As Arlington County staff research a possible ban on gas-powered leaf blowers, they may take some lessons from a nearby jurisdiction’s struggles with a similar prohibition.
A ban on gas-powered leaf blowers in Montgomery County went into effect July 1, threatening $500 citations if someone is photographed using the noisy and environmentally unfriendly devices. Recently, however, that county’s leaders have been rethinking ways to enforce the ban while respecting people’s privacy.
At issue is a requirement that tipsters submit photographic evidence in order to prove that someone was using a gas-powered blower. Montgomery County Council member Evan Glass says that’s a problem, “given the immigration climate and the fact that many landscapers come from immigrant backgrounds.”
“We know that a large number of individuals who operate and do lawn care in our community are Latino and immigrant individuals, and in this era of Donald Trump, we should not be encouraging people to take photographs of their neighbors doing their work,” Glass said at a council session yesterday (Tuesday).
The Montgomery County Council is considering changing its standards to require complaints from at least two witnesses, rather than a photo.
A similar ban in D.C., which has been in effect since 2022, allows photographic evidence but doesn’t require it. Complaints in the District just have to include who was using the gas-powered blower and the date and time of the incident.
Yet another ordinance in Alexandria, set to go into effect in 2027, doesn’t specify a specific enforcement mechanism. Alexandria was the first jurisdiction in Virginia to adopt a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers in May.
Rhina Lara, a spokesperson for Arlington’s Climate Policy Office, told ARLnow that the county “is currently focused on gathering community feedback on the potential prohibition.”
“A phase-out period of up to three years is being considered to provide time for residents and businesses to adjust to the new regulation before any enforcement begins,” she said. “The County will only develop an enforcement plan if there is a decision to move forward with a policy change.”
Arlington County staff are planning a series of public engagement exercises over the next few months, including in-person pop-ups, a webinar on the future of electric leaf blowers and an online feedback form due Oct. 29. A demo of an electric leaf blower is also happening tomorrow (Thursday) at Bon Air Park (850 N. Lexington Street).
The county currently forbids operating “a motorized leaf-blowing device” after dark in residential neighborhoods, but their use has continued to attract complaints from residents disrupted by their loud noise during the day and environmental advocates concerned about pollution.
Using one kind of gas-powered leaf blower for just one hour results in the same amount of emissions as a drive from D.C. to Miami, Assistant County Manager for Climate Policy Jennifer Fioretti said in a recent presentation to the County Board.
Following public engagement, commission presentations on this topic are currently scheduled for this fall and winter ahead of a County Board vote. If the Board approves, gas-powered blowers would still be allowed until the end of the phase-out period.
Photo via Callum Hill/Unsplash
