Staff recommends approval of the resolution.

The City has regulated car wash facilities through its zoning ordinance for many years.  With the adoption of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), car wash facilities required approval of a special use permit.  Staff continues to see increased interest in car wash facilities and has concerns that these uses could have the potential impact of creating land use conflicts and altering the character of commercial corridors.  A temporary moratorium on the acceptance and processing of car wash facility applications would allow staff time to research and develop an amendment to the UDO.

For many years the City regulated car wash uses through the zoning ordinance.  With the adoption of the Unified Development Ordinance in 2009, car wash uses were allowed subject to special use permit approval and the conditions in Section 14-413.

In the last three (3) years, four (4) special use permit applications for car wash facilities have been approved.  Currently, the City has a total of approximately 17 car wash facilities in the City.  These uses have congregated along commercial corridors (i.e., US 24, US 40, 23^rd Street, Noland Road and 39^th Street). 

Staff has seen a trend of continued interest in car wash uses and has concerns that these uses could have the potential impact of creating land use conflicts and altering the character of commercial corridors.

The research, drafting and approval of an appropriate car wash UDO amendment may take several months to accomplish.  A temporary moratorium on the acceptance and processing of car wash applications would allow for the adoption of amended car wash regulations.