Following years of stop-and-go community efforts, New Canaan’s legislative body last week passed a summertime ban on gas-powered leaf blowers.
The Town Council voted 8-4 in favor of the ban, with a handful of exemptions, during its May 20 meeting.
Under the new ordinance—whose full text can be read here under “Exhibit A” (scroll down)—gas-powered leaf blowers will be banned from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Exemptions include using gas-powered leaf blowers for emergency and safety purposes, for storm clean-up, by the New Canaan Department of Public Works and “use by residents on hard or man-made surfaces.”
Violation of the ordinance will result in a warning on first offense, $100 fine on second offense and fine of at least $250 after that, under the language developed over several months by the Town Council’s Bylaws and Ordinance Committee.
Just how a violation will be reported and addressed wasn’t immediately clear—under the Town Charter, the noise ordinance is enforceable by police—a concern raised by Council member Eric Thunem, one of four “no” votes.
“I believe the ordinance as drafted is over-reaching and fails to recognize the burden that will be imposed upon many resident taxpayers who will see increased costs from landscaping companies providing them with services,” Thunem said at the meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference.
He continued: “The proposed exceptions are minimally defined and leave much room for interpretation. For example the terms ’emergency or safety purposes’ or ‘storm cleanup’ are vague and subject to broad interpretation. The exception proposed for the Department of Public Works should instead be ‘for use by town employees on public and/or town property.’ And ‘institutional organizations with large non-residential acreage including hospitals, schools, places of worship, cemeteries and graveyards, golf courses and other athletic fields’ should be exempted from any such proposed ordinance. With respect to violation of the ordinance, penalties, fines and enforcement, I believe the enforcement of the ordinance will be difficult, as hiring sufficient personnel to police the ordinance may present certain challenges.”
Thunem predicted that the new ordinance will “pit neighbor against neighbor, and result in many calls to the New Canaan Police Department, overtaxing their department.”
“The Town Council has received emails supporting this proposed ordinance from less than 2% of the town’s residents,” he continued. “We have not heard from thousands of taxpayers, so perhaps it makes sense that the proposal goes to a referendum. Further, the predominant complaint has been about noise from gas-powered leaf blowers and I believe a new GPLB ordinance is unnecessary, if we were to amend and enforce the existing noise ordinance. We can do better and we should hesitate in creating a new law that impacts 100% of our residents at the request of 2% of those residents.”
Thunem, Town Council Chair Mike Mauro and members Maria Naughton and Penny Young voted against the ordinance, while Vice Chairs Hilary Ormond and Janet Fonss and members Kimberly Norton, Mike Rodgers, Heather Russell, Lina Lee, Jennifer Zonis and Cristina A. Ross voted in favor.
Fonss said that the ordinance “comes down to health and wellness, and a lot of New Canaanites are angry because they can’t go about their daily life without the constant drone of leaf blowers, and the noise that comes out of them.”
“People are working from home nowadays, they can’t get on Zoom and listen and do their work,” she said during the elected body’s discussion. “And I get what everyone is saying—people have said it’s ‘un-American.’ What I think is un-American is not being able to enjoy your property in peace. I liken it to smoking—your body, your rights—but when you intrude on my rights to a peaceful environment, that’s where I draw the line. So I think this a reasonable approach and it’s only a summertime ban. It’s not a permanent ban.”
During a public hearing before the Town Council’s own discussion and vote, several residents spoke in favor of the ban.
Bob Papscoe of Thurton Drive said, “I think the noise is horrendous and if there’s a substitute for it I think it’s great you are banning it,” adding that he wants the restrictions extended into the noisy “spring cleanup” period before Memorial Day. (Two speakers representing a large property on Weed Street spoke in favor of extending the leaf blower ban exemption given to parks and school properties to 20-acre-plus residential parcels, as well.)
The town began to consider a possible ban or restrictions on gas-powered leaf blowers at least four years ago, and the issue returned with force last summer. Those in favor have argued for more quiet in the summer and cited environmental and public health benefits of reducing the use of noisy gas-powered leaf blowers. Skeptics of a ban have raised questions about unintended financial consequences, including higher costs for landscaping companies that will be passed along to taxpaying residents, as well as compliance, enforcement and shortcomings of electric leaf blowers.
Mauro praised Ormond for “phenomenal work” in leading the Committee that took public comment and drafted the proposed ordinance.
“Hilary is an attorney and really had a wonderful career in law, so there really is no better person to me that’s kind of captaining the ship on that,” Mauro said. “It’s tough work legally, number one. Number two, just diplomatically just trying to balance a lot of different competing interests, a lot of passion. So it’s a tough project balancing not just interest from the public but on the Town Council itself, because we do all respect each other. It does get heated at times but we are colleagues and we do respect each other’s input and concerns.”
