| AGENDA ITEM #:20-300-00002 DATE: October 13, 2021 CAR #: CASE #: {Case#} |
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Planning & Zoning Commission ACTION REPORT
| SUBJECT: | USE PERMIT FOR A CONVENIENCE USE (SUPERSTAR CAR WASH) |
| STAFF PRESENTER(S): | Steve Careccia, Principal Planner |
OTHER PRESENTER(S):
Christopher Barta, Cawley Architects
SUMMARY:
Use permit request for a convenience use (car wash) on property zoned C-2 (General Commercial) located west of the southwest corner of McDowell Road and Bullard Avenue.
RECOMMENDATION:
- Conduct a public hearing to consider a request for a Use Permit for a convenience use (car wash) on an approximately 1.27-acre parcel located west of the southwest corner of McDowell Road and Bullard Avenue within the C-2 (General Commercial) zoning district;
- Recommend approval of a request for a Use Permit for a convenience use (car wash) to be constructed on approximately 1.27 acres within the property identified as Lot 2 in the approved Preliminary Plat for Quiktrip Store #1417, a copy of which is attached hereto, as reflected in the conceptual site plan attached hereto, which is located in the C-2 (General Commercial) zoning district, subject to stipulations. (Steve Careccia, Principal Planner)
STIPULATIONS:
- Approval of the use permit does not constitute approval of a site plan. All future development will be subject to site plan review and approval by city staff, at which time all elements of site development will be reviewed, including, but not limited to, architecture, landscaping, grading and drainage, utilities, lighting, infrastructure, parking, access and circulation;
- The configuration and location of the proposed building, drive lanes, and resultant traffic patterns shall be developed in substantial conformance with the conceptual site plan attached hereto. An amendment to the Use Permit shall be required if the Zoning Administrator determines that the site plan submitted for approval is not in substantial conformance with the conceptual site plan attached hereto;
- Noise levels generated by the car wash shall not exceed 55 dBA at the west property line of Lot 3 and 55 dBA at the south property line of Lot 2 of the approved Preliminary Plat for QuikTrip Store #1417, a copy of which is attached hereto. The owner of the property subject to this use permit or the operator of the car wash shall make all modifications to its equipment and/or to the site as needed to ensure that the noise generated from the operation of the car wash does not exceed the noise levels set forth herein. The failure to comply with the requirements set forth herein can result in the termination of this use permit if modifications to equipment and/or to the site are not timely completed to ensure that the noise generated from the operation of the car wash does not exceed the noise levels set forth herein;
- Prior to the issuance of a final Certificate of Occupancy for the car wash being permitted herein, a noise analysis demonstrating the noise levels generated by the operation of the car wash do not exceed the noise levels set forth in Stipulation No. 3 above shall be submitted to the city. No Certificate of Occupancy shall be issued until a noise study demonstrating that the noise levels generated by the operation of the car wash are in conformance with the stipulations set forth herein;
- In no instance shall queued vehicles obstruct designated fire lanes or public streets. Any observed obstruction by city staff shall be immediately remediated by the owner/operator and owner/operator shall prepare a traffic management plan to prevent future obstructions, which shall be completed and submitted to the Fire Chief and Director of Engineering or their respective designees within 30 days of city staff’s observation of the obstruction of the fire lanes and/or public streets. Said plan shall require approval from the Fire Chief and Engineering Director, or designees. The failure to comply with the requirements set forth herein can result in the termination of this use permit if the approved traffic management plan required herein is not in place and implemented in a timely fashion following city staff’s observations of obstructions to designated fire lanes and/or public streets;
- The three designated employee parking spaces noted on the conceptual site plan, attached hereto, shall be signed for employee parking only, with said designation enforced by the owner/operator;
- Landscaping, including green screens and shrubs, shall be provided along the west side of the car wash building;
- A landscaped berm and 42-inch high masonry screen wall shall be installed along the McDowell Road frontage in conformance with the conceptual site plan, attached hereto;
- The design, materials and colors of the car wash building shall be in substantial conformance with the conceptual building elevations, attached hereto;
- The hours of operation for this car wash shall be between 7:00 AM and 8:00 PM;
- All signage proposed on the subject property shall require separate review and approval of sign permits. No signage is approved as part of this use permit; and,
- Failure of the owner/operator to take remedial actions to comply with the stipulations herein within a reasonable time period as determined by the Development Services Director or designee, can result in termination of this use permit and/or an order to cease operations.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Although a fiscal impact analysis has not been conducted on this specific project, all new development will have an ongoing fiscal impact on the city. The development is responsible for construction of all infrastructure necessary to serve the site and will generate one-time revenue for the city through payment of permits, construction sales tax and development impact fees. Longer term fiscal impacts include increased demands for municipal services, the costs of which may or may not be offset by increased property values/tax levies, city sales tax, state shared revenues and the increased demand for commercial and retail development. Any areas that will be maintained by the city are constructed by the developer and then conveyed to the city two years after construction.
