Buffalo Grove considers car wash at former proposed marijuana dispensary site

Buffalo Grove trustees are considering a proposal for a car wash at a location formerly planned for a marijuana dispensary.

Petitioner Mitchell Zaveduk submitted plans for the Dream Clean Car Wash at 1355 W. Dundee Road before the village’s planning and zoning commission last week.

The commission gave the proposal a positive recommendation. It now moves to the village board, possibly as early as Monday, March 16.

The site, located in the Plaza Verde West shopping center, has been vacant since 2019. It was once home to a Bank of America branch.

In 2023, Emerald Earth LLC planned to open a 7,000-square-foot dispensary. But the plan ran into opposition because it was located within walking distance of Buffalo Grove High School. Among the opponents were high school students and the principal, Jeff Wardle.

The new proposal calls for a 6,130-square-foot automated car wash. It would contain two pay station lanes capable of stacking 33 vehicles, along with 22 vacuum stations.

Dream Clean is expected to wash around 400 cars per day and operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. with a staff of three employees.

A traffic study found the car wash would generate fewer daily trips than the former bank.

Dream Clean now operates seven facilities and is expanding across Northern Illinois, with plans to develop 10 new sites in the region.

Trustees will be voting on an amendment to the existing planned unit development, a special use permit and sign variances.

Planning and Zoning Commissioner Adam Moodhe said he likes the proposed traffic pattern.

“People will be coming into that Plaza Verde center and not stacking on Dundee Road at all,” he said.