A car wash will be built in the space on Higgins Road in Park Ridge that was the former site of a Veterans of Foreign Wars post, after the City Council approved a special use permit request – despite some pushback.
The owners of Driven Car Wash needed the special use permit approval in order to operate within the commercial district, and the green light came during the Oct. 7 City Council meeting after some reservations from council members and residents.
There were concerned expressed about noise, smells and other impacts from the potentially busy business at 10 W. Higgins Road. But a legal representative and a vice president from Driven Car Wash, Chris Niro, attended the meeting and hoped to put those concerns to rest.
Alderwoman Melanie Harrington asked Niro about water usage, and he explained that with water capture and re-use technology, the car wash would use only about a couple dozen gallons of water per vehicle and wouldn’t be a source of toxic pollution.
“All of our chemicals are water soluble and have a null impact on the environment,” he said.
Niro added that none of the water waste would go into the drinking water supply or into the neighborhood.
Harrington seemed satisfied with that, but expressed other issues.
“I know there were some concerns from neighbors about decibel levels,” Harrington said.
Niro said the loudest the car wash got was 63 decibels, and most of that would be contained inside the facility, aside from the outside vacuum cleaners available for customers. He pointed out that between the airport noise overhead and nearby traffic, he didn’t expect neighbors to notice sound from the car wash.
“We have airlift doors that open and close every time a car enters and exits that facility,” Niro said. “A car goes in, the door opens. A car leaves, a door closes.”
He explained the blowers inside the car wash used to dry vehicles would be powered by turbines located underneath the car wash. He doubted anyone living nearby would hear much of anything inside their home.
“A hundred feet away you’ll barely hear anything,” he said.
Alderwoman Mwende Lefler asked about chemical smells, and Niro said residents might notice the air fresheners, but those tended to be pine and berry scents.
In all, Niro seemed to sell the idea to the council, which praised the use of the land.
“I’m very excited to see the property rehabilitated,” said Lefler.
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Mayor Marty Maloney said the car wash was something people were looking forward to.
“I heard a lot of positives and I appreciate the level of detail you went into tonight and at [the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting] to allay some of those concerns,” Maloney told the car wash company representative.
Niro thanked the City Council and said he expected construction to begin soon.
“Once we get building permits approved, we’re six months from opening,” he said.
Driven Car Wash has four other locations, including in Arlington Heights, Hickory Hills, Des Plaines and Rolling Meadows, and is seeking to add three more, including the Park Ridge facility.
“We’re very active in the communities we’re in,” Niro said, explaining the company supports its surrounding areas.
Jesse Wright is a freelancer.