Chapter 17.90 — CAR WASHING AND DETAILING

§ 17.90.010. Purpose. ¶

The purpose of this chapter is to regulate car washing and detailing uses, including mobile car washing, with development standards and operational requirements that will ensure high quality car wash development and address the mitigation of impacts that can be associated with car washes such as noise, water and air quality, aesthetics, and traffic related impacts. (Ord. No. 1000 § 4, 2022; Ord. No. 1017 § 8, 2023)

§ 17.90.020. Development standards. ¶

A. The site layout and design shall ensure that the queuing and drying areas will not create overspill onto adjoining walkways and streets, or onto adjacent properties/parcels not associated with the car wash use.
B. All washing facilities shall be completely within an enclosed building.
C. Whether automatic, by hand, or self-service, the car wash structure (including wash bays) shall be located a minimum 100 feet from the boundary of any residentially zoned or developed property.
D. All washing facilities shall be located within a building which is enclosed except those openings necessary for vehicular and pedestrian access. Buildings shall be oriented toward the primary street, with auto-servicing use/activity located in the rear of the site. Vehicular openings shall not face any adjacent residentially zoned or developed property.
E. Vacuuming facilities shall not be located along public or private streets and shall be completely screened from adjacent residential properties for noise attenuation purposes. Additional noise attenuation may be required depending on the number of vacuums, including distance separation, to the satisfaction of the planning director.
F. The car wash structure must be architecturally compatible in terms of mass, scale, and building colors and materials with any other buildings on site and with the surrounding neighborhood.
G. The queuing area shall be of a sufficient length to accommodate the necessary stacking of vehicles. The stacking distance shall be determined through a parking study as provided in chapter 17.64 (Parking and Loading Standards).

Each drive-through lane shall be separate from the circulation route necessary for ingress and egress from the property or access to any parking spaces within the site.

(Ord. No. 1000 § 4, 2022; Ord. No. 1017 § 8, 2023)

§ 17.90.030. Operational requirements. ¶

A. Hours of operation shall be limited to Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., unless site specific circumstances otherwise warrant alternative hours of operation, as determined through the conditional use permit process.
B. Recycling of water used for vehicle washing shall be maximized. The use of recycling water systems and the disposal of water fluids and solids shall comply with applicable state and federal guidelines/standards and must be approved by the engineering services department.
C. All mechanical ventilating equipment shall be directed to exhaust vents and cannot face adjacent residential properties. Exhaust systems shall be equipped with appropriate control systems to minimize or eliminate noxious pollutants that may impact ambient air quality and must adhere to all applicable local, state, and federal air quality standards.
D. All uses at the subject site, including any power driven or steam cleaning machinery, drying equipment, or vacuuming machines shall maintain noise levels below the levels provided in section 17.66.050 (Noise standards) of this code.
E. The installation and operation of outdoor loudspeakers or public address systems is not permitted. (Ord. No. 1000 § 4, 2022; Ord. No. 1017 § 8, 2023)

§ 17.90.040. Mobile car washing and detailing. ¶

Mobile car washing and detailing is considered an incidental use related to the permitted principal land use in any zone upon which the activity takes place. A city business license and any applicable permits related to wastewater or environmental protection must be obtained. The following operational requirements shall apply to all mobile car washing and detailing uses:

A. Operators are prohibited from engaging in washing the exterior of a vehicle on any public street or public right-of-way, or on any vacant unimproved lot.
B. Mobile car washing and detailing businesses operating in nonresidential zones shall not operate within 300 feet of a boundary of a residential zone and/or residential structure.
C. Hours of operation in residential zones shall be limited to Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Hours of operation in nonresidential zones shall be limited to Monday through Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
D. In nonresidential zones, mobile car washing, and detailing businesses shall not operate at the same location and/or at the same property for more than four hours during the permitted hours of operation (as identified above) and shall not operate for more than one day per week.
E. In nonresidential zones, mobile car washing, and detailing businesses shall not service more than 20 vehicles per location per week.
F. Operators shall maintain noise levels below the levels provided in section 17.66.050 (Noise Standards) of this code.
G. The operator of a mobile car washing, and detailing business shall obtain, and have evidence of, the authorization of the property owner (or the property owner's authorized representative) to operate prior to commencement of operations and throughout the duration of the activities.
H. At all times operators shall either contain wastewater for disposal off site or divert wastewater to a sanitary sewer on site to the satisfaction of the engineering services director/city engineer.
(Ord. No. 1000 § 4, 2022; Ord. No. 1017 § 8, 2023)