Down East Auto Sales will have a third location in the area after Roanoke Rapids City Council tonight approved a special use permit at 97 Roanoke Avenue.
No one spoke at a public hearing on the matter, in which Richard Shoe, of S&R Properties, requested a special use permit for a used car business at the location, currently occupied by Angel’s Closet.
Angel’s Closet, according to a memo from Planning and Development Director Kelly Lasky contained in the agenda packet, will relocate to Highway 158,
A motor vehicle sales business is allowed in the B-1 district with a special use permit, the memo says, and the building was originally constructed for automobile-related uses, occupied by Roanoke Valley Motor Sports until September 2001.
Specifically, Shoe requested a special use permit to sell high-mileage, low-priced vehicles and offer on-site financing.
While the memo says the Roanoke Avenue location will be a second location for Down East, Shoe said following the meeting in addition to his Highway 48 location, he has another facility in Whitakers where he keeps most of his inventory.
Shoe, according to the memo, proposes to store vehicles for retail sales inside and outside the Roanoke Avenue location Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be no service done to the vehicles at the location.
“The requested use of the property has been reviewed by the planning department, fire department, public works department, the Roanoke Rapids Sanitary District (and) North Carolina Department of Transportation,” the memo said. “All comments have been addressed by the applicant.”
Lasky said none of the property owners within 100 feet of the location responded after being sent letters notifying them of tonight’s public hearing.
Councilman Greg Lawson did ask Lasky if there would be any issues with parking on First Street. The planning director said as long as there were public spaces there would be no issues, adding that only customers could use them and that Shoe could not use them to satisfy the requirements for his business.
Council unanimously found the proposal would be in general conformity with all plans the city has to control growth.
Shoe said he hoped to be operational by the first of February.
