Traverse City planning commissioners voted 8-1 Tuesday to approve a new Tommy’s Express Car Wash to go in at the corner of East Front Street and Garfield Avenue on the Cuppa Joe and former Burger King properties. Multiple commissioners said they were “reluctantly” approving the plans since car washes are an allowed use by right, leaving the board with little recourse to reject the proposal. Planning commissioners are now expediting an update to zoning rules that would require a special land use permit for car washes and gas stations going forward, giving the city more say over such projects in the future.

Tommy’s Express, which bills itself as the fastest-growing car wash franchise with over 270 locations, plans to build a 5,484-square-foot car wash along East Front Street with 11 vacuum spaces and a mat-washing building behind. The company, known for its red-and-white buildings with matching red car brushes, also has locations in Cadillac and Gaylord. Tommy’s Express touted its “environmentally friendly” business model, “efficient processing,” and “world-class facility and operations” in its application.

Bret Docter, vice president of real estate for the Holland-based company, said the Traverse City location will be one of its corporately owned stores. Those car washes typically have hours of 7am-9pm, he said. In response to concerns about noise impacts on surrounding homes, Tommy’s Express agreed to conditions that include installing a five-to-six-foot screening wall and fast-growing vegetation, such as hybrid willows, that can help absorb sound. Planning Commissioner Brian McGillivary pointed out the car wash must comply with the city’s noise ordinance, so if there are violations or the sound produced exceeds zoning standards, residents can file a complaint with the city.

Since a car wash is a use by right in the C-3 district, it would normally be reviewed internally by staff without coming to the planning commission. However, because the business will generate more than 500 trip ends per day, that triggered a requirement for it to be reviewed by the board. Planning commissioners tabled the application earlier this year over traffic concerns. They requested a traffic study by completed for the project, with the city hiring Wade Trim to complete the study.

Wade Trim found that the site can operate at an “acceptable level of service” during peak hours and has adequate space on the property for vehicle stacking. Tommy’s Express said it has a “unique, high-capacity design and proven efficient layout” that allows its car washes to process more than 200 vehicles per hour. However, Wade Trim made two key traffic recommendations: eliminating the Garfield entrance to the car wash, and making the Front Street driveway right-in, right-out only.

Tommy’s Express accepted those conditions for its site plan. While safer, some planning commissioners noted that that entrance/exit set-up will also put stress on the alley, which will likely see a high number of vehicles using it a secondary entrance/exit point to the car wash. Docter said the company plans to pay to improve the alley prior to opening. However, future maintenance would typically be an expense shared by the city and surrounding property owners under the city’s special assessment district policy.

Tommy’s Express previously highlighted that it uses an “advanced water reclaim system which not only uses up to 60 percent less fresh water than washing at home, it also keeps 100 percent of used water out of the storm system.” That system is notable given the Traverse City location sits one block south of Grand Traverse Bay. Planning commissioners pressed that issue again this week, with company representatives assuring the board that anything released in the city sewer system will have first been treated. City Attorney Lauren Trible-Laucht reminded planning commissioners the city has a wastewater discharge ordinance and tests for certain chemicals at the plant, with Tommy’s Express required to comply with state and federal regulations regarding its wastewater.

Having “exhausted all options” regarding their objections, Planning Commissioner Jerry Swanson said the board was required to approve the project. “Just because we don’t like something doesn’t mean we can vote no,” he said. “I think that’s unfortunate…we have to remember our role, and also how do fix this moving forward.” McGillivary agreed. While he said he wasn’t criticizing Tommy’s Express as a company – “it’s probably going to be the best car wash we’ve seen up here,” he said – he also said he disliked the project. “If it was up to me, I’d say no, but my discretion is limited here,” he said.

McGillivary said he previously opposed a new Shell station on Munson Avenue and had flagged concerns at the time about such auto-centric uses proliferating in the city. “The city commission and the planning commission at the time ignored it,” he said. “It seems like now that it's moved west of Garfield, we're giving more attention to it.”

Planning commissioners are now in the process of expediting updates to zoning rules regarding auto-centric uses. They will hold a public hearing in May on changing businesses like gas stations and car washes from a use by right to a special land use permit (SLUP). That’s the same approach communities like East Bay Township and Garfield Township have been eyeing to have more control over data centers. SLUPs add several more approval steps than a use by right, including public hearings at both the planning and city commission levels and a detailed list of standards that projects must meet to be approved.

Beyond just changing auto uses to an SLUP, the planning commission is getting ready to undertake a zoning rewrite that could also update the design standards and allowed locations for such businesses, among a wide variety of uses that would be addressed in a rewrite. That process will take significantly more time, however, with planning commissioners calling the immediate SLUP change a “Band-Aid” that will give the city more control over such projects in the meantime. The Tommy’s Express project helped highlight “how important the rewrite is,” said Planning Commissioner Shea O’Brien.

Pictured: Rendering of a typical Tommy's Express Car Wash