Planning commission approves Jimmy John’s drive-through after car-wash stacking concerns; staff to follow up with car-wash operator

The Fenton Planning and Zoning Commission on May 6 recommended approval of a site plan for a 4,060-square-foot Jimmy John’s restaurant with a drive-through at 1920 Bowles Avenue, but commissioners said they want the city to follow up with the adjacent car-wash operator after hearing stacking concerns.

Commissioners approved the petitioner’s site plan, with staff conditions including standard permit and signage requirements. The motion passed on a roll-call vote; the commission recorded affirmative votes from Commissioner Glover, Commissioner Billicki, Vice Chairperson Sheryl, Secretary Deb Abbott, Mayor Morath, Alderman Harrell and Commissioner Nelson.

The commission’s discussion focused on whether cars waiting at the Jimmy John’s drive-through could queue onto Bowles Avenue and interact with traffic coming from the club car wash that operates on the same block. Cameron Lukin, an engineer with Wunderlich Surveying & Engineering, said he personally observed queueing on Bowles Avenue tied to the car wash’s heavy retail days and that the car wash’s operations were a likely cause. He told the commission he contacted the car-wash operator, identified in the record as Mr. Bartels, who indicated he was willing to modify operations where needed to reduce overflow onto the public street.

Petitioner Tory Woodcock of Woodcock Investments LLC described the Jimmy John’s plan and the drive-through circulation: customers would enter from Bowles Avenue, pull up to an order board on the east side of the building, then circle to a pickup window under a north-side canopy; a second bypass lane would serve mobile and order-ahead pickups. "All those cars are stopped in that first queue," Woodcock said, adding the design includes glass on the north side to improve visibility. He also confirmed that retail tenancy on the site helps make the overall project financially viable.

Engineer Lukin and owner Woodcock said the design provides on-site stacking and that the petitioner had worked with the adjacent car wash owner to identify operational fixes that the car wash operator had used at another location. "When he found out about it, he was very responsive in addressing those concerns in Washington," Lukin said about Mr. Bartels’ prior work in another town.

Although the commission voted to recommend approval, several members said they wanted the city to follow up with the car-wash operator to get formal assurances or to take enforcement steps if queuing appears in the future. Amy (staff member) said the city could investigate and, if stacking onto Bowles Avenue recurs, address the car wash under prior approvals. "If there is an issue with stacking, the city can also go and address that appropriately through the approvals that we've had with the car wash," Amy said.

The motion included discrete conditions listed by staff requiring updated drawings for accessible parking dimensions, directional signage for safe site circulation, required permits through the City of Fenton and Saint Louis County, and compliance with other applicable city codes.

The commission emphasized the city’s interest in public safety and asked staff to follow up with the car-wash manager, and to include any relevant correspondence in the project file. Members also requested that any written confirmations from the car-wash operator be forwarded to staff for the record.

The planning and zoning recommendation now proceeds to the Board of Aldermen for final action, per the commission’s rules of referral.