"We're in a very competitive industry," said Jim Hinckley, the third generation in this family-owned business. "If you're not growing in the car business, you're going out of business."

Hinckley recently bought a small yellow house near Truman Avenue, adjacent to his car lot, after the owner died and the son made it available to him for purchase.

Hinckley hopes to demolish the house and use the land to house its parts department, but to do so requires a rezone from residential to commercial.

The city's general plan, established in 1997, defines State Street as the dividing line between the city's commercial interests and residential neighborhoods to the east.

During their last meeting, the city's Planning Commission voted unanimously to deny Hinckley's rezone request, based on their interpretation of the city's general plan.

On Tuesday, the City Council held a joint work session with planning commissioners, Hinckley and other interested parties to discuss the issue at length.

While Councilman Bill Anderson hoped to find a balance where all parties could win, residents and Planning Commission members sought to "hold the line."

"I participated in the general plan process and the people spoke of drawing a line in the sand. Not one more house, they said," said Steven Norr, a former Planning Commission member. "I know of no resident who would support that line moving further east."

City Attorney Dave Carlson said that general plans are intended for guidance.

"It's meant to be a living document as the city evolves and changes," Carlson said. "It reflects the policy of the city."

If challenged in court, a city council's decision to zone a certain way simply has to be "reasonably debatable," Carlson said - city councils are given broad latitude in terms of zoning authority.

Anderson spoke of the need to encourage a thriving commercial base while protecting and nurturing strong neighborhoods. Hinckley Dodge contributes significant tax revenues to South Salt Lake's operating budget.

"We need to find a balance because we're interdependent," Anderson said. "There are competing interests on both sides of the border and both come into play."

Planning commissioner Matt Baker wasn't convinced.

"By using that logic, you have to move the boundary, so I disagree," Baker said.

Councilwoman Renee Watts defined the city's dilemma.

"As a community, we fear the domino effect - if we give an inch, we're sunk," Watts said.

"But after fighting this for eight years, I'm beginning to realize we don't have the encroachment, but what do we have? Why do we have an abundance of pawn shops?"

No decisions were made Tuesday. The City Council will take action on Hinckley's rezone request at a future council meeting.

cmckitrick@sltrib.com