BACKGROUND AND PREVIOUS ACTIONS:
The subject property is zoned C-2 (General Commercial). The parcel was rezoned from AG (Agricultural) to C-2 (General Commercial) on May 14, 2007 with the adoption of Ordinance No. 07-1070.
A site plan for the overall commercial area that included the subject property was approved on April 21, 2010 (Case No. 08-600-00021). The site plan included two hotels, shops and restaurants. A site plan revising the site layout for the two hotels was approved on September 12, 2018 (Case No. 18-600-00011).
A comprehensive sign package (CSP) that included the subject property was approved on September 13, 2010 (Case No. 08-630-00013). This CSP provided signage for the two hotels and accompanying commercial users.
The subject property was included in a preliminary plat approved on July 19, 2021. The preliminary plat subdivided a larger 5.8-acre property into three lots. Lot 1 is located at the southwest corner of McDowell Road and Bullard Avenue. This 2.5-acre lot is intended for a QuikTrip fuel station with convenience store. The subject property is designated as Lot 2 and located west of Lot 1. Lot 3 is proposed to the west of Lot 2 and encompasses two acres. At this time, there are no formal development plans for Lot 3.
This application for use permit has not previously been considered by the Planning and Zoning Commission or City Council.
A site plan for the overall commercial area that included the subject property was approved on April 21, 2010 (Case No. 08-600-00021). The site plan included two hotels, shops and restaurants. A site plan revising the site layout for the two hotels was approved on September 12, 2018 (Case No. 18-600-00011).
A comprehensive sign package (CSP) that included the subject property was approved on September 13, 2010 (Case No. 08-630-00013). This CSP provided signage for the two hotels and accompanying commercial users.
The subject property was included in a preliminary plat approved on July 19, 2021. The preliminary plat subdivided a larger 5.8-acre property into three lots. Lot 1 is located at the southwest corner of McDowell Road and Bullard Avenue. This 2.5-acre lot is intended for a QuikTrip fuel station with convenience store. The subject property is designated as Lot 2 and located west of Lot 1. Lot 3 is proposed to the west of Lot 2 and encompasses two acres. At this time, there are no formal development plans for Lot 3.
This application for use permit has not previously been considered by the Planning and Zoning Commission or City Council.
STAFF ANALYSIS
Current Policy:
A use permit requires review by the Planning and Zoning Commission and approval by the City Council through the public hearing process.
Details of the Request:
The applicant is requesting approval of a use permit to facilitate the development of a Superstar Car Wash on property zoned C-2 (General Commercial). The car wash will be located on a proposed parcel located near the southwest corner of Bullard Avenue and McDowell Road.
The conceptual site plan, attached hereto, includes an automated car wash and associated facilities. The 4,487 square-foot main building includes the car wash tunnel, an office, equipment space, restroom, vending machine area, fire riser room, and vacuum equipment room. The site will also include three self-service pay stations, 28 covered vacuum parking spaces, three employee parking spaces and four bicycle spaces. The parking canopies are intended to provide shade while customers vacuum their vehicles.
The car wash building is oriented north-south, with the tunnel entrance facing south towards I-10 and the exit facing north towards McDowell Road. Customers will remain in their vehicles throughout the pay and wash processes. Customers may vacuum their vehicles at one of the 28 covered self-vacuum parking spaces prior to or after the tunnel wash.
Conceptual building elevations, attached hereto, show the design, materials and colors intended for the car wash facility. Given the highly visible location of the proposed convenience use, staff, the applicant, and property owner collaborated on the design of the building elevations and site. The intent was to ensure that the building met the city’s design guidelines and regulations for convenience uses. The end result is a building and site design that incorporates some of the corporate identity desired by car wash operator while adhering to the city’s design guidelines. In accordance with city requirements that do not allow car wash bays/openings to front onto a public street, the applicant chose to screen the car wash tunnel exit facing McDowell Road with a 42-inch masonry wall and landscape berm placed in front of the wall.
