Log in

A rare zoning denial in Peoria

Fletcher Heights doesn’t like stand-alone car washes

Posted 2/24/20

Members of the Peoria City Council did something they rarely do — deny a proposal recommended by staff and the planning commission.

You must be a member to read this story.

Join our family of readers for as little as $5 per month and support local, unbiased journalism.


Already have an account? Log in to continue.

Current print subscribers can create a free account by clicking here

Otherwise, follow the link below to join.

To Our Valued Readers –

Visitors to our website will be limited to five stories per month unless they opt to subscribe. The five stories do not include our exclusive content written by our journalists.

For $6.99, less than 20 cents a day, digital subscribers will receive unlimited access to YourValley.net, including exclusive content from our newsroom and access to our Daily Independent e-edition.

Our commitment to balanced, fair reporting and local coverage provides insight and perspective not found anywhere else.

Your financial commitment will help to preserve the kind of honest journalism produced by our reporters and editors. We trust you agree that independent journalism is an essential component of our democracy. Please click here to subscribe.

Sincerely,
Charlene Bisson, Publisher, Independent Newsmedia

Please log in to continue

Log in
I am anchor

A rare zoning denial in Peoria

Fletcher Heights doesn’t like stand-alone car washes

Posted

Members of the Peoria City Council did something they rarely do — deny a proposal recommended by staff and the planning commission.

The proposal would have amended the language of a zoning regulation to allow for a stand-alone car wash in Fletcher Heights.

Stand-alone car washes are not zoned for the area.

As part of the zoning process, a recommendation is made by the planning and zoning commission to the city council, who historically approve cases the commission favors.

Council unanamously rejected the recommendation, Feb. 18, siding with nearby residents, who opposed the proposal citing concerns about noise and traffic, arguing a car wash would not enhance the neighborhood.

Councilman Bill Patena said he has been on council for more than seven years, and recalls only one other time the council didn’t go along with the planning commission.

“So that tells me that we take the recommending board, which the planning commission is, very very seriously. I would say that 99% of the time that we agree with what they want,” he said.

“But each of us on this council are responsible for about 30,000 people. And this council has always tried to do what is best for the citizens and the city. I don’t think that this project passes that test.”

The denial of adding the new language to the Fletcher Heights Planned Area Development that would have allowed for this use blocks a developer’s proposal to bring a Cobblestone car wash to the northeast corner of Deer Valley Road and 83rd Avenue.

An approval would have paved the way for the issuance of a conditional use permit allowing for the project.

The property is located within the Deer Valley Marketplace Shopping Center, which is anchored by an Albertson’s grocery store. Previously a Valero convenience store and gas station occupied the site, but the business closed.

Three of the four corners of the intersection contain large commercial centers. Such centers typically have a medium- to large-scale anchor, such as a grocery store, and contain one or more individual pad sites for restaurants or retail shops, which is the case for the Deer Valley Marketplace Shopping Center.

Similarly, the southwest corner of the intersection is a commercial shopping center that consists of a Fry’s grocery store and an associated gas station, as well as Sonic and McDonald’s fast food restaurants.

Residential lots within this area of Fletcher Heights range between about 6,000 to 13,000 square

feet. The Fletcher Heights PAD, which governs the land use of the development, does not specifically allow stand-alone car wash facilities, but it does allow a car wash if operated in conjunction with a gas station.

Councilman Jon Edwards said when he learned of the proposal he had reservations, and received calls and emails from residents in opposition.

“I met with many residents and the common theme is they don’t want this in their backyard. They moved in this area for a reason — for the peace and quiet,” he said. “They knew the zoning currently in place did not allow a stand-alone car wash. It does allow a car wash if it is attached to a gas station. There is a reason for that. When they initially did the PAD in 1995, there was a reason for it and I don’t see any reason that we change the aesthetics of the community at this point.”

Planning officials said trip generation rates for a standalone car wash are typically less than a convenience store, by about half.

M3 Design requested the proposal on behalf of Cobblestone Auto Spa.

President Jesse Macias said to mitigate noise, the proposed site plan has the car wash strategically facing north, instead of the neighborhood to the south.

He said city staff and the planning commission consider a car wash a proper use for that site.

“We want to reiterate we are replacing a vacant eyesore ... a gas station that was 24 hour with beer and wine and gas. So a new gas station could rightfully come in, and that is a much more invasive use. We are not 24 hour. We are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.,” Mr. Macias said.

“As far as noise, all our equipment is internalized. Our motors are internalized so there is literally no noise at the pay points. As far as the dryers, those are internalized as well. The decibel level is much less than the ambient noise of the traffic. Every 10 feet the decibel level drops by five, so by the time you reach the neighborhood to the north, ambient noise is probably like a normal conversation.”

Deborah Souther, a nearby resident, said the area is already busy with a high volume of traffic.

“I am within 600 feet of the proposed car wash and I am not interested in hearing the noisy blowers and the vacuums. I would love to see a new business come in, maybe a local restaurant, which we all could use more of those up in our area,” she said. “Our neighborhood is a nice, quiet safe neighborhood, and we don’t need the extra traffic. We don’t need extra noise in that area right now.”

Philip Haldiman can be reached at 623-876-3697, phaldiman@newszap.com, or on Twitter @philiphaldiman.