Members of the Gary Common Council unanimously approved the creation of two auto dealerships, but not without a warning first.

“It needs to look like an auto dealership, not a junkyard,” Council President Lori Latham, D-1st, said before Tuesday’s vote. “We don’t want any special uses that will be dangerous to the use and enjoyment of other properties in the immediate (vicinity).”

At the council’s meeting Tuesday, they approved special use permits for two auto dealerships that will be located on Fifth Avenue in Gary. All council members were present at the meeting.

Both special use requests — filed by petitioners Eric Tonie Smith and Amani Musleh — received unanimous support from the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals at its May 8 meeting. The dealerships require a special use permit to operate in a business district, according to the two ordinances.

Smith’s proposed dealership is at 3980 W. 5th Ave., and Musleh’s proposed location is 4900 W. 5th Ave., according to proposal documents.

Council members wanted to ensure the proposed land will stay clean and not cause issues for neighbors. Musleh told the council Tuesday that he intends to keep his property clean and to have no issues with the city.

Smith did not speak at Tuesday’s meeting because council members had no questions on his proposal.

Councilman Myles Tolliver, D-at large, said Tuesday that it’s important for him that Fifth Avenue stays safe for Gary residents, especially young children and teenagers.

“I don’t want you to take advantage of these kids because they might not have reliable transportation,” Tolliver said. “I want to make sure that we’re doing the best we can.”

Councilman Darren Washington, D-at large, encouraged other city departments to help ensure dealerships and other properties will continue to benefit the city.

Washington said he wants to ensure the council doesn’t overstep boundaries when it comes time to vote on permits and other zoning-related issues. He believes the council looks like “the bad guys” when members have concerns with properties.

“We should not, as a council, need to spend time (making) additions and things like that,” Washington said. “Those things should be handled at the level of the plan commission or zoning. By the time it comes to us, it should be cleaned, and signs that have no relevance to the ordinance should be gone.”

If the city has cleaner dealerships, Washington believes that could open opportunities for larger developers in the future.

“I’m hoping we can (one day) get Toyota or somebody else,” he said. “But, when it comes to how it looks, the council shouldn’t have to put this much work in to deal with these ordinances.”

mwilkins@chicagotribune.com