Wash Your Car (And Your Dog) At New Southington Business

SOUTHINGTON, CT — As if going to a car wash isn't scary enough for our furry dog friends, area pooches may also have to endure a bath at one Southington facility.

That's because a Class Act Auto Wash being built at 1685 Meriden Ave. (Route 120), will also be equipped with a dog washing facility as well.

The change in plans was approved by the Southington Planning and Zoning Commission Feb. 21 and, while likely scary for a dog, it promises to be a convenient way to wash your car and your dog.

Class Act Auto Wash LLC was approved for a new car wash facility on Feb. 16, 2021, receiving site plan and special permit application approval from the PZC.

Because it wasn't included in the 2021 application process, the dog wash portion required an ammendment called a "site plan modification application."

"The propsed building would have the same amount of vehicle wash bays, two pet washrooms, an equipment room, an office and a bathroom have been added to the eastern side of the building," said project engineer Richard Reynolds, who represented the applicant before the PZC.

After some discussions, the PZC voted 6-0 to approve the addition of two dog-washing bays, an office and restrooms to the 2021 plans.

Colin Carabetta, the Becket, Mass., resident who owns Class Act Auto Wash LLC, said business hours will remain the same and there will be no overnight staffing required, but dog wash bays will be open overnight.

In addition, the project will feature an entry point on Route 322, with an exit on Route 120.

Carabetta said the plan is to open the car/dog wash on or near Nov. 1 of this year.

He said the dog washing stations would be two rooms that are 10-feet-by-8-feet, with ramps leading to washtubs installed featuring safety chains.

Carabetta said dog washers would pay via a self-service system similar to how people pay at the car wash.

The dog-washing bays will include vacuums and blow dryers, Carabeetta told the PZC.

According to Carabetta, the addition of the pet wash component brings it in line with what's offered at his other car/pet wash facility in Meriden.

He said subsequent market research showed adding a pet wash would be beneficial to customers who would already use the car wash.

"Really, its not a drastic change. We feel like its a nice, additional service to offer those who are already using the car wash," he told the PZC.

"We feel it will bring in a certain clientele to use the pet wash, but we don't anticipate a lot of extra traffic flow, extra business."

For the minutes of the Feb. 21 Southington Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, click on this link.

For a rendering of the new dog/car wash facility, click on this link.

For all other documents related to the dog/car wash project, click on this link.