A Junction City man recently was informed that he was in violation of city codes by using his land to conduct business involving the sale of light duty utility trailers.

Pierre Roberge owns property at 1325 Thompson Drive in Junction City and approached the Junction City/Geary County/Milford Metropolitan Planning Commission Thursday. Roberge indicated that he is an agent for a Texas based company, and does have trailers on that property for display but also takes delivery of sold trailers and stores them on his property until picked up by the buyers.

Dave Yearout, Zoning Administrator, explained that it was determined that that activity is not a permitted home occupation.

“Under the zoning rules this would take commercial zoning, but the idea of zoning this property commercially, in the middle of a residential area, did not make any sense,” Yearout said. “That’s why, if you recall, we amended our regulations several months ago as a means to deal with these types of issues.”

Roberge did request a special use permit that would allow him to continue to conduct that business. City staff did ultimately recommend that the request be approved by the MPC, but with some conditions. One of those conditions stated that the property that the trailers are stored on be paved.

Currently that land is gravel. Roberge said that he got a quote on paving just a portion of the land and the cost of the paving would be to expensive for him to be able to do.

“If you’re going to require me to pave it we can just stop right now and I will sell everything. I can’t do that,” Roberge said.

The commission informed Roberge that they have no authority on waiving that requirement it would be up to the governing body, the Junction City Commission.

The commission ultimately did recommend the approval of the special use permit. It will now go in front of the City Commission for final action.