Council approves new driveway on Route 66 for Life Church with restricted gate to limit access

The Yukon City Council approved a request from Wallace Design on behalf of Life Church for an additional driveway off Route 66 at 1101 East Main Street, contingent on a recorded memorandum and a gated restriction limiting use to church service times and approved events.

Engineer Patrick Goldendorf of Wallace Design told council the proposed deceleration lane is 120 feet long and meets or exceeds ODOT and city standards based on traffic data the firm gathered. The council and staff raised concerns about the curb cut’s proximity to a nearby intersection and the length of the deceleration lane; council members sought assurances the design would not interfere with future ODOT plans for turn-lane improvements at Yukon Parkway and Route 66.

In public comment and during council discussion, members of the council and residents urged safeguards to prevent the new curb cut from being used as a general traffic cut-through. Council Member Shelley Selby moved to approve the driveway on condition that Life Church install an architected gate or other physical restriction and record a memorandum acceptable to the city attorney limiting access to service times (Sundays, Wednesday evenings and Saturday evenings as needed) and requiring the gate to be closed at other times. Life Church representatives confirmed the church would consider a chain/gate that is staff‑operated during service times.

The motion passed on a recorded vote with Vice Mayor Jeff Wooten voting no and other members voting in favor. The council asked the city attorney to draft the memorandum of agreement to be recorded with the property and asked staff to confirm how the curb cut interacts with ODOT’s long-term plans for the corridor.