Car Wash Plan Upsets Some Darien Residents

DARIEN, IL — A proposed car wash just outside Darien's boundaries is raising concerns among neighbors. They say it would create noise and increase traffic in the area.

The property at 973 75th Street is unusual in that it contains an older house between a shopping center and an auto repair shop. It is surrounded on three sides by Darien and the other by Downers Grove.

In an email to Patch, Ward 6 Alderman Eric Gustafson, who represents the area near the planned car wash, said he is obtaining the signatures of nearby residents opposing the development. It is in DuPage County's jurisdiction. The county had planned to hold a public hearing this week, but it was canceled because of the coronavirus.

On Monday, Joseph Hennerfeind, Darien's senior planner, sent a letter to DuPage County officials questioning the proposal. He said the property is not consistent with Darien's zoning ordinance and not supported as presented.

As proposed, Hennerfeind noted, the wash's pay stations would be 12 feet from property lines. The wash's activities, he said, would be a "detriment to the enjoyment" of neighboring properties. He recommended a noise study.

The nearby properties are zoned in a community shopping center business district. If Darien annexed the property in question, it would probably be given the same zoning for consistency and a car wash would not be a permitted use.

In an email to Gustafson last week, Oakbrook Terrace attorney Mark Daniel, who represents the developer, said he would be willing to talk with the residents about their concerns. He said the developer has already made changes to the plans, increasing the height of fencing and lowering lighting from poles to fences.

In the developer's proposal to the county, Daniel said the traffic patterns should remain the same based on the nature of the car wash business.

"Car washes do not create additional traffic but, instead, draw customers from the traffic that already exists," he said.

Daniel said commercial development has been happening on 75th Street for five decades, so residents in the nearby residential neighborhood have been "moderately" impacted by the road and its adjacent uses, he said.

The development company is made up of the heirs of James Duka. They are seeking conditional uses for an automated tunnel car wash with accessory vacuum services.

Patch asked Hennerfeind, the Darien official, why the single lot remains unincorporated and has never been subject to annexation by a municipality. He said communities can force the annexation of properties that they largely surround, but that often results in "political blowback." Annexation, he said, would increase a property owner's taxes, but more services would be provided.

In an email to Patch, Daniel said he has received no objections from Darien to the development. And he noted Gustafson contacted Patch about the issue.

"I suppose I am surprised and disappointed in the alderman inasmuch as he took traditional local outreach to the media," he said.