Marblehead Gas-Powered Leaf Blower Ban Passes At Town Meeting

MARBLEHEAD, MA — A gas-powered leaf blower ban more than a half-decade in the making will finally go into effect in Marblehead on June 1.

The ban, which had been proposed at town meetings five previous times to no avail, passed on a vote of 254 to 202 on the second night of the 2022 annual town meeting on Tuesday.

The vote followed about 40 minutes of often contentious debate.

The ban was originally set to run from June 15 to Oct. 15 but was amended at the town meeting to run from Memorial Dy to Labor Day.

Proponents of the ban argued that leaf blowers — while acknowledging they are beneficial to landscapers — are loud, cause air pollution during the stagnant summer months and are not necessary during the months of June, July and August when they are largely used to blow mowed grass from properties and not collect leaves.

Those opposing the ban argued that landscapers would have to buy different equipment compared to that which is allowed in other North Shore communities and that the ban could lead to efforts to ban gas lawnmowers, gas weed-whackers and other oft-used summer landscaping tools.

In a far more cordial article, the transfer of an unused lot on Green and Beacon streets from the School Department to the town so it can be turned into a new bike park was passed by what was deemed a unanimous vote.

Proponents amended the article to indicate the bike park area would be turned back over to the town after five years or if there was deemed to be a need for alternative use of the town.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)