Nearly 60 community members met in the auditorium of Lida Hooe Elementary School tonight to voice their disapproval towards a rezoning case that could impact a plot of land on the corner of W Twelfth Street and S Hampton Road.
The zoning case is being brought to the city by Clear Water Express Wash, a Texas based carwash company.
While the majority of the land that Clear Water hopes to develop is currently zoned for commercial use, 490 square feet in the corner of the land is zoned for residential use.
Now, Clear Water is beginning the rezoning application process to include that 490 square feet in the plot of land they hope to develop into a drive-thru carwash.
For nearly two hours, community members voiced unanimous frustration at the plan.
In addition to the meeting, City Council member Chad West’s office has published an online survey for community feedback. The survey includes all documents that have been submitted by the developer and will be open through Jan. 25.
The proposed area Clear Water plans to develop is shown in yellow, and the 490 square feet that is zoned for residential use is shown in light blue. Courtesy of the City of Dallas.
District 1 City Plan Commissioner, Amanda Popken, said the incorrectly zoned square of land is likely the result of an administrative error.
Popken said the zoning issue is scheduled to be reviewed by the city plan commission on Feb. 16, but could be pushed back if more time is needed.
Currently, several auto-focused small businesses exist on the property, and employees of those businesses were among nearly two dozen members of the audience who held signs and posters showing their opposition to the development of the carwash.
“What happens to these people if you people build your car wash?” Asked one audience member, who identified himself as an employee of an existing small business. “City hall says they support small businesses, but that never happens.”
A representative from Clear Water said their business would employ nine to 10 people.
The Automotive Association of Oak Cliff has started a change.org petition voicing their opposition to the carwash. As of the meeting it had garnered 775 signatures.
Opposition was also voiced for how the carwash would impact traffic and, consequently, the neighboring elementary school.
Audience members said that school pickup lines for Lida Hooe elementary already often overflow into S Hampton Road, and voiced concern that lines for a drive-thru carwash would exasperate that traffic.
The property also sits adjacent to the Sunset High School field house, which students often walk down Hampton to access.
One audience member said she worries more traffic in the nearby streets would be difficult to navigate and dangerous for children walking home from school or through the neighborhood, ultimately challenging the walkability of the neighborhood.
A city planning official said a development impact review would address impacts on traffic and car flow but would not be published until after Clear Water applies for a permit, which would follow the zoning application.
Popken emphasized to the audience that the majority of the land is already zoned for commercial use, and that the limitations of zoning do not allow the city plan commission to deny a carwash to be built on the part of the property that is already zoned for commercial use.
“We have to get that little square of zoning denied, that’s what it boils down to,” one audience member said about the rogue 490 square feet. “It doesn’t matter how we feel about [the carwash].”
Popken said that the meeting, while contentious, was beneficial in showing issues outside of zoning, such as traffic and the need for crosswalks, that she does feel can be fixed.
