For the past few decades the city of College Station has not allowed any used car lots to be opened in the city. I notice that Carmax is building on Highway 6 and all they sell are used cars.

Has the city changed their policy on allowing used car lots?

woodiewood1 said:

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For the past few decades the city of College Station has not allowed any used car lots to be opened in the city. I notice that Carmax is building on Highway 6 and all they sell are used cars.

Has the city changed their policy on allowing used car lots?

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Is that actually true? I remember some user that used to chime in on how many potential developments were lost because of CoCS restrictions but then refused to show up any proof when asked.

And CarMax is a very different retailer than those fly-by-night dealerships that settle in small vacant lots in Houston.

I am pretty sure it is illegal to ban a certain kind of business if they fit the zoning requirements for the location they are trying to build. And you can't completely zone out certain business types, hence there is two lots zoned for strip clubs in the city.

PS3D said:

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woodiewood1 said:

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For the past few decades the city of College Station has not allowed any used car lots to be opened in the city. I notice that Carmax is building on Highway 6 and all they sell are used cars.

Has the city changed their policy on allowing used car lots?

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Is that actually true? I remember some user that used to chime in on how many potential developments were lost because of CoCS restrictions but then refused to show up any proof when asked.

And CarMax is a very different retailer than those fly-by-night dealerships that settle in small vacant lots in Houston.

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I think you are correct. I have never tried to open a business in CS but everyone I know who has done so tells me the experience is dreadful. They don't point to specific online documents that "prove" it though. So I guess it's hard to objectively quantify it in an internet forum. But I have no doubt CS City Hall is a pain to work with. Too many anecdotal tales of woe to suggest otherwise.

As for CarMax vs a private used car lot I wonder if there's something written down somewhere in regards to franchises for used car lots being okay. Certainly car dealers get away with selling used inventory on their lots.

cslifer said:

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I am pretty sure it is illegal to ban a certain kind of business if they fit the zoning requirements for the location they are trying to build. And you can't completely zone out certain business types, hence there is two lots zoned for strip clubs in the city.

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And when someone wanted to open one, a pastor from Bryan and his and several other congregations went to city council meetings to voice their displeasure, and the place got denied, IIRC.

It's illegal to disallow? Doesn't seem like CoCS cares…

This can't be true. I recall a used car dealership in the last 4-5 years on the corner opposite wal mart. Behind the gas station car wash on Texas and Harvey Mitchell.

I believe it was a Caldwell country used lot and then another dealer as well.

aggiesed8r said:

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This can't be true. I recall a used car dealership in the last 4-5 years on the corner opposite wal mart. Behind the gas station car wash on Texas and Harvey Mitchell.

I believe it was a Caldwell country used lot and then another dealer as well.

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It had been there for decades and was likely grandfathered in. That's the only stand-alone used car lot I remember in CS and I'm in my mid 40s. I've always understood the ordinance to be against standalones, so new car dealerships are allowed to have used lots as a part of their business.

Hornbeck said:

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cslifer said:

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I am pretty sure it is illegal to ban a certain kind of business if they fit the zoning requirements for the location they are trying to build. And you can't completely zone out certain business types, hence there is two lots zoned for strip clubs in the city.

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And when someone wanted to open one, a pastor from Bryan and his and several other congregations went to city council meetings to voice their displeasure, and the place got denied, IIRC.

It's illegal to disallow? Doesn't seem like CoCS cares…

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Hopefully Bryan would do the same. We don't need another 'Dirty Sock'. This isn't even a NIMBY issue because that presumes people are okay with it, as long as its not close to them. However...if the cost of everything doesn't start coming down....I might have to start dancing again.

We got a high roller over here, he's got two 18 packs of Grade AA Jumbo eggs!

P.S. I'm not a person who frequents such places, but making it impossible for someone to open one seems a little draconian to me.

PS3D said:

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woodiewood1 said:

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For the past few decades the city of College Station has not allowed any used car lots to be opened in the city. I notice that Carmax is building on Highway 6 and all they sell are used cars.

Has the city changed their policy on allowing used car lots?

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Is that actually true? I remember some user that used to chime in on how many potential developments were lost because of CoCS restrictions but then refused to show up any proof when asked.

And CarMax is a very different retailer than those fly-by-night dealerships that settle in small vacant lots in Houston.

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And even more different than the "dealers" whose real business is selling shady temp tags.

If your location is zoned retail you can open up one, the barrier is the price of construction and the overpriced land.
Not really a COCS issue (this time)