SANTA MONICA—On Tuesday, September 14, the Santa Monica City Council voted in favor of extending the two-decade long ban on leaf blowers. Votes came in at 6-0 with all members voting to extend the ban while moving the enforcement responsibility from police officers to the city’s Office of Sustainability and the Environment (OSE).
The ban, which first arose in 1991 after residents were fed up with the noise created by leaf blowers, could only be enforced if police witnessed the violation, at which point the individual would receive a misdemeanor citation. With the new ordinance in place, a warning will be issued to the person seen using a leaf blower. Accompanying the warning could also be a letter and a photo sent to the perpetrator and others involved such as the property owner or management company.
Those with repeat offenses would also put their employers at risk with citations issued. In order to put the new rules into action, the city has set aside $54,992 to employ an OSE officer to enforce and educate people on the new ordinance. The same officer will also be working on the Bay Saver Program, which deals with urban water runoff and water conservation.
Staff at OSE are also encouraged to respond to complaints and report any violations seen within the city.
