Tim Ryan, tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
The Shawano Plan Commission on Wednesday gave its approval for a conditional use permit that would allow an expansion of Shawano Auto Sales for a new display area and customer parking.
The business at 939 E. Green Bay St. recently purchased an adjacent property at 945 E. Green Bay St. and removed a blighted building.
The Shawano Redevelopment Authority last month approved $4,200 in assistance for asbestos removal at the blighted property and up to $5,000 in landscaping assistance.
Shawano Auto Sales estimated the entire project, including the purchase of the adjacent property, demolition and prep work, the laying of blacktop and meeting the city’s green space requirements would cost $125,000, according to RDA meeting minutes.
The plan commission held a public hearing on the conditional use permit request prior to its vote Wednesday, but no one from the public attended other than SAS President Jeff Rohloff, who said the expanding business needs more room.
“We’ve got some ideas in the works for some elevated vehicle display areas,” he said, “and some landscaping to meet the requirements of the new green space laws.”
Rohloff said the business was interested in keeping the property aesthetically pleasing.
“We want to set a good example that we can get along within (city codes) and we can make our city look a little better and all that goes with it,” he said.
“We live here and we want the city to grow,” Rohloff said. “Our family has been here for a long, long time.”
The conditional use permit request goes to the Common Council on Wednesday.