Council asks staff to study allowing car washes in commercial zones; wants pros and cons

Council members on Sept. 3 asked staff to research whether car wash businesses should be allowed in the city’s Commercial zoning district and, if so, whether to permit them outright or allow them as a conditional use with restrictions.

Planning staff explained that car washes are not currently listed as permitted or conditional uses in the commercial district and therefore are prohibited by the code’s catch‑all prohibition. The city now has two preexisting car washes that were permitted in 1984 and remain nonconforming under current regulations.

Council discussion focused on three policy options: explicitly prohibit new car washes, allow car washes as a permitted use, or allow them as a conditional use with location and operational restrictions. Staff said a conditional‑use approach would allow the city to require traffic management, environmental safeguards for wash runoff, noise and lighting controls, and location limits.

Several council members favored studying a conditional‑use pathway so the city could set standards such as buffering, traffic mitigation and siting constraints. One council member noted that market forces also affect whether multiple car washes will open and suggested the city could include spacing or proximity limits as a condition if desired.

Public comment and next steps

Residents offered differing views: one resident recommended adding a sustainability review (Planning Sustainability Board) because car washes can pose environmental risks; another resident said the existing nearby car washes adequately serve the community.

Council asked staff to take the matter to the Planning & Zoning Board for more detailed vetting and to return with recommended language, a list of potential commercial locations where a car wash could be appropriate, and an analysis of pros and cons for permitting, conditional use, or continued prohibition.