Outlook
We support leaf blower ban.
From Dave Clark
Date Mon 3/2/2026 8:00 PM
To City Council (San Mateo) ‹[email protected]> Wow, the city council is doing great. Can't make it to the end of the meeting for comments.
I've been corresponding with the city about LB Ban for perhaps seven years.
Leaf Blower Issues - the ornithologists are chiming in.
In addition to CO2, Air Turbidity (dust), Worker Health (noise, fumes, physical), destruction (hardening) of soil, and neighborhood noise there is now strong evidence that they affect other critters.
Leaf blowers severely disrupt bird mating by creating high-intensity noise and environmental disruption, acting as a "sensory pollutant". This noise masks mating calls, hinders territorial defense, and causes chronic stress, reducing reproductive success. The physical disturbance also destroys foraging habitats, kills food sources (insects/spiders), and degrades nesting sites.
Leaf Blower Costs
I provided some draft costing figures to Andrea. I ran a small business for 30 years and learned to bend and weave with new laws and customer demands. I calculated a net cost to the landscaper of less than $2.50 / month per house (ballpark). In the age of $19 burritos, we just learn to live with higher costs.
Thanks for following through with this !
Dave Clark
San Mateo