On Aug. 7, Lakeway's Zoning and Planning Commission denied a special-use permit to BZ Motors. The business requested permission to add a classic and exotic car showroom to the property at 1009 N. RR 620, Austin.

The owner of BZ Motors did not appear at the hearing; however, Realtor Jennie Braasch, representing the owner, spoke in favor of the 10,000-square-foot single-story project on the 0.8-acre lot. Braasch, of Pohl Partners Real Estate Group, said the proposed showroom would be of low volume, house an indoor display of high-end vehicles and would not include any on-site major repair or maintenance of the automobiles.

ZAPCO member Don Kotrady noted two used car properties just north of Lakeway and counted about 16 to 18 cars parked about 50 feet from RR 620—something he said would be much more undesirable than the proposed use of the classic car property. He said he did not think there would be as high of a traffic count entering and exiting the property compared with the other two nearby lots.

Troy Anderson, Lakeway Building and Development Services manager, said his staff was not making a recommendation about the property, and ZAPCO Chairman Dwight Haley spoke against granting a special-use permit for the showroom. Haley said the city's ordinances do not allow used car lots.

"A leopard minus his spots is still a leopard," Haley said. "This is a form of a used car lot. You can make it look a lot different, but it's still a used car lot."

With a unanimous vote and member Bridget Bertram absent, the commission denied BZ Motors' request. Haley said he would seek a clarification from city officials as to what constitutes a used car lot within Lakeway's city code.