Residents say industrial-size laundry near downtown shakes homes; city says no ordinance governs the issue

Two Escanaba residents told the City Council during brief public comments on Jan. 16 that industrial-sized laundry machines at a nearby business are shaking their homes and that they have been unable to secure remedy through insurance or city code enforcement.

"We have this ongoing problem with our buildings shaking," Candace Scully said, identifying herself and giving a local address. She said her neighbor Donna Whitehead also attended and that four homes in the block — including hers and Whitehead’s — have been affected since 2020. Scully said the business is the former Newway Cleaners and now operates a laundry service with large washers and dryers.

Scully said the owner’s insurance denied a claim for damage to her building, although the owner had an insurer inspect the damage. She said earlier city staff directed her to pursue small-claims court, which she said would not stop the machines. "Small claims is not gonna stop her machines, her industrial size washers and dryers that are shaking the ground, that's shaking our homes daily," Scully said. She said the machines operate from about 7 a.m. until midnight.

At the comment’s close, the Mayor and city manager said staff would look into the matter and contact the city attorney; the transcript records the city manager told residents he would consult the city lawyer but the residents said they had not yet heard back. The transcript also records prior contact with code compliance and with a prior manager referred to by the resident.

The complaint remained a public comment item; the transcript does not record an immediate council action, ordinance reference, or a staff directive beyond the manager’s promise to consult legal counsel.