Move Could Overturn Local Bans on Gas Powered Blowers
Of the Top 10 statewide issues the Florida Senate needs to address in this year’s Legislative Session, leaf blowers did not make the list.
Soaring insurance costs, access to health care, and hurricane recovery efforts are some of Florida residents highest priorities; yet, the Senate opted to wade into the gas-powered leaf blower debate.
Several Florida cities have taken steps in recent years to ban gas-powered leaf blowers. The Senate’s move could overturn existing bans and block any future attempts by local governments to ban gas-powered leaf blowers.
Winter Park's Ban on Gas Powered Leaf Blowers
Winter Park was one of the first Florida cities to enact a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers. While the ban was unanimously adopted by the City Commission in 2022, the city decided to gradually phase in the new policy.
Winter Park’s ban on gas powered leaf blowers was set to begin in July of this year; however, it may never be enforced if one Florida senator’s efforts are successful.
Beth Kassab’s article in the Winter Park Voice gives the full leaf blow-by-blow between the Winter Park City Commission and Florida Senator Jason Brodeur who is leading the effort to repeal local bans on gas-powered leaf blowers statewide.
Last week, the Winter Park City Commission voted 3-2 in favor of putting the issue on the ballot in an upcoming election. If the measure passes, Winter Park’s ban on gas-powered leaf blowers will be official in the summer of 2025.
Miami Beach's Ban On Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers
Like Winter Park, the City of Miami Beach launched is campaign against gas-powered leaf blowers in 2022. A November 1 press release announced that the City would begin issuing warnings in anticipation of the legislation being enforced the following summer.
“Initial violations of the new ordinance in a 12-month period carry a $250 fine. The second violation in a 12-month period carries a $500 fine while the third violation and each additional violation in a 12-month period carries a $1,000 fine,” according to the City’s press release.
The warning press release was followed up exactly nine months later with a “full enforcement” press release on August 1, 2023. That release was filled with language that probably made many Florida lawn care business owners cringe.
While the city views the measure as “a way to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions,” lawn care professionals view electric-powered leaf blowers as too expensive and too inefficient compared to gas-powered models.
Despite that opposition, Landscape Management says the Miami Beach Public Works Department said it transitioned away from using gasoline-powered leaf blowers. The city has worked with local hardware stores to establish community discounts on qualifying electric or battery-powered leaf blowers.” (Full Article)
City of Naples' Ban On Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers
The City of Naples was the first Florida city to ban gas-powered leaf blowers. An October 2020 amendment to the City’s Noise Ordinance introduced the ban which would take effect exactly one year later.
In Southwest Florida, the Naples ban was soon followed by the City of Sanibel’s ban on gas-powered leaf blowers.
Like most Florida lawn care professionals, Sanibel landscaper Jesus Hernandez was angry over the ban and warned that using weaker electric-powered leaf blowers would mean jobs would take 2-3x longer to complete.
Additional time associated with electric-powered leaf blowers and higher costs associated with buying the new equipment will mean additional costs passed on to home and business owners, said Rodriguez in the this WINK News interview.
Contact CII Today
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