the city. One can only guess what that means for city capacity to finance all the services that will be required to service the total population.
However, it’s not all about money. In one of the most interesting development news stories of the year, McMinnville now has approved — without appeal — the demolition of a high-profile historic building along Second Street. The appeal to a Planning Commission public hearing, tentatively set for July 16, relates only to the size, design, occupancy, parking capacity and other aspects of the proposed replacement structure.
One last sidebar: Almost simultaneous with initial approval of the 72-unit apartment complex on Second Street, the city announced approval of negotiations to place between 150 and 171 units of subsidized housing in the Alpine district adjacent to downtown.
Statements from the Methodist Church project appeal: City findings “do not sufficiently explain how the overall scale, massing, and visual impact of the project support the city’s stated goals of preserving and enhancing downtown’s historic character and unique sense of place.” Also, “The issue is whether the findings adequately evaluate the impacts of eliminating a parking resource that has historically served … downtown businesses, employees, visitors, church attendees, and residents.”
The upcoming public hearing is an opportunity for citizens to respond.
Jeb Bladine can be reached at 503-687-1223 or jbladine@newsregister.com.
Comments
Otis
Even if the 2nd street apartments were made to look like a 1920's style building, there would still be an appeal.
It never was about the architecture.