Sonoma bans leaf blowers on city land for year

The Sonoma City Council on Wednesday night approved a one-year moratorium on the use of all leaf blowers on city property.

The vote was 4 to 1, with Councilman August Sebastiani voting no.

The council also approved restricting the use of leaf blowers in residential areas and the posting of hours and days when leaf-blowing can occur in commercial areas.

In its vote Wednesday night, the council ordered the Community Services and Environment Commission to study specific hours and days for the restriction and to report back to the council with its recommendations.

The commission's next meeting is in November and the whole matter won't come back to the council for final approval until possibly late this year or early next year, city officials said.

With the exception of the one-year moratorium, the measures approved are similar to recommendations made by the commission in a report presented to the council Wednesday night.

Sonoma's noise ordinance currently prohibits the use of residential power equipment before 8 a.m., later on weekends and holidays, and every day after 6 p.m.

Noise limits are set at 90 decibels.