Greenwich's summer ban on gas-powered leaf blowers ends Wednesday, Sept. 30, clearing the way for landscapers and homeowners to use them again starting Thursday, Oct. 1.

The seasonal restriction, in place since the Friday before Memorial Day, barred gas-powered blowers on residential properties under two acres. Properties of two acres or more got an earlier reprieve the day after Labor Day. Electric leaf blowers were permitted all summer.

First Selectman Fred Camillo confirmed the timeline in his Friday, Sept. 25, Community Connections newsletter, thanking residents and landscapers for complying with the restrictions. In a Sept. 9 newsletter, as Patch reported, Camillo said he had "personally had to speak with more than a few landscape companies this past week who were using gas powered blowers."

The ban traces to a Jan. 16, 2024, Representative Town Meeting (RTM) vote that restored Greenwich's noise ordinance with a new leaf blower amendment. The push came after the Board of Health repealed the town's existing noise ordinance in early December 2023, and the Board of Selectmen referred the question to the RTM. Quiet Yards Greenwich, a community advocacy group, had lobbied for the restrictions for several years.

What the rules allow year-round

Gas and electric blowers alike must follow daily time limits that apply every month of the year:

  • Monday through Friday: No use between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m.
  • Saturdays, Sundays and holidays: No use between 3 p.m. and 9 a.m.
  • Sundays: Commercial use of gas-powered blowers on residential properties is banned all day.
  • Small lots: Parcels of one-quarter acre or less may be serviced by only one leaf blower at a time.

Fines and enforcement

Violators face a $100 fine for a first offense and $249 for each additional violation, according to a 2024 Greenwich Time report citing Camillo. Residents can report violations to the Greenwich Police non-emergency line at 203-622-8006, according to the town's noise ordinance page.

The town's noise ordinance page also lists full details on permitted hours and how to request education outreach about the ordinance.