Hi Neighbors,
Thanks for chiming in with your opinions about the proposed car wash in Ethan Allen Shopping Center. Although there is disagreement on the appropriateness of such a business in that location, since it's OUR city I think it's important that even such "private" developments be discussed publicly.

As you probably know, the shopping center is zoned as a Neighborhood Activity Center (NAC). According to Appendix A of the Burlington Comprehensive Development Ordinance, 4.4.2 Neighborhood mixed use districts, the purpose of such "Neighborhood Mixed Use districts [are to] promote development that combines non-residential and residential uses on a single site. These zones allow an increased intensity of development than would typically be found in the surrounding residential areas, and provides neighborhood oriented goods and services and employment opportunities WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE. This development type will support transit use, provide a buffer between busy streets and residential neighborhoods, and provide new commercial and residential opportunities in the City. The emphasis of nonresidential uses should primarily be oriented to serving the needs of the surrounding residential neighborhoods and other neighborhood commercial uses.
Development is intended to consist primarily of businesses on the ground floor with housing on upper stories. Development is intended to be PEDESTRIAN-ORIENTED with buildings oriented to the sidewalk, especially at corners. Parking is intended to be hidden from the street, since their appearance is generally out of character with the surrounding residential development and the desired orientation of the buildings.
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1. The Neighborhood Activity Centers (NAC) are intended to provide convenient neighborhood and city wide-oriented goods and services and employment opportunities WITHIN WALKING OR BIKING DISTANCE of many of the city’s residential areas" (my emphases added).

(There are also certain "conditional uses" for NACs such as nuisances like the potential noise and traffic mentioned by other FPF contributors. But, darned if I could find the complete list on the City website: http://www.codepublishing.com/VT/burlington/?BurlingtonAxA/BurlingtonAxA04.html&?f!)

Now, obviously a car wash is expressly and solely devoted to supporting the use of automobiles. So, even if its marginal effects don't violate the conditional use criteria, its very existence seems to run counter to the purpose of a Neighborhood Activity Center in the first place.

Mr. Hauke has presumably done his financial homework and expects enough of us to wash our cars there for him to make a profit. But, whether you end up driving to it or not, what kinds of "pedestrian-oriented" establishment would you rather have in the center of your neighborhood for the next 50 years? With a hardware store next door, how about a community wood- and metal-working shop (http://soulcraftwoodshop.com/about-us/)? Arts and crafts center? Childcare center? Dare I suggest...a movie theater!-O

The Development Review Board will assess the car wash proposal on Tuesday, September 15, 5:00pm, in Contois Auditorium (City Hall). Please attend the meeting and/or submit your concerns in writing to qualify as an "interested person," which gives you the right to appeal the DRB's decision.