Birmingham’s moratorium on new car washes got another test on Tuesday, but unlike last month the latest applicant didn’t make it through cleanly to the other side of a thorough scrubbing by the City Council.
New Day Car Wash, which operates a tunnel car wash on Cahaba River Road, wanted to build one at 2310 University Boulevard across the street from the planned new Southtown Court and Edgewood redevelopment.
The car wash was proposed on a lot that has the abandoned McGriff, Seibels and Williams insurance office.
Tom Spies, president of LIV Ventures, which appealed the moratorium on Tuesday, said the locally owned business that’s “the most expensive car wash to build” wouldn’t disrupt traffic and would be a boon to the University Boulevard corridor.
“We’re exactly the type of business that’s going to be there,” Spies said, noting that the car wash would have been wedged in between a Shell station and an Express Oil, with a Wendy’s nearby. The only potential buyers for the lot were two fast-food restaurants and two car washes during the time it was on the market, he said.
“Our department in general is not anti-car wash,” said James Fowler, director of transportation for Birmingham. “That’s not the future of where we’d like to head as a city.”
The appeal fell one vote short of winning, with three council members for and three against, and one abstaining, of the seven members present.
“My concern with all of this has always been focused on our residents,” said City Council President Darrell O’Quinn, who voted against the car wash. “We’ve seen a trend of these businesses wanting to open in high traffic corridors, ones that we are actively trying to make safer for pedestrians and other modes of transportation besides cars.”
On Aug. 27, Birmingham approved an appeal for White Cap Auto Spa, that was already built and ready to open on Crestwood Boulevard near Eastwood Mall. “We are pro-car wash, in the appropriate areas,” Fowler said.
Earlier this year, the Council voted to impose a moratorium on car washes from obtaining new business licenses. The sunset date on the moratorium is Dec. 5, while city officials work on framework plans to ensure that car washes are located appropriately in the future.
The main concern is the increased traffic as it relates to pedestrian infrastructure and noise pollution in residential areas. The new Edgewood Development is intended to increase pedestrian foot traffic and public transportation in the area. City officials expressed concerns over a car wash operating in this busy corridor. It would “double-down on auto-oriented traffic,” Fowler said.
“What we are trying to do now is fix that, and ensure these businesses only operate in areas that do not pose a problem to residents or pedestrians and are in line with current land use plans for the city,” O’Quinn said.
