Applicant proposes auto repair at 612'614 South St.; planning commission seeks safety measures

The Common Council opened and closed a public hearing on a special use permit referral for 612'614 South Street, an application from Bureau Guariz LLC to convert an existing, vacant ground-floor former tire shop into a minor auto-repair facility with small office and retail space and a grandfathered residential apartment above.

City staff told the council that the planning commission asked the council to consider requiring fire barriers and vapor seals to protect the upstairs residential unit, carbon-monoxide monitors in the residence, and a mechanical ventilation system for the garage. Attorney for the applicant Jeffrey Gasparo described the site as an existing building with no footprint expansion, noting the project proposes to merge the lot with two adjacent tax lots to provide 11 off-street parking spaces where none exist today and to improve the facade with new glass to increase street-level transparency.

"There's no proposal here to expand the footprint of the commercial space," Attorney Jeffrey Gasparo said while outlining the plans; he also identified the owner-operator (Mr. Oleguari) and emphasized the project is in character with the street's automotive uses. The planning commission is expected to lead the environmental review and to consider the site plan in June; the council referred the special-use permit application to the planning commission for recommendation.