McDonald's has pulled the plug on its bid to build a drive-thru in Dundee after a quick but fierce burst of neighborhood resistance, leaving a prominent stretch of Highway 99W without a committed national fast-food tenant and reopening the debate over how the town wants to grow.
Dundee City Administrator Courtney Patterson said in a city release that the company had withdrawn its land use application, according to KOIN. Patterson noted that if McDonald's decides to try again, any resubmittal would be treated as a brand new application and the review would start from scratch.
The proposal focused on a 1.07-acre lot at 225 SE OR 99W, and the city sent nearby property owners a formal notice giving them until March 31 to comment under a Type II administrative review, Newsberg reports. The site, previously home to Dundee Garden Art, was shown in early plans as a drive-thru restaurant with a single stacking lane and a laid-out parking area.
Opposition focused on traffic, safety and noise
Letters from opponents and neighboring residents warned that a McDonald's would clog traffic, endanger pedestrians and create a nuisance from cars and drive-thru speaker noise, according to an opposition letter cited by KOIN. Many locals also argued that a national drive-thru chain would clash with Dundee's character and the kind of wine country experience visitors expect.
Small businesses and wineries pushed back
Local business owners, including Red Hills Market co-owner Michelle Kropf, and the Dundee Hills Winegrowers Association came out against the project, and a petition circulated through downtown shops, Newsberg reports. Kropf told the outlet that the withdrawal “speaks to the heart of Dundee,” saying residents have long worked to build a specific tourism-focused identity for the town.
Planning rules and what comes next
Drive-thrus in Dundee are regulated by the city development code, which calls for lanes to be placed away from the street where possible, sets minimum vehicle stacking requirements, mandates a 15-foot setback from the roadway right of way, and requires additional landscaping and screening, according to the Dundee municipal code. An administrative decision by a city planner can be appealed locally and then to the state Land Use Board of Appeals, which reviews land use rulings for legal mistakes.
For now, the lot remains vacant, and city leaders say the flap highlights how local zoning rules and public feedback can shape the look and feel of a small town. Officials have indicated that any future attempt by McDonald's to build on the site would go through the same regulatory process and likely draw the same close watch from neighbors.
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