Description
A snow removal company (details listed below) was using gas powered leaf blowers at 5:00AM to blow some very light snow, waking up several people in the neighborhood and violating city ordinance.
The relevant city ordinance (below) allows exemptions for "Noise from snow removal equipment, provided it is maintained in good repair and exhaust is reasonably muffled," but a 2-stroke gas powered leaf blower is not normal snow removal equipment, and the equipment used was not reasonably muffled.
This company should be fined and the city ordinance should be amended to include a limited definition of snow removal equipment that includes plows, shovels, and snow throwers—not leaf blowers, which are the wrong tool for the job and inappropriately noisy.
Ironically, there was barely any snow. No reasonable person could justify making this kind of noise at 5:00AM.
City Ordinance:
Sec. 18-78. Exemptions and special conditions.
"The following shall be exempt from these regulations, subject to special conditions as provided herein:
(4) Noise from snow removal equipment, provided it is maintained in good repair and exhaust is reasonably muffled;"
Company Details: (video footage available)
One of the two employees present said his name was Dan (not shown), and he told me that the company was Upton, Inc.. The two were using a white pickup truck with CT license plate # 5135CA (see image)
10 Comments
Christopher Brownfield (Registered User)
Melissa (Guest)
guest (Guest)
BenHV (Registered User)
Christopher Brownfield (Registered User)
Dear Melissa,
I didn't call the police, since the workers were finished by the time I arrived downstairs to talk to them. Also, the workers would likely have claimed the exemption for using 'snow removal equipment', even though there was no real snow that morning (it was all melted within an hour of sunrise). The problem is that the city should amend the ordinance by defining snow-removal equipment to include plows, shovels, and snow throwers. Gas-powered leaf blowers are not snow removal equipment; the only reason these over-eager workers used that equipment in the first place was that there was so little snow that they could get away with using the wrong tool for the job (and charging someone for it) at the expense of waking up the entire the neighborhood.
If we want to prevent this in the future, then let's clarify the loophole in the ordinance so that we can hold people accountable for such knuckle-headed creativity.
Thanks!
-Christopher
Melissa (Guest)
Hi Chris,
I'd love to see the loophole fixed. Will you be calling the city about it? You can let everyone in this thread know who to call and whether they were responsive.
Doug Hausladen (Registered User)
That's a great point Christopher - regarding improper use of equipment.
For the other seasons, leaf removal and dirst, I know that Husqvarna makes a low noise blower for the other seasons -
http://www.husqvarna.com/us/
Christopher Brownfield (Registered User)
Thanks, Doug. I have no problems with people using plows and snow-throwers (when there is actually snow).
Melissa, I'll try to find the right person at City Hall to talk to about the ordinance.
Suggestions, anyone?
Thanks!
Doug Hausladen (Registered User)
Closed Christopher Brownfield (Registered User)
Thanks, I'll take it up with Bitsie Clark in the next few months. It would be silly for me to pursue this while the city is buried under a mountain of snow.
Thanks for the support, everyone!
-Christopher