The city's Board of Adjustment voted Wednesday to close Jim's Car Wash after it previously decided the 24-hour self-service business has an "adverse effect" on its South Dallas neighborhood.
The board gave the business owner, Dale Davenport, until July 19 to secure the property and close the business on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
The car wash has long been considered a blight by city officials and gained renewed attention after a 56-year-old woman was killed during a June 2 shooting at the business. Four others were injured.
The car wash remains tied up in a legal battle. The city requested a temporary restraining order to prevent the property from continuing as "a magnet for crime."
A judge granted the temporary restraining warning, and a hearing on the case is scheduled for Thursday.
The board's decision Wednesday may clear the way so "litigation can get back into gear," said board chairman Scott Hounsel.
Hounsel also said he hopes closing the car wash will encourage "positive change" on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
The city rezoned the area in 2012, eliminating car washes.
Davenport told the board Wednesday that he didn't know that his business was deemed "noncompliant" by the zoning change until October.
Attorney Edwin Voss, who is representing the city, said the car wash should be closed immediately and said the business has made enough money to recoup the owner's investment costs.
Voss estimated the business makes up to $150,000 a year in revenue.
Davenport said he recorded $95,000 in net profits last year and asked the board to grant him 60 days to close the business and fence the area. He said he expected closing and securing the car wash to cost about $12,000.
The board opted to give the business owner 30 days to prepare for closure.
Two car wash employees appeared Wednesday to ask the board not to close the business.
Marshall Cornelius said he believes keeping the car wash open might help police figure out who shot and killed his wife, Sheila Sanders on June 2.
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Cornelius said a lot of people hang out at the car wash, and, if it's closed, there will be less of a chance for people to gossip about who might have pulled the trigger.
Like Cornelius, Sanders worked at the car wash. Cornelius told the board he's also worried about losing another income.
"It's a lot of jobs being lost right now with this car wash being closed," Cornelius said.
Bryon Wilson said he doesn't know where he'll work once the car wash is closed. He's a manager at the business and said he's powerless to keep people from committing crimes.
"We have no control over what people come there to do," he said after the meeting.
He told the board that he calls 911 when there's a problem, but it can take 45 minutes or more before an officer responds.
"The city of Dallas' job is to protect the people," Wilson said. "We don't need the car wash closed. We need some help."
