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A national car wash chain hoping to open on East Main Street in St. Charles ran into resistance last week when the Plan Commission voted 4-3 to recommend against approving the project.
The vote is not final. The application now moves to the Committee of the Whole on May 18, where the applicant can revise its plans and make another case.
Here's what to know:
The proposal: Club Car Wash — a national chain with 260+ locations that’s expanding in the Midwest — applied for special use approval to build a tunnel car wash with a drive-thru at the northeast corner of Route 64 and Pheasant Run Drive, the last remaining undeveloped lot in the Pheasant Run Crossing subdivision.
The sticking points: Commissioners raised concerns about noise impact on the adjacent Hilton Garden Inn (which is roughly 130 feet from the site) along with traffic safety at the entry and exit points and proximity to Silverado Senior Living nearby. Five letters of opposition from residents were entered into the record.
A split picture on support: The Pheasant Run Crossing Property Association, which represents the immediate neighboring businesses, submitted a letter of support. The opposition came from individual residents, not the property owners sharing the private drive.
The offer that wasn't enough: The applicant offered to reconfigure site access for safety and add noise-screening fencing on the hotel side to reduce sound impact.
The application heads to the Committee of the Whole on May 18, where the applicant indicated it plans to arrive with a revised site plan.
This isn't the first time a car wash proposal has stalled. Commissioners referenced a previous attempt at the site now occupied by Chick-fil-A that was rejected due to drive-thru access complexities.
Read more about the proposed project in this Plan Commission project memo.
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