Lake Forest Car Wash Plan Moves Forward, With Conditions

LAKE FOREST, IL — Over the objections of more than two dozen residents in a standing room crowd at City Hall, the Lake Forest Plan Commission voted to recommend a new car wash, gas station and convenience store at the southwest corner of Waukegan and Everett roads during a four-hour meeting Wednesday. Commissioners approved the special use permit for Waterway Carwash by a vote of 4-2, with one absence.

The site of the proposed car wash has been vacant for about a decade. It was previously the site of a gas station and the Pasquesi Garden Store, and before then it was a car repair business, according to Director of Community Development Cathy Czerniak.

Missouri-based Waterway first proposed setting up shop at the west Lake Forest location more than two years ago. Since then, the proposal has been amended to include a longer wash tunnel to put the blower deeper inside the building, a larger, solid fence to the east and south of the site, the incorporation of sound-dampening materials into the building and added landscaping to neighboring residential properties, Czerniak said.

While residents complained of noise, traffic and congestion, commissioners who voted in the favor the plan noted that the town needs businesses to come. The city should allow commercially zoned areas to be developed, noting proposals for a Costco and a Whole Food both fell through in recent years after the city attached too many strings to the deals, they argued.

Under the proposed special use permit, the car wash will be allowed to operate from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the week and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the weekend. The gas station can operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the lights must be turned off when the business is closed.

As for noise restrictions, Waterway will be required to keep its doors closed while the blowers are going and pay for sound testing by an expert chosen by the city. The company will also have to pay for the replacement of windows at the neighboring St. Patrick church rectory and another commercial building.

Now that it has obtained plan commission approval, the Waterway proposal heads to the full City Council, before heading to the Building Review Board and then back to the City Council for a final vote.

Read the complete special use request (PDF)

Watch video of the full Nov. 8 Lake Forest Plan Commission meeting:

Read more from the Lake Forester and Daily North Shore

_{Top photo: Corner of Waukegan and Everett roads, 2012 | Google Street View}