Leafblower mania

Hurricanes in Florida, air quality alerts throughout the country, the 11th worst ozone levels in the US right here in the Triangle. Global warming? We will wait a while if we are going to wait for the federal government to lead us toward a solution to this problem.

Last week we had "car free" day locally and it was a big success. Yesterday the New York Times reported that California had enacted legislation designed to cut emissions from automobiles this will be the most stringent anti global warming initiative ever enacted. (And by a state with a Republican governor.)

How do we keep the mo' going? Let's ban leaf blowers right here in Chapel Hill. Three reasons: pollution, NOISE, air borne particulate. Some 70 plus cities throughout our country have done this already, let's step up as a community and rid ourselves of these obnoxious machines. I wrote a column a couple of years ago in the Herald but their archives are impenetrable. www.NoNoise.org is one of the most complete sites I have found.

It is my intention to start a community discussion on this topic so that we end up with a solution that fits our town (and Carrboro, mebbe). I am petitioning the Town Council tomorrow night 9/27/04 7:00PM to consider banning gas powered leaf blowers. Come share your support or opposition.....

Issues: 

Comments

Leaf blowers are not the Town's worst noise problem plaguing Chapel Hill. Ever wonder how much noise a diesel truck makes driving down I-40 at 70 mph? It may well be in excess of 70, or 80, decibels. As part of the widening of I-40 the N.C Department of Transportation conducted noise studies. They concluded that noise on the I-40 corridor will likely exceed 67 decibels in many places, making much of the undeveloped land uninhabitable. Seems the NC DOT and the World Health Organization have come to the same conclusion about the effects of noise on quality of life.

Even now the I-40 corridor is impacted daily by excessive noise. This problem has been discussed at several Town Council meetings when new developments have been proposed. Most recently, the issue surfaced when Habitat for Humanity of Orange County (HHOC) proposed building a development in the high noise area along Sunrise Road adjacent to I-40. HHOC's concept plan places many duplexes and triplexes in areas where the noise levels exceed 67 decibels; that is in areas where NC DOT has concluded the land is uninhabitable. This development is in an area where families could be impacted by health factors such as those cited by the World Health Organization.

The Town should take a consistent approach to the problem of noise polution. If the Town is considering any changes to the ordinance to deal with leaf blowers, they should put forward comprehensive guidelines that encompass not only the noise pollution of power tools but also regulations for development along the I-40 corridor where the problem is arguably more serious.

As I've stated earlier, setting some limits on time of day and day of week is a reasonable solution. I certainly think all lawn equipment should be included in whatever regulations are imposed. Chain saws are much louder than leaf blowers. Lawn mowers are not quite as loud, but much more widely used. I cannot think of any reason to treat them differently in terms of imposing limits.

But one cannot stipulate what months of the year chain saws or lawn mowers should be used. Why should leaf blowers be singled out for this restriction? The same case could be made for their use in right of ways. If the town is willing to impose similar restrictions for all noisy lawn equipment, go for it. But I don't think that will fly.

I think the idea of creating zones within the town, and assigning certain days for the use of loud lawn equipment in each zone, would work. It's harder to manage, but it creates completely quiet days on any given street, and still allows landscapers to work every day of the week. For instance, each zone could have every other weekend, and 2-3 days per week.

Cam, Maybe instead of attacking the device, maybe you could encourage responsible usage. After all, leaf blowers are used for more than just moving leaves and they do provide some of us (obviously not you) with a valued service. Leaf blowing can be performed to a major extent with a lawn mower too. I think some folks are just intolerant of leaf blowers. Maybe this is because they want an ordinance to ban them?

I own one of the larger gas models. My neighbor uses one of those electric models that resembles an overgrown hairdryer and takes twice as long. Using a larger, more efficient leaf blower means that I get the job done more quickly and my blower's impact on my neighbor's senses is usually smaller. I also use my lawn mower to break the leaves up and move them around so I can use my blower less. My neighbors don't complain because sometimes I even help them a bit with their lawns. Thoughtful neighbors don't do certain chores or play their radios loudly while their neighbors have an occasional party or have visiting relatives outside too.

