Beatrice City Council Approves Salvage Site, Rezoning Requests

BEATRICE – Beatrice elected officials have approved the site for a planned salvage and parts operation, east of Sanitary Garbage Recycling Center.
The city council Monday night approved the location sought by Wayne and Christine Huls, who operate a body shop and towing business along South 6th Street. The project can now seek a special use permit from the city’s planning and zoning commission.

A public hearing was held regarding the site selected, Monday night. Wayne Huls says there’s been some favorable input about the service the business would provide. It would take parts from cars, possibly for sale, before vehicles were sent to be crushed.

The council recently approved an ordinance change that will allow the operation within one-thousand feet of a residential area, by special use permit. The project would have a solid fence around it, with a building at the site serving as part of the enclosure. Christine Huls says the business will provide a location for cars the couple acquires in the course of business, over time...that are currently kept at the couple's body shop and towing business.

Mayor Stan Wirth says letters were sent to area landowners and tenants about the project and no objections were received by the city.

The city council also approved two rezoning applications from single-family to multi-family residential, Monday night. One is for the Covered Bridge Heights Seventh Addition. Development of duplexes and triplexes are planned for an area located west of Meadow Lane.

A second rezoning is for the proposed Birchwood Estates Retirement Village, north of 9th and Dorsey. Attorney Jim Nelson represents owners of the land who are selling the property for the project. He addressed one councilman’s concern that the land might be used for a different purpose. Nelson said there are restrictive use covenants on the land, so that it would be used for an assisting living facility or retirement living. He said there would be no subsidized housing or commercial business there.

The council approved both rezoning requests without objections. Both had been recommended for approval by the city’s planning and zoning commission.