Car wash battle brewing on northwest side
Third car wash planned for neighborhood; Josh’s Washes protests rezoning
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Capitalism says competition is good. It helps stabilize prices. It improves product or service quality. It provides options and choices for the consumer. It also makes it tough on businesses fighting for a share of the market.
This scenario is rearing its head on Kokomo’s northwest side, where the Kokomo Common Council just approved a rezoning for a property at 2435 W. Jefferson St. at its Nov. 27 meeting. Indiana Car Wash Holdings of Ohio intends to erect a “tunnel” car wash at the location. That doesn’t sit well with Josh Klinghagen, owner of Josh’s Washes, who is located just 1,300 feet away.
“We don't agree with the rezoning request because it will negatively affect our property value just down the road,” said Klinghagen. “We can see evidence in the wash industry all across the U.S. right now when these guys come in from out of state. They're well aware of where they're at and what they're doing.”
Klinghagen argued that the company targeted his neighborhood rather than commercial land somewhere else in Kokomo in order to capitalize on the customer traffic he and the other car wash in the area, McCord’s, have established.
“The International Car Wash Association says car washes can survive at about two miles apart, not 1,000 feet,” said Klinghagen. “A quick Google search can provide the information needed about what these guys are doing in other communities. The traffic is already there. That's why they want to build them.
“Is there a genuine benefit to the city, or is this just a benefit to the buyer and seller of the property? Are these guys going to continue investing their money in this community like I have? I've invested over $1 million in my car washes in the last five years and plan to invest another $1 million plus in the next year. The city may get a few tax dollars up front, but what's the true cost in the long run?”
A representative from Indiana Car Wash Holdings was present at the meeting and responded to Klinghagen’s question.
“Our group has invested over $20 million already in Indiana, so we're very committed to the state of Indiana,” the representative said. “There are differences in the car wash that we're building versus what he's building. We actually have several communities in Ohio where we have both styles: a frictionless --which he has -- and friction wash. They both thrive.”
If constructed the new car wash would cost about $3.5-$4 million, adding $30,000 to the tax rolls and eight to 10 employees, the representative said.
However, the matter before the council was property zoning, not what is being constructed on the property. As such, the council voted 8-1 to allow the rezoning to commercial from residential. Council member Kara Kitts-McKibben was the sole no vote.
The council also voted unanimously to vacate an entire road. The city agreed to allow Star Plus Energy to absorb more than 800 feet of East Smith Road, between County Road 50 East and Touby Pike. The city previously vacated portions of Busby Road, which also runs through the Star Plus battery plant site.
This will allow the company to connect its current battery plant, which is under construction, with the site of a second battery plant, which was announced in October.
In other council activity, the council approved a rezoning of property at 1201 N. Armstrong St. to institutional for St. Patrick's Catholic Church to use as greenspace.
It approved the rezoning of a property at 1422 S. Webster St. from neighborhood commercial to multifamily residential. The property was a church but was purchased by the owners of Hawg Heaven for use as an event venue. Since the passing of the restaurant's founder, plans have changed. New ownership of the property seeks to remodel the church as apartments.
The Kokomo Rescue Mission was successful in its request for rezoning of a property at 405 W. Mulberry St. By changing to institutional use, the rescue mission hopes to construct a storage building on the property and then convert its current, nearby storage building at 215 N. Washington St. into an expansion area for rescue mission services. This parcel also received a rezoning.
Finally, the council meeting marked the last appearance for 4th Dist. Councilman Roger Stewart. Appointed to the position in early 2020, Stewart did not seek re-election this fall. He will be replaced by Jeff Plough, who ran unopposed as a Republican in November.
"I just want to thank you for being a friend and a great council member," said council president Ray Collins.
Stewart gave a brief address to the council and those in attendance.
“I want to thank the City of Kokomo for allowing me to be a city councilman for the past four years,” said Stewart. “I've enjoyed it. I've learned a lot. Some of it’s been good. Some of it’s not. We've had some good people to work with. The public has been good. I really appreciate the time I was given to be a councilman.”