LEBANON — City Council agreed Tuesday to expand the Central Business District for two blocks north because of interest in turning some houses there into office space.

        “Rather than continue to make non-conforming uses ... I support this decision,” Vice Mayor James Reinhard said before the 4-1 vote.

        Councilman Ben Cole opposed the measure without comment.

        Lebanon's downtown master plan, adopted last year, called for expansion of the business district north on Broadway and Mechanic Street to New Street.

        The master plan also called for vacant city land on Mechanic to be used for a municipal justice center — a possibility that concerned some neighbors.

        But that part of the plan is not on the table now, City Manager George “Pat” Clements said.

        “It's been pretty much discounted as being feasible — it's really not large enough,” he said.

        The impetus for expanding the district now is that two properties on North Broadway are having trouble selling as single-family residences, but there's been interest in turning them into offices, Deputy Planning Director Doug Johnson said.

        “We feel it would be an opportunity to potentially spur some additional investment in that area,” he said.

        Properties in the CBD — including many 100-year-old-plus structures — must follow architectural guidelines.

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