Site Plan Approval!

Last night the Lebanon Planning Board voted 6-3 to approve the Final Site Plan application for River Park.  The Final Subdivision Plan application was approved by the Planning Board on October 11, 2011.

This success could not have been achieved without the steadfast support of our neighbors, abutters, and Friends of River Park.  Your commitment to West Lebanon and demand for a transparent approval process prevailed over the forces trying to circumvent the zoning changes approved by the voters on March 9, 2010.

The regulatory process was time consuming and, at times, quite frustrating.  Our entitlement journey involved more than 30 public meetings and yet not a single neighborhood resident spoke in opposition to River Park, an unprecedented achievement.

The actions of the Lebanon Planning Board are subject to a 30 day appeal period.  Lyme must also modify the application materials filed on June 14, 2010 to incorporate the conditions by the Lebanon City Council and Lebanon Planning Board.  This process will take some time, involve the expenditure of additional funds for third party consultants, and it will require the cooperation of municipal staff.

Lyme has started to evaluate the financial impacts of the conditions imposed by the City.  The cost and timing of some of these conditions add additional risk to the project that we have maintained is unsupported by the evidence presented and inconsistent with previous decisions of the Planning Board.  These are serious issues that require thoughtful legal review.

Lyme will continue to inform the Friends of River Park as we move towards perfecting the permits.