Livonia planning commission recommends approval for Express Wash at Fox Drive and 6 Mile Road

The Livonia City Planning Commission on a 4–1 roll call vote recommended that city council approve a waiver-use to allow an automated Express Wash on the former Buca de Beppo parcel at the northeast corner of Fox Drive and 6 Mile Road.

The motion, moved by Commissioner Kermit Magno and carried with Commissioners Magno, Long, Droz and Chairman Wilshaw voting aye and Commissioner Bangero voting no, directs staff to forward an approving resolution that includes 18 conditions tied to specific plan sheets, demolition and landscaping plans, photometrics, building elevations and stormwater detention submittals. The resolution sets hours of operation (Monday–Saturday 7 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m.–7 p.m.), requires exterior lights to be aimed/shielded and turned off or dimmed between 8:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., mandates a masonry-style three-sided dumpster enclosure with opaque gates, and prohibits exposed neon or attention-attracting promotional advertising unless separately approved.

Why it matters: The site is adjacent to Trinity House Theater, an intimate volunteer-run cultural venue, and a small historic cemetery. Neighbors and theater officials said the intensity of an auto-wash could aggravate existing parking shortages, increase noise and lighting impacts, and alter the character of the corridor near the 6 Mile/275 interchange. The commission’s approval is only a recommendation; city council will hold the final public hearing and make the final decision.

What the staff and petitioner said: Planner Jacob Uhasi described the 1.61-acre site and the proposed layout: a 14,229-square-foot building with three service lanes, stacking for 21 vehicles, 13 outdoor parking stalls and 14 indoor vacuum spaces. Staff letters read into the record included comments from the engineering division (David Lehi) requiring sanitary, water-service and Wayne County stormwater compliance; the fire marshal (Bridal Kukla) and police traffic sergeant (Paul Walters) raised no objections pending full plan review; and inspection staff (Jerome Hanna) required specification of the dumpster enclosure and sign compliance.

Jake Arlette, the project’s design engineer, said the operator (Express Wash) uses a water-reclamation system that “recycles about 80% of the water used from each wash,” and described indoor heated vacuum bays and a site layout the petitioner said would enable a Schoolcraft College-funded traffic signal at Fox Drive and 6 Mile by shifting the primary curb cut to the southeast corner of the parcel. Adam Meyer, Express’s regional manager, added that the company typically recycles water, operates modern blower technology that reduces cycle time and maintains the appearance of its sites.

Traffic and signal: Leah Michaels of HRC, who worked with Schoolcraft College on a signal study, told the commission the signal design (split-phase) was prepared to accommodate developments on Fox Drive and 6 Mile but did not include car-wash-specific traffic volumes; the signal is funded by Schoolcraft College and would require county permitting. Commissioners asked for an updated traffic-engineer validation that specifically loads the proposed car-wash trips into the existing study; Commissioner Droz and others recommended a signed and sealed engineer’s letter prior to council or as part of the record.

Community concerns and petitioner response: Representatives of Trinity House Theater and several nearby residents voiced opposition at the public hearing, citing reduced parking for theater patrons, potential construction-phase impacts, noise, lighting, traffic safety near the highway exit and the proximity to a small cemetery. Christopher Waterman, vice president of Trinity House’s board, urged commissioners to “consider, is there maybe something better, more of a fit, more in concert with Trinity House, as a neighbor?” The petitioner replied they have reached out to adjacent property owners, that cross-access easements exist though no formal shared-parking agreement was in place, and said they intend to work with Trinity House and to pursue formal agreements where feasible.

Conditions and amendments: Beyond the standard plan- and permit-related conditions, commissioners successfully proposed amendments to tie lighting hours to operating hours (lights off/dim 8 p.m.–7 a.m.), to encourage a right-turn-only exit onto 6 Mile (as a recommended condition), to require double-striped parking, and to request documented engagement between the applicant and Trinity House prior to council review. The commission also discussed but did not adopt a firm requirement to have the Schoolcraft-funded signal operational before occupancy, noting practical and legal constraints because the college — not the petitioner — is funding the signal.

Vote and next steps: The commission’s approving recommendation will be forwarded to the Livonia City Council, which will hold its own public hearing and render the final determination. The commission’s approval is valid for one year unless a building permit is obtained. The motion includes specific plan-sheet references and a clause that the approval is valid for one year from the date of council approval.

Details and clarifications (what is specified and what is not): The approved resolution as drafted references plan sheets dated July 9–10, 2025 (site, demolition, landscape, photometric and elevations), requires submittal of stormwater detention plans per Wayne County ordinance and notes that additional permits will be required for any improvements in the 6 Mile right-of-way. The petition lists 13 outdoor parking stalls and 14 indoor vacuum spaces; the zoning ordinance requires 20 parking spaces for auto-wash establishments, and the approval relies on combined indoor/outdoor vacuum/parking counts. The traffic study that supports the signal was prepared before the car-wash layout and does not include car-wash-specific peak-hour volumes; commissioners requested an updated, signed traffic validation.

The commission’s record includes staff correspondence from Wayne County/engineering, the fire marshal, police traffic bureau and inspection and treasury staff; multiple public commenters; the petitioner’s renderings; and a petitioner-provided sound study claiming outdoor correlator-based vacuums would measure about 23 dB at 30 feet in the test setup.

The item will next appear before Livonia City Council for a final decision; interested residents were advised to follow the matter through council public hearing notices.