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Burbank introduces ordinance to ban gas‑powered leaf blowers with one‑year transition
Summary
Council introduced an ordinance banning gas‑powered leaf blowers, giving residents and contractors a one‑year grace period before enforcement and promising multilingual outreach and incentive information; staff estimated about $185,000 in one‑time city conversion costs and ongoing contract increases for city contractors.
The Burbank City Council on Dec. 9 moved to introduce an ordinance that would ban the use of gas‑powered leaf blowers in the city, providing a one‑year grace period for residents, businesses and contractors to transition to zero‑emission equipment and delaying penalties until January 2027.
Staff told the council the proposed ordinance would supplement existing state requirements and an executive order by prohibiting gas‑powered leaf blowers anywhere in the city and by revising code definitions and enforcement procedures. Katie Pica, administrative officer for Community Development, estimated a one‑time city cost of about $185,000 to replace municipal equipment and said large maintenance contractors may pass through equipment and charging costs, potentially increasing annual contract costs by 15–30% and adding $26,000–$54,000 per year for a standard five‑year agreement.
Staff emphasized an outreach program combining multilingual materials, community meetings, in‑person 'boots on the ground' education, flyers, utility bill inserts and coordination with Burbank Water & Power and the Sustainable Burbank Commission. Parks staff said city crews aim for 100% battery‑powered equipment by 2026 and that big‑box retailers and some recycling centers accept batteries for recycling; staff will provide precise battery disposal guidance to council.
Vice Mayor Takahashi moved to introduce the ordinance; council approved the motion 5‑0. Staff said enforcement will be education‑first during the transition year, with warnings issued and citations withheld until the stated enforcement date.
