MARSHALL - Marshall City Council members appeared to agree that business owner Bill Ziegenhagen should be allowed to have a retail automotive and parts store at his property at the intersection of U.S. Highway 59 and Minnesota 68 - they just didn't agree on how it should be allowed.

A public hearing will take place March 10 on the proposal to include auto parts as an allowed use in an I-2 zone or I-1 zones to allow for Ziegenhagen's proposed business. Now, automotive parts stores are not allowed in an I-2 or I-1 zones.

The property is a former industrial company and warehouse located near the railroad tracks and across from Ziegenhagen's business, Marshall Small Engine.

In a follow-up interview on Wednesday, Ziegenhagen said he would not operate an auto parts store but plans to lease the north portion of the property to a business already in Marshall. A possible store would be located in what is known as the white house or the building where egg whites were separated in a former business located at the site, Ziegenhagen said.

Councilman Mike Boedigheimer, a member of the city's legislative and ordinance committee, said I-2 is the appropriate zone for the proposed business.

"Does it make sense," Boedigheimer said. "The answer should be yes."

Councilman Charlie Sanow said the proposed use is good but the proposed zone change is not.

Sanow said a conditional use permit should be used to allow the retail automotive and parts store.

"An auto parts store can go in that as a conditional use," Sanow said.

Sanow said he worries if the city changes its ordinance to allow for an automotive and parts store in an I-2 zone, it will get other requests in the future that may not be appropriate.

"A conditional use permit gives us more control," Sanow said.

City engineer and director Glenn Olson said a CUP was considered but it implies conditions must be placed on the business. He couldn't think of any conditions such as green space, shrubs or others to place on a CUP, Olson said. A rezone to I-2 made more sense to him, Olson said.

Ziegenhagen said Wednesday he still had questions on whether or not a CUP would require him to renew the permit every three or five years as he believes some home-based businesses such as hair salons need to do.

City officials told Ziegenhagen Tuesday night as long as the CUP is the same as the original use, he would not need to re-apply for his CUP after a certain period of years.

Ziegenhagen said Wednesday, other CUP holders who haven't changed their businesses still seem to have apply every few years.

Councilman Larry Doom ended what became a lengthy discussion when he said the only action required Tuesday was to approve the introduction of the change in ordinance. The council could discuss it more at the hearing when it's likely members of the public may attend, Doom said.

Olson said a CUP could be the result of that hearing.

In other business:

The council authorized the wastewater department to get bids for a crane truck and a commercial lawn mower and approved a nearly $6,000 quote from Fran's Communications for a new phone system for wastewater.

The council ordered reports for three proposed projects involving Baseline Road and Susan Drive, an electric project in a downtown alley and a project for U.S. Highway 59 and Ontario Road in the city's industrial park. The Baseline Road project would close Baseline, a frontage road, and extend Clarice Avenue, Olson said. Marshall Municipal Utilities would bury above-ground electrical wires in the downtown alley project, Olson said.

The city would replace a street and MMU would install a waterline in the Ontario Road project, Olson said.