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MINUTES <br />PLANNING COMMISSION <br />APRIL 11, 1996 <br />TEXT <br />AMENDMENT <br />TO B -3 <br />DISTRICT - <br />ALLIANCE <br />CAR RENTAL <br />The City Planner reported that Alliance Car Rental has <br />made application for a Text Amendment to the General <br />Business District (B -3) to permit small automobile <br />rental operations as a permitted or conditional use. <br />Alliance Car Rental is currently operating at 80 <br />Minnesota Avenue. <br />Schletty reported that he looked at the location and <br />noted it was difficult to find Alliance Car Rental, <br />which is located in the Little Canada Mall. The <br />vehicles stored on -site were not owned by Alliance Car <br />Rental, but rather a carpet store and paint store which <br />operate in the mall. <br />Knudsen stated that it was very common for small <br />satellite car rental agencies to operate out of <br />shopping malls. These agencies provide insurance <br />replacement cars and deliver the vehicles to their <br />customers. These operations are not really store front <br />operations. Knudsen pointed out that if there are a <br />lot of cars parked at the rental agency, then the <br />agency is not making any money. Knudsen stated that he <br />did not see a big concern with the proposal. <br />The Planner felt the issue was not with this agency, <br />but the next proposal the City might get. The argument <br />could be made that this is an auto - related commercial <br />use, and there are other zoning districts set up for <br />this sort of use. The Planner stated that the proposal <br />falls in the category of auto - related commercial, and <br />his office would prefer they find another location. <br />Schletty asked if the use were allowed at this time, <br />and it becomes apparent there are problems, can the <br />action be rescinded at a later date. For example, an <br />attractive proposal may be presented for the vacant <br />property along Viking Drive, which might cause the <br />rental agency to become an issue. <br />The Planner replied that another text amendment could <br />be done. However, the car rental use would become non- <br />conforming and would be grandfathered in until the use <br />is changed. Again, the Planner expressed concern about <br />the auto - related use. <br />Knudsen felt there was a big leap from auto rental to <br />gas station to car dealership. Knudsen again stated <br />that this was a small satellite rental office. <br />8 <br />Page 53 <br />