Police plan leaf blower crackdown

Mary A. Castillo

Leaf blower bandits beware. The Laguna Beach Police Department

will be working proactively to find and fine anyone using a leaf

blower.

Typically by the time an officer responds to a leaf blower

complaint, the offending gardening crew has always packed up and

moved on to the next client. Residents are frustrated not only by the

weekly whine of the blowers, but also by the airborne dust and

debris.

But when dispatchers receive 911 calls for medical aids, traffic

collisions, crime reports and other serious crimes, leaf blower

complaints are low on the priority list.

“The infraction has to be seen by the officer,” Capt. Paul Workman

said. “So we have a couple of our reserve officers who try to track

the location and day the calls come in and patrol check and see if

the guy is there again.”

“It’s a minor inconvenience compared to the adverse affects,” said

Steve Kawaratani, owner of a local landscaping and gardening firm and

columnist for the Coastline. “I don’t consider leaf blowers a big

loss.”

City Manager Ken Frank can remember when the municipal code went

into effect 10 years ago that the city sent notices to all gardeners

that had business licenses in town.

“We still do it every couple of years because people forget or new

contractors come in to town,” he said.

Most of the time, homeowners tell leaf blower operators about the

municipal code and law enforcement is not involved.

A first time offense will cost you $50.

However, the loss of leaf blowers coupled with the City Council’s

decision to prohibit washing down of sidewalks and driveways has

forced gardeners to find more efficient ways to keep walkways clean.

“We can still wash down within a private prop as long as it

doesn’t go out into public right of way,” Kawaratani said. “We’re

definitely using more brooms.”

In the last three weeks Workman has seen more than 20 citations

issued to leaf blower operators. Although the department wants to

first educate gardening companies and their employees, they will

crack down on repeat offenders.

* MARY A. CASTILLO covers education, public safety and City Hall.

She can be reached at mary.castillo@latimes.com.