1 Vernice Hankins
From: Natalya Zernitskaya <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, March 13, 2023 9:53 AM
To: Jesse Zwick; Phil Brock; councilmtgitems
Cc: David White
Subject: Item 16A on 3/14/23 Agenda
EXTERNAL
Good Morning Councilmember Zwick and Councilmember Brock, I noticed the 16 item regarding electric vs. gasoline powered leafblowers and I wanted to bring to your attention the current restrictions on leafblowers in Santa Monica per municipal code 4.08.270 prohibiting the use of all motorized leaf blowers within the City (link below). I was unclear whether the proposed item was intended to allow the use of electric leafblowers while maintaining a restriction on gas‐powered ones.
I urge you to please maintain the restriction on all motorized leafblowers. https://library.qcode.us/lib/santa_monica_ca/pub/municipal_code/item/article_4‐chapter_4_08‐4_08_270 Sincerely,
Natalya Zernitskaya
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1 Vernice Hankins
From: Elizabeth Lerer <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, March 13, 2023 7:24 PM
To: councilmtgitems; Gleam Davis; Lana Negrete; Phil Brock; Christine Parra; Oscar de la Torre; Caroline Torosis; Jesse Zwick
Subject: Agenda item 16-A (March 14th) Please OPPOSE allowing electric leaf blowers.
EXTERNAL
Dear Mayor Davis and Councilmembers,
Please OPPOSE allowing electric leaf blowers.
I’m sure you are aware of the numerous health and environmental hazards caused by motorized leaf blowing.
If you want to encourage and incentivize conversion away from gas powered garden tools, please explore the possibility of outlawing gas powered mowers, hedge trimmers, chain saws, etc. There are battery‐powered and hand tool options.
Thank you,
Elizabeth Lerer
Santa Monica Resident
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1 Vernice Hankins
From: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2023 11:52 AM
To: councilmtgitems; Caroline Torosis; Christine Parra; Gleam Davis; Jesse Zwick; Lana Negrete; Oscar de la Torre; Phil Brock
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: FOSP: City Council 3/14/23 agenda item 16-A: OPPOSE
EXTERNAL
March 14, 2023
To: Mayor Gleam Davis
From: Board of Directors, Friends of Sunset Park
RE: 3/14/23 agenda item 16A – Allowing electric leaf blowers
Although it was not unanimous, a majority of the FOSP Board members voted to oppose 3/14/23 agenda item 16-A -- Allowing electric leaf blowers.
The current city ordinance says: " No person shall operate any motorized leafblower within the City. (2) No owner of real property, tenant in possession of real property, or person in control of real property shall allow the operation of a motorized leafblower on the property."
The city’s rationale includes the following:
Leaf blowers pose multiple health risks due to air pollution attributed to their use. The pollution includes a mixture of fine particles blown into the air, particles that can go deep into the human lungs. To address these concerns and others, many cities have banned leaf blowers; and Santa Monica has recently renewed its commitment to the enforcement of its leaf blower ban, which has been in place since 1991.
Multiple health threats include spreading airborne particles, which can provoke asthma and other respiratory diseases, and eye injuries from pebbles and twigs propelled by blowers.
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2 Blowers blow herbicides, pesticides, and fecal contaminants up from the ground into the air, especially troubling asthmatics and allergy sufferers, and increasing the threat to everyone.
Additional rationale for a ban from the New York Times:
Opinion: "The First Thing We Do, Let’s Kill All the Leaf Blowers" Margaret Renkl -- 10/25/2021 -- New York Times -- tinyurl.com/2p8shpaw "Nearly everything about how Americans “care” for their lawns is deadly. Pesticides prevent wildflower seeds from germinating and poison the insects that feed songbirds and other wildlife. Lawn mower blades, set too low, chop into bits the snakes and turtles and baby rabbits that can’t get away in time. Mulch, piled too deep, smothers ground-nesting bees, and often the very plants that mulch is supposed to protect, as well....
“The trouble with leaf blowers isn’t only their pollution-spewing health consequences. It’s also the damage they do to biodiversity. Fallen leaves provide protection for overwintering insects and the egg sacs of others.
Leaf blowers, whether electric or gasoline-powered, dislodge the leaf litter that is so essential to insect life — the insect life that in turn is so essential to birds and other wildlife. The ideal fertilizer and mulch can’t be found in your local garden center. They are available at no cost in the form of a tree’s own leaves...."
Again, a majority of the FOSP Board members oppose item 16-A.
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Background information
Current Leaf Blower Ban:
https://www.smgov.net/departments/ose/categories/landscape/leaf_blower_ban.aspx (1) No person shall operate any motorized leafblower within the City. (2) No owner of real property, tenant in possession of real property, or person in control of real property shall allow the operation of a motorized leafblower on the property. 4.08.270 Restrictions on leafblower operation.
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3 Leaf blowers pose multiple health risks due to air pollution attributed to their use. The pollution comes in the form of unburned fuel, from the inefficient combustion process inherent in such devices, and from a mixture of fine particles blown into the air, particles that can go deep into the human lungs. To address these concerns and others, many cities have banned leaf blowers; and Santa Monica has recently renewed its commitment to the enforcement of its leaf blower ban, which has been in place since 1991.
See Leaf Blower
Facts page: https://www.smgov.net/Departments/OSE/Categories/Landscape/Leaf_Blower_Facts. aspx
Health Risks
Leaf blowers create unnecessary noise and air pollution, endangering you, and the community. Mount Sinai School of Medicine’s Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit says gas-powered leaf blowers pose multiple health threats.
They include spreading airborne particles, which can provoke asthma and other respiratory diseases, and potential pollutants like ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons. Hearing damage from the engine noise and eye injuries from pebbles and twigs propelled by blowers are also cited.
Bad Air
With a muzzle velocity of 150 miles per hour, gas blowers blow herbicides, pesticides, and fecal contaminants up from the ground into the air, especially troubling asthmatics and allergy sufferers, and increasing the threat to everyone.
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