TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Beth Beatty, City Manager
SUBJECT:
title
Ordinance Approving a Special Use Permit to Allow an Automotive Dent Removal Business, Located at 121 Airport Drive, Unit A (ZBA 2024-42)
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BACKGROUND:
The petitioner is requesting approval of a special use permit to allow a paintless automotive dent removal business for Dent Wolf Inc. in one of the industrial condos at 121 Airport Drive. Dent Wolf Inc. performs paintless dent removal only and does not perform other general auto maintenance or repairs. Four (4) employees would work from the proposed location: the owner, an accountant, a salesperson, and one technician. The local technician would perform most of their work off-site at dealerships. On-site dent removal would take place by appointment only. Proposed hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM.
121 Airport Drive is within the Joliet Airport Industrial Park subdivision and shares a parking lot with 131 Airport Drive. The two (2) buildings together contain around eighteen (18) units, and the shared parking spaces are unassigned. At the September 19th Zoning Board meeting, four (4) condo owners spoke in opposition to the petition because of concerns about parking and uncertainty over how many spaces Dent Wolf would use. Following the meeting, the petitioner contacted the owners from both buildings to further explain their business practices and clarify that their business sees clients by appointment only, does not accept overnight drop-offs, and does not have overnight parking for client vehicles. On October 1st, City staff received an email from a representative of the condo owners stating that, following this explanation by the petitioner, a majority of the owners are in favor of the request (see attached email). Staff has added conditions to the ordinance that address the parking concerns.
The unit at 121 Airport Drive is approximately 6,000 square feet, including an 800-square-foot office area, and can fit four (4) cars inside. There are three (3) parking spaces directly in front of the unit. The outdoor storage area behind the unit can be used for additional parking if needed. Other tenants in the building include a land surveyor and various contractor businesses.
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS PUBLIC HEARING:
The Zoning Board of Appeals held a public hearing on this matter on September 19, 2024. Tomas Staskus, with USA Commercial Group, and Andrei Mereuta, petitioner and business owner, represented the petition. Four (4) people, all owners within the Airport Drive condominiums, spoke in opposition to the petition. Meeting minutes are attached.
RECOMMENDATION OF THE ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS:
recommendation
Ralph Bias moved that the Zoning Board of Appeals recommend denial of the Special Use Permit request to allow an automotive dent removal business at 121 Airport Drive, Unit A. Bob Nachtrieb seconded the motion, which passed with five (5) aye votes and no nay votes. Voting aye were: Hennessy, Nachtrieb, Bias, Roehr, and Radakovich. Voting nay were: none. Absent were: Riggs.
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
The Administration does not concur with the recommendation of the Zoning Board of Appeals and recommends that the Mayor and City Council adopt an Ordinance approving the Special Use Permit to allow an automotive dent removal business at 121 Airport Drive, Unit A subject to the following conditions:
1. That clients shall be seen by appointment only;
2. That no vehicles to be repaired shall be stored outdoors overnight in the shared parking lot;
3. That the business will not maintain a key drop box for after-hours drop-off of vehicles;
4. That the business shall maintain an off-site storage location for additional vehicles;
5. That a City business license shall be obtained;
6. That the Special Use granted shall herein terminate and lapse unless a building permit or certificate of occupancy is obtained not later than 180 days of the effective date of this ordinance and the erection or alteration of a building is started or the use is commenced within such period. The Board may grant an extension of this period, valid for no more than one hundred and eighty (180) additional days, upon written application and good cause shown without notice or hearing. Whether or not there is an intention to abandon the Special Use, if any special use is discontinued for a continuous period of one year, or if an intent to abandon the Special Use is evident in a shorter period of time, the Special Use for such use shall become void, and such use shall not thereafter be reestablished unless a new Special Use Permit is obtained; and
7. Should the property be declared a public nuisance, it shall be subject to a rehearing and a possible revocation of the Special Use Permit.
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