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Neighbors press council over industrial car-wash noise, cite planning-board process failures
Summary
Residents complained about noise from an industrial car wash near Wegmans and called for the city to correct planning and notification shortcomings. Speakers said vacuums run at high volume, disturbing nearby households and preventing outdoor time for children.
Ithaca — Multiple neighbors told the Ithaca Common Council on Feb. 5 that an industrial car wash near Wegmans operates loud vacuum cleaners that violate the city’s noise standards and that the planning process has left nearby residents with limited remedies.
Meg Pritchard, who identified herself as a resident with two children, listed what she said were 11 code-related noise factors and said the business owner initially ran vacuums 24 hours a day. “We live in a place where we're not allowed to have any peace because there's industrial car wash vacuums,” Pritchard said, and asked the council to push for enforcement and remedy.
Andrew Lunn, who said he has lived across the creek from the car wash for more than 15 years, described “an unbearable high pitched sound” from six industrial vacuums that run at roughly four-minute intervals from about 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., seven days a week. He said his children now spend less time outdoors because of the noise.
Adam Chandler said he circulated a petition signed by 35 neighbors and asked the council to review the planning-board process. “It appears in the planning board process there doesn't appear to be a way for when mistakes are made in the approval process for the city to then go back and redress the harms that are caused,” Chandler said.
Speakers urged clearer notification to affected residents and corrective action when approvals lead to negative neighborhood impacts. Council members acknowledged ongoing planning-board review and said the planning board had been working to notify additional nearby residents.
No enforcement action was taken at the meeting; residents were told they may submit written comments and continue to work with planning staff and the planning board.
