Lebanon Planning Commission Approves More Lots, Denies Housing Height Increase

New residential subdivision to feature smaller, more affordable homes, but taller buildings were rejected.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 9:38pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of a single, stylized suburban home repeated in a tight grid pattern, utilizing flat, vibrant neon color palettes and heavy black outlines to transform everyday residential architecture into a modern pop art composition.A pop art-inspired illustration captures the mix of affordable housing and neighborhood character concerns surrounding a new residential development in Lebanon, Oregon.Lebanon Today

The Lebanon Planning Commission approved a 52-lot residential subdivision during its March 18 meeting, but denied a request to increase the maximum building height. The new development will feature smaller, more affordable single-family homes and duplexes, though the commission felt taller two-story homes would undermine the original intent of providing lower-cost housing options.

Why it matters

The decision highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing the need for more affordable housing with concerns from existing residents about neighborhood character and density. As Lebanon grapples with rising home prices, this project aims to create entry-level options, though some locals objected to the proposed building heights.

The details

The commission approved a 52-lot subdivision that will include a mix of small-lot single-family homes and standard residential lots for single-family or duplex development. The new design features a public street extending east from S 5th Street, a private street serving up to 16 units, and a connection to Joy Street. While the subdivision was approved, the commission denied a request to allow taller two-story homes, citing concerns that this would undermine the original goal of providing more affordable housing options.

  • The Lebanon Planning Commission considered the development requests during its March 18, 2026 meeting.
  • In 2024, the commission had previously approved a 35-lot subdivision on the property with larger lot sizes intended for duplex development.

The players

Andrew Rappé

With Udell Engineering, he explained the reason for the increase in number of lots is due to a recent zoning change that now allows for small lot, single detached units.

Blake

A representative of the property owners, who said the average home in the development would be between 800 to 1,600 square feet and mostly two to three bedrooms.

Donna Clark

A nearby resident who expressed concerns about densely packed homes high enough to look like 'a San Francisco kind of view,' and requested trees be planted along the fenceline to help block out lighting.

Don Robertson

The commission chair, who stated concerns about granting the height variance, reminding the commission the reason they approved small lot sizes with a 25 foot height was because 'the intent of the code was to provide affordable housing.'

Shana Olson

The Development Services Director, who told the commission that objections or concerns to the proposed development from residents in the area centered around traffic impact, density and building height, neighborhood character and privacy, parking, sidewalks and fencing.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“They're all small, modest homes is the intent here. Small, modest homes to allow a more average entry level person to come into the market, someone who wants to downsize, wants the backyard but can't afford the $500,000 house. The intent is to provide an alternative for someone in that $300,000 or $400,000 price point to actually own a home and buy a house cheaper than an apartment is in town.”

— Blake, Property owner representative

“The intent of the code was to provide affordable housing. In this development proposal, the two story homes take away the affordability, which was the intent of the code.”

— Don Robertson, Planning Commission Chair

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing the need for more affordable housing options with concerns from existing residents about neighborhood character and density. While the commission approved the overall subdivision, they denied the request to allow taller two-story homes, feeling that would undermine the original intent of providing more entry-level priced homes.