50-foot separation required from residential property
New car washes in unincorporated Jefferson Parish must meet stricter requirements and existing ones that create problems for neighbors will be subject to more significant penalties, under rules approved by the Parish Council today. Residents who have complained about noisy car washes, particularly one on Papworth Avenue in Metairie, said they approve some portions of the new regulations but argued that the rules do not go far enough.
Mary and Mike Rodriguez stand in their backyard, which abuts the Splash Auto Wash in Metairie.The rules, the first specifically to address these businesses, prohibit construction of new car washes within 50 feet of a residential property and prevent them from being aligned so that the entrance or exit to the buildings faces a residential property.
And when residents complain about an existing car wash, their complaint will be addressed by both the Sheriff's Office, which can cite the business for a noise violation, and the Board of Administrative Adjudication. That board may impose new requirements such as installation of doors, construction of sound walls and limits operating hours.
Residents who live near Splash Auto Wash on Papworth called for more than a 50-foot separation between new car washes and residential properties.
"You will be inviting disaster. What a shame," said Mike Rodriguez, whose property is less than 50 feet from Splash Auto Wash.
There are 51 car washes operating in unincorporated areas of Jefferson, and the 20 near residential areas are set back an average of 118 feet, Planning Director Ed Durabb said. Having a setback of more than 50 feet would eliminate many areas where future businesses could locate, he said.
He said only two car washes have generated significant complaints.
"What we found is that although there was serious problem at some of these facilities, in general the industry was operating responsibly," he said, noting that the Board of Administrative Adjudication will be able to handle problem cases. "If someone is a bad operator, whether they're 50 feet away or 2,000 feet away, we've set up a process for dealing with them."
Council members said they sympathized with those now living near car washes.
"I fully understand how you are so angry about this because it is very noisy," Councilwoman Cynthia Lee-Sheng told Rodriguez.