Kaysville City recently had two new car washes that opened for business. Upon opening, both car washes caused issues of varying degrees for residents who were neighboring the car washes or located nearby. 

City Attorney Nic Mills introduced discussion on establishing a temporary land use regulation (TLUR) concerning the location and regulatory standards for car washes in Kaysville, as permitted by State Code 10-9A-504. Mills said inquiries about additional car washes have come to staff. Based on recent experiences, city staff proposed a temporary pause on new developments to study best practices and draft an ordinance to regulate car wash businesses. 

The proposed regulation would address concerns such as the prohibition of car washes adjacent to residential areas, as well as sound, lighting, and water conservation standards. Concern was expressed for businesses waiting to develop car washes, and Mills clarified that establishing a TLUR would allow the city up to 180 days to approve an ordinance but could be lifted sooner if an ordinance was passed. He said the legal preference would be to resolve TLURs quickly and said staff would prioritize the matter. 

Mills noted that the Planning Commission had already conducted a public hearing and voted unanimously in favor of this TLUR on July 11, 2024. Based on the recommendation of the Planning Commission, staff recommends the City Council establish a temporary land use regulation as allowed by Utah State Code 10-9a-504 for appropriate car wash locations and regulatory standards.

Council member discussion included concerns with over saturation of car washes in Kaysville and potential to include a provision to address the over saturation issue within the draft ordinances (highlighting the city’s existing substantial number of car washes and need for a balanced approach). It was also noted the residents on the west side of Kaysville have expressed a demand for more car washes, and the suggestion was offered that the ordinance consider geographic distribution and demographic needs as well.

“The city intended to temporarily halt the approval of new car wash developments to allow time for reviewing and updating city ordinances,” Mayor Tamara Tran said. She emphasized the need to protect residents while allowing for beneficial business growth and assured them that the pause was temporary, aimed at creating well-informed regulations. 

The City Council voted 4-1 (Adams dissenting) to approve an Ordinance establishing a temporary land use regulation as allowed by State Code 10-9a-504 for appropriate car wash locations and regulatory standards, including a direction that staff prioritize this issue and the creation of related ordinances. Councilmember John Adams expressed concern about the potential impact on property owners who purchased land based on existing zoning regulations, only to face changes in those regulations. He stressed the importance of protecting citizens’ investments and the challenges of altering land use permissions after property has been purchased with specific intentions. 

Councilmember Nate Jackson acknowledged the complexity of these decisions, emphasizing the need to make tough choices to guide the city’s development in a desirable direction. He stressed that the TLUR allows the city to develop stronger, more effective codes, ultimately resulting in better development outcomes and ensuring that the city evolves in line with long-term community goals.