Lebanon — The City Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to schedule a public hearing for several zoning amendments, some of which could be headed to the ballot in March.

Regulations that would govern “contractor yards” in residential communities, expand the use of alternative energy and change subdivision rules will be presented at a Jan. 18 hearing, where councilors can vote to adopt some measures and put others on the ballot.

One of the most discussed changes would allow contractor yards in Lebanon’s residential zones.

Under the proposed rules, homes with at least an acre of land would be able to apply for a special exception to use their property to store material and equipment.

“We know that there are lots of people around the city that probably qualify as (having) contractor yards,” said City Planning Director David Brooks in a phone interview on Wednesday.

Although many of those contractors generate few complaints, he said, a new set of rules would allow more oversight. The proposal forbids the yards from generating smoke, noise, odors or heat that could disrupt neighbors.

Contractors also would be prohibited from using on-street parking and the rules would limit the number of material deliveries to twice a week.

The regulation aims to allow businesses “to continue to operate and not materially impact the residential neighborhood,” Brooks said.

Although city staff have discussed the rules for some time, Brooks said, contractor yards have been an issue recently.

Last summer, Terry Melendy appealed the city’s decision that he was operating a contractor yard on his property at 198 Slayton Hill Road.

He said equipment — including a truck, small excavator and trailer — parked in his driveway were for his own use at the property, according to the Zoning Board’s Aug. 15 meeting minutes. But the board voted to deny his appeal, in part because Melendy ran a lawn service out of the home in violation of city regulations.

Another zoning change would expand “renewable energy systems” sites in Lebanon, so that solar and bio-gas installations would be allowed in more areas.

“The master plan speaks heavily to encouraging and facilitating additional renewable energy sources in the city,” Brooks said in the phone interview.

Current regulations only allow solar installations as an accessory use, meaning homes with panels can technically only generate as much electricity to power that house. Under the new rules, larger energy projects will be allowed and whole communities will be able to pool under a shared installation or power project.

“This really unlocks just a tremendous amount of potential for essentially off-site or community solar systems, and no longer ties it to an individual building,” City Councilor Timothy McNamara said on Wednesday.

The proposed zoning amendments also consolidate city rules on subdivisions.

In the future, projects will require a detailed design review process that ensures “that each (subdivision) retains the highest quality natural features as their open space as opposed to just drawing lines on a plan regardless of what the natural features are on the ground,” Tim Corwin, the city zoning administrator, said at Wednesday’s meeting.

The regulations also would do away with “cluster subdivisions,” which would be replaced with PURDs, or a planned unit residential development.

Currently, cluster subdivisions can only include one-, two- and multi-family homes, while PURDs allow developments to allocate mixed-use space including convenience stores, drug stores, barber shops, tailors and laundromats.

The new rules would keep many of the old rules’ characteristics, but also require “any major subdivision” of four lots or more to apply for this status in certain zoning districts.

The City Council intends to vote on partial regulations related to the subdivision and renewable energy changes, while other rule changes and the measure on contractor yards require a ballot vote in March.

Council members also expressed support on Wednesday for some minor proposed amendments, which largely clarify language and update the zoning ordinance to match state law.

A public hearing on the amendments is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Jan. 18 at City Hall.

Tim Camerato can be reached at tcamerato@vnews.com or 603-727-3223.