Quieting Leaf Blowers - How One City Is Approaching the Issue

Although it may have seemed like it at times, Orinda was not the only Bay Area city with factions committed to eradicating — or at least muzzling — leaf-blower use within city limits.

After months of debate, the Sonoma City Council ruled on the future use of leaf-blowers in a unanimous vote early this year. The result: restrictions, rather than complete prohibition, were placed on the mechanical gardening tool.

Is it working? Sonoma City Council members say time will tell. Others say the council did not go far enough and tighter restrictions remain the only answer. The debate, as you might imagine if you'd followed the local fight against "Satan's Engines," continues unabated.

“This issue will be ongoing with educational materials, notice and outreach to commercial and residential stakeholders," Sonoma Mayor Laurie Gallian said.

But some anti-blower activists in Sonoma, such as Lisa Summers, who has led the local charge against the machines, are concerned that the new rules are not strong enough.

"It’s certainly a step in the right direction, but many of us would still like a total ban," Summers said. "When Councilwoman Joanne Sanders called leaf blowers ‘weapons,’ she hit the nail on the head."

As it stands now, public works employees, contractors and residents must comply with reduced hours and increased noise restrictions when using leaf-blowers within city limits.

Additionally, leaf-blower use will be banned on city holidays and Sundays, and using leaf-blowers to blow debris onto neighboring property will be prohibited. 

“We just need rules, that is the biggest single issue to me: reasonable restrictions on residential leaf-blowers," said Councilman Steven Barbose. The new rules took effect Feb. 1.

Back in October, the council asked the Community Services and Environment Commission to develop a series of recommendations for implementing a leaf-blower ban. 

"It all came down to common courtesy," Commissioner Chris Petlock told the council. "You can’t legislate common courtesy among homeowners.”

After researching the subject and reading a Public Works department memo on the difficulties of operating sans leaf blowers, the commission voted against recommending a complete ban.

"(By banning leaf blowers) the city will impose a hardship to our Public Works Department and our city," said Public Works director Milenka Bates, who estimated a ban on leaf blowers would require an extra $900-$1,200 per day to bring in a manual sweeping unit, or an additional $45,000 to purchase a sweeping machine.

Leaves and other debris must be cleared from public paths because of city liability issues, explained Bates, but clearing this debris manually would take more employee hours and cause service reductions in landscaping, street repair, graffiti removal and other public maintenance activities.

Reduced maintenance of Sonoma's commonly trafficked city parks and properties gave the council pause.

"I recognize also we have to have this plaza looking good," said Barbose. "It is the magnet for this city. It just draws people here and I think everyone sitting up here understands that…we can’t compromise on the plaza.” 

The city sent a letter detailing the new rules and best practices to area landscapers, officials said.

In residential areas, leaf-blower use will be limited from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. City crews will be permitted to work from 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The council lowered the decibels limit for leaf blowers and other gardening power-equipment from 90 decibels to 70.

Several council members suggested that this regulation won't be the end of leaf-blower regulation in Sonoma.

Though Mayor Pro Tem Joanne Sanders ultimately supported the legislation, she said she hoped for stricter regulation: "I do think  (that leaf blowers) are a weapon.”

“I think education needs to be given a chance," said Councilman Ken Brown. "If it doesn’t turn around and things become worse then we can turn around and take a look at it."

Brown said, he has seen a reduction in bad leaf-blowing habits since the council "put a spotlight on it."

Mayor Gallian asked city staff to calculate the costs associated with a complete ban and bring that information to a future council meeting.

"It may seem ridiculous but (this issue is) a big one," said Sanders. "Look at how long we’ve talked about this and we’re really not practically going to be changing much."