Neighbors Protest Planned Car Wash

South Redondo Beach residents are protesting plans to build the Redondo Auto Spa where a dilapidated, abandoned car wash once stood on Torrance Boulevard, the Daily Breeze reported.

The Redondo Auto Spa will be powered by a hydrogen fuel cell—the first in the United States—that converts hydrogen to electricity using natural gas. The business will also feature a Catalina Coffee Co. location.

Nevertheless, residents who live near the Torrance Boulevard property said they were concerned about noise and traffic around the property.

"We're not opposed to a business there," neighbor Mark Kleiman told reporter Doug Marino. "We just think another car wash is bad for the city."

Chris McKenna, who plans to build the Redondo Auto Spa, said the new car wash will employ noise-dampening technology and have large setbacks to separate the business from the neighborhood.

According to the Daily Breeze, the car wash would handle about 35 cars per hour—up to 300 per day.

Initially, McKenna told Patch that he planned to open the Redondo Auto Spa by March 1, 2013; however, the Daily Breeze reported that he's aiming for a summer 2013 opening.

• Full story: Redondo Beach Residents Protest Car Wash Plan; Cite Traffic, Noise, Air Pollution [Daily Breeze]