Politics & Government

Mike's Nears a Likely OK for Used Car Sales

Mike's Auto is getting closer to a final decision about whether used cars can be sold at the Bay Road business.

The proposal to sell used cars at  in downtown Hamilton will go before the Hamilton Zoning Board of Appeals on Wednesday night - a board that last month showed interest is allowing a scaled back used car sales area.

Board members told owner Michael Holland and his attorney, James Kroesser, they were open to approving a plan that would allow seven spaces in front of Mike’s where used cars could be sold.

“This is something of a negotiation,” said Chairman Bill Bowler said, noting he sensed that the board was open to allowing used car sales at Mike’s but that the number of parking spaces proposed was too many.

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Jane Lyman, a board member, said she would be OK with seven spaces in front, although “it seems tight.”

“I’m OK with the seven spaces in front,” Bowler said.

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The Hamilton Planning Board . But the Planning Board does not issue any permits and instead offers input to the zoning board. Holland and Kroesser have not gone back before the Planning Board.

“I’m well aware that, no matter what we do, we will make about half the town mad,” Bowler said.

Bowler, when the zoning boad last met, said he will bring a draft decision to Wednesday night’s meeting to discuss and possibly vote on. The board meets at 7 p.m. at .

Holland asked the board to move toward a vote as soon as it can.

“Bill, let’s move this thing along,” Holland told Bowler. “We are out of business.”

The board would also ban balloons, pennants and flags on any of the cars that are for sale.

John Rodenhizer, the board’s third board member voting on the application, said he is not opposed to Mike’s selling used cars “if done smartly.”

At issue was whether there was a used car “salesroom” on the site – something that is required under Hamilton’s zoning laws. All three board members agreed that the office at Mike’s . Instead, the term – which is not defined in the zoning bylaw – simply means a place to complete the car sale.

Bowler said the board could possibly impose a time limit on the permit and ask Mike’s to come back before the board to review how things are going with the used car sales. It was done when the at , for example, he said.

“We do not know what the traffic issue may or may not be,” he said.

Lyman said a future review would determine whether things are “on the right path.”


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