After dealership makes changes to plan, Barrington OKs car wash proposal
A proposed car wash on property of the Motor Werks auto dealership in Barrington was approved Monday in a 4-1 vote the village board.
The nearly 19,000-square-foot car wash, to be called "Wash Werks," will be located on the grounds of a vehicle inventory parking lot off Grove Avenue, east of the dealership at Barrington and Dundee roads. The dealership's existing car wash would become primarily for internal use.
Trustees Jason Lohmeyer, Todd Sholeen, Mike Moran and Village President Karen Darch voted "yes" Monday night. Trustee Emily Young voted "no."
Trustee Kate Duncan recused herself and Trustee Jennifer Wondrasek was absent.
Patty Dowd Schmitz, director of communications for Barrington, said the village board "was pleased to see that working through the full process of assessing an important development project in our community played out positively and constructively."
The board began discussing the car wash proposal in July and asked the dealership to make modifications to its plan in light of negative reaction from residents who live in nearby in Barrington and Inverness subdivisions.
Residents' concerns included an increase in traffic and excessive noise and lighting.
Village officials already had asked the dealership to forego a 90-square-foot LED sign at the northwest corner of Dundee Road and Grove Avenue, and instead install a non-LED sign.
The final plan for the car wash includes a greater vegetation buffer, a 3-foot masonry wall at the entrance, a right-turn only exit, lighting reduction after 9 p.m. and a reduction of operating hours on Saturdays and Sundays.
Motor Werks representatives have declined to comment.
The board appreciated "the respectful and honest comments from the public" and seeing Motor Werks and residents work together, and with village staff, to modify the plan, Dowd Schmitz said.