The Baldwin City Council approved a text amendment to the city zoning ordinance that will allow used car lots on the U.S. Highway 56 corridor.

At the Council’s Jan. 2 meeting, Ed Courton, Baldwin City community development director, recommended a continued ban on car lots because of the relative small size of lots could lead to the unsightly cramming of cars. That kind of development could discourage the more compatible development of office and retail structures, he said.

Council members said it would be up to the Baldwin City Planning Commission to assure the highway frontage’s aesthetics when considering car lot applications.

Also approved was a text amendment that allows for the addition of accessory buildings on residential lots of up to 1,200 square feet. The amendment sets the height limit of a detached accessory building at the height of the lot’s residence unless approved through a conditional use permit.

The Council took no action on another issue discussed at the Jan. 2 meeting, a city “buy local” purchase policy. New language staff presented Tuesday to the Council eliminated the definition of “local” as those locations within a 20-mile radius from Baldwin City. Instead, “local” was defined as within Baldwin City limits.

After discussion, it was agreed the policy, which will be presented to the Council for consideration Feb. 7, would require the city staff to buy locally for all purchases of less than $1,000 and follow the same practice for purchases from $1,000 to $20,000, unless the city could save 5 percent by buying elsewhere. For those purchase of more than $20,000, city staff will get at least three quotes for the Council’s consideration.