Directors approve car display denied by planning panel

FORT SMITH — The city’s Board of Directors unanimously approved appealing the Planning Commission’s decision regarding the planned outdoor display for an incoming business.

During its Dec. 14 meeting, the Planning Commission in a 3-5 vote denied Scott Kangas of Cambered Customs from being able to showcase six vehicles along the north property line of his business at 720 Towson Ave.

Maggie Rice, the city’s development services director, noted there was also a neighborhood meeting held for this item in November and two neighboring property owners spoke in opposition to the conditional use request. She said if the directors were inclined to overturn the denial, the Planning Commission requests two conditions be added: the landscaping be installed as shown in the proposed development plan, and the display area have a maximum of three vehicles to only be displayed during operating business hours.

At-large Director Robyn Dawson asked Rice for the commission’s reasoning for denying the request.

“There wasn’t necessarily a reason stated by the Planning Commission,” Rice said. “However, I believe that they did deny it based on the display parameters. I think there was a little bit of confusion amongst the number of vehicles for display associated with the conditional use request.”

Rice also noted in a memorandum to City Administrator Carl Geffken permanent display or storage of vehicles is prohibited in the city’s code.

“The requested land uses were recently added to the Form Based Code facilitating the conditional use request. Prior to the addition, the land uses weren’t permitted in this location,” she said. “Even though this structure previously housed similar land uses, the building has lost its nonconforming status.”

Kangas called the vehicles in question “automotive art,” noting they were recently used in the city Christmas parade and in the Specialty Equipment Market Association Show in Las Vegas. He said the vehicles aren’t for sale but are finished displays of what his company is capable of creating.

“It’s hard for me to understand that there would be a serious objection on this, because of the fact that these cars are very attractive vehicles, and they’re a really small number that the business has agreed to,” Ward 3 Director Lavon Morton said.

Kangas said the business is open from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and sometimes open Saturday for events.

At-large Director Kevin Settle asked if Kangas had any plans to hold car shows at that location that would cause the business to have longer hours and more cars displayed.

Kangas said they have customer appreciation events where people bring in their finished vehicles for viewing. He said it’s not like a typical car show, because awards aren’t given out.

At-large Director Neal Martin said there’s several

vehicle-related businesses in that area of Towson with cars in lesser condition than what Kangas proposed to display. He said with the addition of the landscaping Kangas’ display would do nothing but improve the area, and he was in favor of approving the six vehicles originally proposed instead of the Planning Commission’s request of three.

“I cannot for the life of me understand why we would not allow an individual on his own private property, on his own parking lot, to display during his business hours showroom, festival-quality examples of the work he accomplishes,” Ward 1 Director Jarred Rego agreed.

“I will thank Mr. Kangas for patiently working his way through what seems to be a fairly Byzantine and arbitrary holdup on him,” he added.

The directors approved the Planning Commission’s proposed stipulations the landscaping be installed as shown in the proposed development plan during operating business hours only, but with the six vehicles Kangas originally suggested.