Blaine extends public hearing on MN Performance CUP revocation

The Blaine City Council voted 6-1 to continue a public hearing until Dec. 7 on whether to revoke the conditional use permit for Minnesota Performance, an auto repair business at 2550 91st Ave. NE.

The extension gives the business more time to address code and permitting violations, though several council members warned they would not support another delay. Council Member Leslie Larson cast the dissenting vote.

Community Development Director Sheila Sellman said the business first received a conditional use permit in 2019. Its conditions required an amendment if the business expanded into neighboring suites or changed its operations.

In 2025, city staff documented work without a building permit and an expansion without a permit amendment. The business applied for an amendment that November. The council tabled the request Jan. 5 to allow the applicant to clean up the site and come into compliance, then denied it March 16 because violations remained unresolved.

On June 1, the council approved a revised request allowing the business to expand into an adjacent space and store up to six vehicles outside. The approval set an Oct. 1 compliance deadline.

Staff continued to document violations after the approval and sent a formal notice in September. Unresolved building permit requirements and outdoor vehicle storage violations led the city to begin the revocation process Nov. 2.

Austin White, an attorney representing Minnesota Performance, said the business did not dispute the city’s findings and wanted to correct the problems. He said several conditions had been addressed, including parking, access to the utility meter and required postings.

White said the business and city needed an action plan to complete permitting and obtain a certificate of occupancy. He requested a Dec. 2 compliance deadline.

Co-owner Mohammed Alsolumil said confusion about the process had caused delays on his end. He said the business was working with an architect to complete the remaining plans and invited council members to see the improvements made to the building’s exterior.

Mayor Tim Sanders said the business had already had “months and months and months” to address the issues and warned that another extension would probably be the last.

Council Member Tom Newland said he was hearing more discussion and commitments from the business but agreed that this should be the final extension. He emphasized that fire inspections and code compliance were critical.

“I think we need promises that are kept,” Newland said.

Council Member Chris Massoglia asked whether staff had found more than six vehicles in the designated area that day. Sellman confirmed they had, though staff had not determined whether all the vehicles belonged to the business.

Massoglia said he understood the difficulty of navigating codes and permits but questioned why basic parking signs had not been installed before the hearing.

“This isn’t needing an architect,” Massoglia said. “This is putting up a sign that says, this is where you park our cars.”

Alsolumil said the business association at the commercial mall would not allow the signs. Sellman said this was the first she had heard of that issue.

The other co-owner, Husain Alnatiel, said he sometimes had to move a vehicle out of the shop to bring another inside, only to find a car in the business’s parking space. He said he had sent more than 25 photos showing how the business operated.

“We respect the system, we respect our neighbors,” Alnatiel said.

Alnatiel said moving vehicles could be difficult, especially during winter when cars had not been repaired. He said the business had not intentionally neglected requirements and was working to meet them.

Larson said the situation was unfair to neighboring businesses and that she did not think an extension would work with cold weather approaching.

Council Member Terra Fleming said she was pro-small business and appreciated the owners taking responsibility.

“It seems that you’re taking it seriously; you’ve got some counsel,” Fleming said. “I’m fine with giving you another month to get it all together, I just want to make sure you can get it together in a month. Because I don’t believe you’ll get a second chance.”