The Nobleboro Planning Board gave its unanimous approval Dec. 18 to Greg Collins and Nathan Chapnick to open GNC Auto, a used car dealership on two adjacent properties owned by their parents in North Nobleboro.
The properties are at 735 and 541 East Pond Rd., and appear on municipal Tax Map 9 as lots 27 and 29B.
In the pair’s original Aug. 24 request, Chapnick said the dealership will sell affordable vehicles, mostly trucks.
At the Dec 18 meeting, the board reviewed a site map made by Chapnick and Collins to show the layout of the proposed dealership that includes two prospective lots to park vehicles as well as a footpath for customers to use to get from a parking area off Upper East Pond Road to the sales lots on East Pond Road. Chapnick said he and Collins would drive customers from the parking area to the sales lots.
The plan showed no proposed structures.
Chapnick told the board he has spoken with Dept. of Transportation Traffic Engineer David Allen and that Allen posed no objections to the project.
In a Dec. 19 phone interview, Allen confirmed that he had talked with Chapnick.
“At this point he has applied for a permit for a changing use of the existing drive,” Allen said. “From his description of the project, I’m not seeing any issues.” Allen said DOT must still conduct a review that includes monitoring traffic and checking sight lines at the location.
“It should be straightforward process,” Allen said. He said DOT tries to respond to all applications within three weeks.
Chapnick also provided the board with proof that he has notified all abutters and that no objections or concerns have been raised.
Planning board members told Chapnick and Collins they thought it would be beneficial to post a sign on East Pond Road, directing customers to the parking area off Upper East Pond Road. They also discussed revisions to an existing sign on Upper East Pond Road.
Finally, the board asked Collins and Chapnick to set a limit on the total number of cars that would be on the lots at any time. Chapnick was hesitant to set any limits, but finally agreed to 40 as the maximum number, after being assured that the business could return to the board to request an amendment to any part of its plan.
“Forty cars is not what I would like to see there, but 40 cars is probably reasonable for a two-acre lot,” Code Enforcement Officer Stanley Waltz said.
Chapnick said the dealership would be open by appointment.
“We’re flexible,” he said. “We don’t sell cars on Sundays and certain holidays.”
The planning board made a site visit to the property Oct. 13 and held a public hearing on the application Oct. 15.