The leaf blower ordinance that just passed is, unfortunately, little more than a symbolic gesture and one that raises more questions than it answers. It’s a policy built on contradictions.
The ordinance claims in Section 1 that one of its goals is the “protection and promotion of public health.” If that is truly the case, why does it explicitly allow town employees to continue using gas‑powered blowers? Are we to believe that the health risks disappear when the equipment is operated by municipal staff? Does the Town Council not care about the health of it’s employees?
The timing is equally unreasonable. With the law taking effect on June 1, landscapers are given essentially no time to adapt. Are small businesses expected to purchase expensive new equipment this week so they can comply by next Monday? That is not thoughtful policymaking. It’s an unrealistic mandate imposed without regard for cost or feasibility.
Residents deserve policies that are coherent, consistent, and grounded in practical reality. This ordinance does not meet that standard.
This is fantastic news!! Thank you!
I agree the noise is deafening but have pity on your landscapers. They will be working more hours with less clients per day . . And therefore less money per day.
You may have a cocktail at the end of the day, as we do, but you may find your lawn service will still be raking up your
lawn clippings. Scratch scratch at 6pm is not the answer.
.
Thank You Fanny !
Health? Joking here. Delivery trucks in the center of town daily keeping their engines on spewing diet fumes. Dirty school bus engines spewing emissions, diesel construction vehicles spewing black fumes into the atmosphere.
Fairfield county has some of the dirtiest air in the nation and you think this autocratic dictorial control will change that?
George Orwell’s 1984 is upon us. Time for referendums. Are we going to shoot the noisy blackbirds next so the 2% can sit on their decks and meditate in silence? Better take my sports car out of sport mode – might case a noise complaint.
What’s next? A ban on Smokey barbecues, fireplaces!
Roy , at the last town council meeting you stated that the leaf blower discussion was above your pay grade and weren’t going to participate in the discussion. You’ve had plenty of opportunities to voice your opinion. Why are you just starting now ?
I do not hold a certificate in gas powered leaf blower effects on the environment and people’s psyches, Do you ? At that time there was a proposal for exclusions. Reading the passed resolution it becomes aware that the statue goes beyond common sense: my concerns are:
I live in a 4 acre zone – no need to ban landscapers in this area. In 4 acre zone I see no differience in loud decibel levels traveling from property to property in this zone. I get the area in town on one and 2 acre lots where different landscapers are used.
The exclusion to town employees is technically discriminatory and another example of town hall self dealing.
I am appalled of police involvement and making this a crime that will appear on a criminal record search. The next station to Totalitarianism not heaven.
Potential neighbor ratting each other out. Not good.
False innuendo on air pollution affects without established scientific evidence.
Another example of the few restricting the lives of the majority.
This should be on a referendum ballot not decided by a close vote by the majority of TC members who know nothing nor studied the affects of gas blowers v battery powered blowers.
If you are so concerned on pollution, why no concern on multiple idling trucks each day in the town center? Dirty black smoke spewing school buses?
Over use of salt in the northern part of town with well water? Etc etc etc
By the way I have battery powered leaf blowers, no gas powered and they are as noisy as any gas powered blower. Neighbor blowing leaves never bothered me, just as flying jet noise, motorcycle noise, crying babies, loud laughter etc does not.
The ordinance has over reached anything I expected. Reading a intrusive ordinance on our constituents rights is not above my pay grade as you say, but I have no experience in the science – just as you don’t
Thank you
Not sure why you just assume that no evidence was considered here. It’s not hard to look this stuff up. You also assume that supporters are not concerned with emissions from other sources like trucks and school buses. The state has been considering electric bus programs for a couple years now and many towns have successfully adopted them. Many are working to bring this to New Canaan. People are very concerned about health issues related to emissions…this is just a start.
There’s lots of evidence and data to back up the impact of gas powered blowers. If you want to share an opinion, make it informed by reading a bit. Better yet, read a lot. As the previous commenter noted, there’s tons of data available on this topic and presentations by experts and doctors were presented at various public town meetings.
What should be the number one issue
in town today? Gas powered equipment
or someone building a 102 unit monstrosity next door to you.
In a few years all equipment will probably be electric , I have both. But a 102
Unit building will be there for the next
70 to 80 yrs. I hope the TC is actively
Working on what the majority of town
people want. I really think we can live with
gas blower for a while longer but not building that are forced on us.
Affordable housing yes but not Weed St
AMEN- THIS is the most important issue in our community. Funny how Karp is willing to develop our town and he doesnt live here. Traffic, parking and schools will be dramatically affected. Large Muti family housing units – that are by no means “affordable” id not why I moved here. you watch the spiral of house values, pressures on municipal resources esp schools and then school rankings. Karp played you all.
