By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer
A Yukon businessman has proposed expanding property that houses a commercial towing company and other businesses.
The Yukon Planning Commission on Jan. 23 voted 5-0 to recommend approval of applicant Shane Swearingen’s request for a planned unit development (PUD) and preliminary plat at 1401 Lakeshore Drive. The items have since been approved by the Yukon City Council.
A-Z Towing rents the west building on the I-1 (light industrial) zoned property. Marcus Hall now owns the business, having purchased it from Swearingen in April 2022.
Swearingen owns the 2.6-acre property, but no longer A-Z Towing. Two other businesses occupy two other buildings.
“We’re taking that project over there on Lakeshore, and we’re going to clean it up, put in a brand-new parking lot and landscaping,” said project consultant Warren Peacock, of Peacock Design. “He’s got another building he wants to add to the east end.”
This project is an opportunity for Swearingen to “make it what he really wants it to be … a first-class type of operation,” Peacock told planning commissioners.
A master plan shows a proposed 7,200 square foot building on the east side of the site. Swearingen operates an equipment sales company in the current east building.
This new structure would contain “both offices and repair and/or manufacturing for storing products associated with the business,” according to the PUD document.
“This use is for auto mechanics and similar tradespeople for the offices, storage and operation with retail sales to the public.”
The proposed building “will share the same color and brick fascia as the current buildings,” according to a continued development justification letter signed by Swearingen.
Outdoor storage is permitted behind buildings or a sight-proof fence, a city planner’s report shows.
TWO LOTS
Swearingen owns the entire property but wants to subdivide should he eventually decide to sell part of the site, consultant Peacock explained.
Pending city council approval, the Lakeshore Drive property will be divided into two lots that will share common parking areas.
Cross-access agreements would allow circulation between both lots.
Any gravel on the site will be replaced with pavement.
“It’s going to be a paved surface with asphalt or concrete, or a mixture of both depending on cost at the time,” Assistant City Manager Mitchell Hort said.
There are two existing drives, and a third entrance is proposed on the east end so each building will have its own access point.
“We don’t want to put too many entrances off of Lakeshore, because then it becomes a traffic issue,” Peacock said.
The proposal calls for street trees placed 50 feet apart and landscaping on at least 10% of the site. An existing sidewalk along Lakeshore Drive would be maintained.
The applicant will meet all City of Yukon detention and drainage requirements, Peacock noted.
“We’re providing a new water and sewer line for fire protection and sewer services so each building will have its own individual service, to a public sewer and a public water main,” he said.
ZONING CODE UPDATE
Meanwhile, Hort on Jan. 23 encouraged planning commissioners to thoroughly review the City of Yukon’s proposed zoning code and subdivision regulation updates.
“This is a document we definitely want your input in, especially since there’s so many proposed changes,” Hort told members.
These include new apartment density limits, along with housing-sharing and accessory dwelling use requirements.
Yukon Planning Commission members are Chairman Bill Baker, Vice Chairman Jarrid Wright, David Enmark, Nick Grba, and Jeff Geis.