Cam and Mark, maybe you'd consider using a real leaf blower on a trial basis to understand just what I mean? I understand you probably have moral objections to using a leaf blower. Cam, is that why one of your recent homesteads was put to use as parking lot? I hate to break the news to you but it wasn't all that well kept up (very earthy). Maybe things would have been very different if you'd had more time to work on the property after using a leaf blower? Maybe then some folks would think twice about making comparisons to Grandma's rake vs. the leaf blower, and you'd note that your rake wouldn't sweep or clean gutters as well as a leaf blower either.

I don't understand Mark Chilton's comment that leaf blowers encourage an employment problem. Seriously, if those are the kinds of jobs that Chapel Hill wants to bring into the town (leaf rakers), then we'd better be prepared for the tax base take an immediate plunge. Maybe Chapel Hill leaders should consider taking on part time jobs raking and blowing leaves so that they might have a new appreciation for burning fossil fuels? After all it (gasoline) is a cheap resource and you don't want to put gas stations out of business too do you? Which brings me to the pollution claim. How many folks out there who object to leaf blowers make extra trips around the parking lot in the SUV's so that they don't have to walk an extra 10 feet? Does that make them hypocrites? I think so.

If you want a workaround, why not outlaw grass lawns? Grass requires periodic mowing and you'd eliminate the need for leave blowers, weed eaters, edgers and lawn mowers all at once. Of course Mark Chilton would object to the immediate unemployment of landscaping employees. I especially loved Cam's comment about the leave blowers not always existing as a justification for using them today. One might as well make the same argument about the wheel, after all how many automobile accidents result in fatalities. Maybe we should all just sew alfalfa sprouts to replace fescues and eat salad all year long? I also have a large oak tree in my back yard for you to hug if you have the time. If noise is the issue with the airport, why not replace it with a nice quiet prison? Hey, lets employ the homeless as leaf rakers!

In my personal opinion, this is not the kind of issue an entire town should take on. If Chapel Hill residents all had the same lifestyle, income and also had the same amount of time and energy to put into their landscaping, this wouldn't be an issue. Some residents enjoy the use of modern equipment and others obviously enjoy their rakes. This is the kind of issue that should be handled by homeowners associations or neighborhood groups.

Don't get me wrong folks, I don't condone the use of a leaf blower or of any other loud devices before 10am on a weekend morning, but after that time (and until dark) residents should be able to put a few hours of quality time into their yards (whatever way they wish) without the town council telling them how it should be done. If a leaf blower meets federal emissions and noise standards, the city should butt out, period, end of story. I think this has been an opportunity for certain local leaders to “feel important” and use ordinances and laws as a substitute for working with or understanding their own neighbors.

One of the odd parts about the proposal to limit use hours is that it doesn't reflect the reality of much of campus. According to the university (and my own observations don't contradict this), they do most of their leaf blowing activity before 8am, so as not to disturb classes. And much of the main classroom buildings are out of earshot of residential areas. So limiting the use to daytime hours would make these machines more obnoxious on campus. It seems silly to push forward an entire ordinance for the whole town without considering how various groups deal with these issues already.

Wayne, those are two of the best posts I've read here in quite a while!

If the concern about leaf blowers *really* was environmental, don't you think the energy the town council is spending on this issue could be better spent on trying to convert the city's auto fleet to hybrid vehicles? Cops on patrol obviously can't drive a hybrrid but I'll bet there are plenty of city employees driving around town in Crown Vics who could just as easily be driving a Prius. They're cheaper than Crown Vics and the $ if fuel savings would be significant...but you're right--it's the demonization of the object is what lies at the heart of this all...

If there is a ban, will we all have to march down to the City Hall parking lot and turn in our gas lawn mowers and then watch them be crushed by a steamroller?

Right now you can legally use lawn equipment from 7 AM to 9 PM on weekdays, and from 8 AM to 9 PM on weekends. Tightening up those hours to, say 9-5 on weekdays, and 10-4 on weekends would shorten the hours quite a bit, and still provide plenty of time.

