Commission approves Lavander's Body Shop at 3840 S. Ninth St.; commissioner asks for strong streetscape appearance

The Salina Planning Commission on June 17 approved a conditional use permit (CU 25-2) for an automobile repair and collision-repair facility proposed at 3840 South Ninth Street, subject to staff-recommended conditions that include a final site development plan submittal with a landscaping revision to meet tree-unit requirements.

Gage Roberts, planner, presented the proposal for Levander/Lavander Auto Body (applicant listed as Brian Lavander). The 1.68-acre site is zoned PC-5, located in the South Ninth Street Corridor Overlay District, and designated for future commercial use in the comprehensive plan. The owner of the parcel is H and M Investments LLC; the applicant participates by Zoom and a local representative attended in person.

Staff said the proposed building would be about 19 feet tall with 8.59% lot coverage and would exceed parking and landscaping minimums once one tree unit is added. Off-street parking requirement for the site is 22 spaces; the applicant proposes 23. Staff calculated a required front-yard landscaped area of 3,680 square feet and reported the applicant’s plan shows 4,251 square feet. Staff noted the front-yard landscape area currently produces 6 tree units (4 shade trees and 24 shrubs) and that either one additional shade tree or six more shrubs will be required to reach seven tree units.

James Hall, director of facilities at Great Plains Manufacturing (located across South Ninth Street), addressed the commission in support of the businesses but asked commissioners to “strongly review the architectural appearance” of the Ninth Street-facing elevation, noting the corridor is an entrance to the city and that his employer has invested substantially in improvements nearby. “I would hope that we could have them add some soffits, some parapets, some other items on this building to help enhance its appearance,” Hall said.

The applicant, Brian Lavander, told commissioners his company operates similar facilities across Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado and that the owner expects to maintain landscaping to a high standard; he noted the firm recently won a city beautification award for a comparable building. Lavander said the proposal was developed in consultation with city staff and that revisions incorporated a masonry veneer on the east elevation facing Ninth Street and additional masonry at the main entrance.

Architectural materials vary by elevation: staff described a masonry veneer on the east (street-facing) elevation and gray vertical metal siding on north, west and rear elevations. The overlay district requires primary buildings that face Ninth Street or Waterwell Road to have “an attractive exterior finish,” and staff noted the commission has discretion to determine whether the submitted elevations meet that standard. The applicant agreed to add the required front-yard tree unit as part of the final development plan submittal.

A commissioner moved to approve CU 25-2 subject to the six staff recommendations (including the final plan and landscape revision); the motion was seconded and carried. The commission did not record a roll-call vote in the transcript excerpt provided.

The commission concluded with no further unfinished business and adjourned.