After approving the license Thursday night, the board of aldermen advised Lemons two large storage trailers parked on the property at 201 Hedeman St. could not be part of her operation. "We have an ordinance prohibiting the permanent location of trailers on a property," said Board President Jim Schuchmann. "As a business owner, you are required to comply with all city ordinances." Schuchmann cited Chapter 16 of Ordinance 405.100, which took effect June 1, 2003, and allows "no more than two trailers…not exceeding 8 feet wide and 25 feet long to be parked on a premises." The ordinance specifies trailers must only be parked in a rear yard or in a completely enclosed garage. "Those trailers exceed the maximum lengths," Schuchmann said. "But I need them as a storage area," Lemons countered. "That's where the tires are kept." Lemons said the auto center, previously owned by Jack Brower and known as Wright City Motors, was bought by her father, Patrick King, in 2006. She said she had worked for her father on an "as needed" basis but bought the business from him recently after he suffered a heart attack. She contended the storage trailers had been grandfathered in as part of her father's business license issued by the city two years ago and that she was merely asking for the same consideration. "I question why no one said anything to me about those trailers until now," Lemons said. "Three men have owned this business before me and nothing was ever mentioned to them about the trailers. "Now I come along and I'm a woman working in a business normally performed by men," Lemons continued. "So why are these trailers suddenly such an issue now?" City officials said the trailers had not appeared at the site until 2006 and were never intended to be part of any business license. "The previous code enforcer was told to visit the location several times to discuss the trailers," explained Schuchmann to Lemons. "This was an issue that was going to come up and since you're here, we're bringing it up now." Lemons said she was glad to have her business license approved but added she could not operate without a tire storage facility. "If I lose the trailers, I'm out of business," she said. "My primary business here is selling new and used tires. That's why people come to this store." Lemons said her next step would be to apply for a conditional use permit (CUP) from the city to allow her to continue to house the storage trailers on the property. "I'll try that route," she said, "and see where it goes. I've got to have storage somewhere." But Schuchmann said it was likely the request for a CUP would be denied. "A conditional use permit is not designed to be a way around the ordinance," he observed. "It can't permit an illegal act." Lemons noted the city's fire marshal would not allow her to store the tires inside the building. "There must be 300 or 400 tires on those trucks," she said. "I have no room to store them in here." Victory Tire and Auto Repair is a one-bay, cinderblock station with a cramped business office. "I feel the city is being unfair with me," said Lemons. "There's no one else in town here who provides this service." At last Thursday's meeting, Schuchmann asked Lemons if she had considered a building addition. "I don't own this building, I lease it (from Brower)," she explained. "I can't build an addition. "Besides, where would I go (with an addition)? I have a gas line easement and a power line easement within four feet of the building, so I have no room to expand," she added. Asked if she felt there was a compromise solution to the problem, Lemons replied "not without a conditional use permit." Schuchmann said he "would very much like to find if there's something which can be done" on the issue of the trailers. "The trailers are in violation of our ordinance," he said. "Simple as that." "So you'd rather run a business out of town?" asked Lemons during a heated exchange at last Thursday's meeting. Schuchmann said he didn't want to see Lemons go out of business. He mentioned a storage facility about a block away as an alternative site to house Lemons' inventory. "It's not an ideal solution," he acknowledged. "It might be a little inconvenient for her but it could work."