Zoning Ordinance and Map

Last Content Update:

Zoning Ordinance Information

This Ordinance is enacted to promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the community; for the purposes listed in RSA 674:6; for the purposes stated in the City of Lebanon Master Plan; for the specific purposes stated for each zoning district or section herein, and for any and all purposes for which land-use regulations may be validly enacted under New Hampshire law.

For more information, please contact the Planning & Development Director, at 603-448-1524 or by email at planning@lebanonnh.gov 

Zoning Ordinance Documents

Proposed Amendments for 2023

View answers to frequently asked questions about the proposed zoning amendments appearing on the March 14, 2023 ballot. 

About the Proposed Zoning Amendments

On January 18, 2023, the City Council adopted amendments to the Zoning Ordinance to, among other things: 

  • Add “equipment and machinery sales, rental and service” as a permitted use in the IND-L District; 
  • Allow certain properties with non-conforming freestanding signs to have a second, conforming freestanding sign; 
  • Amend the density bonus regulations for certain planned developments; 
  • Require electric vehicle charging infrastructure for certain-sized developments; and 
  • Allow group day care facilities by right in certain non-residential zoning districts. 

The Council also approved the placement of the following four proposed zoning amendments on the March 2023 ballot for approval by the voters:

  • Allow Cottage Developments on certain sized properties in the R-1, R-2, R-3, R-O, and R-O-1 Districts; 
  • Amend the regulations for manufactured housing; 
  • Amend the RL-3 District Table of Uses to change “accessory use to any one-family dwelling” from a use allowed by Special Exception to a permitted use; and 
  • Allow an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) for an owner-occupied two-family dwelling.

The amendments were originally presented to the City Council on October 5, 2022, and were subsequently reviewed by the City's legal counsel and by the City's land use board including the Planning Board on November 21, 2022 and December 19, 2022, the Zoning Board of Adjustment on November 22, 2022, and the Conservation Commission on December 8, 2022. Staff also hosted public information sessions to explain the proposed amendments, hear feedback, and answer questions. The first session was held on November 15, 2022 at the Lebanon Library and the second was held on December 20, 2022 at City Hall. Revisions to the draft zoning amendments were prepared by staff following the public review process and were presented to the City Council meeting on January 4, 2023, for review and discussion. 

A public information session was held at Kilton Library at 6:00pm on Wednesday, March 8, 2023 to review, discuss, and answer questions relating to the amendments appearing on the March ballot.

Zoning Amendments Review Schedule

  • November 15, 2022 - Public informational Meeting 1 (watch the meeting recording)
  • November 21, 2022 - Planning Board (view agenda)
  • November 22, 2022 - Zoning Board (view agenda)
  • December 8, 2022  - Conservation Commission (view agenda)
  • December 19, 2022 - Planning Board
  • December 20, 2022 - Public Informational Meeting 2 (view details)
  • January 4, 2023 - City Council (view agenda)
  • January 18, 2023 - City Council (view agenda)
  • March 8, 2023 - Public Informational Meeting 3 (listen to the meeting recording)
  • March 14, 2023 - Vote on ballot amendments. Voter approval for amendments impacts residential uses and dimensional regulations.

For more information on the 2023 Proposed Amendments, please review our Informational Meeting newsflash. For questions, please contact the Planning and Development Department at 603-448-1524 or via e-mail at planning@lebanonnh.gov.

Watch the Tuesday, November 15, 2022 Zoning Ordinance informational meeting held at the Lebanon Public Library.