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Residents demand action as car‑wash noise persists; township outlines stepped response
Summary
Residents told the council they continue to endure loud vacuum and blower noise from an Express Auto Spa location despite county violations and township notices; township staff said the business has taken voluntary steps, a sound fence is planned, and officials will press for additional remedial measures and may seek expert testing or legal remedies if needed.
Residents near a recently approved Express Auto Spa told the Livingston Township Council on July 13 they continue to suffer daily noise intrusions they describe as a public nuisance, and they urged the township to pursue stronger enforcement and faster relief.
"It's time for meaningful vacuum noise reduction, not more discussions," said Joyce Armando during the public-comment period, detailing months of emails, county violations and a township notice of violation and demand to abate the nuisance. Armando said temporary measures—such as disabling air hoses—have not solved the problem and that residents remain disturbed by continuing vacuum and blower noise.
Township staff provided a timeline of responses and next steps. Jared, speaking for township staff, said the business initially complied by turning off air hoses and later voluntarily reduced blower intensity after engineering review, but residents reported that the changes were insufficient. Jared said the business submitted a site-plan amendment to erect a sound fence that Essex County expects will resolve a county violation, and the township plans to expedite that process. He added that the township is considering additional on-site remedial measures—potentially eliminating vacuum operations during certain hours—and may bring in an independent sound expert to measure noise at affected homes. “We’re going to go back to them and tell them they need to do more until the fence is up,” Jared said.
Residents pressed for clarity on permitting and approvals; at least one resident asked whether the planning board—an autonomous body—had approved the site plan, and councilors confirmed the planning board handled approvals. Several speakers urged faster enforcement rather than voluntary fixes.
Town staff said the township has discussed possible legal action but wants to document violations and remedial measures first; staff noted legal uncertainty about whether a court would find a nuisance under existing case law and emphasized collecting objective noise measurements as part of any enforcement strategy.
Next steps: township staff will pursue additional remediation with the operator, expedite the planning-board amendment for a sound fence, consider independent noise testing, and may pursue legal action if remedial steps fail to protect residents.
