IN BUSINESS: Vicki Hughes-Stanton was granted the right to operate a one-station beauty salon in the basement of her home on Cedar Street. Hughes-Stanton and her 5-year-old daughter, Avery, pose outside their home Wednesday. (The Observer/CHRIS POTTER).

By Ray Linker

Observer Staff Writer

The majority ruled when it came to listening to residents on two zoning issues during Wednesday night’s La Grande City Council meeting.

First, the residents around 18th and 20th streets prevailed in their efforts against a request by the La Grande Drive-in Theater to have its 8.87 acres rezoned commercial.

The drive-in has been in operation for 50 years, but since it was taken into the city in about 1979, it has been zoned residential. Owners wanted to change that to commercial, but nearby residents said that could open the property to be used for any of a wide range of businesses, including heavy truck repair.

The decision to deny the rezoning request affirmed an earlier city planning commission verdict as well as a conclusion by the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development supporting the denial.

In the other zoning issue, Vicki Hughes-Stanton was granted the right to operate a one-station beauty salon in the basement of her home on Cedar Street. That decision overturned a planning commission decision after the city came up with additional findings concerning the required number of parking spaces.

Eight people spoke in favor of permitting the home business; three opposed it. Those against it said the main issue was parking in the neighborhood.

Hughes-Stanton said she has an average of 5.5 clients a days, which means less than one customer car an hour would be at the residence. She has no drop-ins, with clients accepted by appointment only. She operates from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Letters signed by 25 people supported granting her the home business license.

The council decision was unanimous on the Hughes-Stanton issue, but the drive-in verdict was 4-2, with one abstention.

Real estate agent Patty Glaze, representing the drive-in owners, said they had "no interest in developing a business that would fall short of what La Grande expects."

Glaze said concerns over traffic and the condition of streets would be addressed if any redevelopment plans are presented. She said the owners have no specific development in mind.

The state’s concern was that taking the site out of residential zoning would decrease the amount of land in the city for housing development.

"Housing wouldn’t be an issue in La Grande for 10 to 15 years. To stimulate housing, we need businesses," Glaze said.

In a letter to the council, one of the owners, John F. Greulich, said he would "like to confirm that we plan to continue operation of the drive-in theater and it will reopen in May."

He wrote that he thought that it was "reasonable and appropriate" to rezone the property since it has been continually utilized as a commercial property for more than 50 years.