Village board approves first reading for indoor auto dealership, reduces parking requirement

The Lehi Bluff Village Board of Trustees approved on first reading an ordinance granting a special-use permit and a parking variation to Lake Forest Motor Sport LLC for a fully enclosed new-and-used automobile dealership at 924 Sherwood Drive.

The board’s action on Aug. 25 came after village staff and Planning, Zoning, and Building Inspection (PCZBI) recommendations that the indoor-only dealership would generate lower parking demand than the zoning district’s baseline. "As the full indoor layout of a space has not been finalized, the draft ordinance states that the applicant may revise the plans to move or decrease the size of the event space for the proposed dealership, subject to approval by the village administrator," village staff told the board. The dealership will have no outdoor vehicle display and will operate by appointment only, with proposed hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The board also approved a variation reducing the number of required parking spaces from the L-1 zoning standard to 67 spaces for this use. Village planning staff explained that the L-1 District’s parking standard is high because the district authorizes a wide variety of uses — office, warehousing and light industrial — and that required parking is determined "by use" rather than by a single blanket formula.

Petitioner Michael Mancuso (spelled in the record as "Mr. Mancuso") spoke for the applicant and described the proposal as low-impact: "what we're trying to do is do something very, low impact visually, parking wise, and everything else," he said, adding the business has "no aspirations of signs and lights and flags" and would keep vehicles inside. Mancuso said the building layout provides drive-around access and space to stage vehicles during occasional events.

Planning staff said the PCZBI unanimously recommended approval at its August meeting. The ordinance was read and approved on first reading by voice vote; the board recorded the motion as carrying at first reading. The draft ordinance allows the applicant to revise interior layout and potential event-space sizing with the village administrator’s approval.

Discussion vs. decision: the board’s action was a first reading of the ordinance with the variation; conditions in the draft ordinance (interior plan flexibility, appointment-only operations, no exterior display) remain part of the approval on first reading and could be enforced or clarified during final review.

What’s next: the ordinance will return for subsequent readings and final action per normal village ordinance procedures.