Council approves seven‑bay Rocky Mountain Car Wash despite residents’ traffic and water concerns

The Whitefish City Council unanimously approved a conditional‑use permit on Sept. 2 for Rocky Mountain Car Wash to build and operate a seven‑bay facility on Commercial Lot 1 of the Snowy Mountain Subdivision (zoned WB‑2). The decision followed a multihour hearing that included planning staff presentation, applicant testimony, and extended public opposition from a nearby local car‑wash owner.

Why it matters: The project is in the Highway 93 corridor and residents and competing operators raised concerns about traffic generation, access to Highway 93, and strain on local water resources. Council and staff relied on an engineer’s assessment that trips would be below the city’s 200‑vehicle threshold for a required traffic‑impact study.

Planning staff described the proposed facility as a seven‑bay car wash with four self‑serve bays and three automatic bays, bicycle parking, dark‑sky compliant lighting, and a screened trash/refuse…