Council sends R-5 to C-1 rezoning request back to planning commission after neighbors oppose car-wash plan
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Summary
A proposal to rezone a Northwest Twentieth/Lorraine corner from high-density residential (R-5) to commercial (C-1)—originally tied to a proposed car wash—was returned to the Planning Commission for additional review and consideration of a protective overlay after neighbors registered strong opposition.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson City Council on Sept. 2 returned to the Planning Commission a request to rezone a corner at Northwest 20th Street and Lorraine from R-5 (high-density residential) to C-1 (office/commercial), after neighbors and a planning commission majority opposed the change when the likely use was a self-service car wash.
Case background: Property owner Keith Frederick applied to rezone a parcel on the northwest corner of 20th and Lorraine. The Planning Commission originally recommended denial and again denied the proposal after a second review on Aug. 26. Commissioners and residents said the change could begin commercial conversion of the corner, and several neighbors and the nearby assisted-living facility voiced concerns about noise, lighting, traffic and impacts on nearby homes and memory-care residents.
Public input and protest: Planning staff reported receiving five valid protest petitions within the calculation area representing nearly 60% of the protest area, which triggers the state statute requirement that a supermajority (four of five council votes) would be required to approve the change. Multiple neighbors said they expected a car wash and opposed that specific use; councilors noted the situation was complicated because the initial application was closely tied to a potential car-wash operator who later indicated he would not pursue that project.
Council action: After discussion, Council voted to return the application to the Planning Commission for further review and specifically asked staff to consider whether a protective overlay could limit uses such as car washes while still allowing lower-impact commercial uses. The motion to return to Planning Commission carried unanimously.
Next steps: Planning staff will process the case again, and the owner was advised that, if the case is denied by council, the applicant would have to wait one year before reapplying. Staff also recommended the owner could withdraw and refile to preserve a shorter timeline for alternative proposals.
—Reported from the Hutchinson City Council meeting. Ending: The rezone case will return to the Planning Commission for additional analysis of a protective overlay and to allow neighbors to consider a refined proposal.