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Council schedules hearing on proposed zoning text change to car-wash separation rule in Sandifer Parkway area
Summary
A property-owner petition seeks to reduce the 300-foot separation requirement between car washes and residential districts in C-1 zones, contingent on noise mitigation; council directed staff to schedule a public hearing on the proposed code change.
The City Council agreed to accept for hearing a resident-initiated petition to amend the zoning code provision that currently requires car washes in C-1 zones to be located at least 300 feet from a residential district.
Planner Abel (staff) told the council the petition came from property owner Mario Borschowski for a parcel on Outlet Drive in Sandifer Parkway. The parcel is C-1 (which allows car washes) but is not large enough to both host a car wash and meet the 300-foot separation standard, which includes the right-of-way on the east side. The petitioner asked the council to amend the code to allow a reduced separation if the applicant can demonstrate equivalent noise mitigation.
City Attorney Ferguson reminded the council that a text amendment is a legislative action and not a quasi-judicial hearing tied to specific property rights. Staff recommended scheduling a public hearing (the council discussed April 7 as a likely date) and directed staff to prepare notice and materials for council consideration at the hearing.
Why it matters: a code text amendment would apply citywide rather than only to the petitioner's site; if the council were to adopt the change it would alter separation standards for car washes in C-1 zones and require a public hearing and legislative process before any code change is approved.
