City committee wants to limit car washes

New rules would limit temporary, 'mop-and-bucket' car washes

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For over a year, Jacksonville City Council member Denise Lee and other members of a committee addressing blight in the city have been holding hearings on blight have cited pop-up car washes as a problem. 

While some are legitimate businesses, the city has received complaints about illegal activity, including drug sales, taking place at these places, so council members plan to introduce a new law next week that would require more review before places like these can open.

"Some of these car washes that are pedaling drugs or what have you bring a bad element to the neighborhood, and the committee feels responsible to look at those issues at well," said Councilman John Crescimbeni.

Members of the blight committee said they began working on the new regulations after receiving a number of complaints about these types of car washes.

Willie Turner, who operates one of the car washes Moncrief Road, said his businesses is on the up and up and was surprised to hear the city wants to shut places like his down.

"Everyone here trying to make an honest living. No wrong doing up here; no drugs," said Turner. "I run a decent car wash. All the customers enjoy themselves, get their cars clean. That is what the car wash is about; nothing else."

These so-called mop-and-bucket car washes are not only in Northwest Jacksonville. When News4Jax pulled up at one on St. Augustine Road on the Southside, several people took off running and a man who claimed to own the property came up and wanted to know what was going on.

When told the city was trying to ban this type of business, the man said, "Go ban them somewhere else."

Other locations had lines of cars and were doing a brisk business and the operators were surprised the city wanted to close them down.

"It feeds my daughter," said operator Walter Merriweather. "We ain't doing nothing illegal here; this is a legitimate business."

"We are making an honest living," said Jessie Young, who runs another car wash, who added he has a permit to run the business.

Crescimbeni said permitted businesses would not be affected by the new law.

"We are not trying to put anybody out of business, We are just trying to authenticate the real car washes from the ones that are doing something else," said Crescimbeni.

Another concern that would be addressed by the law would be the runoff of soapy water from any non-permanent car wash.

The proposed law includes an exemption for charity car washes, as long as they were held six or fewer times per year. 


About the Author:

Jim Piggott is the reporter to count on when it comes to city government and how it will affect the community.