False equivalency guys. It’s not either or. There’s tons of info about health effects of exhaust, hence emissions controls, just a shame there isn’t any on these. Cancer, asthma, heart disease etc&etc For info on gas leaf blowers specifically please read Mt. Sinai’s link at the bottom*
Yes all machinery needs better pollution controls but these little two-stroke noise blasters produce crazily outsized amounts.
These businesses like all others will adapt as all businesses must do. The demand for good landscape care is unabated.
*Mt Sinai: https://www.rilegislature.gov/senators/SenateComDocs/Environment%20and%20Agriculture/S0641%20Bonnie%20Sager.pdf?fbclid=IwZnRzaASFA8VleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeTGqo5zVt_-i3cdfefxgzvi73pRQHUzAiTFohMHtsy0jLDhRJQvRfLEENOvs_aem_hOd34qX_W7009rP2NknlXw
No leaf blowers at all? While most everyone feels they are too loud this tax payer still likes the job they do and feels a compromise can be reached. Restrict hours- 9-4 for example. Next to NO NOTICE given to landscapers is not fair or nice and why should municipal workers get to use them?
I say restrict weekday hours and NONE allowed on weekends. I work from home and am happy to shut my windows for a brief time. Referendum please !
Robert Cook, I totally agree. This ban was not thought out, and more importantly did not give the people of New Canaan a say in the matter.
And the gleeful reaction from some people makes me think it’s not
About noise but an agenda. Are we now going to pit one neighbor
against another if one uses a gas blower? Do you turn in your neighbor?
Will the police be called to referee…? And of course the workers
will now have to buy electric blowers , and work longer hours to finish
their work. A thought for your fellow man who isn’t into ecology , saving the Planet, and the like. Yes, those blowers are horrible, but limit the
hours or days. Lets get government out of our backyards.
What “agenda” do you speak of? Is it necessary to paint an eco-minded ordinance as some sort of perverse policy? Wouldn’t passing restrictions on harmful machinery that pollute the air and have adverse effects on our respiratory health be nonpartisan? Don’t all living things, regardless of party affiliation, deserve to live in safe and clean environments? As for my “fellow man who isn’t into saving the planet”…I don’t know how a human couldn’t be concerned if not alarmed! This is the only planet we have. If we screw this up, there’s no plan B.
Honestly, there’s plenty of data out there on how detrimental fossil fuels are to our environment. These gas powered leaf blowers are among the worst offenders. Good thing there are electric leaf blowers that work just as well without the pollution!
This is the kind of issue that would benefit from a public referendum.
Thank you to the Town Council and to everyone who came out in support of the new leaf blower ordinance. This issue has been discussed openly and extensively through letters to the editor, emails to council members, public meetings, and countless community coffee hours and conversations.
No one can say there was a lack of opportunity for public input. One council member stated that Town Council had received more emails on the leaf blower issue than on any other issue during her four years on the council. With a majority in favor.
People spoke up, and there was healthy debate over a countless number of official meetings. Ultimately, a decision was made (8 – 4) that reflected the views of a majority of residents who supported seasonal restrictions on commercial gas-powered leaf blowers.
Those opposing the ordinance have been quick to complain, failing to read the room and without any any workable solutions to address peoples concerns about noise, air pollution, and ultimately quality of life. The ordinance is a balanced compromise — allowing electric equipment year-round while limiting the loudest and most polluting gas-powered blowers during the months when families spend the most time outdoors.
Yes, there are other pressing issues facing town government, but thankfully we can now put this one in the books and move ahead.
The town needs an overall noise ordinance, not one that only targets leaf blowers. NC isn’t the only community struggling with this issue, and manufacturers will likely develop products that are quieter. If someday a gas-powered leaf blower is as quiet as an electric one, will the gas one still be banned?
What about other sources of noise like sports cars and motorcycles that zoom up and down roads like 123 and 124? Has anyone been on one of those streets during the morning of a Caffeine and Carburetors event as sports cars of all types are headed to the show? Talk about noise!
If we are going to try to limit noise, it should focused on the level of decibels that reach neighboring properties. If the problem is noise, then the solution should be based on a measurement of noise. It should not be focused on a single product category like leaf blowers because there are lots of different sources of noise.
This regulation is overdue. I’d hope the town would be co-ordinating with other towns that have these regulations in place. Westport, Greenwich and Norwalk have similar regulations. The state may increase fines for defective or unlawful exhaust systems t on vehicles to $1000 that are public nuisances, so issues of public health and safety should be high priorities.
No bill is perfect, but this is a step in the right direction to a quieter and cleaner New Canaan.
Yea! We are PROTECTING the landscaper employees’ health — their brains, their hearts, their lungs and their hearing; we are reducing pollutants in our air, and we are restoring peace and quiet. Leaves are not evil; they are nature’s fertilizer; use a mulching mower, electric I hope, and the leaves, precious few until September or later, will fertilize your lawn.
Finally, someone with some sense! Totally agree. Leave the leaves!
