Waymo Santa Monica charging lots banned from overnight operations
Waymo banned from overnight charging in Santa Monica
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.
SANTA MONICA, Calif. - A Santa Monica Superior Court judge has issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting Waymo LLC from operating two Broadway recharging stations overnight, finding that the facilities create an unmitigated public nuisance for nearby residents.
What we know:
Santa Monica Superior Court Judge Bradley S. Phillips ruled Monday that Waymo is prevented from operating its Broadway lots between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. pending trial.
The ruling follows a July 22 hearing on the preliminary injunction sought by the city of Santa Monica and the City Council, with support from Santa Monica for Renters Rights.
"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," Judge Phillips wrote in his final ruling.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
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Residents living near the stations described the nightly disruptions in court papers using terms such as "mini-Las Vegas," "living next door to a spaceship," "a circus" and "a city that never sleeps."
City filings noted that vehicle sounds "echo off buildings along the alleys like a canyon," alongside workers talking late at night.
In a sworn declaration, 69-year-old resident Paula Achter said she had to alter her work location and sleeping habits, noting, "I used to hear birds singing in the morning from my apartment. 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 living near a lot that opened shortly after she moved in October 2024, stated in her declaration that the noise wakes her autistic 5-year-old son two to four nights a week. "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," Benchuk said, adding that she often has to move him to the living room to help him settle down.
Waymo denied that a public nuisance existed in its own lawsuit against the city.
The company stated it hired additional staff, implemented software updates to lower noise levels and frequencies, installed light and noise barriers, and modified vehicle behaviors.
"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," Waymo contended, adding that local residents' interference with operations contributed to the disruptions.
What we don't know:
It's unknown when when the case will proceed to a full trial to determine a permanent resolution.
It's also unclear how the overnight operational ban at the Broadway lots will affect Waymo's service availability or charging logistics in the area.
What they're saying:
In a letter written on behalf of Santa Monica for Renters Rights, the advocacy group expressed strong support for the city's legal action:
"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," the group stated. "It simply is not acceptable that residents should be forced to endure sleepless nights in their homes."
The Source: This report is based on legal filings and official court records from the Santa Monica Superior Court, including the written ruling issued by Judge Bradley S. Philips.