A Car Wash (Hand or Automatic) is a Use Permit use in the General Commercial (C-2) which is equivalent to the Sedella (Community) Commercial Zoning District as well as within the Sedella Final Planned Area Development and is subject to the provisions of Article IV for Convenience Uses, which includes self-service or automatic car washes. Convenience uses are also subject to the provisions of Article 4-2 (Uses Requiring Additional Evaluation) of the Zoning Ordinance, which requires additional evaluation regarding the appropriate location and conditions of the use or operation. The Use Permit request is to be reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Commission and approved by the City Council.

Section 1-3-2 (Use Permits) of the Zoning Ordinance provides that the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council must determine that the proposed use meets the following two findings prior to granting a Use Permit:

Section 4-2-2 (Convenience Uses) of the Zoning Ordinance requires evaluation of the following additional criteria for convenience uses regarding their potential impact on traffic congestion, the neighborhood in general, and their appropriateness for the site:

a. Additional right-of-way.
b. Off-site traffic mitigation measures.
c. Restriction of some traffic movements through signs or other measures.
d. Segregation of queuing lanes, vehicle access and pedestrian circulation areas.
e. Cross-access easements.
f. Driveway locations

An express car wash is proposed within Car Wash Use Permit Site at the northeast corner of Perryville Road and Indian School Road, within the undeveloped southwestern-most Sedella Commercial parcel. The Car Wash Use Permit Site consists of 1.38 acres within the larger 13.48-acre parcel. The original Sedella Final Planned Area Development envisioned an array of commercial uses, on this site, including a car wash as a Use Permitted use.

The proposed site contains an automated car wash and 24 self-service vacuum stations/parking spaces. Customers remain in their vehicles through the pay and wash process and have the option of self-vacuuming their vehicles prior to or after the tunnel wash. After exiting the car wash tunnel, customers may exit and enter into the vacuums area and/or proceed towards the exit drive of the commercial center.  The site will also provide a bicycle rack on-site.

The proposed site includes a 3,775 square-foot car wash building. The building is oriented with the tunnel entrance and exit facing north and south parallel to Perryville Road (but more than 270 feet from the Perryville Road right-of-way) and facing Indian School Road. Zoning Ordinance, Article 3-3-6-B-7-b does not allow carwash service bays fronting onto public streets, however this building orientation is preferred to avoid creating detrimental noise impacts onto the Sedella residential neighborhood to the far north (more than 435 feet north of any homes) or the Fulton homes development to the east of the Car Wash Use Permit Site. Additionally, the tunnel is visually largely hidden by the retail buildings which shall front onto Indian School Road. The car wash entrance tunnel will be located over 284 feet away from the Indian School Road right-of-way and will have landscaping, drive-aisles, various structures and screen walls between the tunnel and the roadway. 

The car wash, like other buildings being developed within the Sedella Commercial Center will include masonry, stone and metal materials. Building elevations and architectural finishes and colors will be cohesive throughout the development. Four-sided architecture shall be included on all buildings.

Building designs and architecture shall blend with and compliment the "Old World" Spanish Charm as has been established through the Sedella Planned Area Development. All buildings shall have a minimum of two colors painted on the base of the building. All buildings shall have a minimum of two colors painted on the base of the building. Final commercial design guidelines shall be submitted for review and approval by City Staff prior to the submittal of any site plan application for the commercial parcels.

The proposed building height is less than 23 feet at the tallest point which includes a decorative stone and metal tower.  This is under the 56-foot maximum building height established for the C-2 (General Commercial) zoning district.

The Preliminary Site Plan was submitted concurrently with the Use Permit. A Site Plan will be approved administratively upon Use Permit approval.

The Zoning Ordinance, Section 1-3-2 (Use Permits), provides that the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council must determine that the proposed use meets the following findings prior to granting a use permit:

1. The use permit will not be materially detrimental to persons residing or working in the vicinity adjacent to the property, to the neighborhood, or to the public welfare.

The Use Permit is proposed on property intended for the development of commercial uses. The proposed car wash will be approximately 418 feet from the nearest residential property in the county (across one arterial roadway) and more than 435 feet from the nearest residential property within Sedella (across a large regional drainage channel). Given the building orientation, the Use Permit will not be materially detrimental to those persons working or shopping within the area, to the neighborhood or public welfare. Furthermore, staff is recommending a stipulation to ensure noise around the property does not exceed measurements stated on noise exhibit to protect residents and businesses.

2. The proposed use is reasonably compatible with uses permitted in the surrounding area.

The area surrounding the property intended for the Use Permit includes a mix of commercial uses, retail and office uses. The existing and proposed commercial uses within the area are of like intensity and operation to the proposed Use Permit, and should therefore be compatible. The developer intends to provide additional landscaping along both the south and western property lines. When consideration is given to the building setback, the existing and new proposed landscaping, screen walls, canopies and pergolas as well as the buildings setback from both Perryville Road and Indian School Road, the tunnel entrance there is sufficient buffering to the adjacent properties.

