A used car dealer – forced to relocate because of the Interstate 74 bridge project – is seeking $15,000 from the city even though his business has yet to complete any of the promised landscaping of his highly visible new location on the east entrance to downtown Bettendorf.
Premier Picks Auto in 2011 obtained city council approval for its move to 26th Street (where State Street becomes a one-way) despite opposition by the city's Planning and Zoning Commission. The planning commission by a 3-1 vote denied the rezoning request to allow the use of the parcel for used car sales saying it felt the car dealership did not fit the downtown redevelopment master plan and its streetscaping plans.
The city council overruled the zoning commission and allowed Premier Picks to relocate to 2540 State Street in 2011. The car dealership has yet to install any landscaping as outlined in its rezoning request to the plan commission and city council.<!--break-->
The dealership also promised to asphalt the entire lot, but did not complete that work until a month ago, about the same time the business owner met with the city's Façade Review Committee seeking $15,000 in reimbursement for interior and exterior improvements at his business.
The committee – comprised of Aldermen Dean Mayne and Debe LeMar, Economic Development Director Steve VanDyke, Community Development Director Bill Connors and three downtown business owners – is recommending approval of the reimbursement. The city council is expected to approve the recommendation at tonight's (12/2) meeting.
"Although not exactly like the original design, Jeff Picks (owner of Premier Picks) did indicate that he would be willing to work with FLIP committee member Bill Connors in landscaping the 'point' area of his own lot similar in manor to what the city does on an annual basis further to the east," according to the façade review committee minutes of November 13.
Under the original landscape plan shown the council and and plan commission, the site included a landscaped area at the property point, 14 ornamental trees, 19 shrubs, ornamental grass screening and 2-foot high brick seat walls along both Grant and State Streets.
Under the city's zoning ordinance, property owners are required to landscape their developments and install trees of a minimum diameter and number depending on the size of the lot. The used car lot also falls within the Downtown Riverfront Corridor Overlay District, which permits the city to require even greater landscaping and building standards to enhance the look of the downtown.
VanDyke said the business was being recommended for reimbursement from the façade program because the owner was forced to move because of the bridge project and that "he took a location that was very blighted and vacant for quite some time and turned it around."
The new owner also complied with the city's request to stop using several entrances to the property that were too close to the intersection, he said.
"At least one previous owner complained to our police department on many occasions about vandalism," VanDyke said. "Over the last three years, little in the way of police calls have been generated."
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