The Fight To Restrict Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers Heads To Greenwich RTM

GREENWICH, CT — The Greenwich Representative Town Meeting is set to consider an amendment to a town ordinance that would restrict the use of gas-powered leaf blowers.

The agenda item, which will go before the town's legislative body on Oct. 23, was brought forward by Quiet Yards Greenwich (QYG), a community group that has been looking to solve what it says is a community-wide problem of excessive noise and pollution from the popular landscaping equipment.

There have been several attempts over the years from various individuals to limit the use of such blowers in Greenwich.

This past summer, the Greenwich Department of Health rejected QYG's proposed changes to the noise ordinance.

QYG told Patch this week that Director of Health Caroline Baisley advised the group to bring its proposal to the RTM "on grounds that gas leaf blower overuse is a quality of life issue that our elected representatives should have the opportunity to act on."

"This is the third attempt by residents in 30 years to bring reasonable limits to the use of these loud and polluting machines," QYG added. "In fact, hundreds of towns and entire states have taken this step, including 24 communities in our immediate area whose town councils have passed similar limits - some a decade ago."

The proposed amendment would prohibit the use of gas-powered leaf blowers from May 1 through Sept. 30, according to the call for the RTM meeting.

This is different than the proposal considered by the health department, which included a four-year plan to phase out gas-operated leaf blowers on residential lots.

QYG told Patch it crafted the proposal for the warmer months when children are off from school and people want to be outside.

"This time has minimal leaf fall and any summer clean-up can be easily accomplished with a variety of options including electric blowers which can be as cheap as a few hundred dollars and are 50-85 percent quieter on the ear. Our proposal for a May 1 to September 30th break from gas blowers allows landscapers to use their machines the rest of year, including spring and fall clean-ups," QYG said.

"No one likes the noise and carcinogenic fumes from gas blowers. Like smoking in a restaurant, using a gas leaf blower is not confined to what one does at one’s table, or in this case, one’s yard," the group added. "RTM members now have a chance to set a balanced approach that improves the quality of life for their constituents."

According to the town of Greenwich website, gas-powered leaf blowers are regulated by time frame, not noise produced. Gas-powered leaf blowers are allowed from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday and holidays.

In 2022, QYG surveyed over 700 Greenwich residents in every neighborhood about their views on gas-powered leaf blower use.

Explanatory comments associated with next week's agenda item said that 89.6 percent of respondents reported that they'd like to see the use of the equipment reduced, and 62 percent said they wanted to ban gas-powered leaf blowers entirely.

The "modest workable ordinance proposal" was the result of two years of research and interviews with stakeholders, including 75 landscapers, equipment manufacturers and suppliers, town officials, neighborhood associations and other towns, the explanatory comments said.

The comments noted that at 50 feet, the nose from gas-powered leaf blowers exceeds levels deemed safe by national health organizations, as well as Greenwich's own town code.

The Oct. 23 RTM meeting will begin at Central Middle School at 8 p.m. It will also be streamed online via Zoom.