Brief

The Area Planning Commission referred a zoning case involving three parcels on North Balboa Boulevard and West Romar Street in the North Valley to the Planning and Land Use Management Committee on September 10, 2026. The case includes a zone change request, variance, conditional use permit, and design review, along with an environmental review. The matter is currently pending committee action and is scheduled to expire September 8, 2028.

Full summary

This file concerns a partial appeal of planning commission conditions imposed on a renovation and expansion project for Denny's Car Wash, a car wash that has operated at 10113 and 10125 North Balboa Boulevard in Northridge since 1967. The applicant, Balboa Car Washes, Inc., proposes to replace fabric shade covers over vacuum stations with permanent shade structures, demolish a 400-square-foot office and storage area, build a new 495-square-foot equipment housing area, and replace an existing 300-square-foot equipment housing area. The project also formalizes a vehicle queuing lane on the rear portion of a separately zoned residential parcel at 17022 West Romar Street, across a public alley from the main car wash site. The North Valley Area Planning Commission approved the project 4-0 on May 7, 2026, granting a zone change from P-1VL and C2-1VL to (Q)(T)C2-1VL to align the site with its Community Commercial general plan designation, a zone variance to allow vehicle queuing on the residentially zoned Romar Street parcel, a conditional use permit for the car wash expansion, a waiver of a five-foot right-of-way dedication along Balboa Boulevard, and design review approval under the Granada Hills Specific Plan. The commission found the project exempt from CEQA review as a categorical exemption for existing facilities and small new structures. The commission imposed a detailed set of operating conditions, several of which the applicant is now appealing. The contested items are: T-Condition No. 4a, which requires a minimum 20-foot reservoir space between any security gate or parking space and the property line; Condition No. 3a, limiting the automated car wash tunnel and vacuum stations to 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily; Condition No. 3b, limiting self-serve wash bays to 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily; Condition No. 6, requiring the property to be gated after hours; and Condition No. 12, requiring at least one queuing attendant on site from 7:45 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. to manage vehicle flow and prevent alley blockage. The hours conditions were tightened from the applicant's proposed schedule in response to neighborhood complaints about noise, cars blocking the alley, and late-night loitering. The zone change itself, which must be adopted by Council as an ordinance, is advancing separately under a related council file. The North Valley Area Planning Commission transmitted the appeal to the City Council on September 8, 2026, and it was referred to the Planning and Land Use Management Committee two days later. Council has 75 days from the last day to appeal — August 18, 2026 — to act on the matter. The file is open and pending committee consideration, with a case expiration date of September 8, 2028.

Activity (2)

• 2026-09-10 Area Planning Commission (APC) / North Valley document(s) referred to Planning and Land Use Management Committee.
• 2026-09-08 Document submitted by Area Planning Commission (APC) / North Valley, dated September 8, 2026.

Documents (9)

• 2026-09-08 Report from North Valley Area Planning Commission · report
• 2026-09-08 Attachment to Report dated 9-08-26 - Appeal - K. McDonnell · attachment
• 2026-09-08 Attachment to Report dated 9-08-26 - Modified Conditions of Approval · attachment
• 2026-09-08 Attachment to Report dated 9-08-26 - T Conditions · attachment
• 2026-09-08 Attachment to Report dated 9-08-26 - Amended Findings · attachment
• 2026-09-08 Attachment to Report dated 9-08-26 - Staff Report · attachment
• 2026-09-08 Attachment to Report dated 9-08-26 - Environmental · attachment
• 2026-09-08 Attachment to Report dated 9-08-26 - Exhibit A · attachment
• 2026-09-08 Attachment to Report dated 9-08-26 - Mailing List · attachment