Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lebanon panel approves conditional-use permit for gas station at former Walgreens site
Summary
The Lebanon Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve CU-25-02, allowing Con Development LLC to add a gas canopy and pumps to the former Walgreens building on South Main Street (US 20); staff said a transportation study found no off-site mitigations were required and recommended two standard conditions: fire marshal review and an engineering site plan.
The Lebanon Planning Commission voted unanimously to approve a conditional-use permit (CU-25-02) that will allow Con Development LLC to install a gas canopy and fuel pumps at the former Walgreens site on South Main Street (US 20).
City planner Dan Fleishman, representing the Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments staff retained to provide interim services, told the commission the project's transportation impact analysis (TIA) "found that all of the study intersections are forecast to meet both the city's and ODOT's operating standards during weekday peak hours, both AM and PM." Fleishman said the report identified no required mitigations and that staff recommended approval with two conditions: plans routed to the fire marshal to demonstrate compliance with state fire code and local Lebanon Fire District standards, and submission of an engineering site plan for city engineering review.
The applicant, Laura Larocque of Pathfinder and Land Use Consulting, said the proposal would retain retail uses in the existing building while adding the fuel islands to the front of the lot. Larocque said the project replaces a few parking stalls where pumps are sited, adds other on-site spaces and, "we actually exceed the minimum standard for parking." She also said the fire department conducted a pre-application review and "didn't identify anything at that time."
A commissioner asked whether planned capacity improvements called out in the city's Transportation System Plan (TSP) — such as a potential signal or roundabout near the Carl's Jr. and Walmart intersection — would be triggered by this proposal. Fleishman said the TSP lists that future project and staff continually monitor development that might trigger it, but the gas station application itself did not trigger those improvements.
After public testimony — during which no members of the public spoke in favor or opposition — an unidentified commissioner moved to approve CU-25-02 "to establish a gas filling station" and Omar Akhan, identified in the record as the owner/developer, seconded the motion. The chair called for the vote and the motion "carried unanimously." The roll call at the start of the meeting showed five commissioners present, and the motion passed with consensus.
The approval is conditioned on the two staff-recommended submittals; commissioners did not add other conditions. The commission then moved to other business, including a departmental staffing update noting that Shanna Olsen is the new community development director and that interim support from the Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments will continue while staff reorganization proceeds.
The commission adjourned after a brief discussion of possible training sessions.