What about town employees? Do you not care about their health?
Richard Condon, are you saying you care about town employee’s health? Landscapers’ health?
I’m going to try to post my comment again. Not sure why it didn’t post 5 hours ago. I guess the comments sections here are a bit of an old boys’ club? Time to let women take the reigns here, gents.
I’m glad this ordinance passed. I was worried it wouldn’t because those with antiquated world views were awfully vocal at how opposed they were to this ordinance. That to me is a real head scratcher- why continue using dirty fossil fuel-dependent blowers when we have better, cleaner electric technology?
My hope is that this gas leaf blower ordinance will extend to a year round ban. The fall is when the most pollution occurs from these dreadful contraptions. My main issue with gas powered leaf blowers is the destruction they do to our environment and air quality. This well documented data has been around for decades. Yes, the noise is also a nuisance, but the issue at hand is, these machines are a danger to our community.
How long are we going to keep lying to ourselves that we don’t contribute to the climate crisis? Banning these leaf blowers is the bare minimum we as a community can do. For all of those townspeople suddenly concerned with the plight of landscapers, did you ever think how these people are bearing the brunt of this toxic pollution? They’re standing mere inches from gases that wreak havoc on respiratory health. And they probably don’t have health insurance and cushy benefits like you all.
When we know better, we should do better. This is the first step we can take as a community on the precipice of the climate tipping point. I encourage everyone so adamantly in favor of gas leaf blowers, ask yourselves: will it really matter if every single leaf is removed from your pristine lawns, every shrub perfectly manicured, every petal in place, if the environment is no longer able to sustain life on this Earth?
You must have missed the NY Times article last week. Even scientists are backing off on their dire predictions regarding global warming.
“In this latest update, the researchers abandoned a dire — and often criticized — high-emissions scenario known as RCP8.5 that has been prominently cited in thousands of climate studies over the past decade. The authors said the scenario was now “implausible” given recent energy trends”
I am delighted! I hate it when I’m outside enjoying my patio or porch, and end up going back inside because one neighbor or another has those excruciatingly loud gas blowers going. Hallelujah!
I’ll sill be using my gas blowers thank you
👍🇺🇸
Please sign the referendum petition. You can sign at the garden center at weed and dureya . Let the people vote, not 8 TC members persuaded by 2% of New Canaanites. Time to stop the autocracy and have our voices heard. The nerve involving the police department and placing tattle tale neighbors against neighbors. That is not the behavior we moved here for. First parking meters that destroyed retail, now police enforced gas leaf blower ban. What is next? Out this to a vote by all the people!
I am delighted. I see so many landscapers using gas leaf blowers SO excessively, half the time it wouldn’t make any difference to their time if they just used a sweeper or a rake. This is a step in the right direction.
I want to extend my sincere thanks to the New Canaan Town Council for passing the recent leaf blower ban.
Beyond the obvious reduction in noise pollution, this decision is a massive win for our community’s quality of life and the environment. I am eager to finally sit outside this season and truly enjoy the outdoors in peace.
Thank you, Town Council, for listening to the community and restoring some hard-earned quiet to New Canaan.
The ban begins this Monday, yet it’s still unclear which New Canaan government body is actually responsible for implementing and enforcing this new policy. Will homeowners receive any official notice at all? And what about landscapers? Is the assumption that every landscaping crew in town reads The New Canaanite and now has just a few days to rush to Home Depot to buy expensive electric equipment? That’s not a rollout plan.
This is Norwalk’s leaf blower law:
https://www.norwalkct.gov/3697/Norwalks-Leaf-Blower-Ordinance-Informati
Westport: https://www.westportct.gov/Home/Components/News/News/10207/35
Greenwich: https://www.greenwichct.gov/2596/Noise-Ordinance-Education—Leaf-Blower
Gas-powered leaf blowers impose significant negative externalities on surrounding neighborhoods through excessive noise, air pollution, and repeated disruption of public quiet enjoyment. While property owners have rights to maintain their property, those rights are not unlimited when their activities materially affect others’ health, comfort, and quality of life. Local governments have long exercised legitimate authority to regulate nuisances such as noise, smoke, and pollution in order to balance competing property interests and protect community welfare.
Modern battery-powered alternatives now provide practical substitutes with dramatically lower noise and emissions. A reasonable restriction on gas-powered leaf blowers does not eliminate landscaping activity or property maintenance; it simply establishes updated standards that better reflect contemporary public health, environmental, and neighborhood quality-of-life concerns.
The ban should apply only to commercial landscapers – anecdotal evidence suggests that the vast majority of residents have their lawns serviced by these outfits. Private homeowners should be able to choose their method of lawn maintenance and are more cognizant of neighbors when to use such equipment. BTW – I am watching one commercial landscaping outfit fire up their blowers as I write this.
LeafBlowerVote.com