3 - COMBINED PUBLIC COMMENTS_301 325 N TUSTIN

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4 car wash, is located only 1.2 miles from the Project. Furthermore, there are 13 other car washes located within the City, not including gas station model car washes like the one operating at the Project site, the latter of which are too numerous to count. Attached as Exhibit A is a list of car washes within the City of Santa Ana and their respective distances to the Project. Five of the 13 existing car washes within the City are express washes like Speedie Wash, and the City recently approved the development of a new express car wash, Rocket Express Car Wash, located at 1703 East 17th Street, which is currently under development. Rocket Express Car Wash is located only 1 mile from Speedie Wash, and brings the total number of express and full service car washes within the City to 14. The Conklin’s recently were informed that two more applications to develop new express car washes have been submitted to the City in addition to the Russell Fischer Project herein at issue. The proposed locations of these express washes are Tustin Avenue and 4th Street, and Grand Avenue between 17th Street and Fairhaven Avenue – both of which would be within 2 miles of Speedie Wash. In addition to the 14 express, full service, or self service car washes located within the City, there are also four more car washes located within the City of Tustin and within 1 mile of the Project: Tustin Bay Wash – 101 N Tustin Avenue; Coin Operated Car Wash – 103 E 1st Street; Tustin Plaza Car Wash – 240 E 1st Street; Mobile Car Wash – 17241 Irvine Blvd. (See Exhibit A.) In fact, the Tustin Bay Wash is located on the very same block as the proposed Project, and the Mobile Express Wash is located on 4th Street, caddy corner to the Project. Thus, the express car wash the Applicant seeks to develop pursuant to CUP 2019-30 will not provide a service or facility that will contribute to the general well being of the neighborhood or community. In fact, the car wash service/facility is redundant and will negatively impact other existing car washes. 2. The Proposed Project Will Be Particularly Detrimental to the Health, Safety, or General Welfare of Persons Residing or Working in the Vicinity. It is well accepted in the car wash industry that a successful express car wash draws from approximately five miles, with a concentration of 2-miles. Industry literature recommends that a new express car wash should not be established within 3 miles or less of another express wash because the competition will hurt both businesses. Attached as Exhibit B are articles by car wash industry consultants explaining this recommendation: “Competing car washes in a three mile radius must be seriously considered as threat or deterrent to your proposed site.” (Motor City Wash Works, Site Selection – Road-Map to Success, pp. 3-4.) One consultant explains that opening a car wash within 3 miles of an existing car wash will lead to one of three possible scenarios: “(1) they put you out of business because they are more well-known; (2) you put them out of business because you’re shiny, new and ready to impress; or (3) both you and your competitor limp along with mediocre, stagnated business.” (Exhibit B, “Respecting the 3-Mile Rule When Starting a Car Wash”.)