Montgomery City Council sets limit on carwashes
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WAKA) — The Montgomery City Council approved an ordinance Tuesday night that restricts how closely car washes can be built to each other, while a separate effort to appoint a new member to the city’s housing board failed.
The council voted 6–3 to adopt a rule allowing no more than one car wash within a five-mile radius of another. Councilman Ed Grimes, who represents District 1, introduced the measure, saying his district — particularly the long stretch of Atlanta Highway — has become oversaturated.
According to Grimes, four car washes operate in District 1, with a fifth currently under construction.
“There will be a day when we’ll have a bunch of these things empty and they won’t be able to do anything with them,” Grimes said during the meeting. “I’d like to space them out a little more than what we’ve got. We’ve got five in 4½ miles, and we would’ve had six, but one is closed.”
Councilmembers Ed Grimes, Julie Beard, Marche Johnson, Oronde Mitchell, Glen Pruitt, and Charles Jinright voted for the ordinance. Councilmembers Franetta Riley, C.C. Calhoun, and Andrew Szymanski voted against it.
In other action, a controversial resolution to appoint businessman William Boyd to the Montgomery Housing Authority failed on a 5–3 vote with one abstention. Boyd would have replaced Iesha Brooks. Boyd was convicted on felony charges in 2002 and later pardoned in 2007.
Councilmembers Oronde Mitchell, Glen Pruitt, and C.C. Calhoun voted for the appointment. Councilmembers Ed Grimes, Julie Beard, Marche Johnson, Charles Jinright, and Andrew Szymanski voted against it. Councilmember Franetta Riley abstained.
