Mercedes lot near 91 gets OK to grow

A Mercedes-Benz dealership next to the 91 freeway sits virtually empty for now but will soon undergo a major expansion. Nearby residents initially fought the dealership s growth, saying it will create more noise and pollution and choke local streets with traffic. But after the Anaheim Planning Commission approved the expansion plans with a 6-0 vote last month, leaders of the opposition decided against filing an appeal to the City Council. Caliber Motors Co. of Anaheim plans to build a four-level, 115,000-square-foot building that will serve as a parts department and service bay on the six-acre site at 2 0 0 N. Via Cortez, just southeast of the 91 and Imperial Highway. It will also expand an existing sales building by 7,500 square feet. Previously, the location, wedged between the 91 and a housing tract, only served as a sales location for Caliber Motors, which operates a full-service dealership less than two miles away on La Palma Avenue. Z When initial construction was approved for the Via Cortez sitt fiye years ago, owners said it wouldn t include any tall buildings or light poles or any service bays because of the potential disruption to residential neighbors. But now dealership officials say that the Via Cortez site can t operate as a sales-only location. It s like having a house without a kitchen, said Don Bering, chief financial officer for the Mercedes dealership. In order to be successful, we need to be a full dealership - and that means having service bays. Once the construction is complete, the location will include a four-level building - one level underground - that will rise 42 feet. Because of neighbors concerns, the top level will include a 5-foot parapet for privacy - so employees can t look down into adjacent yards. Deliveries to the dealership, initially planned for 2 a.m. daily, will be limited to daytime hours after 6:30 a.m. And Mercedes has pledged to donate $25,000 to the adjacent homeowners association to the dealership and the freeway. Some in the 107-home Canyon Oaks development said they are still most concerned by the estimated 1,700 additional daily car trips expected to be generated by the expansion. City traffic engineers say the street can handle the additional traffic with some restriping and re-timed traffic lights. Bering said his company still must work out some right-of-way issues with Caltrans and shore up other permits. So construction likely won t begin at the Via Cortez site until early 2013 and will likely take a year. Are-opening isn t expected until spring 2014.