Council approves used car lot permit

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January 11, 2013

Council approves used car lot permit

By BRAD KELLAR Herald-Banner Staff The Herald-Banner Fri Jan 11, 2013, 12:00 AM CST

GREENVILLE — The Greenville City Council gave final approval this week for a proposed used car lot on Joe Ramsey Boulevard, but not before discussing what may eventually be built on either side of the property.

The Council voted Tuesday to grant a conditional use permit for Barrett Motors.

Bobby Stovall, representing Barrett Motors, was seeking the permit to allow a used auto sales facility at an unaddressed location on Joe Ramsey Boulevard, between Interstate 30 and Jack Finney Boulevard, across from Wesley United Methodist Church.

The property is currently undeveloped and is zoned general retail which allows for automobile sales with a conditional use permit. The plan shows a 3,000 square foot office building and a 4,800 square foot service shop surrounded by parking and vehicular display areas. Landscape areas are shown along the east and west portions of the property.

The Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously last month to recommend conditional approval of the permit to the Council.

A sticking point concerned the call for “cross access” for the lot, which would allow for vehicle traffic moving from a property on one side of the lot to cross to a property on the other side of the car lot, without having to enter and exit Joe Ramsey Boulevard.

City regulations call for “cross access” in general retail zones and in November the Council voted to require Britain Chevrolet to include the access among its plans for its proposed car lot which will be built at the intersection of Interstate 30 and Monty Stratton Parkway.

“The cross access has been an issue throughout this whole process,” Stovall told the Council, noting the Barretts objected to the measure. “They just feel they need to have it to where they can protect their property.”

There are no businesses adjacent to either side of the proposed car lot now and Stovall said the Barretts would agree to the access if the site is eventually used for anything other than a car lot.

“My difficulty is treating them any differently than Britain Chevrolet,” said Council member Dan Perkins, although he did vote in favor of the permit.

“I’ve heard so many good things about the Barretts,” Perkins said.