Commission recommends conditional use permit for tire sales and service at 9955 Jefferson Ave.; unanimous vote
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Summary
The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend city council approve CU2025-0004 to allow a small motor vehicle repair/service (tire sales and installation) at a vacant building at 9955 Jefferson Avenue, subject to 18 conditions and Class 2 site plan review.
The Newport News Planning Commission on July 16 recommended city council approve Conditional Use Permit CU2025-0004 to allow operation of a tire sales, repair and installation business at 9955 Jefferson Avenue. The commission’s recommendation was unanimous (8–0).
Planner Saul Gleiser told commissioners the 0.47-acre site is zoned C-2 General Commercial and was last used as an alignment/service center; because the prior automotive use ceased in 2020, the nonconforming status was lost and the proposed tire installation operation requires a conditional use permit. Staff recommended approval with 18 standard conditions, including submission and approval of a Class 2 site plan and a landscape plan, removal of one southern driveway and replacement of the northern driveway with a 40-foot commercial entrance to meet city standards.
Agent Sam Bareca spoke for the applicant and said the operator runs seven Tidewater locations and is proposing interior-only service (no outdoor tire display), two full-time employees on site during business hours (8 a.m. to 6 p.m.), and that the property will be restriped and landscaped to meet city requirements. He said the applicant prefers a building-mounted sign instead of a monument sign because new landscaping near the street would reduce the visibility of a monument sign.
Commissioners asked about landscaping and buffers adjacent to neighboring properties; staff said the required landscape strip along Jefferson Avenue and other planting requirements will be set by the site-plan process and city landscape standards. Several commissioners noted the site is part of a broader Jefferson Avenue corridor planning effort but said approval of a conditional use permit for a vacant existing commercial building does not preclude future corridor redevelopment studies.
A motion to recommend approval of CU2025-0004, subject to the 18 conditions in the staff report, passed by voice vote and a roll call that returned unanimous support. The item will be scheduled for a city council hearing on Aug. 12, 2025.