09/05/08 — The new 1035 Park Ave. home of Howick Auto Sales LLC will be getting a bit larger following a Thursday decision of the Zoning Hearing Board of the City of Meadville.
The board gave its approval to both a special exception granting the company permission to use the premises at 280 Pine St. for auto sales and a variance to the required front and side yard setbacks. The site, which housed an antiques shop that has been closed for approximately 10 years, was recently purchased by Howick’s from Margaret Lyons, who had owned the building since 1971.
A previous request for a similar exception and variance for the adjoining site of the former VideO_matic kiosk at 1035 Park Ave. was granted in May.
The five-member board, which was established to hear appeals, variance and special exception requests as provided for in the City of Meadville Zoning Code, meets as required.
During Thursday’s hearing, Gregory Kelmeckis, Randy Kreider and Paul Buettell gave their unanimous consent to the request from Howick Auto Sales’ operating manager, Kevin Howick; board members R. Charles Thomas and Mark Stevens were absent.
According to testimony presented during the hearing, Howick plans to demolish the structure on the site and use the property to expand the sales facility. During the May hearing, Howick told the board he would use most of the lot for auto sales, with the exception of a screened-off area at the rear of the building that would be used to park 24 vehicles he described as “now being parked in other areas.” The storage area, he explained at the time, would be used in connection with both auto sales and his nearby body shop.
While several witnesses gave testimony supporting Howick’s request, Julie Crytzer, owner of Tech Tune ‘n Lube on Market Street, and Dr. Michael Walker, whose 1039 Park Ave. optometry office is adjacent to the proposed auto lot, repeated pleas made during the May hearing that the board reject Howick’s request because of his past vehicle-storage practices.
Board members repeatedly stressed that their decision could only be based on the current request and that other issues involving Howick should be taken up with city council. Those issues involved the parking of vehicles undergoing repair in various locations around the city, including spaces rented by Howick in city-owned parking lots.
Both Crytzer and Walker expressed frustration with that process, but Emil Spadafore, Howick’s attorney, reported that questions raised during the previous hearing had been taken care of after Howick met with City Manager Joe Chriest, Police Chief Dave Stefanucci and Zoning Administrator Gary Johnson.
Both Crytzer and Walker conceded that some improvements have taken place during the past two weeks, but both also expressed doubts that the improvements would continue over the long term.
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