Zoning Out Bikini Car Washes

"After a nearly yearlong fight over the propriety of scantily clad women washing and waxing cars in public view, the City Council today is likely to vote to make it significantly more difficult for such full-service operations in the future.

"The proposal would require a C-3 zoning designation, one of the hardest for a carwash to secure. It also would require that screens, trees, fencing or other devices block the actual car servicing from public view.

"Development Services Director Rod Sanchez is quick to note the city isn't attempting to legislate businesses out of existence.

"'This ordinance does not prohibit a bikini carwash operation,' he said. 'But what it does require is that the washing, drying, polishing go on out of the public view; basically, that you can't see it from the road. Nor are we telling people how to screen. If they want to put up a fence, or screens, or trees or rearrange an operation so that a building will block the view, they are free to do that.'"