Zoning Board Votes in Favor of Whiting Car Wash and Retail Center

Traffic congestion along Route 530 in Whiting — and the ability for emergency vehicles to effectively travel the roadway — was a concern with a proposed car wash and retail center that  Zoning Board of Adjustment members believe will be alleviated when the county highway is widened.

All board members — except for Jim Hankins — voted in favor of the plan to build a 6,000 square foot retail building and a 9,882 square foot car wash and detailing facility on the county highway between the Whiting Bible Church and the Whiting Assembly of God.

"I think it will be an asset to the people of Whiting," said board member William Cook before making a motion to approve the application submitted by Steve Lioumis of Toms River at the board's Thursday night meeting.

Prior to the motion, resident Theresa Lettman expressed concern that the proposed 19 car stack — essentially the number of cars that would be lined up waiting for a car wash — was not sufficient and could lead to a traffic backup on Route 530. The township ordinance calls for a 25 car stack, which is why a variance was needed.

"I think that's a safety problem," she said, adding that the Whiting fire department and first aid squad are located nearby. Traffic congestion already exists in the area, and with railroad operations in the area potentially resuming, emergency response time could be impacted, she said.

"Those minutes [navigating through traffic] are going to mean lives," Lettman said.

Applicant attorney Harvey York argued that emergency vehicles will have no trouble passing through the area. 

"There is an emergency lane in front of this site," he said. "When the county is done, there will be in reality five lanes. There will be two shoulders, two travel lanes and a turn lane. There is not the slightest testimony from any professional that says 'this site will not function correctly.'"

As a condition of approval, the applicant agreed to widen the stacking lane to allow for 25 cars in addition to the four inside the car wash tunnel being processed.

"The county is making accommodations to make the roadway safer and wider," said board member Tim Umlauf. It is not clear when the county roadwork will be completed, nor when construction on the car was and retail center will begin.

Other conditions of approval included removal of a building canopy, restriction of vehicle maintenance work to oil changes, detailing and tire rotations, prohibiting night drop off and overnight storage of vehicles, and planting of additional trees and construction of a 6 foot fence to block the facility from the view of the neighboring Whiting Assembly of God church.

Before casting his dissenting vote, Hankins said that he does not think that the location is suitable.

"A car wash in Whiting would be a good thing," he said. "But I don't think this is the spot for it."

Earlier in the meeting, Scott Kennel, traffic engineer for McDonough and Rae, testified that he did not anticipate cars would overflow into Route 530.

Kennel also said that a center turn lane will be added in front of the facility, ensuring that the eastbound traffic flow is not hindered by those vehicles entering the driveway. 

The car wash is expected to operate with 12 employees at peak times and clean 100 to 150 cars per day, testified Michael Carra, a consultant for Ryko Solutions. Though the facility will also offer oil change and minor auto services, those are "ancillary" to the car wash, which should operate between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., seven days a week.

Two driveways are planned, with the east most being a right in, right out only. Around the retail building to the west of the site will be 34 parking spaces; the car wash will have five spaces which are for employee use, Carra said.

The car wash will have a garage facility consisting of four bays, taking up 2,500 of the center's 9,882 square feet, said site planner John Ernst in testimony before the board. 

Prior to the expert testimony, York said that two sections of the township zoning ordinance could possibly be applied to car wash facilities. Section 66 holds that gas stations must be 1,000 feet from churches. The car wash, he argued, is not a gas station and that section should not apply. 

Section 71 of the ordinance, which specifically mentions car washes, states that stacking must be for 25 vehicles, a change that the applicant agreed to make.