As I've said above, I own one of the loudest leaf blowers in town, use it 6 or so hours per year, usually for an hour at a time and never more than 2 hours. I don't use it outside the hours I've proposed, anyway, just like Wayne. I think there is a workable solution.

why is it that Comment at 1:15pm 1/27/2005 by richard surwit contains the exact same text as the letter to the editor written by Doug Schworer that appears in the Chapel Hill News (http://www.chapelhillnews.com/opinion/story/2065348p-8449652c.html). Is this a form letter or did someone rip someone off?

I know I'm far from Mayberry but this seems like a civic issue that good neighbors could work out between themselves. I doubt if a new law or two is going to solve the problems caused by people who are impolite or crabby people who take issue to a bit of noise.

I saw on the Herald Sun website this morning that the CH town council is restricting powered equipment like leaf blowers and lawnmowers to between 8am and 7pm during the week and 9am to 5pm on weekends.

I'm been basically a lurker here, except for a couple of posts, but we're moving to Carrboro (finally) at the end of the month from out of state so I'm trying to start keeping up on local issues.

It seems to me that this new rule will basically prevent many working people from doing any yardword during the week (certainly I'm always gone before 8am and rarely home before 7pm).

More importantly, even though I think one of the original goals of the legislation was to reduce air pollution, it may actually be counterproductive. After living in polluted California for several years, one thing they stressed was to do all yard work in the evening, when the lower sunlight would create less smog.

I guess smog is less of an issue in the Triangle, but even the NC Division of Air Quality says "On Air Quality Action Days, wait until after 6:00 p.m. to use gas-powered lawn equipment."

Doesn't this new legislation go against this advice for reducing air pollution?

Just some questions. As I said, we don't yet live in the area and even after we move there we'll be in Carrboro, so it doesn't affect me personally. And I can certainly understand why people want some peace & quiet. I was just surprised to learn of a new rule that may actually hurt the air quality.

And yes, I guess I should have brought this up before the measure passed, but as a current out-of-towner, I just wasn't keeping up on the issue.

Steve Lin

My apologies; the links in my previous post got screwed up due to some copy/paste errors on my part!

I meant to show this link to the Herald Sun article and this link to the NC Air Quality Page.

(Too bad the links don't work in the Preview pane! [hint hint])

Steve

I guess smog is less of an issue in the Triangle, but even the NC Division of Air Quality says “On Air Quality Action Days, wait until after 6:00 p.m. to use gas-powered lawn equipment.”

I knew about not filling your car up with gas when it is hot, but I didn't know about the cited recommendation.

You raise a valid question as to the goals of the proposal. Smog (particularly ozone) is an issue in our community. Given this, it seems that the proposal's current goal is primarily noise-oriented. It seems that the town council would be wise to seek advice on pollution and to include wording that encourages behaviors to lower pollution impacts.

"I guess smog is less of an issue in the Triangle, but even the NC Division of Air Quality says “On Air Quality Action Days, wait until after 6:00 p.m. to use gas-powered lawn equipment.”

I am truly amazed that this fact was not mentioned by anyone on the council during all the fuss about this issue.Certainly the "expert" Cam Hill would have known, wouldn't he?

To my way of thinking, controlling air pollution is much more important than making someone's evening barbeque a pleasant experience.

I've never supported a ban on these devices, but have said all along that it is perfectly reasonble (unneccesary, but reasonble) to apply the same standards that we hold our building contractors to in terms of when leaf blowers can be used during the day - should be no more restrictive than that.

So the "compromise solution" regarding leaf blowers passed...

Intead of being limited to gas powered leaf blowers, it now includes all "other motorized landscape equipment". The usage hours, particularly for the weekend, seem completely unrealistic. I have to stop yard work at 5:00PM on the weekend? And only people with health problems will be spared working in intense heat by getting a permit? How generous.

And the exception for non-residential property ("On non-residential properties within 100 feet of residential property, landscape equipment will be allowed between 4 a.m. and 9 p.m. during the week and between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekends") means that the ban is toothless is terms on annoyance created by commercial leaf blowing and will only serve to pit neighbor against neighbor.

Dennis Rogers wrote in the N&O that the vote was unanimous--does anyone know if that is true? If so, it makes my decision about who I won't be voting for during the Town Council election that much easier...

