Lebanon council debates Chamber Street closure after Looking Glass Playhouse warns of lost parking

At the Feb. 11 meeting of the Lebanon City Council, Mike Russell of the Looking Glass Playhouse urged the council not to allow the closure of the brick street for the car cruise on May 9, saying the closure would limit parking for theater patrons and at times block handicap entrances.

"We need places to park," Russell told the council, describing the theaters regular season and fundraisers and estimating combined weekend attendance could exceed 1,800 people for some events. He said closures have previously affected patrons and that the playhouse sometimes has had to ask car show patrons to move vehicles that blocked handicap access.

Council members discussed multiple possible accommodations, including allowing diagonal parking on adjacent streets, designating the Old City Hall parking lot as overflow for the theater, scheduling changes and operational measures (cones and volunteer attendants) to keep spaces clear. Several council members noted the city lacks enough parking to satisfy all events simultaneously and that the Chamber of Commerce and event organizers should work together to avoid conflicts.

Council agreed to move most closure dates forward but referred the May 9 closure request back to committee for more study and to seek a compromise between the Chamber and the theater. A council member suggested designating Old City Hall lot for theater overflow or adjusting hours to reduce conflicts; others suggested early cone placement and closer coordination among event organizers.

The decision leaves other requested closure dates on the schedule while asking staff and the Chamber to explore solutions for the May 9 conflict.