Trustees approve one-year exemption for 1100 King Street leaf-blower ban with conditions
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Summary
The board granted a one-year exemption to the village’s seasonal gas-powered leaf blower ban for 1100 King Street, requiring half-throttle use for gas equipment and weather-permitting battery blowers near buildings through Oct. 1, 2025.
The Rye Brook Board of Trustees on Feb. 11 approved, with conditions, a one-year exemption for 1100 King Street from a local law that bans gas-powered leaf blowers during the seasonal period.
Why it matters: The village’s local law (chapter 158, section 2.1 of the village code) enacted April 11, 2023, prohibits gas-powered leaf blowers from May 1 through Sept. 30; the law allows properties of at least five acres to seek a full or partial exemption. The board’s action balances the law’s noise- and emissions-reduction goals with operational needs at a large commercial property.
What the board approved: After a presentation by Matt Difabio, a contractor representing 1100 King Street, trustees approved an exemption through Oct. 1, 2025, with these conditions: gas-powered leaf blowers may be used at no more than half throttle (the same condition used in the prior exemption) and battery-powered blowers must be used on pathways closest to buildings, weather permitting. Trustees discussed the applicant’s plan to purchase at least one battery-powered blower (estimated cost in discussion roughly $2,500 per unit) and acknowledged battery equipment is currently less powerful for wet leaves and heavy-duty use; the applicant said the property typically uses one to two blowers and that a full service takes about a day and a half to two days.
How the vote went: The board moved and seconded the resolution and recorded affirmative votes from trustees present; the exemption passed by voice roll call.
Background from the meeting: Staff said the village mailed exemption applications to eligible properties and posted the form online. The board reviewed the previous one-year exemption for 1100 King Street, which had expired Oct. 1, 2024, and discussed whether the property would adopt battery equipment in stages. Trustees said they expected to phase out gas power where practicable and emphasized the law’s principal aims of reducing emissions and noise.
Next steps: The exemption runs through Oct. 1, 2025, giving the property time to trial battery blowers and for the board to review compliance before the next season.