YORK-It appears that a second location for a Tidal Wave Auto Spa car wash in York County may not come to fruition.
At its meeting on June 8, the York County Planning Commission denied a request for a Special Use Permit to establish a car wash facility in the Grafton area of the county on George Washington Memorial Highway (Route 17). The request was made by SHJ Construction Group on behalf of Tidal Wave Auto Spa in the hopes of opening a new location on a portion of an undeveloped 2.1 acre parcel of land located at 5541 George Washington Memorial Highway.
Tidal Wave Auto Spa is proposing the construction of a 3,500 square foot building with a car wash tunnel at the site. The project would also include vacuum stations, a dumpster pad, and parking spaces.
Roughly a dozen residents of surrounding neighborhoods including Rainbow Villas spoke out against the project during the meeting. County staff also recommended denial of the proposed car wash, in part because the business is not pedestrian-friendly.
Members of the Planning Commission all agreed that various factors, including noise, traffic, and buffer issues as well as the aesthetics of the building, may not make Tidal Wave Auto Spa the best fit for the location.
“I am concerned that this is not the best use of this property,” said Glen D. Titus, chair of the York County Planning Commission.
Members of the Planning Commission denied the request for the project. The York County Board of Supervisors will discuss the matter during a public hearing later this summer.
Tidal Wave Auto Spa, which is a chain that originated in Georgia, opened another location in York County on Mooretown Road earlier this year. The business was also hoping to operate a car wash on Richmond Road in the City of Williamsburg, but that project was also denied.