FAIRMONT– The Fairmont Planning Commission hosted a special meeting on Tuesday night to decide on two conditional use permits for Car Parts Direct. The result of the meeting included an amendment to the existing conditional use permit on 440 Winnebago Avenue and the granting of a new conditional use permit to the property on 1313 North Hampton Street.

The history of this goes back to the February meeting when there was a review done by the city staff on Car Parts Direct that found multiple infractions including more than 25 cars on the property, and conflicts with traffic movement. City staff recommended in February that the conditional use permit be revoked, but decided to give Car Parts Direct owner Jamie Johnson 90 days to apply for new or amended conditional use permits for any property where his business was active.

At the meeting on June 1, staff opposed granting the two permits because of several factors, including their incompatibility with the 2040 plan, the expanding nature of the use, and the history of violations. The decision was made to hold a special meeting to make the decision on the existing and new conditional use permits.

The location on 440 Winnebago Avenue is used as a salvage yard, auto repair shop, and sometimes car sales. The original conditional use permit allowed only 25 vehicles at the premises at all times. Also, that all cars, trucks, trailers, and accessory vehicles are stored behind the fence except for the vehicles driven to work that day by the owner or employees.

A motion was made to amend the existing conditional use permit on 440 Winnebago Avenue. The amendment allows Car Parts Direct to have 40 cars inside of the fence that are considered to be salvaged or inoperable and then 10 cars outside of the fence that are there for sale, customers’ cars, or employees’ cars. The amendment also included adding that there is provision for adequate access to all parts of the yard for fire equipment.

For 1313 North Hampton Street a motion was made to approve a new conditional use permit for auto salvage with conditions that foot fence be installed, access is included for firefighting equipment, business hours are set from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., open storage/refuge be placed behind the fence, no draining of fluids or dismantling of vehicles be conducted, the fence adequately screens all contents within, the site is surfaced to control drainage and dust, the external site is not to be dissimilar to the residential neighborhood, the site does not produce noise, light, or odor that is offensive to neighboring properties and that a building permit for the fence is granted within 6 months.

The planning commission approved the permits and recommended them to the city council. The two permits will be reviewed at a future City Council meeting.

The next planning commission meeting will be on Tuesday, July 6 at 5:30 p.m.