Plans for debated West Chester car wash withdrawn

West Chester Twp. is defending a zoning commission decision to deny a state-of-the-art car wash in Butler County Common Pleas Court. The developers called their Flying Pig Carwash the “Taj Mahal” of car cleaners. PROVIDED

West Chester Twp. is defending a zoning commission decision to deny a state-of-the-art car wash in Butler County Common Pleas Court. The developers called their Flying Pig Carwash the “Taj Mahal” of car cleaners. PROVIDED

Plans for the controversial Flying Pig Carwash along Liberty Way in West Chester Twp. appear to be over.

Steiner + Associates had filed an application with the West Chester planning department to change plans for the development from a 50,000-square-foot retail center to a 4,000-square-foot Flying Pig Carwash.

The township received a letter last week from an engineer, apparently representing Steiner, withdrawing the application. No reason for the withdrawal was given.

In July, car wash owner Emilie Parry told the zoning commission she wants to build the “Taj Mahal” of car and pet washes on the south side of Liberty Way near where Steiner + Associates said it plans to build luxury condominiums. After several neighbors opposed the project, the zoning commission voted 4-1 to deny it.

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“There were questions on size, type of business, location, access points, there were numerous inconsistencies that the zoning commission deemed, in totality it added up to being inconsistent,” Aaron Wiegand, West Chester’s community development director, said previously.

“It wasn’t one magic bullet so what they’re doing is saying, ‘Alright, if we put together a preliminary plan that shows a car wash specifically on this site then you basically get to the point where it becomes an approved use.’”

The zoning commission denied the request for substantial changes to the original development plan, that would have allowed the car wash, in January. The trustees were supposed to address the denial Tuesday.

Steiner officials and Parry could not be reached for comment.

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