Jackson aldermen side with neighbors against home-based business

Jason Yeager's next door neighbors want his business to succeed, just not at his home.

And after hearing from the neighbors, the Jackson Board of Aldermen agreed Yeager shouldn't operate Fuzz's Transmissions in an area zoned for single-family residential homes.

By a 6-2 vote, the aldermen voted Monday night to deny Yeager's request for a special-use permit to operate his transmission and interlock auto ignition installation business at 525 Maple Drive at the end of a one-block cul-de-sac off West Jackson Boulevard. Only board members Joe Bob Baker and Wanda Young voted to grant the permit.

Yeager, who had previously worked for LeGrand Brothers Transmissions, recently established Fuzz's Transmissions and in February began installing auto ignition systems that prevent vehicles from starting if the operator's blood-alcohol level exceeds the legal limit.

At a public hearing before the Jackson Planning & Zoning Commission in August, several residents of Maple Drive appeared in opposition to Yeager's permit request and the commission voted 6-3 against it, meaning it required two-thirds approval by the aldermen at Monday night's meeting in order to pass.

Yeager told the aldermen he hopes to move his business to a garage in the 4800 block of Old Cape Road East near Dutch Enterprises, but said it may take a few weeks or possibly several months before he is able to secure a business loan to make the move.

"I'm trying to get it away from my house," he said.

Yeager's next-door neighbors, Bobby and Deborah Besher, 524 Maple Drive, told the aldermen they were concerned about additional traffic on Maple Drive and a possible impact on property values if the board were to approve the permit.

"I would like to see Jason succeed in his business, just not in our neighborhood," Bobby Besher said. "I have nothing against him at all. I just want to protect our property."

Other business

In other votes Monday night, the aldermen:

• Accepted a bid of $337,416 from Tom Beussink Excavating Inc. of Jackson for grading and site preparation for a new electrical substation near Interstate 55 and approved an ordinance authorizing a contract for the work.
• Approved a task order authorization in the amount of $11,920 to Horner & Shifrin Inc. of St. Louis for engineering services related to the city's East Main Street water line and pavement improvement project.
• Approved a change order in the amount of $31,728 with Insituform Technologies USA LLC of Chesterfield, Missouri, in connection with the city's 2021 sewer lining program.
• Amended the city's handicapped parking designated schedule to add a handicapped parking area in the south parking lot of Brookside Park.
• Set a public hearing for 6 p.m. Oct. 18 to consider a special-use permit request submitted by Brian and Angela Powell to establish an in-home day care at 596 Canyon Trail in an R-1 single-family residential district.
• Approved an ordinance calling for a general municipal election April 5, 2022, to fill several seats on the Board of Aldermen. Board members whose seats will be up for a vote at that time are Larry Cunningham, Joe Bob Baker, Dave Reiminger and Paul Sander.

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