Is Springfield Ready for a Car Wash?

[ChriswUfGator]

One picture is with the equipment running, and the other is the already-existing ambient noise level measured at the same spots;



As you can see, there is virtually no change at all, and the normal swings in ambient noise levels outweigh the noise of the car wash equipment. So other than a couple extra cars on the street, this thing simply has no impact to anyone who doesn't live directly next door.

And, of course, there isn't anybody living directly next door in the first place, because those are vacant commercial properties. Moreover, this thing has been a car wash for 60 years. And I still come back to the fact that the biggest anti-car wash people don't live anywhere near it, let alone within earshot of it.

[Miss Fixit]

I am not even sure what 350' has to do with it, as decibel levels were taken by an audio engineer with the equipment running, and with the equipment off, and the noise really doesn't even make it off the property line, let alone 350' off it.

The City is required to notify all property owners within 350 feet of a property that is the subject of rezoning activity.  This requirement acknowledges that nearby property owners - even those that may not be immediately adjacent to the subject - are affected by such rezoning.  Noise certainly isn't the only impact of a new business.

Owners of the neighboring properties also have a specific right to appeal zoning decisions.

[Springfield Girl]

. Moreover, this thing has been a car wash for 60 years.

False, it has been out of operation and empty for at least 12 years.

[jason_contentdg]

To be fair those recordings were not done by an audio engineer, but by us using a decibel reader.  Which really, if people are worried about the equipment sound, could easily ask Silas to run the equipment for them.  But, many just want to use the sound and the strange thought that the majority of the traffic is going to turn into the neighborhood's secondary streets instead of going back out to the main artery as the issues to fight the project.  When in reality the main issue is that they think a car wash is a bad, negative business for the neighborhood...not because of the sound or traffic it would generate, but because of its negative perception.

[ChriswUfGator]

. Moreover, this thing has been a car wash for 60 years.

False, it has been out of operation and empty for at least 12 years.

Actually it was only out of operation for 2-3 years. Then Silas bought it and spent several years and $500k replacing and upgrading the equipment and fixing up the building. Then 2+ years ago, your group of SPARbarians rewarded his massive investment in the neighborhood by sabotaging his grand opening day with one of your classic code-enforcement call-in campaigns, and have been fighting back and forth with COJ over allowing him to open ever since.

So I don't see how you get to point out how long it's been out of operation as somehow supporting your position, when in fact your group is actually responsible for it still being out of operation! I mean, come on...

[ChriswUfGator]

To be fair those recordings were not done by an audio engineer, but by us using a decibel reader.  Which really, if people are worried about the equipment sound, could easily ask Silas to run the equipment for them.  But, many just want to use the sound and the strange thought that the majority of the traffic is going to turn into the neighborhood's secondary streets instead of going back out to the main artery as the issues to fight the project.  When in reality the main issue is that they think a car wash is a bad, negative business for the neighborhood...not because of the sound or traffic it would generate, but because of its negative perception.

Sorry, we generally hired one, and I figured you'd done the same. But either way, the point remains the same, the noise issue is non-existent and doesn't really make it off the property line.

[ChriswUfGator]

So Chris, it wasnt ever something besides a car wash?

It was never a coffeeshop or a petunia farm or a Bed Bath and Beyond?

Well surely then, Springfield Girl was mistaken in declaring your post 'false'.

Im sure she wasnt deliberately lying about it.  Thank goodness its a civil group in springfield.

Her position is ridiculous.

It's like saying "Your honor, you have to dismiss this case because I just killed the only witness...". SPAR is the only reason the place isn't open already, so it really takes some giant cajones for those same people to then argue that it being out of operation somehow supports their position against it, when they're the reason it's still out of operation.

What kind of cyclical logic is that?

[ChriswUfGator]

So Chris, it wasnt ever something besides a car wash?

It was never a coffeeshop or a petunia farm or a Bed Bath and Beyond?

Well surely then, Springfield Girl was mistaken in declaring your post 'false'.

Im sure she wasnt deliberately lying about it.  Thank goodness its a civil group in springfield.

Her position is ridiculous.

It's like saying "Your honor, you have to dismiss this case because I just killed the only witness...". SPAR is the only reason the place isn't open already, so it really takes some giant cajones for those same people to then argue that it being out of operation somehow supports their position against it.

