75A - PH KARA GRANT APPEAL - Laserfiche WebLink

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Car Wash in addition to the already approved Rocket Express Car Wash, both of which are located within a 1.5 mile radius from Speedie Wash, is significant and devastating. As mentioned above, the Conklin recently learned that two more applications to develop new express car washes have been submitted to the City, with proposed locations approximately 1.4 miles from the Russell Fischer Car Wash Project, and within 1 mile from Speedie Wash. If these proposed new express car washes are approved and developed, along with Rocket Express and the Russell Fischer Car Wash Project, that would increase the munber of express car washes within less than a 2 mile radius of Speedie Wash from 5 to 8. Going from the existing 5 to 8 express car washes represents a 60% increase in express car washes in the City all within a very short time frame. All three of these newly proposed express car washes, one of which is already approved, would likely be built within I1/2 years. Accordingly, each approval of a new express car wash, like the Russell Fischer Express Car Wash, will have a substantial detrimental impact on other car wash owners like the Conklin. The unavoidable negative financial impact from operation of the already approved Rocket Express Car Wash, plus the proposed Russell Fischer Express Car Wash if approved, is substantial and potentially devastating. Moreover, there is yet another express car wash proposed in the City of Orange, Oasis Express Car Wash, which is located within approximately 2 miles of Speedie Wash. If the Russell Fischer Car Wash Project as well as these two additional new express wash applicants are approved, in addition to approved Rocket Express Car Wash, Speedie Wash will suffer a 40% loss in current car counts, and there is simply not enough income after expenses to sustain such a loss, thereby devastating the Conklin's family business. Again, as discussed in the article, Respecting the 3-Mile Rule When Starting a Car Wash, the outcome of approving the proposed CUP will be either to: (1) put the new car wash out of business; (2) put the older, existing car wash out of business; or (3) decrease the profitability of both car washes, resulting in mediocre, stagnated businesses. (See, Exhibit B.) Thus, if the City further inundates the community with car washes in too close proximity to each other, at least some of those businesses will fail, and at least some suffer declines in revenue. These negative impacts on existing businesses will be detrimental to the City as well because it will lose tax revenues, lose jobs, and the City's aesthetics will be marred by failed car washes and vacant lots. Vacant lots are aesthetically unappealing and further affect the vitality of business in the surrounding area. Moreover, redeveloping a lot on which a car wash previously operated is expensive and unappealing because the infrastructure required to develop the car wash, such as car wash pits, are built into the site and are unique to the car wash industry. (See Exhibit B.) Thus, a retail developer would be dissuaded from developing on a former car wash site as opposed to another site because of the increased cost, as well as potential environmental issues from the car wash use. Accordingly, the type of business that would be drawn to the property of a failed car wash site is yet another car wash, which in turn would re -inundate an unnecessary and problematic us, creating a cycle of mediocre and failed businesses. 75A-19