ESCONDIDO, Calif. — According to www.kusi.com, Escondido, California, in San Diego County has 28 carwashes and counting, and the city has temporarily put a moratorium on new ones.
“We just need to look at this closer. Do we really need any more car washes in town?” said Escondido City Manager Jeffery Epp.
The moratorium came as a result of local businessman Neil Capin’s plans; he had already bought land, got most of it approved for a carwash, and then the city put the plans on hold, the article noted.
“We did the environmental studies, we did traffic studies, [we] did everything needed, and I was waiting for final approval. Then they decided to impose a moratorium on me,” said Capin, owner of Wash n Go.
Capin invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in an old skating rink, a place that holds a great deal of nostalgia, but it has already been out of business for 10 years, the article continued.
“If someone wanted to build a skating rink, they should have done it,” Capin said.
Although the council voted in favor of the 45-day moratorium, Capin still has hope, the article stated.
“What I hope is that the projects that are already in the works keep moving forward. I was almost finished with the whole process; we should be able to finish the project,” Capin said.
“I don’t think anyone is telling him he can’t build it. We just need a time out, take a look. Do we really need another car wash in Escondido?” Epp asked.
“Why would anyone invest in Escondido, when something like this can happen? We should be allowed to ‘finish’ the project. It’s just not right to start a project and have them change in midstream,” Capin said.
The council is expected to give a final decision within the 45-day moratorium, the article concluded.
Read the original article here.
