By Sarah Brown
Lebanon Local
The Planning Commission approved the development of a 60-unit apartment complex and a 12-lot residential subdivision during its Wednesday, Jan. 19 meeting.
It backed an administrative review and minor land partition for the former at the northeast corner of Airport Road and Russell Drive, then cleared an application for the latter, slated to be constructed north of Walker and east of Stoltz Hill roads.
The multi-family complex, which would occupy a portion of 4.29 mixed-use acres, will be separated into two partitions to allow its developer, Good Well Construction of Salem, to adjust setbacks. It will feature six three-story structures on its eastern border, with 24 one-bedroom, 24 two-bedroom and 12 three-bedroom units, plus 136 parking and 30 bicycle spaces.
Commissioner David McClain asked if it would include Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant parking.
“I’m thinking about the poor folks that have to drive in there, park their car, get in their wheelchair and go 100 yards to get home still,” McClain said. “If it’s raining or it’s cold outside, that could be (a challenge).”
Brian Vandetta, of Lebanon’s Udell Engineering & Land Surveying, LLC, explained that two ADA spots would be available at four of the six buildings, and that additional spaces at the other two would be considered.
Two objections to the development were raised. Kaye Frye cited traffic congestion as a concern in an email to the commission. Meeting attendee Matthew Green said his children went to Riverview Elementary School, where two recent apartment developments had reportedly increased class sizes. He also worried about the effect of growth on the city’s wastewater facility, and traffic congestion on Airport Road.
“If we keep adding densely populated housing,” he said, “we’re going to have to address all these problems sooner rather than later.”
According to Community Development Director Kelly Hart, the area’s traffic count, based on the International Traffic Engineers Manual, equated to 325 possible trips per day. Per the city’s development code, anything more than 300 could trigger a transportation impact analysis if deemed appropriate. However, she continued, three such analyses had recently been conducted and necessary improvements were already underway, at which point no others could be implemented. In addition, the proposed driveways were situated for the safest movement of traffic.
When asked about the capacity of the city’s sewer system, Engineering Services Director Ron Whitlatch replied that currently it was good.
“I think our biggest issue is not necessarily sewer capacity; it’s more of an infiltration and inflow issue that we have,” he said.
Lebanon’s Wastewater Treatment Plant receives 4 million gallons on a normal day but could see up to 18 million with heavy rain, Whitlatch said.
As for the approved residential subdivision, Madelyn Meadows, it will sit upon 1.47 acres of a residential mixed density zone east of Stoltz Hill Road between Walker Road and Wassom Street. It could include detached single-family homes, attached single family homes, and duplexes. According to the proposal, an access road would run from Walker Road through the development to Wassom Street, but bollards would be erected at Wassom to prevent through traffic.
A short discussion between Udell Engineering and the commission revealed that the developer, Good Well Construction, is considering making the access road private. Doing such would widen the road and possibly affect the ability to place duplexes on some of the lots.