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Politics & Government

Council Considers Limited Amendment to Leaf Blower Ordinance

City staff does not recommend rescinding the current ordinance.

Gas-powered leaf blowers might come back into use next month in Los Altos parks, community centers, libraries and commercial districts.

The loud gardening tools were banned in all of Los Altos in June 1991 when residents voted to reduce noise pollution. But Tuesday night, the City Council will consider lifting the ban just enough to permit gas-powered leaf blowers on city properties and commercial districts. For residential properties and sidewalks, gas-powered blowers will remain illegal.

Police find the current ordinance impractical to enforce, said Assistant City Manager James Walgren. If a neighbor calls police to complain about the noise, police will put the complaint as a low priority, he said. When police do go out, they sometimes find the neighbor is using an electric blower, which is legal, he added.

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The council expressed concerns last week that electric leaf blowers require two employees to operate and therefore cost more. Concern arose after a photo showed two city employees operating an electric leaf blower plugged into a gas-powered generator. But Brian McCarthy, maintenance services manager, said the city uses only one employee per electric-leaf blower.

“We don’t use two people to operate the generators and the blowers,” he said. “We stopped last month when we found out about it.”

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McCarthy does not recommend the city amend the current ordinance. “As far as labor savings, there would be only a minimal increase in efficiency in getting areas clean when operating an electric blower versus a portable gas-powered blower,” he wrote in a memo to the council.

In commercial and office districts, and in places such as private schools and religious facilities, McCarthy said the ban appears reasonable, because electricity is available there. Since council directed staff to draw up a revised ordinance, the one under discussion allows gas leaf blowers on city property and commercial or office districts.

The council is scheduled to vote on the amendment March 22.

Also on Tuesday night’s agenda, the council will discuss forming a citizen-led group to perform water quality measurements on Permanente Creek.

Lehigh cement quarry, in Cupertino, received a notice of violation on Feb. 22 for dumping millions of gallons of excess water into Permanente Creek. The water may contain contaminants, according to a council memo. Lehigh’s excess water drainage could negatively affect Los Altos by causing extra repairs of storm drain lines, the memo said.

Permanente Creek flows through Los Altos and through Heritage Oaks Park, a property the city of Los Altos owns.

The Santa Clara Valley Water District will also have to periodically remove sediment from the Permanente Creek bed. The extra maintenance will add to the cost of water, according to a council memo.

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