Is Springfield Ready for a Car Wash?

[Springfield Girl]

Uh, I think the lots are owned by the same person that owns the carwash property. Don't take my word for it though, check it out yourself.

[Dan B]

They are all owned (including the car wash property) by Chris Hionidies.

[ChriswUfGator]

Uh, I think the lots are owned by the same person that owns the carwash property. Don't take my word for it though, check it out yourself.

Good, then since we agree that none of the wasteland surrounding that place is owned by Silas Jones, then he's not responsible for their condition, and it's certainly not his fault. So why would him opening up a new business not be an improvement over a rundown warehouse and a bunch of vacant lots?

People seem to have the impression that this carwash is going to be some huge disruption to the properties next to it. The truth is that there really aren't any. It's bordered on all sides by an alleyway, an abandoned warehouse, and a bunch of unkempt vacant lots. The property across from it on the south corner of 4th and Main is a closed-down used-car lot that still retains its oh-so-classy 10ft high chainlink fencing.

And considering this together with the fact that the owners of the actual houses on 4th, that are further off Main, actually support this project, then I must really be missing something here. Why is SPAR is working to prevent a horrible nuisance to....let's see...a bunch of vacant lots, an abandoned warehouse, and a used car lot? I can picture them at the zoning meeting wearing T-Shirts: "Weeds have Rights Too!".

My suggestion for the design group and for Mr. Jones would be to go out and photograph the actual state of the surrounding properties. All of the discussion here kind of gives you the impression that this carwash is sitting next door to some 100yr old grandmother's house and is going to cause some big nuisance. That's really not the case.

I think this should be presented at the COJ hearing on Jones' request for an exeption. The uses of the properties surrounding the applying parcel are generally given a lot of weight when determining whether it should get an exception. The argument would be a lot stronger if people were familiarized with the mess already surrounding this place. It would totally be an improvement.

[sheclown]

Hearing is today at 1:00, right?

[02roadking]

It looks like I won't be able to make it today  . Just too much going on at work today. I wish Silas & Content luck.

[Overstreet]

You know that moderately up scale neighborhoods all have car washes nearby. 

[uptowngirl]

Any updates on the hearing? Unfortunately I work during the day and could not get there...

[thelakelander]

its still going on.  Check out the live blogging thread.

[nvrenuf]

media.coj.net/cojcouncil for those who want to watch

[nvrenuf]

The feed kept cutting out but it sounded like exception granted upon certain conditions being met. Lighting, no right turn upon exit, no alcohol or cigarette sales, landscaping improvements and more. Still need to pass HPC.

[strider]

nvrenuf, I think you mean it still has to pass LUZ and then it will go to council.  HPC can only comment on the cosmetics of the building at this point.

[AlexS]

The way I understood it was that the site improvements are a condition for the exception. However, the site improvements themselves will require a COA which gets approved by HPC.

[Springfield Girl]

Congrats to Mr. Jones on the approval of the carwash exception.

[fsu813]

Lots of conditions that should alleviate many, not all, of the the concerns.

[strider]

The way I understood it was that the site improvements are a condition for the exception. However, the site improvements themselves will require a COA which gets approved by HPC.

Seems like we are both (or all three of us?) right then...as it will certainly have to go before the HPC for building improvements, as it would even if it wasn't a requirement or condition (the site improvements) made by the PC.   I still believe it will have to continue on through the system to LUZ and the council before it makes it to the HPC, which in the end, can only comment on the cosmetics, not the zoning.

Overall, a good day for Mr. Silas Jones. And, even if some won't agree yet, a good day for Springfield.