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G o p . --'O-~C'\~I~~> / ~~ . ~. Cfl:. ~,c1.~ .... .\ ~~~ ~/ {'U< "'~ nREI PWl R u E March 3, 1997 City Manager Steve Sarkozy 2660 Civic Center Drive Roseville, MN 55113 \ ..' J ....'_.......---~-- Dear Mr. Sarkozy: --.......-.... .-'___~------ ___-----.J We are writing to let you know about an activity that is occurring in our industry that could pose some planning and / or zoning challenges to your community. Tires Plus is a Twin City based company that operates in 6 states. Our corporate Mission Objective has been the redefinition of an industry with a perceived bad reputation---one of being unclean, unprofessional, and untrustworthy. The task was similar to the way Disney earlier redefined the carnival and outdoor entertainment industry. A large portion of achieving this objective is gaining acceptance into retail areas that are not zoned for automotive use. In this effort, we have agreed to high standards imposed by communities such as yours for the right to receive a conditional use permit. Tires Plus welcomes this approach in our developments throughout the country. Even though we always want to improve, we are providing well designed and high quality facilities to the communities that we serve. As you may be aware, two years ago the members of the Minnesota Shopping Center Association conflnued our commitment by awarding us their STARR award for the retail store design of the year in the under 10,000 square foot category. In our effort to set the standard, we feel we may have paved the way for easier acceptance for others in our industry who unfortunately may not embrace the same commitment. According to our trade publications, some national tire and automotive parts and service companies are working to establish a presence in this and other markets. We presently compete successfully against several of these national chains in other markets outside of Minnesota. but that fact is not what concerns us. Tires Plus has worked hard to create and maintain our image. We would hope that you would not automatically assume that all others are the same and that you would assure yourself that any proposed development really meets your expected standards. The proposed facilities and site plans are not the only areas of concern but also some of the current tactics. We are aware that the City Council of at least one Twin Cities community was promised a parts store without any service bays, and now that the parcel has been rezoned for automotive use, we have been advised that the user is planning to actually erect a tire store with service bays. We abhor such tactics and the image they create for our industry. We are also including some data concerning the automotive industry's impact in your specific community. As cities struggle to balance the different uses and types of development. we believe you will find this infonnation helpful in your decision making process. Tires Plus is simply requesting that your city be aware of this development activity. As your community weighs the merits of these applications, Tires Plus requests a level playing field. We urge you to uphold the development standards that we believe we, with the city's participation, have set for the tire industry. ~ truly :ours, U~ ,~{. .j~~ Donald M. Gullett Q VP Store Development 701 Ladybird Lane Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 Phone: 612/894-2700 Fax: 612\894-9145