Cape car wash owners win fight for new location

CAPE CORAL, Fla.- A heated battle between a car wash business and the City of Cape Coral has ended.

After hours of discussion, city leaders voted to allow the owners of Downtowner Car Wash to open a new facility at the foot of the Cape Coral Bridge.

Earlier this year, the city denied their request, prompting the car wash owners to appeal the decision. Monday night, City Council overturned the denial.

More than two dozen people in blue showed up at the meeting to show their support for Downtowner Car Wash.

The company currently has two locations, one on Del Prado Boulevard and another on Pine Island Road.

For months, the owners have been fighting the city to open a third car wash on Cape Coral Parkway next to Ford’s Garage. They want to demolish an old abandoned bank on the property and build a $4.5 million, state-of-the-art facility.

Cape Coral planning and zoning officials say the car wash is not compatible with their vision for an area they consider to be a gateway to the city. Meanwhile, the owners argue the car wash would fit right in.

City leaders did add some stipulations to the project, specifying that the car wash cannot have direct entrances or exits off Cape Coral Parkway.