Decatur resident urges DeKalb commissioners to adopt ‘Sound Amendment and Rebate’ to curb gas-powered lawn equipment

At the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners meeting on May 29, Decatur resident Vicki Mann urged commissioners to adopt a “Sound Amendment and Rebate Program” to curb noise and pollution from gas-powered landscape equipment.

Mann told the board that “Excessive noise from lawn equipment negatively impacts our quality of life and our health.” She described repeated, long-duration landscaping noise in her neighborhood — sometimes two to three commercial machines running for hours — and said it interferes with work, rest and daily life. "This noise pollution can lead to, 1, a significant loss of peace and quiet making it hard to relax, concentrate, or enjoy time outdoors during the day," Mann said during her three-minute public comment period.

Mann urged commissioners to consider a package of measures she said are part of the Sound Amendment and Rebate Program: setting reasonable decibel limits for lawn equipment; establishing permissible operating hours on weekdays, weekends and holidays; and offering rebates to encourage businesses and residents to adopt electric, quieter tools. She told the commission that commercial gas-powered blowers create both noise and air pollution, and noted a commonly cited comparison that running a commercial gas leaf blower for one hour produces the equivalent of driving a car roughly 1,100 miles.

Supporters of the program say it targets repeated, long-duration noise from commercial landscaping contracts rather than brief residential use. Mann said she had tried neighborhood outreach — conversations, letters and signs — without success, and framed the proposed ordinance as a public-health and quality-of-life measure rather than an attack on small businesses.

The Sound Amendment and Rebate idea was raised during the meeting’s public-comment segment; no formal ordinance vote on the proposal was taken during the May 29 session. Commissioners and county staff said several related items on the agenda would be heard in committee in the coming weeks, giving the board time to discuss the proposal and its enforcement implications.

What’s next: The proposal spurred public comment but requires formal drafting and a committee review before any legal change. County staff and commissioners signaled they will review details including decibel standards, operating-hour language and the rebate mechanics before the board takes legislative action.