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Land Use Board approves retail conversion of former auto body shop at 7706 Long Beach Boulevard
Summary
The Harvey Cedars Land Use Board approved Barn Light LLC’s plan to convert a former auto body shop at 7706 Long Beach Boulevard into a landscape-design retail space with a renovated second-floor apartment, granting requested parking and height/side-yard variances. The vote was unanimous.
The Harvey Cedars Land Use Board voted unanimously Nov. 20 to approve Barn Light LLC’s renovation of 7706 Long Beach Boulevard, a two-story former auto body shop, into a retail landscape-design business with an upstairs apartment.
The application, presented by attorney James Raban and engineer James Brzozowski, proposed keeping the ground-floor garage doors as functional retail entrances, adding a south-side exterior staircase and an elevator to access the second-floor apartment, and providing nine parking spaces: six for retail, one for an employee and two for the apartment tenants. The application materials included site plans, architectural drawings and an engineer review letter. The applicants said trash receptacles would be located along the south property line.
Architect Will Esarey described a midcentury-modern design meant to retain the building’s historic garage aesthetic while adding a roof deck and a modified handicap-accessible bathroom. Attorney Raban told the board the proposed retail use is permitted in the zone and that the project would improve ingress and egress to the apartment.
Board members and staff discussed exterior storage and display areas, compliance with the lighting ordinance, and the property’s height and side-yard setbacks. The application referenced a proposed flat roof and noted that the project would need relief for height and side-yard setbacks. The applicants indicated a proposed maximum roof height of 30 feet in the materials presented.
Chairman Robert Romano and Mayor John Imperiale joined other seated members in voting to approve the application on a motion by Mayor Imperiale and a second from Commissioner Joe Gieger. The board recorded a unanimous YES vote from Mayor John Imperiale, Chairman Robert Romano, Richard Warren, Commissioner Joe Gieger, Mindy Berman, Alcides Andril, Thomas Griffith, Russell Harle and Fred Bercari.
Kevin Quinlan, the board attorney, confirmed the applicant’s hours of operation as 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and noted the board’s conditions related to lighting and landscaping. The board did not record any separate amendments to the motion.
The approval allows Barn Light LLC to proceed under the conditions and plan set presented; the board’s resolution of approval will document any required variances and conditions.
