Plan Commission approves drive-through car wash SIP with street-side window variance at former Applebee’s site

The Oshkosh City Plan Commission on Sept. 16 approved a specific implementation plan for a drive-through car wash proposed for the former Applebee's site; the agenda listed the address as 1700 South Keeler Street and staff summarized the site as the southeast corner of South Kohler Street and Osborne Avenue. The commission voted 7-1 to adopt the staff findings and recommendations.

Planning staff told commissioners that after the commission's Sept. 2 approval the applicant revised the SIP to include a drive-through customer service window on the street side of the building, which under the city's zoning ordinance is normally prohibited between the principal building and the street right-of-way. Staff said the applicant requested a variance (BSM) for the window location so the site can be configured to channel all access from Osborne Avenue and allow the existing South Kohler Street entrance to be abandoned.

To offset the variance, the applicant proposed additional shrubs of varying heights along the South Kohler Street frontage to exceed required street-front landscaping points and screen the drive-through window from the public right of way. Staff recommended approval with the financing conditions listed in the staff report and otherwise said the site layout would remain as previously approved.

Applicant Peter Schwabie of Peter Schwabie, Inc. said the car wash will have three lanes: two automated member lanes using license-plate recognition and a staffed lane near the drive-through window for credit-card transactions and initial customer sign-up. "Two of the lanes are automated, particularly for members ... it recognizes license plate and they just keep on moving through. The first one closest to drive through, we need to have credit card transactions," Schwabie said.

Commission discussion acknowledged the visibility concerns and that staff had worked with the applicant on mitigating measures; one commissioner indicated they would still vote against the request despite understanding it may be unavoidable. The motion to adopt the staff findings and recommendations carried 7-1; Chairman Perry cast the lone no vote.

The approval allows the applicant to proceed with the SIP as revised, subject to the staff report's financing and other conditions, and requires the proposed landscaping and circulation measures to be implemented as shown in the approved plans.