CYPRESS : Leaf Blowers Leave Resident ‘Trapped’

Ellen Margetich dreads Saturday mornings. She used to look forward to spending the day gardening in her back yard or relaxing at the pool, but not anymore.

“Basically you are trapped in your home by leaf blowers,” Margetich said in an appearance before the City Council this week. “The fumes and noise are unbearable.”

Margetich, who lives on Culebra Street, told the council that a virtual army of gardeners toting leaf blowers descends on her block about 9 a.m. and leaves behind a trail of fumes, dust and noise. “My whole house fills up with dust and fumes,” she said.

To keep the effects of the blowers out of her back yard, Margetich asked the council to follow in the footsteps of several other Orange County cities and place some type of restrictions on the gardening equipment. “I have a right to use my own yard,” she said.

In response to her request, the council agreed to hold a public hearing next month to gather information from other residents.

“They are loud and noisy,” Councilman John Kanel said at this week’s meeting. Citing the controls other cities have placed on the blowers, Kanel sympathized with Margetich. “I do think it is something to look at in order to give people relief.”

About 60 California cities--including Newport Beach, Costa Mesa and Laguna Beach--have laws restricting hours that leaf blowers may be used.

In May, Irvine allocated $70,000 to hire an inspector to certify blowers used by landscaping and gardening firms. Earlier this year, Irvine became the second city in the nation to require that the machines meet acceptable decibel standards and that mufflers and motors be in proper working order.

Although no action was taken, Cypress officials talked about both banning the blowers and placing restrictions on them. Councilwoman Margaret M. Arnold expressed concern about passing an ordinance, saying it could add to drought problems. “People could start watering their sidewalks,” she said.

The hearing has been scheduled for July 23.