Coral Gables is once again confronting an issue where science, public health, and civic identity converge: the noise and pollution caused by gas-powered leaf blowers. A proposal by Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson to ban these devices is timely and overdue.
Two decades ago, former Commissioner Ralph Cabrera called for a similar ban. At the time, his proposal gained little traction. Today, the evidence is overwhelming. This is no longer a fringe environmental issue; it is a matter of public well-being. Gas-powered blowers emit pollutants—including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and unburned hydrocarbons—at rates that defy common sense. According to the California Air Resources Board, just one hour of use by a commercial-grade blower can generate as much smog-forming pollution as driving a passenger car more than 1,000 miles.
In a city that brands itself as The City Beautiful, it is hard to square such emissions with our aspirational image. Coral Gables has long prided itself on thoughtful zoning, aesthetic standards, and environmental stewardship. A ban on these outdated machines would reinforce that tradition.
Anderson’s proposal builds on her track record. She successfully led initiatives to eliminate single-use plastic bags and straws. Her approach has combined practical implementation with principled policymaking. The same can be true here.
Some opponents may argue that a ban would burden small landscaping companies or prove difficult to enforce. These concerns deserve a fair hearing—but they are not dealbreakers. Neighboring cities like Miami Beach, South Miami and Miami have already enacted bans. Most did so with transition periods, public education, and even trade-in incentives. There’s no reason Coral Gables can’t do the same. The city has the administrative tools—and political precedent—to act.
The shift to battery-powered blowers is already happening. These alternatives are not only quieter and cleaner; they also require less maintenance and offer long-term savings on fuel. Yes, the upfront investment may be higher, but the public cost of inaction is far greater—measured in noise pollution, poor air quality and lost trust in the city’s environmental priorities.
Coral Gables should not ask residents to trade their health, peace and quality of life for the convenience of outdated equipment.
More fundamentally, Coral Gables should not ask residents to trade their health, peace and quality of life for the convenience of outdated equipment. Quiet mornings should not be shattered by the shriek of two-stroke engines. Sidewalks should not reek of exhaust. The technology exists. So does the will—if city leaders are willing to act.
Coral Gables now can strengthen its environmental integrity where it once stalled. This is more than a question of machinery. It is a test of whether we align public policy with public values—of whether we are willing to lead rather than lag.
The Commission should adopt the ban—and implement it thoughtfully. Phase it in. Support those affected. Educate the public. But above all, act. The city’s legacy, and its livability, depend on it.
This Post Has 14 Comments
Agreed! I don’t understand the concern about burdening landscaping companies. They have alternatives to a gas powered leaf blower (battery, or better yet, rakes). I have never understood the rationale of moving leaves from one house to the middle of the street or to their neighbor’s.
I agree completely with the Editorial and Campo’s comment above. The worst part of leaf blowing is sending them all into the streets and our properties. This should be clearly corrected as part of The Ban!
Fully agree, from both the environmental and quality of life points of view. On a morning walk earlier this week we could hear leaf blowers for well over a mile of the four miles we covered, and in multiple places we needed to change our route in order to be able to converse while we walked.
Thank you, Vice Mayor Anderson! I fully support you in your efforts for banning gas blowers in our City Beautiful.
Not only are they loud, they often start as early as 7:00 AM and end after 5PM, disregarding our city’s time work schedule. Often, they prevent traffic flow as workers go into the center of the street blowing everywhere with disregard to passing cars that stop not wanting to have their cars covered in leaves and dirt. With the growing expansion of Coral Gables, some regulations as well as enforcement of such are necessary and welcomed.
What is the alternative for the gardeners? Raking ? The price of getting your garden done will increase if the gardeners need to add another hour or more to the time they employ in their endeavor. Finishing the job with a blower leaves cleaner sidewalks. Commissioner big sister RA is the standard bearer of universal regulation of just about every activity.
I prefer our commission to concentrate their efforts on street and sidewalk repairs and parking garage upkeep which have been issues for time immemorial and continue to be unaddressed. The state of Ponce de Leon boulevard for several blocks south of the Trail is third world.
There are viable alternatives to gas powered leaf blowers that are not limited to using rakes. Battery powered blowers can do an effective job and would be a marked improvement in our quality of life. We support the elimination of gas powered blowers.
I was recently teaching a scuba class in a Coral Gables pool and the leaf blowers were so loud my student could not hear me and he was right next to me only a few feet away in the pool. As others have said, there are alternatives to the obnoxiously loud gas powered leaf blowers. According to my Apple Watch the noise level produced by the leaf blowers is at a decibel that is dangerous to your hearing. Not to mention the leaves are being blown into the middle of the road or onto other people’s properties as well into the drainage systems, which lead to flooding problems in the rainy season. It is about time they were banned. Thank you, Vice Mayor Anderson.
Absolutely, and a 12 month transition deadline would be fine.
Yes please, ASAP please. Ban them yesterday if not sooner as any conciensous (world class?) city would do.
For the walkers among us, the noise is horrendous, following by sneezing, and then getting covered with dust, unless we change the route, only to encounter another evil machine a few blocks away. Really fun, isn’t it? I feel sorry for those who, for work reasons perhaps, attempt to sleep while the gardener next door is revving up that so 20th century noise machine called gas leaf blower. Add to this the environmental impact already mentioned. And, what do they really do? They blow leaves from one house to the next, and within hours or days they’ll be blown right back by the next gardener.
Thank you Rhonda Anderson! Much appreciated!
this concern has been around for years, i don’t thing its that difficult. Lets vote and get some piece and quite again….
Nancy- 6/7/2025
Switch to battery powered blowers!! Please! I support the exclusive use of battery powered blowers.
100% agree…we have a neighbor that has their yard serviced EVERY SINGLE WEEK, YEAR IN AND YEAR OUT!!! The noise and mess are intolerable!
Please no more gas-powered leaf blowers!!!!
There should also be restricted hours for blowing & mowing.
My neighbors gardener blows 3 lawns between 7 & 8pm when Im tired and cranky from a long day’s work. Another neighbor does his yard work mostly on Sundays and holidays
YES
And good to reign in these vendors that blow everywhere to other’s property and the street. Actually some homeowners should be mindful.