During the City of Lebanon’s City Council meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 12, the council considered a question concerning surplus property and heard a complaint about a generator allegedly keeping residents awake at night.
Lebanon resident Brian Bradburn asked the City Council for help because he is having trouble sleeping on nights when a generator-run truck is parked and running near his street.
According to Bradburn, who lives on W D Street off of 12th Street, a truck driver parks and leaves the generator to his refrigerated rig running all night long along 12th Street approximately once a month.
The city allows semi-trucks to park along a stretch of 12th Street between W Oak and F streets which, Bradburn said, is not a big deal. It’s this particular kind of truck that is at issue.
“A refrigerated truck generator makes quite a bit of noise,” he said. “It actually can create a hum inside of a house; it kind of reverbs off the walls.”
It appears the truck owner lives somewhere in the neighborhood, as he regularly makes stops on the street and does not sleep inside the rig, Bradburn said.
While the generator does not violate city noise ordinances, Bradburn believes there’s something different about this type of noise pollution.
“It’s not really a decibel issue, it is a frequency issue that causes the walls to basically hum inside the house,” he said.
Bradburn provided the city with a record of his history attempting to resolve the issue with the trucking company. According to Bradburn, the truck driver claims to have permission from the city to park his generator-run truck on the street, and Bradburn will be held liable if he turns the generator off (thus destroying any contents inside).
Councilor Dominic Conti said he went inside one of the neighborhood houses while the generator was being run and was struck by how “bizarre” it was that he could feel the noise coming through the house.
Police Chief Frank Stevenson said he recalled his department dealt with a similar issue some time ago, but he would have to look into the records to remember if any resolutions came about concerning it.
Councilor David McClain said he would be okay with an ordinance prohibiting motors or generators running within city limits all night, and Mayor Ken Jackola said the city would look into any options that may help with the situation.
City Attorney Tré Kennedy provided a proposal for staff to review based on other municipalities who hold noise ordinances concerning refrigerated trucks. He noted that industry recommendations are to never have those parked the vicinity of a residential neighborhood.
City surplus
City Manager Ron Whitlatch sought the council’s consensus on whether he should pursue further investigation and costs for declaring some city-owned properties along the east side of South Santiam River as surplus.
Staff have been reviewing all city-owned properties to determine which of them are currently being used, may likely be used later, or are no longer necessary for municipal needs. During this review, they found properties along the river that might be eligible for declaration of surplus, but council consensus was sought before further resources were spent on the matter.
The city is considering moving lot lines in order to make city-owned property on the east side of South Santiam River – roughly from River Park to the south and the wastewater treatment plant to the north – into one or more separate tax lots that could be declared surplus and sold.
With it mostly consisting of wetlands and riparian habitat, the only use it could serve the city is as parks, but the city has received calls in the past from people interested in buying the property, Whitlatch said.
The council unanimously agreed staff could continue pursuing the work.
In other business, the council:
- Approved a 284-lot subdivision proposal off Stoltz Hill Road after the Planning Commission determined to find the application acceptable. Councilors said the subdivision fits with the city’s housing production strategy and they are happy to see development of houses rather than apartments.
- Awarded Udell Engineering a $418,160 engineering services contract to complete roadway and utility design for street and traffic improvements being made at the aforementioned subdivision development, which includes extension of 12th Street, Airway Road and Walker Road, as well as a traffic signal at Airport Road and 12th Street. The project includes dead-ending Stoltz Hill Road as Wassom Street, making the extended 12th Street the tie-in to southbound Stoltz Hill Road. Funding for this project will be primarily allocated from the Transportation SDC Fund, and a minor portion of the costs will be funded by the Water and Wastewater Utility Funds to accommodate necessary utility extensions associated with the project.
- Approved additional work for the city’s street and utility project currently underway on Grant Street in downtown Lebanon, as the contractor’s bid allowed extra funding to add in curb, gutter, sidewalk and driveway replacements to the project.
- Approved changes to service fees and charges, mainly for public records.
Work session
During a work session prior to the City Council’s regular meeting, the council heard an update on the city’s strategic plan – which includes City Council priorities, strategic goals, key projects and more – and legislative priorities.
Concerning the 2025-2029 Strategic Plan, Whitlach provided the following updates:
- Wastewater treatment plant upgrade – design is underway, city applied for loan funding
- Reopening the municipal jail – the city is prepared to place an operations levy on the November ballot
- Service fee on tax-emempt education organizations – staff is considering ideas
- Champion Mill redevelopment – multiple studies underway
- Funding for library expansion – applying for a grant
- Revitalize downtown – staff is considering ideas, including code changes
- Develop a succession plan – formalizing a plan and process
- Advocacy for state funding and policy reform – monitoring proposed legislation
- Solar projects for the city – on hold due to funding
- Linx expansion – on hold due to funding
- Infrastructure master plan – will be online with new OpenGov system in a year or so
- Facility use and fees – needs staff discussion
- Financial communication – now online for financial transparency
- Parks, recreation, library and senior center partnerships/district formation – not currently feasible
- Hwy. 20 commercial corridor revitalization – not yet started
- Increase business visitations – will reevaluate strategies for improvements
- Employee training and development – regular training and development now available
- Business continuity planning – not yet started
Whitlach also reported the many city projects that are currently placing a high demand on city staff. They are: reopening the municipal jail, upgrades at the wastewater treatment plant, expanding the children’s library room, the Champion Mill brownfield revitalization project, water line replacements and infrastructure improvements, software and asset management operations upgrades, preparation for the 2027 legislative session, upgrades at the senior center, and updates to SDC schedules.
Sean Tate, of Tate Public Affairs, highlighted five priorities he believes the City of Lebanon should ask the Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments (OCWCOG) to pursue during the next legislative session. Member municipalities of the OCWCOG vote on which items they want the organization to advocate for in state government proceedings.
Of the 27 choices up for vote, Tate recommended Lebanon ask OCWCOG to support infrastructure funding, the 2027 transportation package, the Administrative Procedures Act Reform, full funding and streamlining for housing production, and land availability and land use streamlining.
“Those five I think best represent our best chance to influence things, in a roundabout way,” Tate said.
Councilors will review the list before finalizing their vote.