Boardman Township to limit car washes, storage facilities

You may not see another car wash or storage facility popping up in Boardman anytime soon. 

Starting on Wednesday, September 11, strict regulations will be put in place to limit more of these businesses from moving into town. 

"The response that we typically see is 'Oh, another car wash?' or 'Oh, another storage unit?" explained Township Administrator Jason Loree. 

Boardman Township leaders agree the oversaturation of car washes and storage facilities result in passive income, lacking prosperous employment numbers and sales tax.

"Each week, I would get two or three calls for car washes and mini storage units," explained TJ Keiran, Director of Planning & Zoning with Boardman Township. 

Keiran told 21 News the township has gotten multiple complaints regarding noise levels of area car washes. "Some businesses have exterior speakers that would be audible over the noise of the vacuum cleaners. You can imagine what kind of an impact that has on local residents. That's what got us looking into this."

Boardman Township has 6 storage facilities and 19 car washes. Boardman officials say it's becoming an oversaturation issue they want to limit.

"Are we getting the best use of the service for the resources that are there," Loree explained "And with oversaturation, it becomes a problem. If the revised code allows us to do it,  we're going to take an opportunity and take a step back and look at the big picture."

A zoning amendment passed in August is now strengthening the requirements for these two types of businesses to move in.

"We have very limited commercial and industrial opportunities for vacant properties that are remaining and we didn't want to see these types of uses," Keiran added. "Passive income doesn't generate much employment. Storage units don't generate sales tax. They both consume the land where the infrastructure exists without connecting to the infrastructure." 

The adjusted language doesn't ban these two types of business but makes it more difficult to open up shop.

Listed below are all zoning changes within the amendment:

• Limiting the number of individual storage units to 100 per site
• Limiting hours of operation to 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Banning “service work, repair work, manufacturing, cultivating, processing, aquaculture or similar activity” taking place on self-storage sites
• Banning outdoor storage of materials such as RVs, boats, trailers or other vehicles
• Requiring self-storage sites to include a manager’s office
• Requiring that self-storage facilities connect to tap water, wastewater, and stormwater facilities

"When you apply to cite your business in Boardman, there's a number of conditions that you have to satisfy," Keiran explained. "And you would go to a hearing with the Board of Zoning Appeals.

"We felt at this point in our township, we have too many of these businesses," Loree concluded. 

The new regulations do not affect existing businesses.