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Commission approves Googie Car Wash at La Cienega after neighborhood concerns; six‑month review ordered
Summary
The commission approved SUP26‑00014 for a new automated Googie‑style car wash at 6818 S. La Cienega Blvd with conditions addressing noise mitigation, runoff and a six‑month operational review after commissioners weighed resident concerns about hours and impacts.
The Inglewood Planning Commission approved a special‑use permit for a Googie Car Wash at 6818 South La Cienega Boulevard (SUP26‑00014) after hearing technical presentations from staff, the applicant and a neighbor representative who asked for additional studies and conditions.
Planning staff described the project as a roughly 6,100‑square‑foot automated tunnel car wash with three vehicle queuing lanes, up to 18 vehicles queued on site, 20 vacuum stalls, a 900‑square‑foot equipment room and proposed operating hours from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. The staff report included public works recommendations to improve circulation, install pavement striping and extend a raised curb. Staff also noted a categorical CEQA exemption had been filed because the building footprint is under the standard exemption threshold.
Applicant representatives (John Loper, Dan Cassell and Kevin Cassell) explained operational details, water‑reuse and biodiversity commitments (a butterfly‑habitat planting concept), and said noisy equipment (vacuum motors) would be housed in an interior equipment room rather than positioned at individual stalls. "We put the noisy motors in the equipment room so it's isolated within the building," the applicant’s team explained.
A nearby resident (represented by Cameron Simbro speaking on behalf of Wayne Simbro) requested a continuance or additional noise and air‑quality studies because the proposed Short Street driveway would pass within about 50 feet of a bedroom. Staff replied that the building footprint fell under the CEQA exemption threshold and that site plan review and public works conditions would require NPDES and runoff controls and provide an opportunity to impose additional noise‑mitigation (including a wall) if the commission so directed.
Given the concerns, the commission approved SUP26‑00014 with additional attention to runoff, noise mitigation and air quality and adopted a motion that included a six‑month review to assess operations. The motion passed by roll call; staff reminded the public of the 20‑day appeal period under the IMC.
Next steps include site plan review with public works and building safety review, inclusion of traffic division recommendations and finalization of any noise‑barrier or landscaping conditions prior to building permits.
