Leaf blowers: Westporters love ’em when they make our lawns look neat.
We hate ’em when they make our neighbors’ lawns look neat.
They’re an efficient way for lawn crews to work. But they are very environmentally unfriendly.
All those ideas have been debated before, nationally and locally.
Westport’s Representative Town Meeting had a first reading of a proposed leaf ordinance — not the first one ever proposed here — earlier. Another reading (now that revisions have been made) is set for the September 6 meeting.
Among the draft’s key proposals:
- Electric-powered leaf blowers would be permitted all year.
- Gas-powered leaf blowers would be permitted only from March 15 through April 30, and October 15 through December 31.
- No leaf blowers of any type could be used before 8 a.m., after 5 p.m. or on any state or federal holiday.
- Exceptions could be made for storm clean-up operations.
- The ordinance would also not apply to leaf blowers on town-owned property, or publicly or privately owned golf courses.
The Conservation Department would be in charge of enforcement. After warnings, they could assess fines of $100 for the first violation, and $249 for each subsequent violation.
Following Tuesday’s reading at the RTM meeting, it will go back to committee. A vote could be taken in October. If passed it would become effective on March 15, 2023.
(Other items on Tuesday’s RTM agenda include an appropriation of $237,000 for drainage on the Longshore golf course greens; an appropriation of $313,500.00 for a traffic study of the “Cross Highway School Zone” between North Avenue and Bayberry Lane, and the establishment of a Long Lots Elementary School renovation building committee.)
(Like fallen leaves, “06880” covers all of Westport. Please click here to help support your local blog)
Cool, so when I get home from work in the summer I can use my large, loud mower to cut my grass at any time, but, I can’t even use an electric blower to clean up after 5pm? Also, what legal action or authority does conservation have? Who gets the fine, the property owner or the one with the blower in their hand? How will they be identified if they don’t have an ID? Lastly, who is going to pay for me to buy an electric one? Not everyone is so privileged in town.
Why not use a rake to clean up?
What a mind numbingly stupid “ordinance.”The town and private golf courses can ruin a neighborhood, a state or federal holiday, wake folks up early in the morning and blow into the night, but the people whom they serve, who pay their fuck… salaries cannot.
What a wonderful concept.
I like the leaf blower ordinance-it’s good for the environment and our hearing!
We used to rake the leaves up to the road, on North Maple Avenue, and burn them. Of coarse that was 1956-ish.
Thumbs up on the proposed leaf blower ordinance. Unfortunately, these machines have been abused to the point where legislative leadership appears necessary. On that note, a big thumbs down to the town for cynically exempting itself from the ordinance. That sends a clear message which, to be polite, is the opposite of leadership.
Nodding head to some iteration of leaf ordinance though penalizing residents who work outside of the home and only giving 5 months to change over equipment- yet the town gets a pass to continue on, is ridiculous.
I’d be worried about the exception for town-owned properties, but I’ve seen no evidence that leaf blowers are regularly used on any of them. The pattern seems to be – town-owned property is left to rot -> someone sends a photo to 06880 -> the town sends someone out to do the maintenance they’ve been neglecting for months -> rinse and repeat.
That said, noise pollution is a huge issue in Westport and this is a great first step to controlling it. But it’s only a first step. WPD needs to enforce muffler requirements, which are being flouted badly. (They won’t, because WPD doesn’t do traffic enforcement, just photo ops.) There are actually traffic-camera-like devices that can detect and automatically ticket muffler violators. We should also limit the use of gasoline-powered lawn mowers to those hours. And frankly, I see no reason why hired-out landscapers should be permitted to work on weekends at all. I totally understand residents who do their own landscaping and work during the week have no time but the weekends to do so, but professional landscapers?
Have ya’ been by Longshore in the fall, Richard…days and days of blowing…often at 5a.m.
Consumer Reports just put out a report on how an electric car will save you ,money over a gas car. It’s also obvious to me that electric lawn equipment will not only save money but improve the quality of everyone’s life. Less noise pollution, less air pollution, less cost. Everyone in town would benefit from electric lawn tools and we would not be having this discussion if it was FREE to convert to electric lawn tools. What isn’t acknowledged is the HUGE price we pay for not doing so. Those that own gas tools don’t want anything to change and those that pay to get their lawns manicured simply don’t care.
PS- since I work from home (like many since the pandemic) these new rules do absolutely nothing for me and only add insult to injury.
Been waiting for such a ordinance for a long time! The noise level and pollution has ruined many a quiet day or evening. Don’t know why the town gets a pass on this? Someone please explain!
How about the town pass another ordinance to make a property owner responsible for trees on their property that fall on a neighbors property and the neighbor has the cost of cleanup or worse yet pay for damages this neglect has caused. Makes no sense right?!
$313,500 for a traffic study.??? You kidding? Why would a study be done on this area anyway. These kids don’t walk to school. Between North Av and Bayberry along Cross Hwy?! I’ll count cars for a month for half that cost!!!
This is ridiculous. If you work until 5:00, come home and cut the lawn, you can’t use your blower afterwards??? And what happens if I need to blow between Apr and Oct. Can’t do it??? Whaaaaaat?
