By Debra Hawkins

October 18, 2007 | SMITHFIELD -- A conditional use permit allowing an automotives sales and repair company to build a location on Main Street at 1200 South was approved Wednesday by the city Planning Commission.

Bob Lewis was granted a permit for his business with the stipulations that his business not park cars they are trying sell on the grass of the establishment, and the storage and garbage area of the business be screened from public view.

"Our No. 1 concern when working with motor repair is how it is going look for Smithfield," Rik Vernon, chairman of the commission, said. "We would like the cars that are awaiting parts or being worked on to be at the back because it is the gateway to the city right there."

Lewis said he would be willing to do anything within reason that the city asked him to do, including deeding part of his land over to the public so a sidewalk could be added to the front of the property.

"Whatever we need to do, I can adjust so we can do this right," Lewis said.

The commission also discussed the possibility of changing one of the city's dwelling ordinances, which would allow the LDS Church to house their missionaries with families in the area. The current ordinance allows only one unrelated person to live with a family, while the request of the church is to make it two people.

"If you want to allow the church to do what they need to do, [the ordinance] needs to be worded 'one family plus two unrelated people,'" said Ed Lawlor, city councilman.

The wording of the original ordinance allows only one unrelated person because a man near a ski resort bought a house with many rooms and rented them out to people who threw parties at night, which bothered nearby residents, Vernon said. That city passed an ordinance to no longer allow that, and Smithfield and other cities followed suit. He said the city is worried that by changing the ordinance, it might allow some of that behavior.

"The city is not too interested in changing the ordinance because when you change something like that, you never know how far it is going to reach," Vernon said.

Other council members, including Lawlor, voiced their concern that opening up houses to the missionaries might open it up for college students.

"I could see that allowing my 21-year-old son and three of his buddies to live together," Lawlor said. "I'm not sure that I would want them as neighbors."

Although the commission discussed changing the ordinance, they could take no action because the item was not listed on the agenda.

In other business, the commission approved the concept plan for Ashley Heights, a subdivision going in at 700 East and 500 South.

NW
MS