Leaf Blower HellCommunity AnnouncementsUpdated on Dec 14, 2015 View more like this | Visit MONTCLAIR, NJ | Contact Mayor 22 |
All around me, all day long for weeks on end, I have been living with the high-pitched whirring of leaf blowers by crews of landscapers energetically blowing leaves from around their customer properties.
Along with leaves, they are blowing dirt, dust, pollen and animal feces into the air for us all to breathe.
The chorus of machinery is just incredible. They are howling like petro-driven wolves in and out the corridors of nearby building and neighborhoods. Today they are far enough away that it's like a howling in the distance which is terrible but not excruciating because of the space between us. I can imagine how they must sound up close because frequently they are right next door.
It's hard to believe that lovely, sleepy, hip, bucolic Montclair, home to American landscape master George Inness caved in to the demands of a special interest group, allowing this crazed cacophony with virtually no restrictions. Years ago, the township considered putting reasonable restrictions limiting the number of these monstrous things that could be operated on one property at a given time, but they were not bold enough to keep in place, and now we have this leaf blower madness to live with day after day, the suburban soundtrack of leaves turning colors, and gently floating to ground around sun-kissed painted Victorians.
NOTE: The current ordinance limits the usage of blowers from March 1 through June 30, and from Oct. 1 through Dec. 15.
It limits the hours of use to 8 am - 6 pm on weekdays, 9:00 am - 6 pm on Saturday, and 10 am - 6 pm on Sundays.
The violation of any of these is supposed to result in a summons and monetary fine.
Please help enforce these laws. Report any violations to code enforcement!
It limits the hours of use to 8 am - 6 pm on weekdays, 9:00 am - 6 pm on Saturday, and 10 am - 6 pm on Sundays.
The violation of any of these is supposed to result in a summons and monetary fine.
Please help enforce these laws. Report any violations to code enforcement!
