A proposal for a new Washville Car Wash on Derry Road returned to the Hudson Planning Board on April 22, where representatives from Jones & Beach Engineers and Washville addressed lingering concerns about noise, traffic, and wetland buffers before ultimately receiving approval.
“We’re here as a continuation of a January hearing,” said Washville associate Frank Doherty. “At that point, we had presented our proposed project off of Derry Road, and there were a few open issues that we had to work through. I’d like to hit those issues.”
Those unresolved items included the distance between the car wash and nearby residential properties, the absence of a state Alteration of Terrain permit, and questions about traffic flow and noise levels.
Engineer Erik Poulin explained that the design had been modified since January.
“There was a reduction of the footprint, we did do that,” Poulin said. “A number of vacuums were removed, and we were able to pull the building farther away from the residential buffer.”
One of the more complicated issues involved conflicting guidance from the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (DOT) and Hudson’s Director of Development Services, Elvis Dhima. DOT determined that a road widening would be sufficient, while Dhima requested a dedicated turn lane.
“We’re sort of stuck in the middle here,” Doherty said. “The DOT says do something and the town says do something else. If we can accommodate you and still do our project, we’re okay.”
Planning Board member James Crowley acknowledged the dilemma but sided with the town’s position.
“I can see that you’re between a rock and a hard place,” Crowley said. “He lives here; NH DOT lives up in Concord.”
Several residents from the nearby Abbies Landing 55 plus community spoke in opposition, citing traffic, environmental impacts, and noise.
“I’m concerned about the increased traffic,” said Abbies Landing president Laurie Greer, who submitted documentation of existing congestion on nearby roads. “This company operates as a membership service, and I think there’ll be traffic backing up. I’m also concerned about the impact this will have on the environment and the brook that runs through there.”
Direct abutter Steve Boufford said the project would dramatically change the character of his backyard.
“When I bought my property, there was no real development on that chunk of land,” Boufford said. “Fast forward, the original plan was CVS and a gas/ convenience store, then a restaurant, and now I’m being asked to have in my direct backyard a car wash that, on any given Saturday, has 20 to 30 cars stacked up waiting to get in. I’m looking at that when I’m sitting in my backyard. I really don’t want to do that.”
Board Chair Tim Malley pressed the applicant on the scope of the noise study.
“Is the noise study based on the vacuums? The vehicles running? Is it taking into account all potential noise that could be generated?” Malley asked.
Doherty said he did not know the full list of variables included but assured the Board that the study followed “industry criteria.”
Washville Executive Vice President Jim Waterman pointed to another Washville location in Cranston, Rhode Island, as evidence that the company can operate near residential neighborhoods without exceeding noise limits.
“We operate the stealth dryers right now in Cranston,” Waterman said. “We abut a residential neighborhood behind us, and we had opposition when we went in front of their planning board. We’ve operated these dryers pretty well.”
He added that Washville buildings consistently meet federal noise standards and said the company had “empirical data” to support that claim, though the data was not available at the meeting due to the absence of the noise engineer.
Crowley urged the applicant to strengthen the study.
“Do more, not less,” he said, suggesting the addition of a noise barrier.
Alternate member Todd Boyer, however, felt the study was sufficient.
“The fact that it is within the acceptable decibel levels does, to me, meet our criteria and satisfies me,” Boyer said. “I have read the report, seen what they’re doing, and I believe it’s above and beyond what the requirements are.”
After extensive discussion, the Planning Board voted to approve the Washville Car Wash with several waivers and conditions intended to address public concerns, particularly regarding noise and traffic.
The project will now move forward to the next stages of permitting and construction planning.
