10-17A-15: CAR WASH – SPECIFIC STANDARDS:
In order to preserve the limited water resources within the city of St. George, car washes shall meet the following additional standards:
A. In addition to the applicable landscaping requirements of chapter 23 of this title, landscaping for all car washes shall double the number of plantings required in areas adjacent to the stacking and drive-through areas.
B. Car washes shall use façade materials that produce texture. Such materials include, but are not limited to, split-face block, brick, or stucco and shall utilize more than one such material. All colors shall be muted. Bright or reflective colors shall not be allowed except as an accent, up to ten percent (10%) of each façade. No long, continuous rooflines without a horizontal break shall be permitted.
C. Sides of car wash bays or tunnels facing a residential use or neighborhood zoning district shall be completely enclosed by a wall. Solid windows that do not open, glass block, or other closed material may be used for the wall.
D. Vacuum stations and related equipment shall comply with the setbacks for the principal structure.
E. Vacuum stations and related equipment are prohibited along any side of a building facing a residential use or residential zoning district.
F. Recycling of all water used in a car wash is encouraged to reduce the amount of fresh culinary water used. All car washes must be plumbed at the time of construction to provide for water recycling systems for both wash water and reverse osmosis rinse water systems whether installed or not.
G. The site shall provide space sufficient to allow a minimum of five vehicles to stack while waiting to access the car wash prior to reaching the payment area. All stacking shall be maintained on site and shall not back onto any public right-of-way.
H. Water Limitations:
1. All car washes must install systems and equipment sufficient to limit the amount of fresh culinary water used on a per-vehicle basis. From July 1, 2022, until June 30, 2027, no car wash shall be permitted unless it can demonstrate that the system shall not use more than an average of thirty-five (35) gallons of culinary water per car.
2. Systems which recycle water used for vehicle washing and recycle reverse osmosis reject water are required to be installed and used in perpetuity.
3. The use of secondary irrigation water in the wash cycle may be permitted in lieu of some recycling requirements if approved by the St. George city water department. The use of recycling water systems and the disposal of water fluids and solids shall comply with applicable state and federal laws, guidelines, and standards. Larger storage tanks may be permitted on site in order to capture and reuse water. (Ord. 2021-05-002, 5-6-2021; amd. Ord. 2022-07-009, 7-28-2022)