By Patricia A. Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
Florence city council voted to approve a change in an approved concept development plan last week for an approximate 1.3 acre site located at two addresses, 7600 and 7592 Burlington Pike in Florence, which is approximately across from the skate park.
The concept change will allow Prime Car Wash, LLC on the site. The two lots were purchased and combined, and this is a brownfield development of a former gas station.
Photo of a building similar to Prime Car Wash which is scheduled to be development on Burlington Pike across from the skate park. (Photo by Patricia Scheyer/NKyTribune)
The term ‘brownfield’ is typically used with sites that might have potential hazards, although it doesn’t necessarily mean there are contaminents on the site. Any time a lot had underground fuel tanks at some point in time, it is referred to as a ‘brownfield’. Hunt said that he had ordered environmental tests on the soil across the street from the site and the results showed no environmental concerns.
“There were some public hearing comments from residents,” Joshua Hunt, Director of Business and Community Development, told council at the regular council meeting. “The biggest concern was storm water detention. Also, lights from cars around here after dark and then noise. There were two residents, I spoke to both residents on the phone, the biggest thing they wanted was the detention basin installed correctly.”
The developers have agreed to put in an underground detention facility, which is expected to greatly improve the current runoff issues, since the existing runoff sheets the backyards in the area.
“A photometric plan will be submitted, and officials will assure that no bleed over of lights is occurring across property lines,” said Hunt.
Views of the plans
He said there will only be one curb cut now onto Burlington Pike, with two others being eliminated. Prime Car Wash will be a full service car wash that will offer interior detail options. There will be five bays, exterior vacuums, twelve foot stacking lanes, and 17 parking stalls. The car wash meets all the stacking requirements specified in the zoning regulations.
There will be a variance in front, and typically there would be a ten foot landscape buffer yard, but the owners requested a five foot buffer yard. A privacy fence will be installed along the rear and side property line to deter headlights from disturbing residential homes.
The architectural features of the building exceeds the requirements set forth in the Central Florence Overlay District.
The plan was submitted to the Florence planning and zoning committee, and no additional conditions were added to the plan.
The company expects construction to begin in the summer and the car wash should open in the fall of 2023.
