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Commission grants 90‑day extension to vehicle‑repair property to complete site‑plan compliance
Summary
The commission approved a 90‑day extension (to Sept. 16, 2024) for Lima Investment Group to complete required screening, remove excess vehicles and obtain a certificate of occupancy after years of property‑standards enforcement; the vote was 4–1 with conditions to show progress.
Plano’s Planning & Zoning Commission voted to grant a 90‑day extension for a vehicle‑repair and open storage site that had exceeded the approved open‑storage area and lacked required screening and a current certificate of occupancy.
Staff described a history of property‑standards enforcement and a site‑plan approval that required screening and limited open storage to roughly 900 square feet. Staff said the site plan originally approved in March 2022 limited open storage and required a living screen; photos taken after the plan expired showed vehicles still stored on the property.
“Staff is not supportive of a 2 year extension as requested because the applicant has only recently started removing the vehicles from the site,” staff told the commission and recommended a shorter period to demonstrate progress.
Neighborhood Services senior property‑standards specialist Gwendolyn Bryant confirmed staff had issued notice and probable‑cause affidavits and that court action had been part of the enforcement history.
The property owner asked for a longer period, citing difficulty finding a short‑term relocation site for vehicles and parts shortages. Leith Alcosm, who identified himself as the owner, said he had since found a short‑term lease to move operations and requested six months. “I would like at least 6 month extension if possible… I rely on other people to do the work,” Alcosm said.
Commissioners debated options between a brief 30‑day check‑in and a longer period tied to permit milestones. Several commissioners said they wanted to balance enforcement of city standards with the practical realities faced by a small business. One commissioner said short extensions with firm milestones would motivate progress while preserving the city’s leverage to deny future extensions if work did not proceed.
The commission ultimately approved a time‑limited extension to Sept. 16, 2024 (roughly 90 days), by a 4–1 vote and recorded that the applicant must show substantive progress (permit applications, evidence of screening or fencing, and steps toward getting a certificate of occupancy) at the September review.
The motion carried with four votes in favor and one opposed. Staff will return to the commission on the scheduled date to verify compliance; if the required improvements are incomplete, the city may pursue enforcement actions or deny further extensions.
