Auto repair business in DeKalb approved to rezone, expand

DeKALB – A DeKalb auto repair business is one step closer to setting up shop at a new location in the city’s Fourth Street corridor and expanding its existing operations at 1211 S. Fourth St.

The applicant, A.H. Auto Repair owner Halmar Rodriguez, intends to relocate his shop to 1106 S. Fourth St.

It is one of four neighboring properties at 1104 to 1124 S. Fourth St. in which Rodriguez wants to establish a vehicle service and repair facility and a hair salon, reestablish one dwelling unit and continue one dwelling unit.

City Manager Bill Nicklas made a pitch to the City Council asking for support of the owner’s application.

“We appreciate Mr. Rodriguez’s industry and commitment to the neighborhood, and we support this application,” Nicklas said.

The rezoning – from general district to planned development commercial district – will accommodate the auto repair shop and a beauty salon, which the petitioner’s wife will operate, according to city documents. It also will permit the reestablishment of the home at 1110 S. Fourth St., which had been vacant for seven to eight months.

Rodriguez said he would like to rent out the home. The home at 1124 S. Fourth St. would continue to be rented out as well.

Seventh Ward Alderman John Walker said he supports the applicant’s request.

“We forgot about South Fourth [Street] for some years now,” Walker said. “I used to live over there when I first moved to DeKalb. I just want to start putting some money back into that area of town.”

First Ward Alderwoman Carolyn Zasada gave kudos to Rodriguez for embracing DeKalb.

“Thank you for choosing to do business and continuing to do business,” Zasada said. “I’ve been looking at this building for a while wondering what would come of it, so it’s exciting to see this.”

In a unanimous vote, the City Council decided Monday to authorize the auto repair business’s rezoning request with a set of three conditions, along with planned development standards. Those include striping the parking lot, adding a handicapped-accessible space, re-striping the ATM and paving the service bays. Another unanimous vote taken during Monday’s council meeting waived a second reading of the applicant’s rezoning request.