AUBURN – A home based business operated by the newest member of the Auburn City Council is in jeopardy after a motion for a temporary permit failed Monday for lack of a second.

Johnny Curttright said he has operated Johnny’s Tire and Battery over 10 years under a home occupation permit, but this year the permit was denied. He asked for time to find a suitable, new location.

Curttright: “I’m asking the council to pass it until a building or something that comes up for sale or rent that will work better for me than at the residence. I’m just trying to find some property available to make it handier for me, but a building that is set up right now to operate as I have been the last 10 years.”

The city’s home occupation ordinance does not allow businesses out of garages.

Councilman Shawn Clark moved to approve the exception, but the motion died for lack of a second.

In his letter to the city’s planning commission, Curttright submitted signatures from 12 neighbors in support of the exception. He said he suspects he is victim of political retribution.

Curttright: “I feel that now that I am on city council I’m being targeted for some concerns and issues that I have brought up.”

In a Facebook post, he suggested that the motion failed due to personal issues that prevented him from getting a fair vote.

Curttright: “These are also people I have done tire work etc. for, never had a problem ‘til now. Power goes to certain people’s head. So they went against a well-established business.”

Donna Hall, who lives across the street from Curttright, said she was disappointed in the city council.

 

Hall: “It’s kind of interesting how, depending on who you are, how things are handled. It’s just like there are no standards. There’s lot of exceptions and there is only exceptions for certain people.”

Curttright said his investments into the O Street property have made the business a good fit under the city’s home occupation permit.