New Car Wash Approved For South Hill
A vacant lot on 9th Avenue SW, best known for the quantity and quality of weeds growing on it, is about to see some new life resuscitated into it as Council at their July 12th meeting unanimously approved a car wash to be built on it.
The lot, located at 885 9th /avenue SW, has sat empty for just over a decade after the building housing a day care was demolished in 2010. The lot is next door and just south of Rodo’s Pizza on the corner of 9th Avenue SW and Vaughn Street West.
A vacant lot, located at 885 9th Avenue SW, was approved to be developed into a seven bay car wash - MJ Independent photo
The application was before Council for approval as the property is zoned C1 Neighbourhood Commercial District. Car washes are allowed in this zoning - since change made to the zoning regulations of April 2020 were enacted, but they are discretionary which means they must be approved by Council.
C1 Neighbourhood Commercial Districts are to permit the commercial use at a neighbourhood scale that will serve the daily needs of the residents of the district.
The car wash was approved unanimously but not until after Council heard about environmental contamination as well as resident concerns.
The application for the car wash came from Sam Shaw of C & S Builders of Moose Jaw. They have been the lot owners since 2010 and have conducted the appropriate environmental testing of the site in accordance with Provincial regulations.
The site historically was a service station which caused some site contamination, but the contamination is below levels established by the Province’s Ministry of Environment.
The last use of the former building on the site - which faced demolition in 2010 - was a daycare.
“We received an environmental site assessment in late 2020 that the contamination is below the Ministry of Environment standards.,” Sanson said.
Where cars will line up to enter the 7 bay 6,200 square feet car wash is a concern Administration had but it has now been dealt with, she said.
“The project meets all of the zoning bylaw requirements. The only thing we have a concern with is the queuing. We want to ensure all queuing for the car wash in on and maintained on site.”
Sanson said there had been concerns about the development received from neighbouring property owners.
Sanson was asked about residents’ concerns to the development by Councillor Dawn Luhning.
“Have there been others or you can tell us these have been alleviated now or…” Councillor Luhning asked.
Sanson said there were at least two parties who raised concerns about the development.
“Since this report we have received a couple of concerns with neighbouring property owners regarding traffic. I think it was snow removal, sanitary system, water system, handling of chemicals, sidewalk repairs but I believe we have addressed all of those concerns,” she said, adding later in the discussion “…I think they were satisfied with the answers given.”
An additional concern was raised late Monday afternoon about traffic problems but by ensuring all queuing was on the car wash property – and not 9th Avenue SW – that concern had been addressed she said.
Councilor Heather Eby, who lives nearby the proposed car wash, said she did not have any concerns about the development.
Her main question related to access and was told all traffic in and out would use the same lane as the new car wash - Devo’s Car Wash – located on Thatcher Drive East. Access would be from 9th Avenue SW as there would be no access from Vaughn Street.
“It’s my neighbourhood and I don’t have a problem with it being there. Hopefully everyone in the neighbourhood feels the same way,” Councillor Eby said.
It needs to be noted that despite discussing the concerns that the emails and/or notes taken detailing those concerns were not made available to the public including the media.
In a unanimous vote Council approved the discretionary use permit with the proviso that all queuing to use the facility happen on the car wash property and not on the street.