Neighbors want muffler on Lake Zurich auto shop

Neighbors of a Lake Zurich auto repair shop have asked Hawthorn Woods village officials to intervene in hopes of solving noise problems.

Several homeowners in the Lakewood Meadow subdivision irked by "daily noise pollution" from abutting Alpine Automotive in Lake Zurich's industrial park made a plea to Hawthorn Woods trustees this week to resolve the issue. It prompted an e-mail from Mayor Keith Hunt to the Lake Zurich village board requesting action.

The key issue for residents is the "teeth-grinding" noise of repair work conducted outside the auto shop. Neighbors posted video clips of noise recorded from the shop online on YouTube.com.

"We're not trying to put them out of business," said Joe Morrissey, a spokesman for the residents. "Just do the work inside the bays and keep the doors closed. It makes all the difference in the world as far as the sound echoing."

Lake Zurich Village Administrator John Dixon said Alpine Automotive is allowed to repair vehicles outside anywhere on the property.

"On a hot day, they'll leave the doors open, and that's not unusual for an automotive repair type of place," Dixon said. He added the auto shop is not air-conditioned and the owner has agreed to do repairs indoors when feasible weather-wise.

Dixon said any noise from Alpine's outdoor activities is an occasional occurrence and not an ongoing problem.

Lake Zurich village officials said the auto shop has complied with neighbors' requests to adjust lighting and provide adequate landscaping on the property, and limit towing vehicles to the rear of the building at night. They hope to also minimize any nuisance caused by noise.

"It's something that we do intend to monitor and keep trying to work with all the parties concerned, try and make things as peaceable as possible and to take reasonable steps to do that," Lake Zurich Mayor John Tolomei said.

Tolomei said it's a reasonable request for the auto shop to not conduct business outdoors.

Alpine Automotive president Jeff Pahios said neither neighbors nor Lake Zurich officials brought up concerns with any outdoor repair work during the planning process.

"From day one, there was no mention that we would not be able to work with the doors open," he said. "We designed the shop so we could get a breeze running front to back. If the doors are closed, my productivity levels would drop so much because the heat inside the building would be astronomical."

Hunt said the auto shop should spend the money to install air conditioning.

"Every other building in that area has an enclosed rear portion," he said. "They don't conduct any business activities outside. We ask that these folks follow the same protocols and be good neighbors to Hawthorn Woods."

Hunt said Lake Zurich should apply the same standard for noise pollution in this case as with the village's ordinance banning hunting outside village boundaries.

"If guns are too loud for Lake Zurich residents, then impact wrenches are obviously too loud for Hawthorn Woods residents," he said.