LOCK HAVEN — Lock Haven City Council is continuing to work through the parameters put in place regarding the closure of city-owned streets after it voted down a request from a local business.

At Monday’s meeting, the board voted 5-1, with one abstaining, to not allow The Old Corner to close a section of Grove Street from Willards Alley to East Church Street each Friday and Saturday from Memorial Day to Labor Day in 2025 for outdoor seating and concerts.

Council previously elected to move the request, made by owner Shaun Dale, to its agenda during a previous meeting.

The decision not to move forward with the request came after council heard from residents that lived in the area and other business owners that were against the closure taking place every weekend in the summer.

Various reasons both groups said they were against the closures regarded noise levels and effects it had on other businesses due to taking place for 14 to 15 weeks.

Other business owners noted they were interested in doing something similar, but didn’t have the opportunity yet to do so — with some noting they weren’t sure if it would produce results given the proposed closure put before council.

During discussion, Councilmember Heather Alexander asked those in attendance what compromises could be reached.

Vinnie Kishbaugh, owner of Goodneighbor Craft House — which announced it would be moving into the city — suggested some concerts be held in the afternoon.

“That’s when residents can be away. People can go downtown… shop, eat… and then it’s not creating a noise issue for people,” he said.

Howard Karichner, owner of Uncle Albert’s on Vesper Street, suggested limiting the number of times a business can request to close a street for events.

“I’m in no way saying what (Shaun’s) doing is wrong if he’s going through the proper channels. I want to do something similar,” he said. “I was thinking it needs to be limited so it’s not every weekend. Because what weekends are left for everyone else?”

Nick Hawrylchak, owner of the Broken Axe on East Bald Eagle Street, noted to council when he held an event with the Clinton County Arts Council in previous summers he was asked to work around various events and only received approval for three weekends.

He told council he was surprised when, in 2022, it chose to allow The Older Corner’s street closures for each weekend.

Other business owners, such as Dan Nestlerode of 198 Shamrock, noted street closures won’t work for his family’s business due to its location near First Quality. However, he noted the business lost about $9,300 over the summer in 2023 and estimated it lost roughly the same in 2024.

For Nestlerode, much like Karichner, the number of weekends is the issue.

Mary Jo Johnson, who owns a hair salon next to The Older Corner on Grove Street, attended council’s meeting on behalf of her business and tenants who rent the upper floors of her building.

Johnson, who previously spoke against the closures in 2023, said council should consider requiring letters be sent out to residents in the area of the proposed closure in advance of these events.

She cited a similar instance where Davis Insurance, located at the corner of Jay and Church streets, placed an LED sign along the roadway. She told council the company was required by the city’s zoning ordinance to do so because it could be considered a nuisance.

City Manager Greg Wilson said street closures and concerts weren’t guided by those same ordinances.

Mayor Joel Long — who abstained from the vote due to his band performing at The Older Corner in previous years — suggested council consider putting in a deadline for businesses who would like to hold events on city property to hand in paperwork by a deadline.

“Then we can sit at a meeting after that and divide it out so it’s not just one person,” Long said. “If it’s open to everybody and we set some type of a deadline and have them divide it out, I think that creates a more level playing field.”

Councilmember Barb Masorti agreed with Long’s suggestion.

“I’d love nothing more than to spread it all around town. Let everybody take a weekend,” Masorti said.

Dale told council he requested every weekend because no others put in requests.

“The only reason I ask for it every weekend is because no one ever does it. So if we all want to get together and do something then I’m all for it,” he said.

Council will consider a deadline for application requests at its Nov. 4 meeting.

However, Masorti noted to business owners in the room to work on applications now rather than wait.

“I think it needs to be done quickly but that means everybody is going to have to get right on it. Decide what event that you want to have and get their paperwork in,” she said.

Wilson further noted the requests for this particular deadline to be discussed would only involve city-owned streets as any state-owned streets require secondary approval from PennDOT.