Carl Gross

The agenda for the Regular Meeting included several public hearings concerning the complete discontinuance of portions of Foch Avenue and Fellows Hill Road, and the amendment of Ordinance No. 18 regarding the Lebanon Professional and Salaried Employees (LPASE) Wage & Classification Salary Plan. Old business addressed NHMA Legislative Policy Recommendations. New business items included the presentation of the 2nd Quarter Budget Report, discussion of Proposed Bill RSA 294-E (Uniform Electronic Transactions Act), authorization for the City Manager to begin the sale process for a tax-deeded property, and setting a public hearing for a proposed Emergency Ordinance regarding face masks. Appointments were proposed for the Pedestrian and Bicyclist Advisory Committee, Planning Board, Zoning Board of Adjustment, Lebanon Energy Advisory Committee, and Heritage Commission.

The meeting commenced under emergency authorization due to the coronavirus pandemic, allowing electronic meetings without a physical quorum. Key discussion points included updates from the planning office regarding ongoing projects such as those near Mount Support Road and Dartmouth-Hitchcock, highlighting struggles with mandatory bike storage and pedestrian connections in site plans. The subcommittee for development regulation amendments is reviewing changes to incorporate these elements. There was discussion regarding parking reduction allowances for new developments. Updates on the Miracle Mile Crossing RFP indicated it is nearing award and came in under budget. Discussions also covered the progress on the 20 Spencer Street project, demolition of the old DPW facility, and plans for redoing Spencer Street infrastructure. Police reports indicated a discrepancy in crash data involving pedestrians and bicyclists, which is being investigated, and data analysis showed that a significant percentage of crashes occur in parking lots or crosswalks, and more crashes occur at night. Progress on the River Greenway project includes developing a survey to gather data on safety and access concerns.

Key discussion topics included the number of employment vacancies at DHMC, though information had not yet been received from the HR Department. The commission agreed to review the RVCC Feasibility Study at the subsequent meeting. Strategies for addressing the impacts of COVID-19 on the local economy were discussed, leading to an action item for the City Manager and the Executive Director of the Upper Valley Business Alliance to issue a joint letter to businesses regarding available assistance. A summary of next steps for the further development of West Lebanon was also presented.

The meeting focused on several discussion items concerning homelessness in Lebanon. Key topics included the status update on the Needs Assessment for encampment residents, reporting progress on placing identified individuals into housing, and considering alternative emergency shelter arrangements. Discussions also covered addressing tents set up near the encampment, discouraging panhandling activities, and investigating the viability of establishing a dedicated fund for donations to support homeless services. Furthermore, the taskforce reviewed liability issues related to the encampment, specifically discussing the original ordinance and a legal opinion. Suggestions included adding language for a warning as a first offense for illegal camping and drafting a fact sheet about human services groups. The group plans to present a final report with recommendations to the City Council by their October 5, 2016 meeting.

The meeting addressed procedural matters for conducting a virtual meeting due to the coronavirus pandemic, including guidelines for remote participation and technical support. A key agenda item was a public hearing for a property at 237 Hanover Street, involving an application for a special exception to change a non-conforming use from vehicular repair to storage and recycling facility for Nordic Waste Services. The applicant presented details regarding operations, vehicle usage, hours, and assured the board that hazardous waste would not be handled and that indoor sorting would mitigate noise and rodent concerns. The board discussed procedural matters regarding which members should vote on continued hearings, including a member recusing themselves due to a conflict of interest. A general recommendation was made to continue all public hearings until a subsequent meeting on April 20th to allow for additional public input, especially for those facing technical difficulties.