Bill, are you saying that the noise reduction vote will determine your allegiance to a candidate and not whether, let's say, a candidate comes unprepared to meetings - opening her research materials out in the hall minutes before a meeting or that a member pretty much shows disdain and contempt for any citizen that appears before her expressing a contrary position or that a member has only warmed her seat over the last four years (only advancing a few bubbleheaded initiatives) and needs to be replaced by someone more concerned with the community's well-being than their vanity?

Wow and I thought the voters in the recent federal election had plumbed the depths of lightweight political analysis ;-) !

The regulation of Town sponsored use was a no-brainer and hopefully won't kill any productivity on their part.

I'm glad an attempt was made to rein in commercial use but I do agree that the neighbor-to-neighbor issue is problematic.

Where I live, there's two contractors that seem to "own" our street. Their crews move from yard to yard, morning to night, killing the tranquility with seven or eight different varieties of motorized gardening equipment. In my case, I spoke with the contractors (because I work late and sleep later than 7:00am) and both had their crews adjust their proximity and timing. It's a shame that not all commercial landscapers are as amenable.

Oh, so now it's a noise reduction vote? I thought it was about the environment?

I'm saying that this ban--like most actions taken by the Town Council--is designed to make the council members and the Vocal Left feel better about themselves for having "taken action" on an issue and does nothing to improve the quality of life for anyone in Chapel Hill. It's simply another "regulation" that will be ignored and scorned by most. The original notion was environmental in nature and the compromise prohibits the use of these tools in the cooler hours of the day, which is exactly what you are told to do on high ozone days.

And yes, if you are a Town Council member who promotes this sort of Liberal Luddite Fascism, I will not vote for you and I will urge everyone I know to do the same.

PS: This attitude of yours ("Wow and I thought the voters in the recent federal election had plumbed the depths of lightweight political analysis ;-) !") is why the Left does so well in national elections lately.

Hey Bill, don't worry about who to vote for ... just move to Hillsborough. That way you can still pay your high taxes *AND* run your 450hp leaf blower anytime you want during "daytime hours"! ;-)

Excerpt from Hillsborough Town Code:

5-3 Particular Noises Exempted

The following noises are not prohibited under this article:

(1) Construction operations from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on weekdays, 8:00 am to 7:00 pm on Saturdays and holidays, and Noon to 6:00 pm on Sundays for which building permits have been issued or construction operations not requiring permits, provided that all equipment is operated in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications and with all standard equipment manufacturer's mufflers and noise-reducing equipment in use and in properly operating condition.

(2) Emergency warning devices of safety signals.

(3) Noises resulting from lawn care equipment and agricultural field equipment used during the daytime hours.

(4) Noises resulting from any authorized emergency vehicle when responding to any emergency call or acting in time of emergency.

(5) Noises associated with parades, fairs, circuses and other similar public entertainment events sponsored or authorized by the Town.

(6) Noise from trains and associated rolling stock, when operated in proper repair and manner.

(7) Emergency work necessary to protect life or property.

(8) Church bells, and bells from the courthouse clock.

(9) Noise resulting from parades, exhibitions, lawful picketing, or other public demonstrations protected by the United States Constitution or federal law, or for which a local permit has been granted by the Town.

The vote was in fact unanimous. [Council limits use of leaf blowers, other equipment BY ROB SHAPARD Chapel Hill Herald Thursday June 16, 2005: The council unanimously passed an ordinance that regulates the use of leaf blowers and other "motorized landscape equipment" within Chapel Hill. Council limits use of leaf blowers, other equipment]

I do wonder if most know what 65 dBa at 50 feet means in terms of excluding lawn equipment. And since the members of the Council seem to agree that this ordinance is "complain driven," what has really been accomplished?

Hey Bill, I always thought of this as an overall pollution reducer - noise and fumes - but I do a agree as far as private-2-private interactions it is unenforceable. As far as doing it just too feel good - guess you'll have to ask the people sponsoring the ordinance. I was for the commercial reduction for purely selfish reasons - I like to enjoy some quiet during some small part of my Spring/Summer/Fall.

