Dallas Leaders Want To Shut Down Car Wash They Say Attracts Crime

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The fate of a South Dallas business is now in the city's hands.

On Wednesday, the Dallas City Council took a step toward shutting down Jim's Car Wash off Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., near Fair Park.

The car wash has been in business for more than 20 years.

"My dad and I bought it, fixed it up and got it in operation," owner Dale Davenport said. "We wanted to be a part of the revitalization in south Dallas."

"Over a number of years there's been arrests for drugs, people drinking, prostitutes, gambling and all sorts of things happening at that car wash," Dallas City Councilman Kevin Felder said.

Felder is working to shut the car wash down. Davenport said he doesn't understand why.

"Yes, there is crime down here and I will not argue that, but we have a program with Dallas Police," Davenport said. "Any time they want to they can come out on the property. All they have to do is show up, they have a right to write a criminal trespass, get people off the property."

Zoning laws changed and the car wash no longer complies. The council voted to send the issue to the Board of Adjustment which will ultimately decide its fate.

"It's a good place for the community," Life long South Dallas resident Eurral Anderson said. "It really is for people like myself that work all day and don't feel like washing their car."

"If this car wash is allowed to stay open I feel the residents of South Dallas should be allowed to drive to the backyards of the owner," another South Dallas resident said at Wednesday's council meeting. "Drink alcohol, toss out their containers on their lawns and shoot guns up in the air a few times."

Both city council and the owner will now present their case to the board before a decision is made.

If a decision is made to close, Davenport will still get to keep his property.

Davenport said he would consider opening another business, but doesn't know what kind.

For now, he's focused on keeping his car wash.