City of San Mateo
City Council Meeting
POST PACKET
PUBLIC COMMENT
From: Mark Miller
To: Clerk
Subject: Fwd: Advocating for action on a gas leaf blower ban Date: Tuesday, October 7, 2025 3:10:54 PM
Forgot to reply-all. ♂
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Mark Miller < >
Date: Tue, Oct 7, 2025 at 3:09
PM
Subject: Re: Advocating for action on a gas leaf blower ban To: <[email protected]
>, <[email protected]>, Lisa Diaz Nash
<[email protected]>, <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>
Another thought came to mind about
adding operational hours to Sunday. I'm not sure where
the request for Sunday is coming from and haven't heard anyone say that they want this. I'm concerned that if San Mateo is the only municipality to offer Sunday blowing, all of the operators will descend on San Mateo on Sunday and disturb the quiet, peaceful environment during one of two days when most residents are enjoying time at home. Meanwhile, there could be no usage during Monday - Friday when many residents are out of the house and the noise will be not as concerning.
On Tue, Oct 7, 2025 at 2:22 PM Mark Miller < > wrote:
Dear Mayor Newsom, San Mateo City Council and San Mateo City Clerk , Thank you for taking the time to review my letter regarding the consideration of a gas leaf blower ban for the City of San Mateo. I appreciate your ongoing commitment to protecting both the health and well-being of our residents and our environment.
I understand that there are a variety of factors to consider when implementing a new policy, especially regarding the operational hours for electric leaf blowers in residential areas.
However, after careful thought, I would like to address one specific concern that has been raised regarding expanding the operational hours to include Sundays which was discussed at the City Council Regular Meeting on Monday, October 6, 2025.
I strongly believe that adding Sunday to the operational hours would create an unnecessary disturbance to the quiet, peaceful environment that is so vital for the well-being of San Mateo’s residents. Sundays, in particular, serve as an important day for relaxation, reflection, and family time. It is a day when many of us are home and deserve the opportunity to enjoy a quieter, more serene environment.
Even the noise generated by electric powered leaf blowers can be disruptive and detrimental to the quality of life for residents, many of whom work long hours during the week.
Limiting their use to Monday - Saturday would strike a better balance -- allowing the necessary yard work to be done while also respecting the need for a peaceful environment.
I respectfully urge the Council to maintain the current proposal, which restricts leaf blower use to Monday - Saturday for residential areas, and to avoid expanding the operational hours to include Sundays. This compromise would achieve the desired environmental
benefits, while also protecting the tranquility that so many of us cherish.
Once again, thank you for your leadership in protecting our environment and the health of our community. I trust that the City Council will continue to consider both the environmental impact and the quality of life for San Mateo residents as you move forward with this important decision.
I appreciate your attention and your consideration of this request. -- Mark Miller
On Mon, Apr 7, 2025 at 8:30 PM Mark Miller < > wrote:
Dear Mayor Newsom and the San Mateo City Council,
Good day.
I am a resident of District 5.
I am asking the City Council to reconsider a gas leaf blower ban for the City of San Mateo, now that the City of Burlingame has instituted its own ban effective July 1, 2024.
As we are all aware California law AB 1346 has gone into effect, however online retailers continue to sell gas powered leaf blowers and restock their shelves given little oversight related to enforcement, which means that this law will take several long years to have any measurable impact on the use of these poorly regulated machines that generate a deafening whine of noise that feels inescapable and pollute the atmosphere with high levels of carbon dioxide.
One of the main issues that have prevented municipalities such as San Mateo to institute a ban on gas powered leaf blowers is that landscapers are resistant to change and will have a hard time making the switch to battery operated machines. In order to make the switch, landscapers will need to be pushed into making the change as this group is resistant to change until told to do so apparently.
I am asking the City Council to please have the courage and leadership needed to institute a ban on gas powered leaf blowers to protect the environment for ourselves and more importantly for future generations. Please consider what the City of Burlingame has instituted and the strong message that this says to their residents and businesses, that we care about both your health and the health of our environment with a strong ban on gas powered leaf blowers that goes into effect in a short time table as well as restricting the use of leaf blowers for use by certain areas one day per week and only on weekdays thereby giving back weekends to residents to enjoy without having to endure the noise of these machines.
I appreciate your attention and your consideration of this request. -- Mark Miller
https://www.burlingame.org/573/Leaf-Blowers
https://www.hillsborough.net/618/Leaf-Blowers-in-Hillsborough
https://www.losaltosca.gov/development-services/page/gas-powered-leaf-blowers- prohibited
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1346 --
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