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South Side residents press council over 24-hour car-wash vacuums, say permit ignored neighborhood plan
Summary
Residents from the Greater South Side neighborhood told the Common Council the new car wash near Route 13 violates the city's neighborhood plan and noise rules and asked for relief; councilors said staff would follow up but no formal action was taken.
Neighbors from Ithaca's South Side urged the Common Council on March 5 to address noise, zoning and safety concerns tied to a recently permitted car wash at the Route 13 / South Titus area.
Speakers described repeated and ongoing noise from external vacuums at the facility — including a stretch where vacuums ran 24 hours a day for six weeks — and said the operation conflicts with the Greater South Side Neighborhood Plan adopted as part of the city's comprehensive planning process. "There is not a single sound barrier between the car wash and our sleeping quarters," testified Meg Pritchard, who pointed council to the city noise ordinance codified in Section 240.
Holly Gump, a South Albany Street resident and neighborhood advocate, summarized the neighborhood planning history for council: the city adopted "Plan Ithaca" (the comprehensive plan) in February 2015 and later developed neighborhood-level plans; the Greater South Side Neighborhood Plan was developed with local input beginning in 2016 and adopted after revisions in 2018, she said. Gump and other residents argued the planning department's permitting decision did not adequately apply the neighborhood plan's recommendations, which prioritize pedestrian and bicycle connections and a mix of uses supportive of residents.
Neighbors submitted a petition and asked that the business remove external vacuums as a mitigation; they also requested the mayor or staff meet with residents to find a solution. One speaker cited a specific measurement: the vacuums sit roughly 378 feet from nearby residences and operate without sound barriers, which residents said should have triggered greater review or different permit conditions.
Council response: Members acknowledged the complaints and said they would follow up. Alderperson Matos said the council was "looking into things" and advised residents the city manager had already circulated an email earlier in the evening about the traffic-sensor issue on South Plain Street. Staff and council indicated the planning department and code enforcement would investigate the permit and noise concerns; no formal enforcement action or vote was recorded.
Why it matters: Residents said the car wash is symptomatic of larger coordination problems between planning staff, the planning board and neighborhood input. They argued the use is inconsistent with the neighborhood plan and has created public-health, safety and livability impacts through noise and vehicle-pedestrian conflicts on Route 13.
Ending: The council asked staff to review the complaint and consider options; residents said they would submit written materials to the city for follow-up.
