Supes Approve Car Wash, Though Neighbors Object

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Though residents in the closest neighborhood objected, James City County’s Board of Supervisors approved an application 3-2 Tuesday for a car wash at Williamsburg Crossing.

The applicant proposed to build an 8,000-square-foot brick building that would contain a car wash and detailing business with exterior vacuums. The location is zoned for a business use and several businesses could have been developed in the location by-right (without Board approval), the applicant’s attorney pointed out.

The business will have noise-dampened vacuums on the exterior of the building to minimize noise, and the rest of the operation will be inside. The applicant offered to give La Fonatine $500 per year to help maintain a landscape buffer the applicant will provide and offered to reduce business hours to minimize the number of car headlights directed at the neighborhood. The applicant also agreed to post signs asking customers to turn down their car radios based on concerns from neighbors.

The business will bring 12 to 15 jobs to the community, as well as tax revenue, the applicant’s attorney said, and the business will reuse 85 percent of the water used in operations.

Two residents of La Fontaine spoke out against the business and explained to Supervisors that their concerns were still excessive noise, trash left by customers, the possibility of increased crime and a reduction in home values. Most important to both speakers was their belief that the car wash wasn’t an appropriate use so close to a residential neighborhood.

Jane Kovar, president of La Fontaine’s Home Owner’s Association, said homeowners are aware that other by-right businesses could locate on the property, but “we’re willing to take our chances.”

Four county citizens said they supported the application because it would be on land already zoned for business, would create jobs and would be an economic benefit to the county.

Republican Supervisors agreed, citing similar reasons.

Supervisor Jim Kennedy said he supported the application because the parcel would be built on in the future anyway, and he appreciated that the applicant went “above and beyond” to try to mitigate any concerns of neighbors. Supervisor Mary Jones agreed, and also noted that the business would help diversify the county’s economy.

Supervisor Bruce Goodson said he aimed to remain consistent with his votes. La Fontaine residents complained that the Board wasn’t listening to their concerns, but Goodson said, “We do listen. The main complaint I heard… was that this isn’t an appropriate use. It is an appropriate use,” he argued, and the SUP process simply allows the board to apply some limitations to allowed uses in certain circumstances.

Supervisor John McGlennon disagreed. “I agree [this] is a permitted use, but that’s not the same as saying it should be allowed here.” Other nearby businesses in Williamsburg Crossing are “relatively unobtrusive” compared to the car wash, he argued. McGlennon appreciated the applicant’s willingness to compromise and suggested other nearby locations might be more appropriate.

Like McGlennon, Supervisor Jim Icehour also didn’t support the application. While the applicant agreed to limit business hours, staff didn’t feel comfortable making the limitations a condition of the SUP and didn’t include it in the language of the resolution. Though Icenhour didn’t support the application, he moved to amend the resolution to include the restricted hours, but after one tie vote the amendment ended up failing.

The Board voted 3-2 to approve the application with McGlennon and Icenhour dissenting.