07-22-13 Common Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING JULY 22, 2013 end at the end of the day, it is really about profit and I don’t really think based on, I ‘m going to say on his lack of presence because he wasn’t at the last two meetings either and I think that a business owner should be present, just like we are present here tonight, we are all here, business goes on, so you should be present as well to voice your concerns make yourself known as far as your good intent, so as far as I’m concerned I’m going to say absolutely not because what that is going to do is lower the property value more to some extent because I’m sure that the expansion will allow for him more and more business concerning cars and from being that to my understanding that he doesn’t have anything other than rental properties and the other businesses that he owns on Western Avenue all dealing with cars and that is my question to her does he have anything else. I think being a businessman or businesswoman isn’t there a better business plan you know starting a new business other than cars or mini marts? I mean come on you can pay someone to come up with a better business plan? It just doesn’t have to be cars or mini- marts. So with that said, thank you very much. In rebuttal, Ms. Clendenin stated that she is having Christa from Area Plan put her site plan back up on the screen, so that I can better explain what the landscaping and the use of the property will be for. Ms. Clendenin referred to the PowerPoint. This is Western Avenue and what we are going to have here is century fencing, and century fencing is what’s in front of the Center for the Homeless, Memorial Hospital Outreach, so what we have here is the vacant alley, here will be chain link with screening on it, and we will start the century fence all around the perimeter as well as extended to Azteca Auto Sales and back to his building. Here we will have landscaping; we will have six foot evergreen trees as well as hedges and some shade trees in the tree line. As long as none of the landscaping is over 3’ high we intend to put landscaping here, there will be a gate here, and some landscaping that you will see when you drive in, as well as in front of Azteca Auto Sales. When it comes to the number of vehicles that we will have on the lot, I apologize I just can’t separate this lot from the business as well so when I go and count the number of parking spots of vehicles that can fit there on the outer perimeter and well as in here (referring to the screen and Power Point) since we will not be stock piling any vehicles for repair, I count anywhere from 66 to 85 that would include employees as well as customers vehicles. When it comes to the process of getting used vehicle sales permit that is regulated by the Indiana Secretary of State it is a process that has 15 different requirements, you have to be bonded in the State of Indiana in order to be a used car sales dealer. There are five car lots from Mayflower to Olive that are licensed, are there other locations that people put cars out front and put “For Sale” signs in them, the answer is yes. I forgot the name of that, but people do that. To answer why Mr. Consuelo is not here tonight? Mr. Consuelo has poison ivy, in his eyes, I have never seen as bad of a case of poison ivy like he has. When I saw him today, I asked him to stay 20 feet away and to please go home. I agree if it were my business, I would have my thumb on the pulse. It was mentioned that Mr. Consuelo has two other wreck shops. He does not, and I am assuming you are talking about Azteca Auto Sales as a wreck shop because yes a lot of times in the past wrecked vehicles were also there and at T&T location east of “A Taste of Mexico. He does have two vacant lots that are just grass next to the barber shop on Western Avenue and he also has a rental property on the corner of Meade and Western Avenue when it comes to his property. When it comes to environmental protection the city gives you permission, if you are going to do auto sales and service and if you are going to do any painting there is a process that is involved with that and are the ones that regulate that. Because of the type of repairs that Mr. Consuelo is going to be doing on his new property environmental issues would not be any different than what you would have in your own driveway. Councilmember Schey: I want to address the environmental issue. Can you confirm that when it comes to disposal when it comes to things like oil changes that all of the protocols, when it comes to environmental protocols that he is adhering to them. Ms. Clendenin: The answer is yes. There are some vehicles that come in that do need to have the oil taken out of them, gas taken out of them as well as transmission fluid. There is a company in LaPorte that comes and recycles that for him. They recycle the oil and transmission fluid, he uses the gas. I can’t remember their name off the top of my head. Councilmember Schey: He doesn’t put anything into the sewer. Ms. Clendenin: No. 13