Maplewood Planning and Zoning denied a request by Shur-Way Auto Body, on 3540 Greenwood Boulevard, to use a garage around the corner on St. Elmo Avenue for body work on Monday. The no vote followed negative comments of neighbors, and commission members expressing concerns about the business encroaching into the neighborhood.
Shur-Way owner, Mike Swederska Sr. told the commission there would be only light body work in the garage — no painting. He said no customers would be in the garage on St. Elmo. Swederska also said the lot would be used primarily for storage of autos scheduled for repairs at either location.
The commission was concerned about the extra traffic shuttling cars from St. Elmo along Greenwood. St. Elmo has limited parking on one side, and it’s often used as a cut-through to the south. Possible noise levels for immediate neighbors was another consideration.
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The commission gave Swederska eight conditions for his request to be considered to be approved, and one those, keeping the garage door closed, was one he couldn’t agree to.
He said it would be impossible to work in the garage in the summer heat, and also for the workers’ safety, if one was working alone and something happened a neighbor might be able to help if the door was open.
The commission told Swederska the request would go to city council even though it didn’t pass planning and zoning, but Swederska said he was no longer interested in using the garage after it had failed planning and zoning.
This article was reported by Nancy Miner.
Avenue, where Shur-Way wanted to expand into.
I agree Gary. Marshall’s Auto repair is on the next block and I occasionally had to wait for cars they were moving around there. But they are great neighbors so I didn’t mind. Shur-Way would be no more of a distraction than that, it sounds like. Well I’m sure there are other spaces available… such as next to the Auto Zone on Big Bend?
Sounds like NIMBY. I wouldn’t mind him as a neighbor and his work would be during the day. There is a business on my block and it can create parking issues but I’m glad to see businesses thriving, especially when our economy has been in rough shape.
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