Land Use Planning

Hot Springs County’s Land Use Planning Commission considered a proposal from Cody and Lindsay Hensley to add light auto maintenance and tire sales and servicing to their property west of town on Highway 120.

The Hensley’s had received a land use change on their property in 2012, which changed a two-acre portion of their property to commercial/industrial to allow retail feed sales, vehicle dismantling and metal recycling. The occasional sale of salvaged and repaired vehicles was also allowed at that time.

Cody Hensley attended the public meeting, however, no other members of the public were in attendance and county planner Bo Bowman indicated to the board he had received no correspondence from surrounding landowners against the proposed addition to the land use change.

The board asked Hensley several questions before voting to send the proposal on to the county commissioners with a “do pass” recommendation, which would include the following conditions.

• All conditions of approval placed on the 2012 land use change for the property shall remain in effect, and shall also apply to the proposed additional activities.

• In addition to the existing signage allowed by the 2012 land use change, the applicant may add a second wall-mounted sign advertising the new auto service and tire service activities. This second sign shall not exceed 32 square feet in area, and shall not be internally lit.

• All vehicle maintenance and tire service shall be conducted within the existing shop building.

The proposal will now go before the county commissioners for final approval.