Fall Brings New Leaf Blowing Rules To Somerville

SOMERVILLE, MA — The city council recently passed an ordinance setting guidelines for when and how leaf blowers may be used in Somerville.

Residents and businesses are only allowed to use leaf blowers from March 15 to May 31 and Oct. 1 through Dec. 15, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Leaf blowers may not be used on Sundays or legal holidays.

What does a business need to do to be allowed to use leaf blowers in Somerville?

Lawn care businesses that want to use leaf blowers in Somerville must submit an operation plan to the City’s Inspectional Services Department (ISD) for approval before using leaf blowers.

Operation plans must include:

• A written safety plan.
• An affidavit attesting that all employees have been trained on the provisions of the relevant Code and the Regulations.
• An inventory of all leaf blowing equipment owned and used or to be used by the owner or operator, along with relevant specification sheets showing they comply with EPA emission standards and are rated by the manufacturer to be no greater than 65 decibels.

Starting in early-October, businesses can submit their operations plans through the City’s CitizenServe portal at somervillema.gov/CitizenServe. There is no fee.

Violating the leaf blower ordinance could result in a fine of $300 per violation.