Councilmember introduces seasonal exemption for gas-powered leaf blowers, cites cost and supply concerns

Councilmember Albanese introduced expedited bill 19‑25 on June 17 to create a seasonal exemption from the county ban on gas‑powered leaf blowers. The measure would exempt landscaping professionals from the prohibition during October through January, the county’s busiest leaf‑removal months, and would sunset after three years.

Albanese said landscapers have told him they cannot comply immediately, citing higher equipment costs (driven in part by tariffs) and lower disposable incomes among customers that reduce contract renewals during the busiest season. “It would be reasonable to provide a longer transition period for landscaping professionals to be able to comply with the law,” he said.

County staff counsel Miss McCartney Green noted a technical detail: the prohibition’s code language is not yet in the code because the original ban (bill 18‑22) does not take effect until July 1; the language will be present when the council deliberates the new bill. The proposed exemption would leave the ban in place during the other nine months of the year but provide a longer runway for compliance.

Sponsors said the intent is to preserve the original environmental and noise goals while reducing economic strain on small landscaping businesses. The bill was introduced and a public hearing was scheduled for July 15, 2025, per the council agenda.