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Residents urge ban on gas‑powered lawn equipment; others oppose, council hears arguments
Summary
At public comment, one resident urged Mission Viejo to ban gas-powered mowers and leaf blowers citing emissions and noise; another resident opposed such bans. Speakers referenced actions taken by Irvine and Providence as precedents.
Michael Schlesinger, a Mission Viejo resident, urged the city to consider banning gas‑powered lawn equipment and leaf blowers, citing published statistics and local precedents. He told the council he referenced a Voice of OC article and data attributed to the California Air Resources Board, saying small gas engines account for a measurable share of U.S. emissions and that a single hour of mower operation can equal a car driving 100 miles (as cited in his source).
Other residents voiced opposition to a ban during public comment. Jeff McBride explicitly opposed banning gas-powered equipment, and Tom Moore said he supported getting gas mowers off the road but had additional concerns about regional emergency services. The council did not take action on the suggestion and did not direct staff to draft an ordinance during the Jan. 13 meeting.
