For purpose of this article the following definitions apply:
Automatic-service.
A facility where a vehicle is driven by the owner or operator through an automated tunnel or structure for washing and drying but the owner or operator vacuums the vehicle with equipment provided by the facility. Minimal staff will be on-site at the facility.
Car wash.
A facility for washing or steam cleaning of vehicles.
Conveyer car wash.
A car wash in which sprays and/or brushes are mounted on stationary arches and spray a vehicle that moves underneath along a conveyer.
Existing.
Shall mean in operation or under construction prior to the effective date of ordinance enacting the applicable section.
Full-service.
A facility where operating functions are preformed entirely by the facility with the use of washing, waxing, drying, and vacuuming equipment supplemented with manual detailing. Employees will be on-site at the facility.
In bay automatic car wash.
A car wash in which the vehicle remains stationary within a wash bay while automatic arms move back and forth over a vehicle.
New.
Shall mean constructed on or after the effective date of ordinance enacting the applicable section.
Self-service.
Facility where a vehicle may be manually washed, sprayed, dried or vacuumed by its owner or operator with equipment provided by the facility. Typically, no employees will be on-site at the facility.
Water recycling system.
A system of pumps, tanks, and treatment components used to treat and reuse water continuously for a single purpose.
(Ordinance 2376-003 adopted 9/9/2025)
(a) 
No new car wash facility shall be permitted to operate within a one-mile radius of an existing car wash facility located within the city limits of San Benito.
(b) 
The one-mile radius shall be measured in a straight line from the property boundary of the existing car wash to the proposed location of the new facility.
(c) 
This restriction applies to all types of car wash businesses, including but not limited to automatic-service, self-service, and full-service operations.
(d) 
Exceptions may be considered by the City Council upon demonstration of extraordinary circumstances, including but not limited to water recycling systems or other conservation technologies that significantly reduce water usage.
(e) 
The City Planning and Development Department shall maintain a registry of existing car wash facilities and shall verify compliance prior to issuing any permits for new car wash establishments.
(Ordinance 2376-003 adopted 9/9/2025)
(a) 
New conveyer and in-bay automatic car washes must be equipped with and utilize a water recycling system that reuses a minimum of fifty (50) percent of water from previous vehicle rinses in subsequent washes.
(b) 
New conveyer systems shall not use more than forty (40) gallons of water per vehicle.
(c) 
New self-service car washes shall utilize positive cutoff device spray wands with a flow rate of no more than three (3) gallons of water per minute.
(Ordinance 2376-003 adopted 9/9/2025)
(a) 
A car wash facility established prior to the adoption of this article may continue operations at its existing location, even if it does not comply with this article.
(b) 
If such a business reopens after a closure of more than 90 days, the location must comply with all provisions of this article.
(c) 
Any car wash facility for which a complete subdivision application or building permit was submitted and is under official review by the applicable governing authority prior to the adoption of this article shall be exempt from the distance requirements herein and may proceed under the regulations in effect at the time of application submission.
(Ordinance 2376-003 adopted 9/9/2025)