City staff gave a wide-ranging update on the council’s two-year goal to develop an operational plan, potential code options and a communications strategy to phase out gas-powered yard and lawn-care equipment.

Sustainability Program Manager Amanda Watson reviewed the public-health and noise rationale, citing emissions from two-stroke engines and vulnerability of landscape workers and children to air pollution. She summarized findings from national and regional examples, noting that jurisdictions commonly weigh scope (leaf blowers vs. all equipment), phase-in timing, enforcement responsibility (property owners or operators) and financial incentives to offset upfront electric-equipment costs.

Watson highlighted Portland’s ordinance as a nearby case study: Portland adopted its ordinance in 2024 with a phased implementation starting Jan. 1, 2026 (seasonal prohibition for most of the year) and a planned year-round prohibition beginning Jan. 1, 2028; Multnomah County and other funds have supported incentive programs for a limited set of contractors. "Portland's policy focused just on leaf blowers," Watson said, describing their seasonal-to-year-round design and local incentive pilots.

Parks Director Jeff Monroe described Lake Oswego’s six-year departmental transition toward battery-electric equipment and shared operational tradeoffs: electric tools reduce noise and emissions but currently have shorter run times, heavier handheld units and higher upfront costs. Monroe described wet-leaf season performance as a practical constraint that sometimes requires gas equipment to clear pathways quickly after storms.

Staff also summarized local outreach: the city’s targeted landscape-equipment survey drew 397 resident/property-owner responses and 23 responses from landscapers. Findings show many homeowners already use electric tools, while commercial landscapers operating in Lake Oswego predominantly use gas equipment; primary barriers are upfront costs, battery life/performance and charging infrastructure. In the separate community survey, 55% of respondents said they would support city regulations to phase out gas-powered lawn equipment, while residents favored education (62% support) and business incentives (56% support) over immediate regulation.

Council reaction was divided. Several councilors emphasized health and equity: Councilor Afgan said the city should protect workers and consider enforcement design and funding for incentives. Councilor Raff said he opposed local regulation and called staff time on the issue a poor use of resources, saying the market should lead. Others urged continued outreach and asked staff to monitor Portland’s implementation and to develop options that include education and incentive-based approaches to avoid disproportionate impacts on small landscapers.

What’s next: Staff recommended continued outreach with landscapers and large property owners, additional analysis of incentive models and watching Portland’s rollout in 2026 to inform local policy design. Council indicated consensus to keep working on education, incentive options and outreach; no regulatory decision or timeline was adopted at the meeting.