Approval Recommended for Car Wash That Will Turn 3 Lots into 1 Lot for 5,617 SF Car Wash in Gaithersburg

The Gaithersburg Mayor and City Council held a policy discussion on this application on May 16, 2022, regarding the application of Brett Schaecter of Crain Partners, LLC, to combine the three lots into a single lot to construct a 5,617 square foot automatic car wash building and associated parking lot.  The video of the meeting can be found here where approval was recommended by City Staff (with policy discussion going 3-2 against approval). A final action on the application will be made at the June 21 meeting.

The concept site plan is the first stage in the site plan process. If the concept site plan is approved, which is recommended, the Mayor and City Council can either require that the project come back as a Schematic Development Plan application for Mayor and City Council and Planning Commissions review or direct the Planning Commission to review a Preliminary/Final Site Plan application.

The subject properties are located at 601-607 South Frederick Avenue and zoned CD (Corridor Development). The subject properties are approximately 52,229 square feet. The subject properties at 605 and 607 South Frederick Avenue contains single family detached units and the property at 601 South Frederick Avenue is vacant.

Below you’ll see the recommendation by City of Gaithersburg staff:

“Staff is supportive of the submitted Concept Site Plan application SP-8819-2021. The plans meet the requirements for a Concept Site Plan approval. This application is the first stage of the site plan process and the Applicant will provide the required information about traffic, light and noise in the next site plan submission.

The plan meets and accomplished the purposes, objectives and minimal standards and requirements of the CD zone. Additionally, the proposed plan furthers the visions and goals of the Frederick Avenue Corridor Master Plan by providing a commercial use that is similarly found along South Frederick Avenue which is a Commercial Throughway.

The proposed architecture will be compatible and harmonious with the surrounding properties by providing similar materials such as stone and brick that fits the “residential character” as noted in the annexation agreement and master plan. The maximum building height permitted in the Southern Residential District is three stories and cannot exceed thirty- five feet in height. The height of the building will be two-stories and thirty-five feet.

Staff is supportive of the tree removal waiver for the specimen tree (Red Oak) that measures forty (40) inches DBH. The removal of the tree is needed to construct the car wash building and the tree is in poor condition. Staff is also supportive of the environmental waiver which is needed to construct and maintain a retaining wall and stormwater management facilities. This impact is only temporary and no permanent structures or improvements are proposed within the environmental buffers. The disturbance will not involve any clearing or grading within the buffer boundaries.

Lastly, the Applicant is committed to making the necessary traffic improvements to ensure that the proposed car wash will not have any negative impacts to the surrounding properties.”

Renderings and information courtesy of the City of Gaithersburg.

Updated on 6/29 with additional information