Plans for a car wash in Mathews Court House moved ahead a step Tuesday night when the Mathews County Planning Commission voted unanimously to send a request for a zoning text amendment on to the board of supervisors with a recommendation for approval. The vote was taken after a joint public hearing with the board of supervisors.

Billy Cook of Mathews, plans to place a car wash with one touchless automatic bay and three self-service bays at the site of a former auto repair business at Hyco Corner. A car wash is a by-right use in the Business-2 District, but Cook requested that the definition of a car wash in the zoning ordinance be changed to remove requirements for limited hours of operation and an onsite operator at all times.

Mathews resident Judy Castleman raised a concern about overflow from the proposed business. She said that when there’s a car wash at Hardee’s, which is on the opposite corner, there are algal blooms afterward on Put-In Creek. She suggested that...