Site Information:

Address: 1341 Greenwood Court

Property Owner: M & I Bank

Lot Area: 1.59 acres

Zoning: B-1, Highway Business

2040 Comp. Plan: Mixed Use Center

Adam Ramaekers, representing Rocket Car Wash has applied for a conditional use permit for a car wash at 1341 Greenwood Court, the current site of the M & I / BMO Harris Bank building. Rocket Car Wash intends to raze the existing building and construct a car wash (see site plan and building elevations). The proposed site plan notes a future detail tunnel, which would involve additional employees for a full service detail of a vehicle. The initial development of the site is an automatic car wash that customers purchase individual washes, or subscribe for monthly services.

Rocket Car Wash operates several car wash facilities in the surrounding states and is planning to enter the Twin Cities market.

Car wash facilities are a listed conditional use in the B-1, Highway Business Zone. The base conditions listed in City Code are as follows:

• Shall be located adjacent to an arterial street as identified in the comprehensive plan;
• Shall be screened from view from residential zones;
• Shall utilize a water conservation or recovery system; and
• Shall provide stacking for at least 3 vehicles per aisle. The required stacking shall not interfere with internal circulation patterns or with designated parking facilities, and shall not be located in any public right-of-way, private access easement, or within the required parking setback.

As proposed, Rocket Car Wash meets all of the base conditions of City Code.

Access and Circulation:

Vehicles enter and exit the site from Greenwood Court in the location of the existing driveway. The applicant is not proposing a bypass lane for the wash tunnel. Staff is recommending that a bypass lane be added. A bypass lane allows drivers that have incorrect / insufficient funds, or are above the clearance height of the wash tunnel to exit. Without a bypass lane, vehicles are not able to exit the site if another vehicle approaches the car wash.

Staff is also recommending that the proposed trash enclosure location be revised to a location that is easily accessible by a garbage truck. The current location would require a garbage truck to reverse out of the site, or fit under the proposed canopy for the vacuum area.

Staff also recommends that the drive aisle for the vacuum canopy be revised to be one-way traffic, since all vehicles are entering that from the northern part of the site.

Scott County is proposing construction of a trail along the west side of Marschall Road in 2021. The applicant is aware of the proposed plan and intends to coordinate their plans with Scott County.

With the above adjustments to the circulation on the site, staff recommends approval of the request, subject to the other conditions in the attached resolution.