Judge forces Waymo to stop overnight operations in California beach city after residents complain

Judge forces Waymo to stop overnight operations in California beach city after residents complain Attorneys for the city stated that those living near the stations have compared the noise to a ‘mini-Las Vegas’ - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments A judge has issued a preliminary injunction sought by the city of Santa Monica, preventing overnight operations at the two Waymo LLC Broadway recharging stations, finding they are public nuisances. "While the evidence shows that the parties have attempted to mitigate the noise, lights and traffic, it does not show that those efforts have been sufficiently successful to eliminate the public nuisance that is created," Santa Monica Superior Court Judge Bradley S. Phillips wrote in his final ruling issued Monday. The judge said Waymo is prevented, pending trial, from operating the Broadway Lots between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Phillips had heard arguments July 22 and taken the case under submission. In their court papers, attorneys for the city stated that those living near the stations have used such terms as "mini-Las Vegas," "living next door to a spaceship," "a circus" and "a city that never sleeps" to describe their plight. The group Santa Monica for Renters Rights backed the requests for injunctive relief sought by the city and the City Council. "SMRR is deeply disturbed by the disruptions and the burdens imposed on residential neighbors as a result of Waymo's current operation of the lots," a letter written on the group's behalf stated. "It simply is not acceptable that residents should be forced to endure sleepless nights in their homes." According to the city's court papers, residents are disturbed by Waymo lot workers talking in the middle of the night as well as the sounds of the Waymo vehicles, which the city contends "echo off buildings along the alleys like a canyon." Although the alleged nuisances have cost residents the peace and quiet enjoyment of their homes, repeated requests from the city to abate the problem have been rejected, the city alleged. In a sworn declaration, resident Paula Achter, who works from home, said she had to adjust her sleeping habits and do her job from a different location in her apartment due to the noise from the Waymo vehicles passing by her building. She further said that humans are not the only ones being bothered. "I used to hear birds singing in the morning from my apartment,” 69-year-old Achter said. "I've noticed I don't hear them anymore. I believe that they have nested elsewhere due to the Waymo frequency." Victoria Benchuk, a single mother of a 5-year-old son with autism, said in her declaration that the Waymo lot near her building opened a few months after she and her boy moved into their apartment in October 2024. "When there are multiple Waymos stopped in the alley, the noise from the motors, the beeping and the people talking and working in the Waymos lot wake up my son two to four nights a week and he has trouble getting back to sleep," Benchuk said. "I often have to bring my son into the living room where I sleep to help him settle back down." Benchuk further said her son did not have the same sleeping issues before the Waymo lot opened or when they lived in their prior apartment. In its own lawsuit filed against the city, Waymo denies a public nuisance existed and contended the company hired more staff, implemented software updates to reduce noise levels and frequencies, installed light and noise barriers and modified "vehicle behaviors" in the area. "These changes resulted in a material decrease in noise and light levels during Waymo's overnight operations and traffic congestion in the surrounding areas was reduced," according to the Waymo suit. Waymo also contended that the nuisance was actually created by local residents' interference with the company's operations during the relevant hours. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments [Image text:] Ride today 174 Ridetodo