Gas-Powered Leaf Blower Ban Proposed In Morristown

MORRISTOWN, NJ — It's a battle against leaf blowers.

A petition launched by council member Stefan Armington calls on Morristown to take a stand and take action on a contributor to local pollutants and resident headaches: gas-powered leaf blowers.

Armington has launched a new petition drive to force a referendum on gas-powered leaf blowers in November, with the goal of prohibiting their use from January to September.

Morristown adopted the NJDEP's model noise ordinance in 2021, which establishes maximum allowable decibel levels during the day and night, ensuring residents' right to live in peace.

The ordinance was passed unanimously.

"Unfortunately, the town has been unable or unwilling to educate the public about the noise ordinance or enforce the laws on noise from landscape equipment during the day," Armington said.

The problem was exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many professional workers began working from home.

Armington stated that this is when he realized that daytime noise levels from landscaping equipment, particularly gas-powered leaf blowers, are a major source of nuisance noise.

"We also acknowledged that spouses and children who do not work in offices during the day have always had to live with excessive noise," Armington said.

Some residents have complained about noise in the town over the years, but the administration has argued that it is nearly impossible to enforce the noise ordinance.

The Morristown Council proposed a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers last summer, which would explicitly prohibit their use during the summer months, but the ban was ultimately defeated.

• Read more: Leaf Blower Ban Rejected By Morristown Council

At the time, councilman Nathan Umbriac claimed that landscaping companies would cease doing business in Morristown if they could not use gas leaf blowers.

Other council members also raised concerns about the proposed ban, saying that many Morristown residents and small landscapers simply cannot afford a new electric blower in today's economy.

"During the 12 years that I have served the residents of Morristown, the Town Council has led the state in progressive initiatives that improve the quality of life for residents and preserve public health and welfare," Armington told Patch. "The Council’s current unwillingness to address excessive noise puts the town at the opposite end of progressive government. As such, we have been forced to bypass Council action and appeal directly to the residents of Morristown."

Morristown's proposed ban was similar to that of neighboring municipalities, which have already banned gas-powered blowers. Princeton recently passed legislation prohibiting the use of gas leaf blowers until October, when the ban will be lifted for two months during peak fall foliage.

According to Armington, the town administration recently confirmed that they do not enforce the noise ordinance on gas-powered blowers because they do not want to pit neighbors against neighbors.

"Unfortunately, there is already animosity between neighbors that use gas blowers or their weekly contractors and their neighbors, who have no choice but to accept the nuisance," Armington said.

Residents who want to sign up can contact Armington here. The councilman claims he and his team have collected 300 of the 500 signatures required to get their question on the November ballot.

The question reads as follows:

"Shall the Gas-Powered Leaf Blower Reform Ordinance, duly submitted by petition to the Town of Morristown, which includes, among other provisions, (a) the prohibition on the use of gas-powered leaf blowers during the period of Jan. 1 through Sept. 30 of each year commencing on Jan. 1, 2024, be approved?"

According to the councilman, the petition has received a positive response, with most people who do not own gas blowers supporting the effort.

Landscape contractors are generally reluctant to sign the petition, fearing that changes in regulations will raise their costs, which is a reasonable expectation, Armington said. "The hardest part is finding people at home and not bothering them to open the doors."