Police issue 78 summonses for gas-powered blowers in May after just two in first four months of 2025. Conversations with other community officials give a glimpse at what Rye can expect from here.
Those speaking in opposition to a full ban on gas blowers all asserted the same argument: When it comes to the spring and fall cleanup periods, electric leaf blowers are simply not up to par.
The upcoming public hearing will mark the first formal discussion of leaf blower regulations since August 2025, when the council unanimously voted to delay changes until this year,
This ends a four-month trend of dramatic spikes, where leaf blower summonses issued increased most notably in May and June, by 25 compared to the same period last year.
In November four seats on the City Council are up for election, meaning the makeup could be vastly different come January when the new members are sworn in.
The increase has been a trend over the past three months, as March and April saw increases of 13 and 37, summonses, respectively, compared to 2024 numbers
On The Record.
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Letter: Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers are a Menace