A site plan was submitted concurrently with this request for use permit. Site plan approval will be subject to use permit approval.
Evaluation Criteria:
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 two findings prior to granting a Use Permit:
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:
Fire Response:
Public Participation:
In accordance with the City’s Citizen Review Process, an alternative notification process was used for this request. A formal citizen review meeting was not involved, but notice providing information on the request was mailed to surrounding property owners within 500 feet of the subject property. To date, staff has not received any public inquires on this request.
Notice for the public hearings before the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council included a postcard mailed to the owners of property within 500 feet of the subject property, including the ownership entities for the two hotels and proposed office building; a legal notice published in the Arizona Republic, Southwest Edition, on September 24, 2021; and a notice of public hearing sign posted on the property. To date, staff has not received any public inquiries on this request.
A use permit requires review by the Planning and Zoning Commission and approval by the City Council through the public hearing process.
Details of the Request:
The applicant is requesting approval of a use permit to facilitate the development of a Superstar Car Wash on property zoned C-2 (General Commercial). The car wash will be located on a proposed parcel located near the southwest corner of Bullard Avenue and McDowell Road.
The conceptual site plan, attached hereto, includes an automated car wash and associated facilities. The 4,487 square-foot main building includes the car wash tunnel, an office, equipment space, restroom, vending machine area, fire riser room, and vacuum equipment room. The site will also include three self-service pay stations, 28 covered vacuum parking spaces, three employee parking spaces and four bicycle spaces. The parking canopies are intended to provide shade while customers vacuum their vehicles.
The car wash building is oriented north-south, with the tunnel entrance facing south towards I-10 and the exit facing north towards McDowell Road. Customers will remain in their vehicles throughout the pay and wash processes. Customers may vacuum their vehicles at one of the 28 covered self-vacuum parking spaces prior to or after the tunnel wash.
Conceptual building elevations, attached hereto, show the design, materials and colors intended for the car wash facility. Given the highly visible location of the proposed convenience use, staff, the applicant, and property owner collaborated on the design of the building elevations and site. The intent was to ensure that the building met the city’s design guidelines and regulations for convenience uses. The end result is a building and site design that incorporates some of the corporate identity desired by car wash operator while adhering to the city’s design guidelines. In accordance with city requirements that do not allow car wash bays/openings to front onto a public street, the applicant chose to screen the car wash tunnel exit facing McDowell Road with a 42-inch masonry wall and landscape berm placed in front of the wall.
A site plan was submitted concurrently with this request for use permit. Site plan approval will be subject to use permit approval.
Evaluation Criteria:
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 two findings prior to granting a Use Permit:
- 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 proposed car wash will include equipment to wash, dry and vacuum vehicles, with such equipment capable of producing higher levels of noise compared to other general commercial uses. To help address this issue, the application indicates such equipment will be housed within enclosures or inside the car wash tunnel to help capture noise and prevent trespass. Furthermore, the applicant conducted a noise assessment, attached hereto, that identified the existing background noise level (46 dBA) for the surrounding area. The assessment also modeled anticipated noise levels at five locations (46-55 dBA) around the site, assuming operation of the car wash. The noise assessment indicated the highest noise levels would be generated at the tunnel entrance and exit, with noise levels dropping to near background levels towards the southern and eastern measurement locations. To ensure actual operational noise levels are consistent with the findings of this assessment, a stipulation of approval will require a noise analysis to be conducted prior to the opening of the car wash. Should the noise analysis show that operational noise levels exceed those levels identified in the noise assessment and stipulations, the owner/operator will be required to modify the site and/or car wash equipment in order to achieve conformance with the assessment and stipulations. Failure to achieve such noise level reductions could prevent the opening of the car wash facility to the public or cessation of operation, should excessive noise levels become an issue in the future.
Regarding persons residing in the area, the nearest residential development to the subject property is a multi-family development located approximately 1,340 feet to the northeast. The nearest single family development is located approximately 2,000 feet to the east, within Palm Valley. Given these separations, it is anticipated that the operation of the car wash should not have any detrimental effect, including noise trespass, on these residential developments.
- The proposed use is reasonably compatible with uses permitted in the surrounding area.
