Gardeners Begin Hunger Strike at City Hall

Hunkering down in parkas and blankets under skies that threatened rain, several gardeners began a hunger strike Saturday evening on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall to protest the city’s imminent ban on gasoline-powered leaf blowers.

“This is an issue of democracy,” said Adrian Alvarez of the Assn. of Latin American Gardeners of Los Angeles, which organized the hunger strike. Alvarez said the ban will rob many gardeners of their livelihood, sending a signal that “a whole segment of the working class has no voice at City Hall.”

“Unfortunately, we feel a hunger strike is the only way we can be heard,” Alvarez said as he prepared to join seven others in forgoing food indefinitely.

The hunger strike began at sunset on City Hall’s South Lawn, under trees still decorated with white holiday lights. It was the latest in a series of protests by gardeners, many of whom are poor immigrants, since the city enacted--then delayed enforcing--its ban a year ago.

The impetus for blowing away the noisy, polluting lawn care staples came from the city’s affluent neighborhoods on the Westside and the west San Fernando Valley. The parade of celebrities that flocked to City Hall to push for the ban helped bring national attention to the issue.

The leaf blower ordinance, among the strictest in the nation, prohibits use of the gasoline-powered devices within 500 feet of a residence. As originally adopted, the ordinance called for fines of up to $1,000 and up to six months in jail for violators.

Last month, however, the council gave 9-5 initial approval to change a violation from a misdemeanor to an infraction, thus reducing the penalty to $270. The council is scheduled to take the required second vote on the measure Tuesday, giving protesters what they hope will be a chance to have the council reconsider the entire matter.

“The reality is that gardeners need the leaf blowers to do their jobs,” said Alvarez, who added that his organization would be satisfied with a measure that regulates--but does not ban--the blowers.

Many cities restrict the hours of operation and noise levels of the blowers. In Los Angeles County, 34 cities regulate the use of the blowers; Manhattan Beach, for example, does not allow their use on weekends.

Besides Los Angeles, eight cities in the county have ordinances prohibiting the devices: Beverly Hills, Claremont, Hermosa Beach, Lawndale, Malibu, Santa Monica, South Pasadena and West Hollywood. But 43 other local municipalities do not restrict the use of leaf blowers.

The gardeners association, formed after the City Council adopted the ban, successfully lobbied for the delay and has staged protests that range from packing City Hall hearings to marching barefoot through busy streets. The group said it is planning to go to court to halt the ban if necessary.

Alvarez said the leaf blowers enable gardeners to handle the 20 lawns a day necessary to make ends meet. Using a broom or rake, as ban proponents suggest, would radically slow the pace and would be especially unworkable in steep hillside areas, he said.

“We’re not saying leaf blowers aren’t noisy, but other technology is also noisy and polluting and so is regulated, not banned,” Alvarez said. “Helicopters and cars are noisy . . . but nobody in his right mind would suggest banning cars in Los Angeles.”

Ban proponents, however, said the city should have prohibited the leaf blowers long ago. Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski, whose 11th District includes many of the homeowners who have long sought a ban, said gardeners and leaf blower manufacturers had more than a decade to prepare for the changes while the debate raged and momentum built for prohibiting the devices.