The Planning and Zoning Commission has unanimously voted to recommend the Town Council approve a zoning amendment that would permit indoor sales of automobiles in all commercial zoning districts.

There was a recent amendment to allow for the indoor sales within a C-1 zoning district with a special use permit. A staff analysis of the regulations proposed that allowing indoor vehicle sales would also be appropriate for the zoning districts that allow more intense uses by right – C-2 and C-3.

Staff also determined that the restrictions related to C-1 would also be appropriate for the C-C zoning district. Those include limited floor space of 5,000 square feet, no shop work related to vehicles or no vehicle washing.

Currently new and used vehicle sales are allowed in the C-2 zoning district with a special use permit. The sales are permitted by right in the C-3 zoning district. The change in the ordinance would allow both indoor and outdoor vehicle sales in the C-2 district without the need for a special use permit and add the indoor sales to the C-3 regulations.

If the council approves the proposed amendment the Zoning Ordinance would allow indoor vehicle sales in all commercial zoning districts. The C-C and C-1 districts would be limited in space and would not allow for vehicle servicing or washing. Both the C-2 and C-3 districts would be open to all aspects of vehicle sales, indoor and outdoor, with no limit to the floor space permitted.