 

Luke Air Force Base:

The Car Wash Use Permit Site is located within the vicinity of a military airport. Given the location of the Car Wash Use Permit Site and the commercial nature of the proposed Use Permit, base operations will not be adversely impacted by this development.

Phoenix-Goodyear Airport:

The Car Wash Use Permit Site is not located within the Phoenix Goodyear Traffic Pattern Airspace. Additionally, given the commercial nature of the proposed Use Permit, airport operations will not be adversely impacted by this development.

3. Demands for public services that will be generated by the uses permitted in the proposed zoning district.

Fire Response:
Emergency response times and distances are provided below:

Nearest Fire Station	Shortest path		Nearest Goodyear Fire Station	Shortest path
	Mins	Miles		Mins	Miles
(Buckeye Valley) Fire Station #321	1.89	0.94	Goodyear Fire Station #185	8.43	4.22

Police Response:

The Car Wash Use Permit Site is located within an existing police patrol beat and the current level of service within the beat can accommodate the development of the Car Wash Use Permit Site.

Solid Waste:

Solid waste service will be provided by a private company as bulk trash containers will be utilized.

Streets/Transportation:

The Car Wash Use Permit Site will have access Perryville Road and Indian School Road.

Water/Wastewater:

The Car Wash Use Permit Site will be served by a private provider. All infrastructure necessary to serve the Car Wash Use Permit Site will be required to be installed by the property owner and/or developer.

Section 4-2-2 (Convenience Uses) of the Zoning Ordinance provides the following additional evaluation criteria for convenience uses regarding their potential impact on traffic congestion, the neighborhood in general, and their appropriateness for the site:

4. Adequacy of the parcel size and configuration to provide for proper access and internal circulation.

The site of the proposed car wash is a 1.38-acre portion of a commercially zoned development. The Car Wash Use Permit Site will be adjacent to one of the main driveway entrances into the larger center off of Perryville Road, and will be served by internal connections to the commercial center. The site is adequate to accommodate the proposed building, drive through lane, and required off-street parking and sufficient landscaping.

5. Compatibility of the proposed hours of operation with adjacent residential areas.

The car wash will be open daily from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
The location of the facility is approximately 418 feet from the nearest residential property in the county (across one arterial roadway) and more than 435 feet from the nearest residential property within Sedella (across a large regional drainage channel). Given the proposed building orientation with the tunnel facing north to south, staff believes the proposed hours of operation are compatible with the adjacent residential area.

6. Required traffic mitigation measures, if any.

A Traffic Statement is forthcoming. Any recommendations from the statement for site improvements will be required prior to Site Plan approval.

7. Other concerns, which may place the advisability of the proposed convenience use in question.

The car wash will be required to proceed through the full Site Plan review process to ensure the development is consistent with the General Commercial (C-2) Zoning District development regulations, the approved “Old World” character of Sedella, as well as the City’s adopted Design Guidelines, development standards, codes, and ordinances.

8. General public concerns.

Public Comment:

An in-person Neighborhood Meeting was conducted for this proposal  and the proposal for the convenience store with a drive-through.  A Notice of the Neighborhood Meeting was sent to property owners within 500 feet of the property on September 19, 2022; signs advertising the Neighborhood Meeting were placed on the site on September 19, 2022. The Neighborhood Meeting took place on October 4, 2022. During the meeting, some residents voiced concerns about traffic within and around Sedella, having a gas station on the site, the potential for alcohol to be distributed through a drive-through and concerns about the proximity of the commercial center to a nearby unfenced HOA park, and concerns that patrons and employees of the Conveniences Store/Drive-through would use the HOA park. Other residents voiced their support for the proposed uses.

Additional Use Permit uses were added within the overall Sedella Commercial center which facilitated a second in-person Neighborhood Meeting. Notice of the Neighborhood Meeting was sent to property owners within 500 feet of the property on September 13, 2023; signs advertising the Neighborhood Meeting were placed on the site on September 13, 2023. The Neighborhood Meeting took place on October 4, 2023. During the second neighborhood meeting, residents voiced concerns about traffic within and around Sedella, the amount of industrial in the area, the desire for high quality restaurants, and a fear that if the use permits were not approved the site could become industrial

A public notice that this rezoning request would be considered and reviewed at a public hearing to be held before the Planning and Zoning Commission on December 6, 2023 appeared in the Arizona Republic Southwest Valley Edition November 17, 2023; postcards were mailed to adjoining owners on November 3, 2023; and, the sign(s) on the site were updated on November 7, 2023 to notify residents of the scheduled public hearings.