Wauwatosa committee supports allowing on-site dry cleaning, as requested by Westwood

As Westwood Dry Cleaners seeks to move next door to the former City Market building on North Avenue, it is running up against Wauwatosa code that now prohibits on-site dry cleaners from opening in the city's general commercial districts.

While Westwood and other dry cleaners have been grandfathered in and allowed to continue their operations, they are not able to move or expand. Dong Sin, owner of Westwood Dry Cleaning at 8731 W. North Ave., has said he was unaware of the prohibition when he bought the City Market building.

The Wauwatosa community affairs committee approved a code change Tuesday, May 12, that would allow on-site dry cleaning in general commercial districts if certain conditions were met, as recommended by Sin's attorney Brian Randall. The common council will consider the change May 19.

If the code change gets final approval, Westwood and any other interested business would also need to get a conditional permit to do business at their specific sites.

Residents raise contamination concerns

Some residents at the community affairs meeting said they were concerned about the potential for Westwood's business to cause contamination at the site with solvents like perchloroethylene (known as "perc" or "PCE"). The Environmental Protection Agency has classified perchloroethylene as a carcinogen but allows it at certain levels.

"The risk of this type of dry cleaning is real; it is not a maybe," resident Sarah Lerand said. "PCE is released from these machines, even if at low levels. Why would we go backward and change an ordinance to have detrimental effects to the environment?"

According to the state Department of Natural Resources, soil contamination from perchloroethylene was found at Westwood in 2008. Randall said the contamination was left by a previous owner but the Sins are helping to fund environmental investigation at the property and will remediate the site.

Randall acknowledged the impossibility of eliminating all risk of contamination moving forward, but noted that standards by the Environmental Protection Agency have toughened and technology has improved.

"The industry has changed," Randall said. "The exposure risk has been narrowed. Sure, there's always risk, but with the right safety protocols that risk is minimized."

Randall suggested some requirements to include in the city code for on-site dry cleaners to minimize risk.

As passed by the community affairs committee, the code would require dry cleaners to have pollution insurance to cover investigation and remediation costs if there is a spill of perchloroethylene. Dry cleaners would also have to participate in the state Five Star Environmental Recognition Program, use dry-to-dry cleaning technology and spill containment technology, and keep machine doors closed except when loading and unloading. They must maintain records of perchloroethylene consumption, and store it in non-leaking containers.

Some say ordinance change good for business

Some residents at the meeting spoke in support of Westwood, saying the Sins have been responsible business owners.

"Every time I go into the cleaner, they are the friendliest people I've ever met and they're just trying to run a business," Marc Gall said. "I am here to support them and their family and their dream to run a business in this country."

Although the code change could allow for other business to open on-site dry cleaning operations in other areas of the city, Alderwoman Cheryl Berdan said she didn't expect the change to lead to proliferation of the industry in Wauwatosa.

"I do not believe changing this is going to bring in a glut of dry cleaners who are just waiting to get into Wauwatosa," Berdan said. "It's a difficult business to get into, and highly regulated. I don't believe it is going to be an issue."

Aldermen Tim Hanson, Craig Wilson and Jason Walsh joined Berdan in supporting the change. Aldermen Matt Stippich, Allison Byrne and Bobby Pantuso voted against it.