Planning Commission recommends denial of proposed Ferndale car wash

FERNDALE — The development of a proposed car wash in Ferndale has hit a snag.

At its Aug. 20 meeting, the Planning Commission reviewed the special land use application and site plan for the development of an El Car Wash at 22230 Woodward Ave.

The proposed project would see the demolition of the existing building, which previously was the location of a Tim Hortons and Cold Stone Creamery, and follow with the construction of a 3,623-square-foot car wash. It also would include a 1,373-square-foot second-floor office area and 8,603-square-foot enclosed vacuuming area.

Gabe Schuchman, a member of the development team, said the project would revitalize a property that has remained vacant and blighted for years, since it was last active in 2019.

“We believe it’s going to improve neighborhood safety and current aesthetics with a use that benefits the community,” he said. “We believe there’s an obvious service gap here. There’s a scarcity of car washes in Ferndale. … Available statistical data indicates that of approximately 10,000 homes, the average household owns two cars; an increased demand for a state-of-the-art auto wash that is committed to investing in the latest technologies and innovations in the industry, using environmentally safe detergents and employing state-of-the-art water regulating reclamation systems; and also we believe we’re producing immediate sustainable economic and community impact. It has the potential to attract new business activity and opportunities for employment.”

After a lengthy meeting where the majority of the residents who spoke during the public hearing voiced their disapproval of the project, the commission voted to recommend that City Council deny the special land use application.

Council member and Planning Commissioner Greg Pawlica, who serves as council liaison, said the project presents an attractive building and has a well-thought-out plan, but he voted for a denial. As a member of both the City Council and the Planning Commission, Pawlica stated he has obligations to the residents and business owners who live and work in Ferndale today, and an obligation to the future residents and businesses to ensure that they have a vibrant and active community.

“The other obligation the commission and members have is to follow the, and obey the, laws and ordinances of the city and the state of Michigan, and sometimes they may conflict with the other two obligations. It’s a very difficult line to walk,” he said. “Even when many of the criteria are met for a project, a special land use allows the controlling body to determine if this type of special land use aligns and supports the master plan and the direction … the community wants the city to advance forward. I’m not opposed to this type of development or this company. I believe this is a project that will have a significant impact on the neighborhood and the type of development the community desires on Woodward. I would very much encourage the developers to consider a location in Ferndale that would be better suited for this type of use.”

The commission voted 6-1 to deny, with one commissioner abstaining. Commissioner Thomas Newman was the lone no vote, and Chairperson Michelle Foster chose to abstain. Both declined to comment on their choices via email. One commissioner was absent.

While ultimately the special land use decision will reside with the City Council at a future meeting, the Planning Commission also had to choose whether to approve or deny the project’s site plan. After voting to recommend a denial to council, the commission decided to table a vote on the site plan to allow the development team to make any revisions to its proposal.

Residents have been concerned the project would increase traffic along College and University streets, create noise pollution or create issues due to the substances used to wash cars.

Ross Hoekstra, who lives nearby on University Street, felt the proposed project did not complement and was not harmonious with the neighborhood.

“You look at that car wash, it looks like every other El Car Wash in Florida,” he said. “They have done nothing to try and merge their brand with this city or what we’re about, and to me it’s not harmonious in any way, shape or form. So on that simple standard, it really fails.”

Hoekstra also said the development makes the site more auto-oriented and less pedestrian-oriented, and he has issues with the “mixed-use” addition.

“If you were to even think about Tim Hortons when it was functioning, there was a front door, there was an actual pedestrian entrance. This has no pedestrian entrance. I’ve got a car wash to look at. They say they have a mixed-use component. I can’t get to it from the street. … It really feels like a token being thrown out to try and say this is mixed-use,” Hoekstra said.

Not every resident spoke out against the car wash. Ray Crucet, who has lived on Pearson Street for 30 years, said Ferndale has zero drive-thru car washes and believed the business would serve the community.

“I hear a lot of pushback from the local residents. … I just don’t believe that you can buy a house right on the edge of Woodward with a reasonable expectation of quiet and lack of fumes,” he said. “I am worried about many empty buildings along Woodward, and I’ve watched all of them … over the years the number of empty buildings, and this is one of the first decent-sized constructions I’ve seen in a while, and I think that a bunch of empty buildings signals that Ferndale’s closed, closed for business.”