Council OKs Take 5 oil-change at former car wash with restriction on overnight storage

Bradenton City Council on Feb. 11 approved Resolution 26-04 to allow a Take 5 quick oil-change operator to convert an existing car wash at 3511 Manatee Avenue West, with an added council stipulation restricting the site to oil-change and minor repair work and prohibiting outdoor or overnight vehicle storage.

Brandon Wink, city planner, presented the special-use request for the suburban commercial corridor zoning district and noted the site had been annexed into the city. Engineer and applicant representative Herb Green and Take 5 operator Don Wallace said the proposal would enclose bays, add ADA parking and operate 7 a.m.–7 p.m., reducing average daily trips and water use compared with the existing 24-hour car wash. Don Wallace said the operation would create about 15 jobs at the location and use enclosed systems to manage lubricants and waste oil.

Councilmembers raised concerns about signage that appeared before planning review, ingress/egress, stacking capacity and the planning commission’s narrow 3–2 recommendation. Councilmember Barnaby proposed a stipulation limiting the use to oil changes and minor repairs and prohibiting outdoor or overnight vehicle storage; Don Wallace said Take 5 does not perform extensive mechanical repairs requiring overnight vehicle stays and accepted the stipulation.

Council approved Resolution 26-04 with the stipulation; the vote was 5–0.

Next steps: the applicant will proceed with site-improvement permitting and comply with the Florida Fire/Building Code and city land-development regulations during the permit review phase.