And at least Cam spelled out the parameters - this isn't like "Lefty" Jim Ward's "feel good" proposal to support an unknown keg registration law - one that ended up requiring criminal background checks to purchase, public record of people's drinking habits and the near promise of 4th Amendment violations in search of "lawbreakers". That's a mighty high cost for a do-nothing, "feel good", effort.

Rampant regulation is a problem and you'll find, I think, I'm more conservative than most (maybe even you) on blanket restrictions, Constitutional infringements, etc. I saw this ordinance as a beginning - a way to craft reasonable rules on commercial activities as they impinge on personal property. How do you feel about hog farms which produce ammonia laden air which forces people living 1/2 mile away from their property? Is that a reasonable commercial activity to regulate?

As far as why the Dems candidates (who were not necessarily very liberal or Left by most standards) lost - partially they didn't have enough (any?) backbone, they gave up too quickly (in spite of Edward's stern assurance), the Republican candidatess lied and cheated with impunity, the vast non-voting public seems to have forgotten their civic duty or, worse, don't care much for democracy anymore, etc.

God, guns, gays, Swift Boat liars, etc. - lightweight crud by my estimation and if you believe the polls - seemed to have more effect than substantive issues - a true shame.

Cleary you all aren't gardeners. No one wants to work in their yard after 5 pm on a summer evening--too many mosquitos.

Fred, I don't think anything has been accomplished. I can only guess that the council thought by doing this, the issue (if there even was an issue) will go away.

I found this while trying to find the town's noise ordinance:

"The Town's noise ordinance sets limits on noise levels. Outdoor amplified sound (such as music from loudspeakers) is allowed only on ...on Saturday (10 a.m. to midnight). A permit from the Police Department must be obtained at least 48 hours before an event involving outdoor amplified sound."

So I can get a permit to play an amplified recording of my lawn mower, chain saw, leaf blower? Interesting...

does anyone have a link to the actual text of the ordinance?

Gerry, the amendment to the Town Noise Ordinance was part of the agenda. As I remember, the only change was to make the 65 dBa be measured at 50 feet instead of the 20 feet in the original draft at this link:

http://townhall.townofchapelhill.org/agendas/ca050615/4l-regulation_of_u...

Terri - Really, come on. Mosquitos or not, some like the cooler weather in the evening, or in many cases for me, just have other commitments which mean occasionaly getting our yard work done in the evening.

Other comments:

Props to Mark K. for his comment on the issue of mowing in the evening! Not a direct quote, but he basically said that the weekend p.m. time limit was "over the top."

I will go back to what I said from the begining. That is (if we must have an ordinance) a noise ordinance for blowers should be no more restrictive that the restrictions on contractor's work. I believe the p.m. limit Cam H. pushed for is more restrictive. That means, the house under contruction can have hammers (air or manual) pounding, diesal powered generators going, and whatever else, but I cannot leaf blow my yard after 5pm.

By the way, for those who have a health problem, they are required to apply for a waiver to the hours restriction. I contacted the Town yesterday, and was told that the ordinance will go into effect Sept. 1, 2005. At that time, if one needs a waiver they are to call the Police Department at 968-2760 to initiate the process.

First off, I use a rake and a push broom. I also use a person-powered reel mower for the "lawn" in my front yard. HOWSOMEVER--we mow a significant chunk of an OWASA easement that is behind our house. (The general public looks at it as an extension of the greenway--and an off-leash area--but I digress.) We keep it at about 3" to cut down on ticks,make it more pleasant to walk through, etc. NO WAY can we do that nasty mix of green (LOTS of microstegium) with a reel mower. It's gotta be gas.

NOW--on Ozone Action days I always wait until after 5:00PM to mow. Takes about 1.5 hours to do that portion of the yard. Guess I'll have to figure out an alternative for NEXT summer. (True confessions time--I usually make one of my teen males mow the back. Even if i could GET them out of bed on their days off to mow before 9:00 on Ozone days--the grass is usually too wet.)

Terri---I routinely work in my yard after 5:00 PM. I need at least an hour to recover from a day at Southern States. I find that a liberal application of Deep Woods Off handles the mosquito issue quite nicely!

melanie

Amen Melanie (although I'm impressed with your use of a person-powered mower, I can't match that). It is my hope that someone will petition the Council at the end of the summer to take another look at the hours for this.

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