PUBLICATION: Los Angeles Times
DATE: July 10, 1996
SECTION: Metro; Part B; Page 4; Zones Desk; Valley edition
BYLINE: Timothy Williams
The Los Angeles Times reports that the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors committed to studying different ways to reduce noise from gas-powered leafblowers and other motorized lawn equipment.
The article says that different approaches considered will be a change in the hours of operation -- currently 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., except on Sundays when operation can't start until 9 a.m. -- as well as ways to muffle the devices. Although unrelated to noise, supervisors also help to find ways to keep leaf debris out of the ocean. The Board doesn't want an outright ban on the devices, but does want to address noise issues brought to their attention by resident complaints.
The article goes on to report that two months ago, a law was approved that would disallow the use of leafblowers any closer than 500 feet to a house. Because of details over a potential court challenge from leafblower manufacturers, the law has not yet been drafted; a final vote will take place within the week. 42 other communities in California have limited the use of leafblowers to some extent.
The article concludes, noting that gardeners are concerned, and say that a leafblower is to a gardener what a typewriter is to a secretary: a necessary, time-saving device. They said that legislators should meet with gardeners before finalizing the rule.
Previous week: May 26, 1996
Next week: August 25, 1996
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