Residents and PNZ opposition drives down council support for Boerne Lane car wash

The Red Oak City Council denied a special-use permit for a proposed detail car wash at the northwest corner of East Avila Road and Boerne Lane after extensive public comment and a staff recommendation to deny the request.

Jan Kavanaugh, a retired Red Oak ISD teacher representing the Country Garden 2 HOA, urged the council to prioritize seniors’ safety and opposed the car wash because the lot backs up to a narrow two-lane Boerne Lane, is close to an existing signal and would increase noise and light intrusion. “We respectfully ask that you prioritize the peace and well-being of your senior residents and deny this proposal for zoning changes,” Kavanaugh said. Planning staff noted the split zoning (C‑1 and HO), explained parking shortfalls and said the site is not the ‘‘highest and best’’ use given the city’s sales-tax–generating corridor goals; Planning & Zoning had recommended denial.

Applicant engineer Michael Westvall described site constraints and mitigation steps—he said a southbound right-turn lane was added and that drainage would continue to the Walmart detention pond. Owner representative Colette El Shihimi described filtration and water-reuse systems and said, “We have sand-trap separators… we also reuse a lot of the water… most other car washes would be double or triple plus since we are reusing a lot of the water.” Despite those assurances, council members expressed continued concerns about traffic, employee parking, fire access and the site’s compatibility with surrounding uses. The ordinance (No. 26-020) failed on a recorded council vote, 0–4.