Board tables decision on proposed Myring Lane car wash; asks staff to draft conditions

The Ada County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 15 tabled a controversial application by Kilometers Engineering and Tommy’s Express for a proposed car wash at 10619 West Myring Lane (application 202402286 — conditional use, master site plan, variance), directing staff to return with revised findings and recommended conditions at the Feb. 4 open business meeting.

Michaela (Mikaela) Owens, associate planner for Development Services, recommended denial, citing noise and traffic concerns and noting that the applicant seeks a variance from the ordinance requirement that a car wash be located at least 100 feet from residentially zoned property. Owens told the board that the car wash building would be located within the 100-foot buffer measured from the zoning boundary (the zoning line runs down the middle of Myring Lane), and that although the applicant stated the nearest occupied residence would be more than 105 feet from the building, staff found the reduction in the buffer would likely increase impacts to nearby residents. Agency comments included concerns that South 5 Mile Road is already failing ACHD’s level-of-service standards and that peak trip generation could increase PM-peak traffic. Public comments highlighted noise, water use, chemical runoff, traffic and proximity to residences.

The applicant’s team — Jaya Little Wing and Connor Lindstrom of Kilometers Engineering and Peter Nisbett for Tommy’s Express — said the facility is designed with vacuums and drying stations placed near commercial uses to reduce noise impacts on residences, stated Tommy’s recycles approximately 80% of its water, and offered to add on-site mitigation such as a landscaped buffer, a sound wall and limits on hours of operation. The applicant also said the car wash would include a 3-lane stacking lane and 15 vacuum/drying stalls and estimated daily volumes consistent with similar Tommy’s sites.

After extended questions from commissioners and public testimony — including neighborhood concerns voiced by a neighborhood association representative and residents — the board voted to table the application and directed staff to craft revised findings and proposed conditions. Commissioners specifically asked staff to include requirements for a sound wall and additional landscaping to attenuate noise, to set hours of operation (a suggested window of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. was discussed), and to pursue whether an access agreement with the adjacent Walgreens driveway could be sought to help traffic circulation. The board set a Feb. 4 return date so staff could propose formal conditions of approval. The applicant agreed to work with staff and neighbors to refine landscaping and noise mitigation measures.

Staff and agency comments, the applicant’s technical materials and the public hearing record will be incorporated in the revised findings when the matter returns to the board.