Rye Brook seasonal leaf blower law in effect through Sept. 30

May 23, 2024 at 1:35 a.m.

Rye Brook’s seasonal leaf blower ban is now in effect. Except for properties that have received extensions, gas-powered blowers cannot be used from May 1 to Sept. 30 for lawn cleanup or property maintenance.

“If you do see someone using a gas-powered leaf blower, call the police,” said Greg Rivera, assistant to the village administrator, at the May 14 Rye Brook Board of Trustees meeting.

“We should reiterate the rules and perhaps contact the gardeners to remind them so we don’t bother our police officers,” reasoned Trustee Susan Epstein.

Rivera said he reached out to the landscaper association the village has dealt with to remind the landscapers and to the 5-acre-or-more properties that have received extensions to make sure they are adhering to their stipulations.

Epstein suggested creating a handout to give to homeowners as a warning rather than sending the police to those properties violating the ordinance.

She did note that “people are sending me pictures of trucks.”

“It’s similar to the noise ordinance,” said Rivera. “We don’t want a situation where neighbors come to blows and then the police have to respond.”

“I would hand my gardener the rules and that way it’s not confrontational,” said Epstein.

Mayor Jason Klein suggested asking the Sustainability Committee to come up with rules.

Homeowners and gardeners of properties less than five acres or those over five acres that have not gotten extensions can only use electric-powered blowers from now through the end of September. They were able to use gas-powered blowers during the spring up until this point and will again be able to employ them starting Oct. 1.

The law allows for landscapers and homeowners to be given summonses for non-compliance.

Trustee Epstein said there should also be a reminder about the starting hours in the morning for using blowers, lawn mowers and other power equipment. “I know a lot of the gardeners are starting earlier than they are supposed to start,” she said.

Equipment can only be operated from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.

After passing their seasonal gas-powered leaf blower ban in April 2023, the Village of Rye Brook received applications from and gave one- or two-year extensions to 16 properties, many with conditions such as operating gas-powered blowers at half throttle or only using electric blowers around front walkways, driveways, decks and patios in and around homes while being allowed to use gas-powered equipment elsewhere.

Those receiving extensions include Washington Park Plaza, Port Chester School District, Hidden Falls Home Owners Association, Arbors HOA, Bellefair HOA, Talcott Woods HOA, Blind Brook School District, Blind Brook Club, George Comfort & Sons (900 King St.), Atria Rye Brook, Doral Greens HOA, Cerebral Palsy of Westchester, Enclave HOA, Kingfield HOA, 975 Anderson Hill Rd. and Bulfamante Landscaping (311 Lincoln Ave.).

Representatives of these properties will have to go back before the village board to plead their case for another extension once the one they negotiated is up or only use electric leaf blowers from May 1 to Sept. 30 from there on in.

Landscapers generally argued that the technology is not there yet to use only electric leaf blowers on larger properties because the battery life is too short or the equipment is too expensive.