The Lebanon City Council tackled a packed agenda during a work session and City Council meeting on Nov. 13, highlighting updates to city codes, advancing a strategic plan for the city, addressing several community and infrastructure issues, and adopting the $18 City Service Fee.
New City Services Fee
The council finalized plans to implement a City Services Fee to address a general fund deficit. After town hall meetings and public outreach, the fee was approved at $18 per unit, effective Dec. 18, with payments beginning in January 2025. The fee aims to maintain city staffing and services.
Discounts for low-income residents were increased from 10% to 30%, offering relief on utility bills that average $125 per month.
Code Updates and Housing Policies
The council heard updates on a comprehensive review of city codes and policies, focusing on housing and development regulations. A final review of the revised codes is set for March 2025, with adoption anticipated in April 2025.
Key high-priority amendments include:
- Small Lot Single-Unit Development: New standards reduce rear yard setbacks in certain zones from 20 feet to 10 feet and establish a minimum lot size of 2,500 square feet with a 30-foot width. Homes can now have up to 60% lot coverage, with a height limit of 25 feet. The changes allow for larger homes (800-1,200 square feet) while requiring at least two off-street parking spaces per lot.
- Cottage Cluster Standards: Consistent with state rules, these regulations allow for clusters of at least four small homes (maximum 900 square feet each) on a shared lot with a common courtyard. The minimum lot size is 7,000 square feet, with setbacks of 10 feet in the front and rear and five feet on the sides. Each unit must have one off-street parking space.
- Infill Development Standards Removal: The removal aims to simplify development processes.
- Manufactured Home Standards: Updates will align Lebanon’s policies with state rules, ensuring manufactured and prefabricated homes are allowed wherever single family homes are permitted.
Councilors discussed parking standards for small homes and cottage clusters, noting concerns about whether one parking space per unit is sufficient. Mayor Ken Jackola emphasized the city’s lack of mass transit and stated his opposition to reducing parking requirements.
No cottage clusters are currently in development, though the updated codes are expected to encourage proposals.
Strategic Plan Presentation
The city began developing a strategic plan in May 2024 to help “guide policy decisions, the allocation of resources, and the delivery of services over the next five years.” It includes developing strategic goals to support its priorities and changing the city’s mission, vision, and value statements.
City Manager Ron Whitlatch clarified that the Lebanon Strategic Plan “is a document the City of Lebanon will follow to meet goals identified by the City Council and staff.” The contract with SSW Consulting to produce the plan was at a cost of $33,800.
Sara Wilson, of SSW Consulting, presented a draft of the strategic plan to the council, highlighting the city’s new mission, vision, and goals.
Mission: “We provide services that foster a resilient, safe, and growing community, strengthened by our community connections.”
Vision: “We are a thriving community, investing in essential services that support a livable and sustainable future for all.”
Strategic plan goals include transportation and infrastructure improvements, preserving community services, financial sustainability, crime prevention, and enhanced community engagement.
Proposed actions to support infrastructure projects for future growth include, but are not limited to:
- Upgrading the water treatment plant and potentially constructing a pretreatment facility;
- Participating in a regional wetlands reform effort to find a work-around for more buildable land;
- Updating the transportation development plan to evaluate expanded LINX bus services;
- Constructing a pre-treatment facility for the water treatment plant;
- Lobbying for state funding and policy reform. Also, pursuing more grant opportunities.
Concerning financial sustainability and economy, proposed actions include, but are not limited to:
- Examining the possibility of ending the Urban Renewal Area;
- Improving communications to the community about the city’s financial position;
- Exploring the possibility of partnerships and/or special districts for parks, recreation, public safety, library, and senior center;
- Exploring the implementation of an additional service fee to “support city services for higher education organizations;”
- Evaluate using solar power opportunities for revenue;
- Redeveloping the Champion Mill brownfield site;
- Revitalizing the downtown and the Highway 20 zones.
Other proposed actions include, but are not limited to:
- Updating volunteer policies;
- Improving park facilities;
- Securing grants for community programs;
- Increasing emergency management training and community safety programs;
- Reopening the municipal jail;
- Increasing public safety staff;
- Working with nonprofits to bring homeless services to Lebanon.
The city expects City Council to adopt the strategic plan during its Dec. 11 meeting.
Addressing Floodplain Compliance
The council discussed compliance with recent lawsuits against FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program, which requires cities to consider endangered species in floodplain development.
The council opted for a permit-by-permit approach, which places the burden on property owners to demonstrate no net loss of habitat when developing within the 100-year floodplain. City staff recommended this approach as the most feasible option of the three options that FEMA presented as available. The first two options were deemed to be onerous to the city.
Public Comments and Community Updates
Shellie Jackola from the Lebanon Downtown Association reported on recent events, including the downtown Halloween trick-or-treat and 5K race, which drew 2,500 participants. She highlighted the success of these community events as part of broader efforts to boost downtown vitality. Looking ahead, she announced upcoming holiday initiatives, including a window decorating contest, an ugly sweater competition, and an historic downtown walking tour.
Additionally, she emphasized the importance of the Downtown Restoration Grant, funded through lottery dollars, which provides up to $400,000 for restoration projects. Administered by the LDA, the grant allows businesses to apply for funding to enhance and preserve historic buildings. She noted that LDA’s Economic Vitality Committee is also developing a new website to streamline the application process and promote downtown revitalization efforts.
Other Updates
- The council approved annexing three properties in the urban renewal zone;
- Lebanon received a $1 million grant for a Cheadle Lake project, with work set to begin soon;
- A project to relocate the council chambers to the library’s community room is moving forward, including upgrades to audiovisual equipment.
The meeting closed with updates on water quality issues stemming from the Green Peter Dam deep drawdown, which is impacting the city’s water system. City staff reported that NTU (nephelometric turbidity unit) levels in the water – indicating the amount of suspended particles – are approaching unhealthy thresholds. Current projections suggest the drawdown will hit its limit by Nov. 10, at which point staff may need to request a halt if levels exceed 200 NTU for more than 48 hours.
These elevated turbidity levels pose challenges for maintaining water quality and meeting manufacturer specifications for treatment processes, staff said. While the city remains within state-mandated limits, prolonged exposure to high NTU levels could strain the system.
The drawdown is part of a lawsuit invoking the Endangered Species Act to create conditions for the return of Chinook salmon to Willamette Valley rivers. However, the drawdown has caused significant problems for water systems, which are being overwhelmed by sediment. The unprecedented lowering of water levels has led to the flushing out of decades-long sediment, resulting in record levels of soil particulates in the city’s water supply and placing pressure on water treatment equipment. City staff assured the council they are taking all necessary steps to ensure compliance and maintain safe drinking water for residents.
*This article was updated on Nov . 18, 2024, to add a clarification by the city manager and cost for the SSW Consulting project.