Stop the Tommy's
Car Wash in Mid-City
The City Planning Commission Staff Recommends Denial of a proposed Tommy's Express Car Wash at 4118 S. Carrollton Ave—a franchise car wash 50 feet from family homes on Ulloa Street, at the gateway to Mid-City. City Council Vote · Sep 17, 2026
The city's own rules say no
CPC staff measured this proposal against the zoning ordinance, the EC Enhancement Corridor design overlay, and the Master Plan. It failed almost everything.
From the staff report
All of this comes from the CPC preliminary staff report by Sarah C. King, dated July 7, 2026. Read it yourself—it's public record.
Wrong place for a car wash
The MU-1 zoning district exists to build walkable neighborhood centers, not drive-through franchises. A car wash needs huge paved surfaces, stacking lanes, and nonstop vehicle circulation. That's the opposite of what this zoning was written for.
50 feet from front porches
The tunnel and 13 vacuum stalls would run parallel to the houses on Ulloa Street. Blowers, vacuums, car engines idling, chemical fumes, and commercial lighting—all day, right next to people's homes.
Fails 4 of 5 design overlay standards
The EC Enhancement Corridor Overlay requires pedestrian and bicycle access, transit support, residential compatibility, and architecture that fits the block. The only standard this proposal passes is "no neon signs."
Goes against the Master Plan
The Future Land Use Map calls this site "Mixed-Use Medium Density"—ground-floor shops, housing above, people on the sidewalk. Instead, 16 small lots get rolled into one car-only structure with no retail, no housing, no street life.
More cars on Carrollton and Tulane
Four curb cuts on streets that are already packed. Every single customer arrives by car. And one of the proposed driveways sits right next to an RTA bus stop, a fire hydrant, and two oak trees in the public right-of-way.
Wants to waive its own rules
They're asking to skip fencing requirements, ignore entrance orientation rules, and push past the front yard setback—the exact regulations written to shield neighbors from noise, traffic, and light. Staff says none of the five variance criteria are met.
Even the design committee had problems
The Design Advisory Committee met June 17, 2026. Both the HDLC and CPC reps pushed back hard on the design and the location.
"This business as seen from a highway is appropriate in the suburban context but not within the context of an urban or residential setting."
HDLC Representative — Design Advisory Committee, June 17, 2026"The overall palette and design elements being too harsh for this location… the site's prominent location as one of the main entry points into the Mid-City neighborhood does not represent an appropriate use for context of the surrounding area."
CPC & HDLC Representatives — Design Advisory CommitteeThe DAC gave conditional approval with seven provisos: lose the giant arch, tone down the red, remove the curb cut by the bus stop, add pedestrian safety measures, submit traffic circulation plans. The applicant hasn't shown they've done any of it.
They've tried this before
This is the second time someone's tried to put a car wash here. Staff recommended denial the first time, too.
First car wash proposal (ZD 40/23)
Different developer, same idea. Staff said no. The Commission said yes anyway, but the entitlement expired before anything got built.
Three buildings demolished
Three vacant buildings on the site torn down—two on Tulane, one on Ulloa. The lots have been sitting empty since.
New application filed
Mid-City Redevelopment, LLC files for a Tommy's Express franchise on the same site. Same basic footprint, new paint job. Three waivers requested.
Design Advisory Committee hearing
DAC gives conditional approval with seven strings attached. HDLC and CPC reps both say the look and the scale are wrong for this block.
Staff report recommends denial
CPC staff drops a 33-page report recommending denial. Doesn't fit the neighborhood, doesn't fit the Master Plan, doesn't meet the design standards.
CPC hearing
The Planning Commission votes on the application. Public comment is taken.
City Council vote
The final vote. This is where it gets decided. Be there.
What you'd be living next to
Blowers and vacuums, 7 AM to 8 PM
Industrial dryers, 13 vacuum stalls, and cars lining up—all within earshot of bedrooms and front porches on Ulloa.
Backed-up traffic at Carrollton and Tulane
Both streets already carry heavy traffic, with multiple RTA routes and stops at Ulloa. Cars making U-turns at Ulloa to reach the car wash entrance would back up right where buses pick up and drop off passengers. Now add a car wash queue on top of it.
Chemicals and commercial lighting
Detergents, degreasers, waxes—all requiring an LDEQ discharge permit. Plus bright commercial lighting spilling into the residential block next door.
16 lots become one big parking lot
Small commercial buildings lined Tulane Avenue here for decades. This proposal bulldozes all 16 lots into a single car-wash compound with no storefronts and no sidewalk life.
No sidewalks, no bike racks, no bus access
The site plan doesn't include a single pedestrian pathway, bike rack, or transit connection. There are RTA stops on both Carrollton and Tulane, and the plan ignores them.
Oak trees in the crosshairs
One of the proposed driveways would cut right past two oak trees in the public right-of-way at Ulloa and S. Carrollton. DPW flagged this before the DAC hearing.
Three things you can do right now
The City Council votes on September 17, 2026. Every email, every phone call, and every person in the room matters. Here's how to make yours count.
Email the Mayor & City Council
Send a message to Mayor Moreno and all seven council members telling them you oppose Zoning Docket 067/26. The button below opens your email app with a pre-written letter you can personalize.
Open email to Mayor & CouncilShow up on September 17
The City Council votes on this proposal at their regular meeting. Physical presence in the chamber sends the strongest signal.
- When: Thursday, September 17, 2026 at 10:00 AM
- Where: New Orleans City Council Chamber, City Hall, 1300 Perdido Street, 2nd Floor
- What to expect: Sign in to speak during public comment on Zoning Docket 067/26. You'll have 2–3 minutes. Bring a written copy of your remarks if you can.
- Can't attend in person? The meeting is livestreamed on the City Council website
Tell Tommy's Express directly
Let the franchise know this neighborhood doesn't want an auto-centric car wash on this site. Tommy's Express corporate office in Holland, Michigan handles franchise location decisions.
Open email to Tommy's ExpressTommy's Express Corporate · 648 South Point Ridge, Holland, MI 49423
Spread the word
Share this page with your neighbors, your neighborhood association, and anyone who cares about Mid-City. The more voices the council hears, the harder it is to ignore.
council.nola.gov