Residents from the Villages of Hunters Point urged the Lebanon City Council during the meeting’s citizen-comments period to intervene after a developer-controlled homeowners association limited parking access and has delayed turning the HOA over to residents.
Ben Depeli, a Hunters Point resident, told the council that the development’s managing board, which residents identified as Doctor Horton with Gertner and Company involved, is “refusing to turn the neighborhood over to an HOA” and had “threatened to tow people's vehicles.”
The dispute has led to parking citations, lost access to shared clubhouse and mailbox parking, and “stress” in the neighborhood, Tim Lance, an advisory-committee member, said. He asked the council what it had discussed with the developer and asked for the city’s help to secure auxiliary parking and a clear turnover timeline.
Why it matters: residents said blocked parking is affecting daily life — from hosting visiting family to seasonal events — and that the developer is using two remaining houses as evidence the subdivision is incomplete, a claim residents dispute.
City staff response and next steps: Kristen (city planning staff) told the council the subdivision “met their requirements that were in place at the time of construction,” and said the city has limited options without cooperation from the developer. Kristen said residents can widen private driveways between the house and sidewalk without city permission but that widening between the sidewalk and the road requires a variance from VZA. She and councilors said they have contacted Doctor Horton and Gertner and are trying to set a meeting.
Councilor Joey Carmack said staff had identified two lots that might serve as overflow parking and said meetings with Horton and Gertner were being scheduled; Kristen said she had offered times and hoped a meeting would be set for that week.
Planning timeline and public process: Josh (planning staff) told the council that the Walker Estates site-plan approval had been deferred by the planning commission for two months and that the item will return to the planning commission on Oct. 28 at 5 p.m. in this same council chamber; councilors encouraged Hunters Point residents to attend that planning meeting to register concerns.
Distinguishing discussion from action: the public comments and staff remarks were discussions and requests for direction; the council did not adopt new regulations at this meeting. The clear direction from staff was to continue outreach and to schedule an in-person meeting with Doctor Horton and Gertner; no formal motion or vote on changes to zoning or parking rules was taken by the council during this meeting.
Residents gave specific requests and clarifications: speakers said they had paid for a turnover study the developer would not share, claimed the developer repeatedly delayed turnover by “about nine months,” and asked the city to use any leverage it may have when considering future project approvals.
What to watch: staff's meeting with the developer and whether the planning commission's Oct. 28 session on Walker Estates leads to additional conditions or a deferral. The council encouraged residents to attend that Oct. 28 planning commission meeting and said staff would be available after the meeting to answer follow-up questions.