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Eco Items on the Agenda
6 pm Regular City Council Meeting
Agenda/Watch: https://glendaleca.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=35021
ACTION ITEMS
8a. Management Services, re: Introduction of an Ordinance Banning the Use of Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers
1. Ordinance for Introduction
Report: https://glendaleca.primegov.com/Portal/viewer?id=4279&type=0
GEC STRONGLY SUPPORTS ITEM 8A:
Write to City Council before Monday, July 24 or speak at the 6:00 PM meeting on Tuesday, July 25.
- The ban will apply to leaf blowers only.
- There will be no penalties for two years. Complaint-driven enforcement would begin July, 2025, with a warning before a fine.
- Council requested that fines be charged to property owners, not gardeners.
- Once leaf blowers are banned, users may replace other equipment at the same time, as shared batteries and rebates make the switch easier.
- There will be consistent outreach to gardeners and property owners.
- GWP will offer a rebate.
- The CORE program offers larger point-of-sale rebates for equipment, batteries and the chargers, while funds last.
- The city will offer workshops to test equipment and learn about available rebates, at different times, advertised well.
- American Green Zone Alliance has broken down cost/savings. Charging is cheaper, and rebates help tremendously with initial costs. (Further info in this GEC outreach program: https://gec.eco/gec-outreach-educational-series-agza/, or if you really want to drill down, here is the cost of 4 years of gas/two-stroke oil and maintenance vs. cost of electricity, gas costs nearly twice as much to operate – $3828 for gas vs $1938 for battery – here’s a video cued to the explanation: https://youtu.be/TR7b-d0IquI?t=1323)
GEC community: you can help transition to non-polluting landscape equipment! Spread the word about the CORE Program. Offer an extension cord so your gardener can charge up one or two of their spare batteries while they work (it costs about 20 cents to charge a battery for an hour!). Be understanding if they raise their rates a little to cover some upfront costs! In return, the air around your yard won’t be polluted, workers won’t breathe in toxic fumes, and the noise level will be lower than when gas-burning equipment is used. It’s a win-win-win for you, workers, and neighbors!
Let’s show how this can be done while being helpful and kind to the gardeners, and let’s get a head start on the state-wide sales ban on many new gas, two-stroke engines (e.g. leaf blowers) beginning in 2024.
REPORTS – INFORMATION:
10a. Public Outreach and Education on Organics and Recycling Programs
Recording of meeting, cued to Introduction of ordinance banning the use of gas-powered leaf blowers in Glendale:
Call In when the item is up: (818) 937-8100
Email council members in advance:
Mayor Dan Brotman: DBrotman@Glendaleca.gov
Elen Asatryan: EAsatryan@glendaleca.gov
Paula Devine: PDevine@glendaleca.gov
Note – Scheduling changes can and do occur. We try to keep this post updated if things change, but please consult the city website for official agendas.
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