PHOTO BY BRENNA WHITE / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
LOCATION CHANGE … Mobile Auto Werks has served their Northwest Ohio base at their South Monroe Street, Montpelier, location for nearly two years. Before that, owner Jesse Rayford operated as a mobile auto repair business within the Village of Montpelier.
By: Brenna White
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
brenna@thevillagereporter.com
Nearly one month after the Montpelier Village Council denied a zoning request that would have allowed Mobile Auto Werks to remain at its South Monroe Street location, owner Jesse Rayford is preparing to relocate his business while transitioning into mobile repairs.
The Council voted in June to deny a zoning amendment that would have allowed the automotive repair shop to continue operating at the property it has called home for nearly two years.
The property, located in downtown Montpelier in the heavy commercial district, does not have the correct zoning to continue operating as a vehicle repair business.
During the meeting, Council member Chris Kannel stated, “We have to protect downtown for the other businesses that exist there. The whole point of this zone is to protect it for retail.”
Amending the zoning violation would constitute “spot-zoning,” something Kannel has not been in favor of before. “Then, the next person that comes and says: ‘Well, you did it for that guy,’ and we have to do it for the next guy and the next guy.”
Rayford, who has operated Mobile Auto Werks for nearly four total years, said he was unaware the building was not properly zoned for his business when he began leasing the property nearly two years ago.
He had assumed the zoning had already been addressed by the property’s owner and only learned of the issue after receiving notice from the village.
Following the Council’s decision, Rayford was told to relocate his business. Although he said he was originally given an August 13 deadline, later correspondence from Village Manager Jason Rockey listed August 31 as the compliance date. Rayford said he still intends to vacate the property by August 13.
Since the decision, Rayford said he has shifted much of his business to mobile automotive repair while searching for a permanent location.
He is currently exploring relocating to a building in Wauseon, Ohio, after confirming the property’s zoning complies with local regulations.
According to Rayford, operating as only a mobile repair service has significantly increased his overhead costs. Without a permanent shop, vehicle parts can no longer be delivered directly to the business, which requires additional trips to part suppliers while increasing travel time between customers.
He said the transition has also affected scheduling for customers and reduced consistent work hours for his apprentice.
“I’m trying to get everyone that was supposed to come to the shop resituated so I can still go do the work for them at their house. The problem with that is, we had so many customers, and I’m only one person.”
Rayford also shared that he was in the process of eviction from the property by his landlord after the Council’s June decision.
During the June Council meeting, Rayford proposed several alternatives that he believed would allow the business to remain at its current location.
Among them was installing a privacy fence to screen vehicles parked outside the shop.
“The plan was to take the building down, put a whole new building up, and put a privacy fence up. My original plan was to build it kind of like how the fire department was – to do something to keep it how the village wants their building to look,” he explained.
However, after being told he was “hindering local business” during the meeting, he noted confusion.
Due to Mobile Auto Werks not having a waiting room, customers are routinely encouraged to visit nearby businesses while repairs are completed, including local restaurants, coffee shops, and convenience stores all located within downtown Montpelier.
He noted that at some points he did have multiple cars parked at the lot, but stated, “What really could be hurting people the most?
“Well, I did a lot of payment (plans) with people so I did have cars sit around quite a bit. We try to work with people that can’t afford to get them fixed.
“I was working through Job and Family Services through NOCAC, and a lot of cars that did sit up there, people didn’t have the money to go up there and get it fixed.”
Rayford explained that he would offer payment plans to those with limited incomes and fix their vehicles as they could afford it.
Looking ahead, Rayford said his immediate focus is relocating the business and continuing to serve his large customer base – a base that has had a consistent online presence, amassing as many as 1,000 views on a daily basis, as he continues to post vehicle repair educational content.
“I just wish they would have put more thought into it – more heart into it. Sat me down, talked about it, and got to know me a little bit more. I just wish they would have seen what I was trying to do.”
Mobile Auto Werks has served their Northwest Ohio base at their South Monroe Street, Montpelier, location for nearly two years.
Before that, owner Jesse Rayford operated as a mobile auto repair business within the Village of Montpelier.