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Lawrence property owner seeks renewal or reclassification of vehicle-dealer license; board schedules review
Summary
Roger Farah, owner of Barnes Trailer Sales at 2 South Broadway, told the Lawrence Licensing Board he wants to renew his Class 1 dealer license or convert it to a Class 2 to allow used-vehicle sales; an inspector denied his application and the board asked staff to place the matter on the Jan. 7 agenda so the inspector can explain the decision.
Roger Farah, owner of Barnes Trailer Sales at 2 South Broadway, told the Lawrence Licensing Board on Dec. 17 that he had applied to renew a Class 1 dealer license and asked either to keep it in place or convert the site to a Class 2 dealer so the property would be occupied.
"My name is Roger Farah, and I am the owner of Barnes Trailer Sales at 2 South Broadway," Farah said, explaining he had paid taxes and fees and that zoning and planning had approved the location for vehicle sales. He said he was approached by interested Class 2 licensees and was willing to surrender the Class 1 if the board permitted a Class 2 at the site.
Board members and staff told Farah an inspector had denied his renewal application. Commissioner Naveen told Farah the board considered the license inactive and said, "as far as I'm concerned, you already lost that license," noting there had been little evidence of a used-car operation on the lot in past years. Farah disputed that account and said the license had been renewed previously and that he had kept his obligations current.
The board did not reverse the inspector's decision at the meeting. Instead, staff and the board instructed that the inspector who issued the denial appear at the next scheduled Licensing Board meeting so the inspector could present the inspection report and the basis for the denial. The board placed Farah on the Jan. 7 agenda for a formal review.
Why it matters: the decision will determine whether a long-vacant property can be returned to vehicle-trade use, whether the owner's existing Class 1 status is retained, and whether a Class 2 transfer or reclassification is permissible given city zoning and licensing rules. Farah said he has potential buyers or transferees ready to operate at the site, but the inspector's denial must be addressed before any license renewal or transfer can be approved.
What happens next: The inspector will be asked to present the inspection findings at the Jan. 7 meeting; the board may then take formal action after hearing the inspector's rationale and the owner’s response.
