Winter Park delays penalties for gas-powered leaf blowers

WINTER PARK, Fla. - Winter Park's ban on gas-powered leaf blowers has been in effect for about two years, but for now, there haven't been any penalties for using one. At a city council meeting Thursday, officials said they had wanted to give landscapers time to adjust.

"In spite of a two-year lead time, actually a 30-month lead time, which was put in with the thought that as gas-powered leaf blowers failed, landscapers would adopt new and different technology. What we heard last Thursday is that really hasn't happened," said Mayor Phil Anderson.

Penalties for violating the ban were set to kick in this July. Thursday's meeting was to discuss whether to extend that until next January. City commissioners got an earful from local landscapers. 

"When we go out and need to blow fertilizer off brick driveways, it requires a lot of force in a short period of time. It's just not doable, and we need to keep that fertilizer out of the waterways," said Roy Levin, owner of Environmental Pest and Lawn Services.

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"Who's gonna pay for it?" asked Chad Carter of Carter Landscape, "Currently, our blowers cost about $500. The most equivalent blower, in terms of productivity, costs $2,000."

At times, city leaders had to silence the crowd. In the end, they decided to put off penalties for six more months until January 2025. People in downtown Winter Park said they were in favor of the ban. 

"Well I like it," said resident Bob Hartnett, "I was telling the yard company the other day that they need to start figuring out how to do that."

"I think it's a good idea," said resident David Baker, "noise pollution is a problem all over. I don't like government interference, however."

City officials said penalties would go to the homeowner, not landscaping businesses. The city is offering $50 rebates for homeowners who want to buy electric leaf blowers.