Commission backs Mister Car Wash plan with sound mitigation conditions, staff to refine details

The Lockport Planning and Zoning Commission on Aug. 13 recommended City Council approval of a major amendment and final development plan to allow a 4,874-square-foot Mister Car Wash on Lot 2 of the Springs at Lockport, a 1.1-acre outlot along 150th Street. Staff found the car wash would serve nearby residents and motorists with adequate on-site stacking, meet materials requirements and have sufficient utility capacity, and recommended approval pending the commission’s review of operational and design details. Lance (Planning staff) described the project as a standalone car wash with a 4,874-square-foot tunnel facility, 18 vacuum stations plus one accessible space and additional employee parking. He said the site is zoned C-3 Highway Commercial and that a car wash is classified as a special use there, which triggered the major-amendment review and requirement for City Council approval. Chris Campbell, representing Mister Car Wash, said the company is a large national operator and described typical operations: “The store is only open and operable when we are staffing it.” He also described Mister Car Wash’s water-reclamation process: “We reclaim about 50% of the water that we're going to use in the wash from that third tank.” Commission discussion focused heavily on sound mitigation, queuing and sight lines. Staff and the applicant presented a sound study showing that without mitigation noise could extend to properties north of the site; the consultant recommended a 12-foot sound wall at the tunnel exit and a 6-foot sound wall near the vacuum area. Campbell said an ADA access ramp created a break in the wall and the team was exploring alternate locations for the access to reduce the noise “sliver” projected northward. Commissioners asked about hours of operation, vehicle and pedestrian circulation, signage and employee parking. Campbell said typical hours would be about 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., with staffing that peaks at three to five employees; the team said vacuum stations and other outdoor equipment would be shut down when the business is closed. Staff confirmed signage plans were within Lockport rules and that engineering and traffic considerations had been reviewed. The owner of the Springs outlots coordinates potential uses for adjacent lots, staff said, and the easternmost access is a right-in/right-out on 150th Street. The commission approved two motions: one to adopt staff findings and recommend approval of the major amendment to allow the car wash, and a second to recommend approval of final development plans. Both motions passed on roll-call votes. Staff and the applicant agreed to continue refining sound-wall placement and other site details (including sight lines and potential minor repositioning of the walls to improve visibility) before the item goes to City Council. Practical details from the record: the lot is approximately 1.1 acres; the facility uses about 4,874 square feet; proposed site features include 18 vacuum spaces plus one accessible space, three additional parking spaces that staff assumes will be used by employees, and on-site water reclamation for roughly 50% of process water. The transcript records that staff will coordinate future adjustments to the sound-wall placement and sight-line clearances; no City Council date was specified.