A Toledo City Council committee has overruled an earlier decision and recommend that a Point Place auto repair shop damaged in a tornado can go ahead with reconstruction plans.
Gary’s Automotive at 4505 N. Summit St. was severely damaged during the June 15, 2023, tornado that hit Point Place and other areas of Toledo. The owner, Dave Thomas, had submitted a site plan review to the Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commission to reconstruct the building, but the commission recommended last month that it not be approved because the materials were not in compliance with the zoning code.
“We were turned down because of a material we wanted to use on our building,” Mr. Thomas said Tuesday during a meeting of council’s Zoning and Planning Committee. “It’s more of a cosmetic use rather than a strength issue.”
Half of his brick shop is still standing, he said. The cost to rebuild is more than $600,000, using a “pole metal” type of material, which is not on the plan commission’s approved list of materials. The cost would balloon to $900,000 to use bricks — money he said he doesn’t have because the building is underinsured.
The committee’s approval recommendation will be taken up at council’s regular meeting on Wednesday.
Councilman Vanice Williams said she sympathized with Mr. Thomas because she is also the owner of a small business.
“I appreciate how community-based you are. I”m saddened to hear the struggles you’re going through because of a natural disaster,” she said.
“It was an act of God. It’s not something you could have prevented,” said Ms. Williams, adding that she will support a recommendation to council for approval.
Mr. Thomas said his shop has a very good reputation, and even noted that he has previously serviced vehicles owned by Councilmen George Sarantou and Theresa Morris, chairman of the committee. Though he has been out of business since last July, he has been paying his five employees monthly for the last 12 months, he said.
“You have paid your employees for one year while they have not been able to work,” Mr. Sarantou said. “It says a lot about your character as a business owner I thank you for that commitment.”
Ms. Morris said the city has received 60 emails from the community regarding Mr. Thomas’s request, and they were all positive.
“We’re an asset to the community,” Mr. Thomas said. “We pay our taxes. We’re very good people. I’ve never spent a dollar on advertising. We’re asking for your permission to get back to business.”
Added Councilman Mac Driscoll: “I commend you for your business and reputation. But the plan commission does its job. If something is not allowed, they have to disapprove of it. The reason the aesthetics are in our code is to protect the concerns of the neighborhood.
“But the neighborhood is very supportive of this,” he noted. “That body exists to make rulings, and we exist to override them sometimes. I will support you.”
But Councilman Adam Martinez said he had concerns because the materials Mr. Thomas wants to use to rebuild are not as strong as commercial-grade materials. He did not want to set a precedent for future requests by individuals seeking approval to use cheaper building materials that do not meet zoning regulations.
“I’m concerned we’re opening Pandora’s box in terms of future exceptions because someone says they’re poor and don’t have enough money and we should ignore our guidelines because they didn’t properly prepare,” he said.
Still, he approved of Mr. Thomas’ request.
“It was a natural disaster that was outside of your ability to control it, which is why I am going to support this,” Mr. Martinez said.
Ms. Morris agreed.
“I am concerned about setting a precedent in the use of different building materials,” she said. Still, she recommended approval because the shop was damaged by a tornado.
“This is due to a different set of circumstances,” she said.
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