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Council tables downtown pedestrian-alley ordinance after business owners and Heart of Lebanon clash over dumpsters and access
Summary
On second reading the council debated Ordinance 20 25-10 to designate three downtown alleys as pedestrian walkways. After extended public comment from business owners and Heart of Lebanon, the council voted to table the ordinance and asked staff to draft revisions that seek compromise on loading and dumpster placement.
Lebanon City Council held a lengthy public discussion April 14 about a proposed ordinance to designate three alleys adjacent to the downtown square as pedestrian walkways and to limit traditional alley uses such as long-term dumpster storage and unregulated loading. Rather than adopt the ordinance on second reading, the council voted to table it and requested staff return with proposed revisions.
Kevin (city staff) and city attorney/staff read Ordinance 20 25-10, which would add specific downtown alleys into the municipal code as pedestrian-only alleyways and allow the Board of Public Works and Safety to authorize limited concessions such as refuse storage under defined conditions. Staff said the intent is to protect investments in alley activation projects and pedestrian safety, citing the 2016 downtown action plan and more recent Alley Oop public improvements.
During public comment, several downtown business owners and commercial property owners urged the council to adopt a more flexible approach. Abby Sampson, who owns 117 and 119 North Meridian and operates a craft/retail and wholesale business, said her operations rely on daily deliveries and occasional 26-foot trailers for shows and events; she and her husband said dumpster and loading access in the alley have been historic and necessary. Sampson proposed a compromise: a pedestrian zone at the front half of the alley with bollards while allowing the rear half to be used for loading and dumpsters.
Corey Coutts, president of Heart of Lebanon (a downtown business association), urged council to keep the ordinance intact and protect the public investment made in Alley Oop and other activation projects. Coutts showed photos of other cities' alley activations to illustrate the goal of creating a continuous pedestrian-friendly space.
Key points raised in the hearing: - Property-rights and practical access: Several speakers said existing dumpster locations are on private property or have long-standing use patterns and that moving them is infeasible due to meter clearances, insurance and building constraints. Abby Sampson cited the National Electrical Code clearance requirement around meter bases (NEC 110.26) and said city or insurance constraints forced previous relocations. - Loading duration vs. code: Staff cited an existing code provision (10-minute maximum for loading/unloading in alley) but businesses said modern deliveries (e.g., trailer loading) often take substantially longer. - Historic use and investment: Sampson and others said private investments in buildings and decades-long usage patterns should be considered alongside public alley activation.
After more than an hour of public comment and council discussion, a councilmember moved and a second was made to table Ordinance 20 25-10 and direct staff to draft revisions that reflect possible compromises; the motion carried. The council asked staff (Kevin) to return with draft options and asked council members to provide suggested language and concepts to guide the revision.
The ordinance had been intended to extend pedestrian protections to three alleys (north, south and east) around the downtown square and to codify the Board of Public Works and Safety's role in approving exceptions. Council members said they want to protect the downtown's pedestrian environment but also seek a workable solution for long-standing businesses that rely on alley access for deliveries and refuse handling.
Council asked staff to draft alternatives that could include design solutions (bollards, screened dumpster locations, defined loading zones), explicit permit conditions for dumpster placement, and operational rules such as time-limited loading that reflect current business realities. Staff noted any temporary closures or permits currently fall under the board of works, and the draft ordinance would clarify that authority rather than eliminate it.
The council did not adopt Ordinance 20 25-10 on April 14; it was tabled and will return for further consideration with revisions.
