Planning Board hears Spark Car Wash updates; declares itself lead agency for SEQRA

Representatives for Spark Car Wash presented a revised site plan on Feb. 6, 2025, telling the Town of Newburgh Planning Board the submission adds a mountable concrete island and signage to prohibit left-turn egress from the Route 300 driveway and proposes a sidewalk along the site frontage.

Jennifer Porter of CSG Law introduced the team and summarized prior reviews and resubmissions; civil engineer Jeff Martell said the plans show a counterclockwise circulation, a do-not-enter sign opposite the main entrance, reduced kiosk signage and a sidewalk the applicant is willing to build or dedicate in coordination with the State Department of Transportation. "We did make a resubmission in January," Martell said, noting the curb extension and signage changes aimed at preventing left turns.

Traffic engineer Nick Tortorella said the project team resubmitted a Stage 2 highway work permit to NYSDOT and reported preliminary DOT feedback received the afternoon of the meeting. "For the site access, the State, once again, approved our site access as a full movement driveway," Tortorella said, adding that DOT indicated a land dedication would be required if the applicant were to construct the sidewalk in the state right-of-way.

Tortorella and Martell outlined a pay-station queuing analysis the applicant provided from an existing Spark site. Tortorella said the plan calls for 23 total stacking spaces upstream of the wash tunnel and that 16 stacking spaces would be upstream of the pay-station gates. He described the company's license-plate recognition pay stations and an adjustable tunnel speed, arguing the design reduces the risk that queues will extend onto Route 300.

Board members pressed the team about safety on Route 300 and whether queues could back into the roadway. Planning Board member David Dominick said he remained concerned about rare peak days that could cause stacking onto the state road: "Go to any car wash in this area tomorrow, you're going to have queueing on the road." Tortorella responded that in one observed, higher-volume Spark facility the highest queues were brief and that operations staff and attendants can speed the tunnel and manage queues if necessary.

Board and staff questions also focused on the sidewalk: several members, including Kenneth Mennerich and John Ward, urged pedestrian connectivity along Route 300. Attorney Dominic Cordisco described the interaction between DOT reviews and the Board's role as SEQRA lead and noted that DOT had advanced some approvals before the Board had circulated lead agency. The applicant offered that, if approved, it could make the sidewalk a condition of approval and suggested constructing it "within one year" of certificate of occupancy.

After discussion, the Board voted to declare itself lead agency for SEQRA on the Spark Car Wash application. Ken Mennerich moved to declare lead agency and Lisa Carver seconded. The roll call vote was unanimous in favor.

What happens next: the applicant and Town consultants will coordinate with NYSDOT on driveway location and sidewalk options and may hold a technical review consultants' work session prior to any vote on site-plan approval. The Board will use the lead-agency status to oversee required environmental findings.