City May Extend Ban on Building or Expanding Automotive Businesses

The City Council has moved one step closer to extending a moratorium on building or expanding automotive businesses on Lincoln Avenue.

Voting to receive and file a staff update on the temporary automotive business ban, the council is expected to hold a public hearing and discuss whether to extend the automotive building moratorium at its meeting May 27.

According to state law, the council had to approve the status report on the moratorium issue 10 days before the interim ordinance, approved by the council April 14, expires May 29.

The temporary ban prevents the city from issuing building permits for automotive businesses along Lincoln Avenue while the city staff study to see if the growing number of requests for such uses are consistent with zoning regulations and what effect they may have on the future Lincoln Avenue Specific Plan.

Lincoln Avenue is within the city’s redevelopment area. Of the 290 business on Lincoln Avenue between Holder Street and the Los Coyotes Creek Bridge, about 50 are auto-related.

Officials interested in enhancing the area’s aesthetics have expressed concerns that additional automotive shops could create parking, safety, space and noise problems and may not be the best uses for the area.