Here’s a wide view of the temporary car sales lot for which the city is processing a “site plan review.”
One evening last week found me and my bike on Santiam Highway east of the interstate. As you may guess, this is not an ideal place for riding a bike, so why was I there?
To check something out, that’s why.
The city of Albany’s Community Development Department had published a “notice of filing” for “site plan review for temporary sales office” at 4129 Santiam Hwy. S.E., and I wondered what that was all about.
The address is that of “44 North,” which is the name the Linn-Co Federal Credit Union chose for itself a couple of years ago. And what the city’s notice was about was no big thing.
The credit union has a big parking lot, usually empty. Across the highway, Power Honda has been remodeling its offices and showroom, and while that is going on, the car dealership moved its sales operation to the empty parking lot across the street.
The dealership filed a site plan of the lot dated July 28. It shows a couple of trailers, a generator, space for bathroom trailers and about 80 parking spaces for cars.
So something routine like that has to go through city planning? Yup.
“Temporary building space is allowed through a minimal site plan review,” Albany planning manager David Martineau explained. “Power Honda is remodeling their dealership, so they needed to get approval to place a temporary commercial trailer to provide for their office space for staff and customers while the remodel continues. We handle the temporary plant sales similarly, such as Orson’s off of 14th Avenue, where their use runs from 31 to 120 days per calendar year from spring to early summer.”
The site plan review notice said the city notified property owners within 300 feet and invited them to comment. The deadline for doing so was Tuesday, and I doubt that anyone did. (hh)
That is not unusual. Anytime a temporary buincluding a office trailer needs to have city approval.
Building…that is