08/08/2011 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Minutes of the Special Meeting of Council Monday, August 8, 2011 Page 4 Prior to picking up the Dodge line at the Deacon's location, Chrysler has specific square footage requirements that we require a dealer to maintain in order to pick up the Dodge line. That's part of the reasons why the Deacons are making these proposals. As part of our requirements, we have entered into a Letter of Intent with the Deacons that says once you meet these requirements, square footage wise, acreage wise and you complete the construction, we will add the Dodge line to them which would allow them to pick up 500 units of Dodge sales in this particular market. So, I am just here to show my support and also here to answer any questions after giving the presentation. Thank you. Mayor Rinker and Council President Pro Tem Marrie thanked Mr. Gannon. JIM DEACON Mr. Deacon stated, thanks Jack and thanks for making the trip down. I passed out a little letter here that you can all read, but one thing that I wanted to say is of course Jack wanted this about a year and half ago and I said, well Jack this is a little bit of a process here in Mayfield Village because we need to get these lots rezoned and the business plan actually really doesn't work without having that extra space, we need to stock more vehicles and sell more vehicles in order to pay for this investment and make it profitable not only for us but for the manufacturer. One of the things that I will say, we have had a lot of hours put in with David Hartt, he's had a lot of experience, and with Ted from Planning Development, a representative from the Village. As I put in my letter here, I think this really needs to be a win-win proposition. Number one, we need a facility that is functional and competitive in today's market that people who drive by want to pull in and look at a car and we can give them good service and all, so again, from our standpoint, that's important to us. Secondly, I think, our dealership is right here in Town Center. I know a lot of dealerships are right off the freeways. We actually looked in to Beta as an opportunity a few years back but finance-wise, the buildings were too big. By the time we revamped them and cut them in half and demolish half of them, it just wasn't cost-effective and the other problem is you really need 4-6 acres which there really isn't a lot of commercial real estate around with that kind of land left. Ohio has very stringent franchise laws. If there is somebody within a 10 mile radius and you are moving any closer to them, we have a one-mile buffer zone. Once you go beyond that, the other dealership can protest. That's an issue too. We have another dealer just north of us in Willoughby who just actually did a renovation of their building. We have another one in Bedford. So we really don't have a big zone where we could choose from. While it is going to be a little cumbersome doing business and renovating at the same time, we feel we can do it. Again I think it's important that because we are in the Town Center that we come up with a plan and a design that we can all be proud of; that I can be proud of as a business owner; that the residents can also be proud of; and also one that has a western reserve flair that fits in Chrysler's original plan. They are looking for a contemporary modern building. When I first showed it to