Permit denied for Tenino area event center as owner says he will appeal decision

By Rolf Boone / The Olympian
Posted 1/20/25

Hillside Farms, a Tenino area event center that residents have opposed because of noise and other factors, has hit another roadblock after its special use permit was denied by the Thurston County …

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Permit denied for Tenino area event center as owner says he will appeal decision

Posted

Hillside Farms, a Tenino area event center that residents have opposed because of noise and other factors, has hit another roadblock after its special use permit was denied by the Thurston County Hearings Examiner.

Owner Paul Wendler, in brief comments to The Olympian, said he is planning to speak to an attorney and appeal the ruling. The decision was issued Jan. 8; the hearing took place in December.

The special use permit application was submitted to the county in late 2023, seeking permission to host weddings, birthdays and other events, plus operate a farm store, which would sell products made of lavender grown on the property.

The event center at 1120 143rd Ave. SE appears to have developed in fits and starts over time, according to a county snapshot of its history.

"An agricultural building, identified in the materials as the barn or hall, was originally constructed with permits in approximately 2017 and subsequently converted to use as an event center," the county information reads.

"Although a special use permit application was submitted in late 2017, the applicant allowed it to lapse while waiting for a forest land conversion building moratorium to expire. The applicant applied for a commercial building permit in May 2018, and the permit was issued in August 2020; however, the county has not yet issued final inspection approval for the commercial building because the SUP (special use permit) has not been issued," the information reads.

"Events have been held in the building without final building permit approval in the intervening years. The applicant submitted the SUP application currently under review on December 29, 2023, and has continued to operate the event center during the pendency of the application."

Given Hillside Farms' somewhat checkered history, one might ask: How did we even get to this point? That wasn't entirely clear. A county official could not immediately be reached.

Also in those intervening years, residents have brought their concerns to the Board of Thurston County Commissioners and testified in public about them. Many, too, submitted written comments that are part of the Hearings Examiner project record.

One close observer is resident Sherry Hill, who frequently has updated county officials about the activities at Hillside Farms.

"The wedding on June 8 was loud, with announcements and music outside, plus either shooting or firecrackers," she wrote in one email.



Resident Jennifer Bourke said in another email that the noise has been unbearable.

"The noise at my residence is overwhelming at times," she wrote. "I suffer from anxiety disorder which is exacerbated by loud noises and there are times when my anxiety is unbearable due to the noise. I've had to leave my home and find somewhere to go for several hours at a time that is quieter and more peaceful. One night I even stayed in a hotel."

Owner Wendler also responded to comments in writing, taking issue in one instance with being described as confrontational.

"The few times I did speak with them (neighbors) prior to construction, they were cordial encounters," he wrote. "Please provide police reports, dates or any kind of proof showing confrontations. The only aggressive behavior comes from the group of neighbors portraying themselves as victims that drive by my property with their phones sticking out taking pictures or giving vulgar hand gestures."

Despite the concerns raised by residents and the owner, Hearings Examiner Sharon Rice found fault in other areas of the application, including with the underlying zoning.

"The proposed use is not consistent with the intent of the RRR (rural residential resource) 1/5 zone," she wrote. "The first stated purpose of the RRR 1/5 zone is to encourage residential development. The second stated purpose is to provide opportunities for compatible rural land uses. Based on the impacts to the surrounding residential neighborhood to date, the proposed use — at the frequency and intensity proposed — has and would continue to detract from, and would be incompatible with, encouraged residential land uses."

Wendler has a choice of two appeal routes, although he might be running out of time to file a request for reconsideration because it must be filed within 10 days of the hearing examiner's written decision.

The other option is to appeal the decision to the county commissioners within 14 days of the decision.

Wendler defended his operation.

"In conclusion, I've combed through their (neighbor's) statements to find anything that pertained to the code for the SUP we're applying for," he wrote. "I couldn't find anything other than their repeated statements about our event numbers. Again, this is the reason we are going through the SUP process to be in compliance with Thurston County regarding event numbers along with construction of a farm store to sell our lavender and farm products."