Bonanza Ford in downtown Cheney wants to move its main sales lot out of the small college town and relocate near busy Interstate 90. But the site chosen by the owners may not comply with county land-use laws.

The Spokane County hearing examiner has denied a request by Bonanza Ford to rezone 18 acres along the eastbound lanes of I-90 just east of Four Lakes.

The business owners say the new location will be larger and more convenient for customers and increase county tax revenue by $600,000 a year.

Bonanza Ford is appealing the denied rezone to the Board of County Commissioners. No hearing has been set.

“I see no downside to it, frankly,” said Deborah Loy, president of the company.

Bonanza Ford was purchased two years ago by the Ponderosa Motors dealerships in Coeur d’Alene.

Loy said Ford has been pushing dealers throughout the country to locate their lots near main highways. The current lot in Cheney holds only 48 vehicles.

Bonanza Ford has an option on 18 acres on Melville Road just east of the Four Lakes-Cheney interchange on I-90. The company has spent more than $57,000 on designing the new facility and agreed to contribute $14,000 to planned improvements to the freeway interchange.

However, the land is currently zoned for agricultural use and is designated as rural under the broad comprehensive land-use plan.

Hearing Examiner Mike Dempsey ruled last month that the rezone could not be granted because it would conflict with the comprehensive plan. The state’s growth management law requires zoning and comprehensive plans to be consistent.

Loy said the property is of little value for raising crops and is an unlikely location for homes because it is next to the freeway.

She said the proposed car lot would employ 50 people. It would have space for 500 cars, a new service department and a larger parts warehouse.

Its new building would cover about 11,600 square feet.

If Bonanza is allowed to move its lot, it would continue to sell some cars in Cheney for at least several more years, Loy said.

The new site would allow Bonanza Ford to increase its sales volume and maintain competitive prices, she said.

A Ford dealership has operated in Cheney since about 1917, she said. It previously was Reynolds Ford.

The Ford dealership owners are puzzled because the county is going to allow Power Chevrolet to open a used-car lot in Four Lakes.

Ken Wright, the owner of Power Chevrolet, said his dealership is going to open the lot on seven acres already zoned for business use adjacent to the interchange. The used cars will sell at a small markup above wholesale cost, he said.

Work to develop the lot is expected next spring. The main dealership, which formerly was Anderberg Chevrolet, will stay in Cheney, he said. , DataTimes