LOCK HAVEN — The Lock Haven City Council continues to discuss its next steps regarding the process for businesses or individuals to request the closure of city-owned streets.

After a lengthy discussion and ultimately rejecting a request from The Old Corner to close a portion of Grove Street on Fridays and Saturdays from Memorial Day to Labor Day in 2025, the council asked city staff to will provide potential guidelines for future street closures. The Council also intended to discuss a possible deadline for applications.

During this week’s council meeting, Community Living Director Kasey Dumm offered the council examples of policies to consider using as a basis for creating their own. Those policies came from municipalities similar to Lock Haven, such as Selinsgrove, Bloomsburg and Millvale.

Also with the policy examples were suggestions from Dumm on how the council could move forward.

“This is simply a suggestion to give you a starting point,” he said.

Among the recommendations is maintaining the current policy regarding the timeline for applications: up to 60 days before an event for a city-owned street and 90 days for any application involving a state highway. An additional 30 days are needed for state highways to ensure PennDOT also approves a closure.

The suggestions made by Dumm, also in line with previous policy, would require the council to consider the application in two separate meetings to allow for public comment; allow a business or organization to close a street only a specified number of times per calendar year to be determined by the council; and, because closure is a potential revenue generator for a business, implement a fee to be charged in an amount to be determined by council.

Several council members, including Heather Alexander, Tami Brannan and Barbara Masorti, noted they appreciated the makeup of Millvale’s politics.

Alexander specifically noted that Millvale policy requires the applicant to receive written approval from residential neighbors in the area. Approval from eighty percent of area residents must be presented to Millvale government during the application process.

Brannan also offered positive comments about Millvale’s politics.

“Overall, I really enjoy Millvale (politics). It is the most complete of the three. They have limitations, it seemed fair to me,” Brannan said. “No street will be closed for more than one day in a 30-day period. So it’s not just a business, it’s that street. “Once every 30 days.”

Councilman Jeff Brinker said he liked the engagement with residents, particularly after a number of comments from residents at previous meetings about Old Corner’s requested closures.

Masorti said the policy opens the door to treating street closures separately from other requests for use of city property and public spaces.

“I think it also opens the door to say that if we close the street for a block party, or whatever, more than one business could be involved,” Masorti said. “Millvale’s is the most complete of the applications. I think it’s good to change the idea to a neighborhood party.”

Councilman Steve Stevenson questioned whether it was the right time to create a policy.

“They all have some good things and some bad things that we might use at one time or another,” he said of the example policies. “But I thought we were going to talk about a date to request events.”

Stevenson said he didn’t necessarily agree with creating a separate policy for street closures.

“I would wait until someone applied and then, if they wanted, I would discuss that and decide,” he said.

Stevenson expressed concern about companies monopolizing who can do what.

“We don’t tell them what to put on their menu as a special meal. “We don’t regulate these things and I don’t think we should,” he said. “WE approve closing the block or not and they have the rules to follow for what that match or event can be.”

Stevenson said he wants to make sure the city encourages competition among its businesses.

“If two places want something at the same time, you can’t say ‘well, you can have that and you can do it next time.’ “I don’t think we should get into the weeds like that,” he said.

Additionally, he noted concerns about the coordination aspect, including the possibility of putting pressure on the nonprofit Downtown Lock Haven, Inc.

“I was very quiet two weeks ago because I wanted to listen. It takes two years to learn to speak, but 60 years to learn to listen. So that’s what I did. I listened two weeks ago and formed some opinions and I’m glad you provided examples and gave us some ideas,” he said. “But we would have to get on with this because time is running out here at the end of the year. We will soon be starting our summer concert series here to book ourselves for next summer. So I know a crisis is coming.”

Masorti reiterated his approval of the creation of a specific street closure policy to provide guidelines to follow.

“I think the idea of ​​closing a street and having a block party is different than a normal use request. “I think that requires us to have a specific use request that addresses a lot of the things that go along with what it means when you want to close a street,” he said.

During public comments at the discussion, local resident and business owner Vincent Kishbaugh noted that if residents in the area near a street closure disagree, then it shouldn’t happen.

“Millvale’s policy takes into consideration the residents surrounding the area. If the residents are against it, then the company should not be allowed to have it,” Kishbaugh said. “I know we’ve talked about how decisions were made in the past. Well, sometimes you have to make other decisions, the right decisions, for your residents.”

Kishbaugh suggested the city focus its resources on the street closures that occur on Main Street each year.

Kishbaught was referring to the final Friday closures requested and coordinated by Downtown Lock Haven, Inc. for the benefit of its merchants.

“We have to work together as a community. I think, again, there are wonderful things happening downtown that all businesses can take advantage of,” Kishbaugh said. “There are enough public lots, public places where all Lock Haven residents can showcase their businesses.”

Earlier during public comment, resident Seth Kleinle suggested the council coordinate with local businesses to serve food and alcohol during concert series performances at the J. Doyle Corman Amphitheater and Triangle Park.

“What that does is alleviate some of the arguing and the noise,” Kleinle said.

Ultimately, the council decided to direct its staff to create a policy to review at its Nov. 18 meeting.

Meanwhile, the council, through a suggestion from City Manager Gregory Wilson, is asking any business or organization that is interested in closing a portion of a city-owned street to submit a letter of interest that includes dates potential for closure.

Wilson noted that this letter of interest must have the understanding that, in the interest of the majority of council, closures can only occur once in a 30-day period on each street.

“The director of community life will receive written letters, not requests, but written letters of intent from any business in the area interested in having to close a city street on a particular day for the benefit of their local business,” Wilson explained. “This way we can see the interest and gauge who is interested.”

Wilson further noted that stakeholders should understand that the policy the council is considering is not set in stone.

Wilson told council that letters of interest can give city staff a better understanding of who would be interested in a potential closure.

Councilman Rick Conklin was absent from Monday’s meeting, held in the council chambers.