Updates on Rollins dorm, leaf-blower ban and Live Local Act
Angst over electric leaf blowers doesn’t stop ban set to start in July
Jan. 11, 2024
By Beth Kassab
Despite reservations over the logistics of enforcing a ban on gas-powered leaf blowers, the City Commission passed a rebate on electric version of the devices as the prohibition is set to take effect this summer.
The $50 rebate available to residents in the form of a credit on their utility bills is intended to help ease the transition.
But commissioners expressed concerns over how landscape companies would make the move.
Vice Mayor Sheila DeCiccio said she’s heard from landscapers who note they work from early in the morning until the evening with few breaks.
“They want to know about battery use,” she said. “What is the cost of the battery if they can’t recharge?”
Gloria Eby, director of natural resources and sustainability, said the city is working to prepare resources on cost comparisons and battery life.
“It becomes an upfront cost … with industry, you can’t discount that fuel has its cost,” she said. “When you do a comparison on fuel to upfront battery, then the investment is 10 months to a year, and you’ve paid off that battery cost.”
Mayor Phil Anderson noted that the ban was first enacted in 2022, but the city pushed the pause button on enforcement for 30 months until July of 2024 to give people time to prepare.
“We were really intentional about saying this was intended to allow people to make transition over a 30-month period,” he said. “I’m not sure how effective that wait period has been? … As a realist my guess is most people have not done this conversion and most contractors have not done this conversion.”
He urged city staff to take a lighter approach to enforcement with perhaps warnings and education before launching into fines.
City Manager Randy Knight said the intention is to educate residents and companies before any fines are issued.
“We don’t plan to drive around looking for violators, but we know we will get calls from people and will dispatch people immediately,” he said.
At the same meeting, Commissioners approved the plans for a new 300-bed dormitory on the Rollins College campus and observed a moment of silence for Rita Bornstein, a beloved former president of the college, who died last week.
Commissioners also approved an ordinance to help block abuse of the state’s Live Local Act when it comes to new projects billed as affordable housing.
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The battery-powered lawn equipment requirement by our city is the worst idea that any commission has proposed in the 60 years that I’ve lived in Winter Park!
The cost associated with mandating battery powered leaf blowers could put some of these very hard working people out of business. Furthermore, the batteries do not last long, especially given the long hours they are in use. To expect contractors (some small operators) to eliminate gas leaf blowers and purchase new equipment and a substantial amount of batteries is ludicrous. A better idea is to continue to limit the use during specific hours.
I think the commercial landscape companies should boycott doing the commissioner’s and the mayor’s lawns over this stupid gas leaf-blower ban. Make them do their own yards with lousy battery operated equipment!
Unless you have 5 neighbors and hear these noisy, gas-powered tools run almost every day…sometimes from early morning until late afternoon. They are ridiculously loud, bothersome and obnoxious. Those residents who revere peace and quiet love this ban!
When the ban on gas powered leaf blowers was announced my yard service was immediately increased by $20 a month to cover the cost of the transition to electric leaf blowers. This may be seen as an inconvenience but it was a smart move by the City; many cities around the country have similar bans.
As a resident of Winter Park I applaud the city for trying to educate people on the pollution caused by gas-powered leaf blowers. They spew more pollution into the air than internal combustion cars and the noise pollution is off the charts. All day, every day, 6 days a week, all around Winter Park we can hear the horrible sound of leaf blowers. Multiple blowers going off at the same time and they just blow valuable top soil off the lawns and landscape beds. The landscape companies have had plenty of time to switch over to electric powered blowers. As for the recharging of their batteries after long days, maybe just once in a while leave the leaves alone? Not every leaf has to be removed from a lawn.
Is there a noise ordinance in place for landscaping in terms of start times? We have landscapers in our neighborhood that start at 730am, including on Saturdays. Please advise where we might find the ordinance information and how it is enforced? Thank you!
The gas powered leaf blower ban is bad policy which was adopted without adequate public debate. Many landscapers will find compliance to be cost prohibitive and refuse to service the residents of Winter Park. Also, the carbon emissions resulting from the energy generation to charge the batteries will likely mitigate any positive benefit. As always the residents of WP will bear the cost of such bad policy. Perhaps well intended but is it really worth the cost?
This Leaf Blower debacle truly shows how inept the commissioners are as well as how unconnected they are with reality. The financial burden being placed on these landscape companies is going to drive many of them out of Winter Park, those larger companies will pass the cost on to the customer. The commissioners are going to put the small business company out to the curb. Shame on the Winter Park commission!
I’d like to suggest a new nickname for the Rollins Tars. The Rollins Gorillas – because they certainly are the 400-pound gorilla in Winter Park.
I have to laugh at your comment. My experience on an alumni board a few years ago was just the opposite. Rollins admin was very concerned about creating any potential conflict with the city. It’s amusing to hear some residents complain that Rollins does whatever it wants. From my limited role, it seemed Rollins always made sure to be extra careful that nothing was asked for that wasn’t reasonable and couldn’t be refused. But, if 10′ of height by a lake bothers you, what can I say?
this has nothing to do with pollution or noise, though that’s a good reason. This has everything to do with petroleum engine phase out and agenda 2030. Glad our local government turned us into a “strong city”? Frog is slowly boiling in the UN’s kitchen. sounds yummy
Well the Landscapers need to buy gas generators and plug in blowers to comply with the law. Batteries will not last all day and will be expensive to replace