Council Postpones Vote to Ban Gas-Powered Leaf-Blowers

Backing away from its earlier action, the Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday delayed implementation of a ban on gas-powered leaf-blowers and added a loophole to permit vacuum-style machines, as long as they do not make noise above 45 decibels.

The amendments, sponsored by Councilman Hal Bernson, came during what was supposed to be the final ceremonial nod to legislation that has dragged on for months. But now the matter will be delayed yet again, coming back to the council for what is supposed to be the final vote next week.

“This is taking way too long,” sighed actor and screenwriter Michael Blodgett, who--along with his wife Meredith Baxter--has attended numerous public hearings and private lobbying sessions at City Hall. “If we have to take it to a ballot, we will, and we’ll win it on a ballot.”

Baxter, Blodgett and other environmentalists who advocated the leaf-blower ban said they were taken aback by the vacuum amendment, and unfamiliar with that type of equipment. Equally confused were some of the gardeners and manufacturers who had opposed the ban.

“It’s different. I don’t know what to tell you. I’ve got to really think about it,” said John Thomas McCarty Jr., a lobbyist for Echo Inc., which makes leaf-blowers. “This thing came in unbeknownst to us.”

McCarty said he believes many gas-powered blowers can be easily converted into vacuums for as little as $50, but that the retrofitted machines might be louder than 45 decibels. Chuck Carr, who runs a landscaping firm in the San Fernando Valley, said he has never heard of the vacuums.

“I don’t know enough about them to know if it’s feasible for us or not,” Carr said. “I like the fact that it’s not [in effect] until July. It gives us more time to work with it.”

Voting against the measure were council members Richard Alatorre and Joel Wachs, who said the problem has been overblown.