LA PALMA : Council Wary of Man’s Bid to Build Car Wash

Car washes, a politically divisive issue in this small community, have again come before the City Council.

The council has delayed action on a man’s plea to extend a conditional-use permit for a proposed car wash at Walker Street and Crescent Avenue.

The unlikely issue of car washes has caused overflow council meetings and citizen protests in the past year. Some residents have said the city has allowed too many car washes and have jokingly dubbed La Palma “The Kingdom of the Car Wash.”

Other residents, however, have defended the City Council’s actions in granting permits for three car-wash businesses in recent years.

At issue Tuesday night was the request of Ahmad Cahla to have his permit for a car wash extended for an unspecified amount of time. Cahla’s attorney, P. Jerold Walsh, told the council that Cahla initially had difficulty getting financing for a car wash after receiving a City Council permit in 1992. Walsh said that Cahla now has secured the loans he needs and is ready to build.

The council, however, was skeptical about the assurances that Cahla had money to proceed and actually intended to build a car wash.

“We know that on at least one occasion he attempted to sell the property,” Councilman Kenneth Blake said. “We want assurance that he is going ahead with the project.”

After debate, the council by unanimous vote delayed action on the extension request until Cahla provides written proof of his financial ability to build the car wash.