Commission approves conditional use permit for online car sales at rural Harvey County property

Karen Rothe, Harvey County planning and zoning staff, presented a request from Byron and Susan Schrag to add an office for an online car-dealership business at 1734 Southeast 96. Rothe said the business will mostly sell vehicles online, will not routinely display more than one or two vehicles at a time, and that the site already hosts an Airbnb and an event venue.

Byron and Susan (applicants) told commissioners the planned office space would allow the Schrag family to move an existing vehicle-sales business operated by an elderly family member to their property; the office would also include a back room where the family member could rest. The applicants and planning staff said the project complies with zoning standards and recommended approval with the eight conditions adopted by the planning commission.

During public comment an adjacent property resident raised an unrelated operational concern about a different township road: the resident described repeated incidents of GPS-directed traffic entering a muddy dead-end road, asked whether the county could post official signage, and requested township or county help to reduce recurring tow and recovery costs. County staff said placing a sign in the public right-of-way would require county involvement and suggested the resident coordinate with the county administrator and road-and-bridge staff.

A motion to approve the conditional use permit CUP25-08 for Byron and Susan Schrag at 1734 Southeast 96 and adopt Resolution 2025-25 passed by voice vote.

Ending: The CUP carries the eight conditions recommended by the planning commission; staff will file the resolution and track permit compliance.