Why not use a rake to clean up?
I’m in complete favor of helping noise control and the environment, but this ordinance seems rather arbitrary – not to mention very costly for folks who are already trying to make ends meet (buy a new type of leaf blower and/or pay your landscapers more so they can replace their equipment, buy extra batteries, etc.). There are so many things contributing to ‘noise’ pollution and environmental pollution. For example, all those cars that sit idling in front of all the schools, every day – literally where all the children are breathing in the fumes. Why is that okay when there’s a perfectly viable solution (buses – the buses that are going there anyway, but half empty, the buses everyone’s taxes are already paying for). Instead, anyone who doesn’t have landscapers and who works a 9-5 job can no longer do their own leaf / lawn blowing during the week. Now they’ll all have to do it on the weekend (which is sure to annoy people more….I think??). Electric blowers are still noisy and they’re not as powerful as gas blowers, so you either need to have it on much longer or have many more people at the same time to make it time-efficient. I have an electric blower. I use it. It’s not nearly as powerful (and, we bought a ‘powerful’ one) as the gas ones our landscapers use – so, I need to have it on much longer than when they use the gas blowers. It’s still not quiet, and I’m sure it’s annoying to the neighbors (heck, I find the noise annoying myself, but I also find tracking grass and leaves into the house annoying and slippery leaves are not safe). Let’s not create more arbitrary rules and, instead, find a different way to help reduce noise and air pollution – one that won’t disproportionately hurt the pockets of people trying to make ends meet.
I’m not really sure why blowers are necessary at all. Whatever happened to raking/sweeping, etc.?
It’s good that the RTM persists in its efforts to curb pollution, encourage use of healthier technology, and address residents’ health and quality of life needs.
It’s discouraging that town facilities’ managers can neither adopt more efficient nor healthier practices for town residents and employees. This backwardness will damage Westporters’ need for healthy recreation in both the short and long term.
There is little more precious than health. Those reluctant to stop using highly polluting equipment are exacting a huge expense from we whom they affect.
This is a great ordinance. Many Westporters fully support efforts to find a better balance to the ever-increasing assault on our senses from unregulated leaf blowers. Thank you to all RTM members and Westporters who worked so hard to bring this ordinance before the full RTM. On a related note….once this ordinance is passed, can someone on the RTM and/or P&Z please address the growing problem of sign pollution? Unregulated noise from leaf blowers combined with the ever-increasing visual assault of massive ‘temporary’ signs – constantly interrupting views of our parks, the river, historic structures and scenic residential streets – clearly take away from the unique beauty of Westport. Thanks again.
We might ALSO give some thought about noise control on muffler modified and straight pipe cars and motorcycles! They may sound soo cool to the owners but not for more considerate citizens!
Do our police have any ticketing authority??
It’s time someone cut through the BS. No power equipment electric, gas or otherwise will be sold to any person who does not have a BMI of 20 or less. All others (probably over 70% of all Westporters) must use manually actuated and propelled equipment). The dividends will be paid in the form of longer life spans, reduced healthcare costs and improved aesthetics on the beach and around town. Of course, as my father used to say: “a fart in’ mule never tires” but what’s a little methane between friends.
Didn’t the farts ruin our ozone layer, Buck? I use to mow our lawn and it took me two days. Now? $45.00 for a very thoughtful crew of Latinos take 20 minutes. But as you will not below, no blow jobs of that nature here.
I told my landscaper no mas. I go out after he leaves and rake/sweep the small particles of grass off the asphalt sections. Greenwich and Ridgefield have had ordinances mandating only leaf blowers on two days a week and New Canaan just passed only electric blowers. Who wants to retire here and listen to the deafening noise pollution from April through October nearly every day?
Why is the Town of Westport off the hook. Just a continuation of their abuses. Dumping of contaminated soil at Barons South, Filling of Tidal Wetlands at Riverside Park, illegal signs at Compo.
Just like the US Congress. ” you all do what we tell you, we do what we want.”
let us return to raking lifercise, out in the sun and air, with the children, and use those leaves to make compost for food security gardens!?
Big brother – Union of Westport Socialist Representatives (UWSR) telling us what is best for us.
Are you going to have to move again?
The German government has warned against the use of leaf blowers over concerns for insects and the environment.
Germany’s Ministry for the Environment said leaf blowers were too loud, polluted the air and posed a fatal threat to insects.
The ministry issued the guidance in response to a request by a Green MP.
Leaf blowers should not be used unless they are “indispensable”, the ministry said.
I’m guessing you don’t take to sarcasm very well… my comment was to point out the irony in the negative responses towards this ordinance.
Learn to live and laugh a little next time mate.
“Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit but the highest form of intelligence.” That said, how were the negative comments ironic? Did you expect otherwise in this town where now all the lawns are brown?
Einzeller read the comments above and have fun with the drought!
A great first step to the roars and fumes that float through suburban air. Maybe a next step could be assigned days for mowing in individual neighborhoods. Imagine if the horrific mowing noise only happened near you once or twice a week.
Limiting to those who do their own yard work with have a few acres of land to tend to and limited time.