Surrounding land uses and zoning include:
- North- McDowell Road and undeveloped property entitled for regional commercial uses within the Goodyear Planned Regional Center PAD.
- South- Two undeveloped pads, a proposed professional office building and two hotels (Springhill Suites and Tru Hotel) on property zoned C-2 (General Commercial).
- East – A proposed QuikTrip convenience store on property zoned C-2 (General Commercial), Bullard Avenue and developed commercial property within the Goodyear Centerscape PAD.
- West- Undeveloped commercial property within the Goodyear Planned Regional Center PAD.
The proposed use will be located within an area intended for commercial uses, with no residential development within close proximity to the proposed use. To date, the immediate area includes two hotels, a planned QuikTrip and a planned professional office building. The overall area surrounding the proposed use is intended to be a high-intensity commercial corridor having adjacency to a freeway and major arterial street, with development including a theater, restaurants, a fitness facility and offices. Given these site conditions and existing/planned uses, the proposed car wash use should be reasonably compatible with the surrounding area, if operated in conformance with the noise study and stipulations of approval, as previously stated and discussed herein.
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:
- Adequacy of the parcel size and configuration to provide for proper access and internal circulation.
As shown on the preliminary site plan, the 1.27-acre parcel is of sufficient size and configuration to accommodate the proposed car wash. The proposed access and internal traffic circulation pattern have been designed to be consistent with the overall master plan for the center. Customers will be able to utilize the internal drives within the center to access the surrounding public roadways. All internal infrastructure required to provide proper access and circulation for the car wash facility will be constructed prior to start of any public operation.
- Compatibility of the proposed hours of operation with adjacent residential areas.
The car wash is proposed to be open 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM, seven days a week. Given the uses proposed location within a commercial center and the previously noted distances to residential development, staff does not recommend any restrictions on hours of operation.
- Required traffic mitigation measures, if any:
Adjacent public streets have been improved to the curb, including deceleration/turn lanes. However, right-of-way landscaping and sidewalks will need to be installed by the owner/developer. The intersection of Bullard Avenue and McDowell Road is signalized.
The convenience use should not adversely impact any public street given the size and configuration of the parcel, which provides sufficient space for vehicles to internally queue, maneuver and park. The driveways into the parcel will provide the minimum distance of 80 feet between the travel lane and first commercial drive aisle, which is intended to keep commercial traffic within the center from queuing onto the public streets. However, staff is proposing a stipulation to address queued vehicles in regard to fire lanes and public streets. The location and number of parking spaces proposed for this car wash will comply with city standards.
The convenience use should not adversely impact any public street given the size and configuration of the parcel, which provides sufficient space for vehicles to internally queue, maneuver and park. The driveways into the parcel will provide the minimum distance of 80 feet between the travel lane and first commercial drive aisle, which is intended to keep commercial traffic within the center from queuing onto the public streets. However, staff is proposing a stipulation to address queued vehicles in regard to fire lanes and public streets. The location and number of parking spaces proposed for this car wash will comply with city standards.
- Other concerns, which may place the advisability of the proposed convenience use in question.
Outside the noise concerns, as previously noted herein and addressed through the stipulations of approval, staff had no other concerns with the development of the car wash facility on the property.
Fire Response:
| Nearest Goodyear Fire Station | Shortest path | Longest path | 2nd nearest Fire Station | Shortest path | Longest path | |||||
| Mins | Miles | Mins | Miles | Mins | Miles | Mins | Miles | |||
| #181 | 3.3 | 1.65 | 3.3 | 1.65 | #183 | 4.95 | 2.48 | 4.95 | 2.48 | |
Public Participation:
In accordance with the City’s Citizen Review Process, an alternative notification process was used for this request. A formal citizen review meeting was not involved, but notice providing information on the request was mailed to surrounding property owners within 500 feet of the subject property. To date, staff has not received any public inquires on this request.
Notice for the public hearings before the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council included a postcard mailed to the owners of property within 500 feet of the subject property, including the ownership entities for the two hotels and proposed office building; a legal notice published in the Arizona Republic, Southwest Edition, on September 24, 2021; and a notice of public hearing sign posted on the property. To date, staff has not received any public inquiries on this request.
Attachments
- 1. Aerial Photo
- 2. Project Narrative
- 3. Conceptual Site Plan
- 4. Conceptual Building Elevations
- 5. Conceptual Landscape Plan
- 6. Noise Study
- 7. QuikTrip Preliminary Plat