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Commission approves permanent permit for Davidson site and a short extension for Ellis Street sales
Summary
The commission approved Freeland Cars’ permanent conditional use permit at 2000 Davidson Road subject to a parking plan and allowed sales to continue at 1352 Ellis Street through April 2, 2025, with conditions including striping, limits on street display and restoration of landscaping.
The Planning Commission approved two related actions for Freeland Cars on Dec. 18: a permanent conditional use permit for auto sales at 2000 Davidson Road and a temporary extension allowing sales at 1352 Ellis Street through April 2, 2025, both subject to staff conditions.
Staff recounted the site history: Freeland Cars evolved from an auto‑repair business and at times operated sales contrary to manufacturing‑district use rules. Staff outlined prior temporary approvals, compliance conditions (lot striping, no vehicles in the terrace, designated customer and employee parking), and noted inventory counts reported by the applicant (estimates of 50+ vehicles on site at times). For the Davidson Road site — already an existing dealership location across from Griffin Ford — staff recommended a permanent conditional use permit with conditions including striping by May 1, an approved parking plan, compliance with dimensional requirements (or a planning commission exception), designated non‑sale customer and employee spaces, and appropriate dumpster enclosures and occupancy/sign permits.
Commissioners debated parking circulation, fire and police access, appropriate number and size of designated spaces, and the practicality of achieving full 50‑car inventory once parking is built to code. The commission approved the Davidson Road permanent permit with the requirement that a parking plan return to the commission for approval.
For the 1352 Ellis Street location (M2 General Manufacturing), staff recommended denial of a longer temporary extension but noted prior 1‑year temporary approvals and prior efforts to find a new site. Commissioners discussed transition timeframes and seasonality concerns (striping in winter) and ultimately authorized a shorter, time‑limited extension — continuing sales at 1352 Ellis Street subject to the January 24, 2023 approval conditions and until April 2, 2025 — to allow the transition to the Davidson Road site while requiring compliance with the existing conditions.
Both motions passed on voice votes. Staff will monitor compliance and the commission required the applicant to return with a parking plan as specified and to make all required restorations to landscaping and striping by the dates ordered.
