Aurora City Council on Jan. 12 approved the conditional use permit for a proposed Bubble Bath (Kwik Trip / Evergreen Devco) car wash at Station 60 along East Colfax, but later denied the project's site plan, 3–7, after extended public testimony and debate.

Planning staff had recommended approval of both the conditional use (12A) and the site plan (12B), concluding the application complied with the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) and the Station 60 master plan, subject to resolution of technical review comments. Staff highlighted proposed mitigation measures including landscape buffers along Colfax, mechanical equipment screening, enclosed vacuum motors, and hours of operation of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Neighbors and local small-business owners mounted extensive opposition in the public hearing. Gleam Car Wash owner Emily Baratta said the proposal would violate established code interpretations the city had enforced on prior car washes and would point loud tunnel blowers toward nearby residences. Norfolk Glen residents described narrow local streets, parking that makes the area unsafe for children, and unfulfilled infrastructure promises associated with Station 60’s earlier approvals. Design and zoning experts in the audience argued the site plan placed service/pay stations too close to Colfax frontage and that required drive-through screening walls or other landscape elements were missing from the submittal.

Applicant representatives and planning staff countered that the application met UDO criteria and that some objections reflected generalized economic concerns about competition rather than code noncompliance. Staff noted the site would include enclosed mechanical equipment, adequate parking, pedestrian amenities, and that city departments had reviewed traffic and water usage and found them consistent with standards.

Council split the issues. The conditional use (12A) was approved 6–4; several members said they relied on the code-based criteria. On the separate site-plan vote (12B), several council members concluded outstanding neighborhood impacts (e.g., pedestrian connections, queuing and noise direction, neighborhood traffic) were not adequately mitigated within the application and voted no; the site plan failed 3–7.

Next steps: With conditional use in place but the site plan denied, the applicant may revise the site plan and resubmit to the Planning and Zoning Commission and council for a new site-plan consideration. Council members suggested staff and the applicant could work on additional mitigations including enhanced screening, reorientation options where feasible, and completion commitments for planned pedestrian connections in Station 60.