EFFINGHAM — The Blue Beacon Truck Wash wants to add a small training room to its Effingham facility, and was granted a variance in the set back to do so. It has other improvement plans for the wash bays, as well.
Guy Walker, vice president of Real Estate for Blue Beacon Truck Washes spoke at the Effingham Zoning Board of Appeals on Tuesday.
He said the commercial business at 1703 West Evergreen Avenue in Effingham needed to reduce the front yard setback requirement from 35 feet to 13 feet, along Evergreen Avenue for the project.
Walker said Blue Beacon is a family-owned, private company with two truck washes in Effingham, including this one that was opened in 1981 and a second one opened in 1993. It employs about 100 people in Effingham alone.
The company was founded in 1973 and has more than 100 businesses in 39 states and in Canada.
“Our company is in the process of moving all of our training modules and safety certifications to an online platform,” said Walker. “As a part of that we are also going back to all of our locations, over time, adding a dedicated training room for our employees to view those programs.”
Walker said they’d like to add an ADA compliant space for training, with two work stations, which could be free from distractions. The company wants to be able to offer fair wages, good benefits and hire and retain the best employees.
David Johnson, project manager in the Real Estate for Blue Beacon Truck Washes, said an addition for office space was constructed in 2000, when a set back variance was granted. In 2002, Evergreen Avenue was improved, and a drainage easement was a part of the property then.
That drainage easement restricts the possibility to additions to the western portion of the building. The only other option is to the north of the building, which would require a setback to the front yard, to just 13 feet.
Johnson said in all, the company also intends to extend the wash bays and widen drives for better access, but the larger office/training space was where the variance is required.
“When we originally constructed this we built 90 foot wash bays,” said Johnson. “That’s not long enough any more to wash the back of the trailers without standing outside. That’s not bad in the summer-time, but in the winter-time our employees don’t really like that. This way they can be in the building at all times.”
Improvements to the pavement will allow trucks to “square up” and get into the entryways easily. Plans also include removing a storage shed and extending the mechanical room. The appearance from the street won’t change, Johnson said.
This is the first time the city Zoning Board of Appeals has met since the October 24, 2018 meeting.
In other matters, the zoning board:
• Approved a variance to reduce the rear yard setback from 35 feet to 12 feet along the east lot line at 1014 N. Oceola St., Effingham. The request was made by Timothy and Laura Brown, owners of the property.
• Approved a variance to allow a 6-foot-tall vinyl fence in the front yard setback of 909 W. Rickelman. Due to its location on a corner lot, the property has a double front yard and they requested the fence to keep their young children safe from the streets. The fence would surround their property, but the variance is only needed along Charlotte Street due to the required front yard setback. The request was made by Michael and Alyssa Nelson.