Lake Elsinore council reverses Planning Commission and moves to approve Lake Elsinore Travel Center car wash amendment

After a contested public hearing on Dec. 9, the Lake Elsinore City Council directed staff to prepare a resolution reversing the Planning Commission’s October denial and to approve the Casaub Travel Center amendment that adds a 3,600‑square‑foot express car wash.

Nancy Wynne, principal planner with the community development department, told the council the Planning Commission denied the modification citing concerns that the amendment did not align with the original bridal‑center vision, possible oversaturation of car wash businesses and added traffic impacts. Wynne reviewed a city car‑wash market analysis that identified 18 existing or planned car washes in and near the city and concluded Lake Elsinore could reach oversaturation by about 2035 if more than four new car washes were built.

Nicole Daley of Daley Strategies, speaking for the applicant and the Cassave family, urged the council to reverse the denial. Daley said the travel center has been in the entitlement process since 2017, that the applicant has spent more than $3.5 million to date and that the overall project totals about $22 million, including a gas station (she cited $12 million–$15 million for the gas station). She said the car wash is essential to the project's financial viability and that the team will provide $1.4 million in off‑site improvements including lighting and a traffic signal. "This project already has its grading permit for the first portion, the gas station and the convenience store," Daley said, adding that the car wash amendment reduces daily trips compared with the previously approved drive‑through restaurant.

Supporters from the neighborhood and business community, including Gary Washburn and Sammy Calilei, said the project would clean up a high‑traffic corner on Highway 74, create 40–60 jobs and spur adjacent development on the Cassave family's 8.5 acres across the street.

Councilmembers debated competing concerns: several members emphasized private property rights, potential economic benefits, and traffic and circulation analyses; others acknowledged community concerns about clustering of similar businesses. Councilmember Manos moved, and Councilmember Sheridan seconded, to direct staff to draft a resolution to reverse the Planning Commission’s denial and approve Conditional Use Permit No. 2021‑16 and Commercial Design Review No. 2021‑21. The motion passed as recorded in the meeting (tally recorded as 4‑0 with one council member’s vote not entered due to a technical/voting issue). The council instructed staff to prepare findings and a resolution consistent with the council’s direction.

Next steps: staff will prepare the resolution and required findings for a future council meeting and will coordinate necessary building permits and off‑site improvement plans if the council adopts the draft resolution.