Community Corner
You Ask, Patch Answers: When Will Los Gatos Ban Leaf Blowers?
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This week, Los Gatos Patch reader David J asked and commented: "I suffer from migraines. This is total noise pollution. On both sides of my home are condos. The leaf blowers seem like they are going for hours. They cause instant migraines in my case. A ban would not come too soon. Will the town ban them?"
Los Gatos Parks and Public Works Director Todd Capurso said the leaf blower issue has not yet been addressed by by the Los Gatos Town Council. It was touched upon a few months back because it is referenced in the town’s Sustainability Plan, which has been approved. It is likely to be considered by Council in the latter half of 2013.
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Capurso explained the Sustainability Plan tells the town things it needs to pursue to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and most of its measures deal with how to reduce vehicle trips, how to build intersections and roads to prevent gridlock traffic causing pollution and others.
One of the plan's recommendations is that if the town wants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by a certain amount, it should consider banning gas-powered, two-stroke engines that power leaf blowers, Capurso said. "This doesn't mean they're banned. It means that in the next number of years the town will very likely have to consider the issue. It's not considering the issue now."
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