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Planning commission approves Drive and Shine car-wash plats and site plan with contingencies
Summary
The Portage Planning Commission approved primary and secondary plats and site-plan approvals for a Drive and Shine car wash at 5870 U.S. Highway 6, subject to a final reciprocal access agreement and INDOT approval and recording requirements; the approvals passed unanimously.
The Portage City Planning Commission approved primary and secondary plats and site-plan approval for a Drive and Shine car-wash development at 5870 U.S. Highway 6 on April 7, subject to contingencies that include a final reciprocal access agreement with the adjacent business and INDOT approval for work affecting the Route 6 right-of-way.
Greg Lorig of DVG Team presented on behalf of Drive and Shine, describing a plan to combine six existing parcels into two lots (one to house the car wash and one to remain with the seller), to construct an indoor and outdoor vacuum area, a payment kiosk, concrete pavement, and a detention pond at the rear of the site. Lorig said Drive and Shine proposes a high-end design that includes indoor vacuum glass, a snow-melt system at the entrance/exit, water reclamation, and masonry facades; he said the operator treats indoor vacuum access as a membership-controlled feature.
Commissioners asked about the car-wash technology (brushless vs. brush); the applicant said an operations manager was on standby and the exact technical details could be confirmed later. Commissioners also raised sight-line concerns for landscaping along Route 6; the applicant said landscape selections could be adjusted to preserve sight distance and that the planned monument sign sits closer to the intersection than the plantings discussed.
Staff and the applicant identified the two contingencies the commission placed on approvals: (1) a final reciprocal access agreement (reciprocal access/ shared-access driveway) executed and recorded with the neighboring property owner, and (2) INDOT approval for improvements in the Route 6 right-of-way (including any signal timing or permit items). The commission’s motion to approve the primary plat (P-01-25), the secondary plat, and the site plan (SP-02-25) carried on roll-call votes with affirmative votes from all commissioners present.
On the primary-plat presentation Lorig said Drive and Shine will preserve as many trees as possible around the detention pond and add buffering plantings next to residential interfaces. He told the commission the team had been working with city staff (Dina, Tom and others) and Great Lakes Engineering to address comments and that a draft reciprocal access agreement had been provided and was under final negotiation between attorneys.
The approvals include a requirement that the petitioner submit the final reciprocal access agreement and INDOT permit documentation to the city before recording. The commission recorded the motion as approved with all members voting yes (Brent Wright; Carissa Childers; Sam LaBoy; Deb [name recorded variously]; Denise Little; John Kremke).