What kind of cyclical logic is that?

But isnt a 'closed' car wash still a car wash?

Or does it revert to a magical pumpkin drawn by unicorns and fairy magic at 8pm until 10 am?

Well, yeah, clearly the thing has always been a car wash. There's nothing else you can do with a structure that is just a long tunnel full of car washing equipment, plus driveways to feed the cars through, except...well...a car wash. It's either that, or tear it down, I don't think it could be used for anything else. It was purpose-built as a car wash, and has never been anything else.

Of course we already know SPAR prefers vacant lots, so I guess this shouldn't be surprising.

[Springfield Girl]

Chris, I have lived in Springfield for 9 years and that building has been empty the whole time. It was an overgrown blighted property. It has been empty for longer than that though so I take issue with some of you saying it has been a carwash for 60 years. With your definition of use, 9th and Main would be a tire store. It may have been built as a carwash and used as carwash in the past but most recentl,y for over a decade it has been a vacant, blighted building and lot.
You don't know me or much of what you spout off about on this site. You talk about those of us living in Springfield and events here like you know what's going on, when you are really only regurgitating second hand gossip. Dude, 5th grade is so over, time to give up the vendetta.

[ChriswUfGator]

Chris, I have lived in Springfield for 9 years and that building has been empty the whole time. It was an overgrown blighted property. It has been empty for longer than that though so I take issue with some of you saying it has been a carwash for 60 years. With your definition of use, 9th and Main would be a tire store. It may have been built as a carwash and used as carwash in the past but most recentl,y for over a decade it has been a vacant, blighted building and lot.
You don't know me or much of what you spout off about on this site. You talk about those of us living in Springfield and events here like you know what's going on, when you are really only regurgitating second hand gossip. Dude, 5th grade is so over, time to give up the vendetta.

Total B.S.

It's not that I don't know what I'm talking about, it's that you just don't want to hear it. Or, more accurately, that you don't want other people to hear it.

Here, everyone can decide for themselves, specifically check out paragraphs 13 and 14;







Or is everyone just a big fat liar, except for you, SG?

So I'm a liar, Stephen's a liar, Silas Jones is a liar, etc., etc. Seems like everyone who disagrees with your viewpoint on any given issue is branded a "liar". (Like I actually care what you think of me.) Which is hilarious, because I actually back up what I post with real evidence, while you just sit there calling everyone who disagrees with you a liar, or making attempts to discredit them. Without realizing that you're only succeeding in discrediting yourself.

Meanwhile, half the neighborhood has been demolished on your watch, and your group's been caught with its hand inside so many cookie jars I've lost count. Give it a rest.

[chris farley]

Check note 13 in the letter  not one of those persons was a member of SPAR at the time and I know that three of them - one made two calls were very anti SPAR at the time.  Just a note of interest.

[fsu813]

pg 20 & 21 of this thread (well...most of it really) are a great example of why noone few take you seriously on these issues anymore.

[fsu813]

"However, Few, No one will take you seriously again if you cant answer the following questions: "

- (sigh)

ok.

[chris farley]

Is there a 12 step program for other very public human foibles?

[ChriswUfGator]

Check note 13 in the letter  not one of those persons was a member of SPAR at the time and I know that three of them - one made two calls were very anti SPAR at the time.  Just a note of interest.

You and I have had this same discussion over SPAR's sandbagging of Silas Jones' grand opening several months ago, and rather than re-typing it all, I will just save time and re-post what I posted back then.

The truth is that the people who conducted the call-in campaign to sabotage his grand opening are in fact all closely linked to Louise DeSpain and SPAR. Some were indeed SPAR members, or the spouses of SPAR members.

As I described before, in my view, this is another clear case of SPAR putting people up to doing something and then later claiming "well it's not officially SPAR". Yeah right. They can call it whatever they want "officially" but that doesn't change the fact that it's always the same cast of characters that seem to be involved in these things.

Although, since this post was originally written, Louise literally tried to stage a hostile takeover of the Womens Club, showing up with a pile of new members to vote herself in as director. Which from all accounts went over like a lead balloon. So after that, I doubt the WC would give her the time of day anymore. So that portion of my post no longer applies. But the rest of it does, and it still serves to connect all the dots between the names who sandbagged Silas Jones and SPAR.