Hello Council,
I wanted to inquire if there is anything that can be done to curb the use of gas leaf blowers in Menlo Park’s higher-density neighborhoods.
I’ve lived near downtown for about a year and have noticed gas leaf blowers are used in our neighborhood almost every day of the week. In many of the lots adjacent to ours, a landscaping crew comes weekly with gas leaf blowers. The leaf blowers are very loud even with our windows closed and frequently interfere with our work-from-home calls. They also kick up a lot of dust. Every week, our car and backyard furniture is covered in a thick layer of dust. Finally, from my understanding, these leaf blowers can be very bad for the environment, lacking the exhaust filtering that cars have. After our neighbors’ crews leave, we notice this in the form of an exhaust smell in and around our apartment. All of these issues are exacerbated because we do not have air conditioning. We rely on keeping our windows open to stay comfortable.
Beyond our specific situation, I think the leaf blowers are generally a nuisance. There is a near continuous drone in the neighborhood because of them.
I know you all have a lot on your plate, but I wanted to inquire about whether there is something that can be done to abate their use. I’ve heard of some communities banning gas powered leaf blowers (electric leaf blowers seem to be improving). Perhaps there can be limits on the frequency that landscaping crews use leaf blowers on lots (once per week seems excessive). From your vantage point is there anything that can be done? Thank you for your attention!
Best,
Sean
