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City Action on Leaf Blowers

Wildfire activity across California and the Western United States can from time to time significantly impact air quality within the City of Davis (and greater Sacramento region), including the possibility of particles of ash accumulating outdoors. During these periods, the City may request that residents and businesses alike avoid activities that will increase airborne particulate.  

For the Air District’s e-notification sign up and air quality and smoke maps, click here. 


What Criteria is Used to Determine if it is an Air Quality Concern?

Conditions that would result in recommendations to avoid the use the of leaf blowers include local AQI values exceeding 100 (unhealthy for sensitive groups) for two consecutive days, presence of wildfire ash and/or future air quality forecasts.

The information in this section refers to an emergency action that is no longer in place. 


Why Would the City Enact Temporary Restrictions on the Use of Leaf Blowers?

During the summer and fall months of 2020, wildfire activity across California significantly impacted air quality within the City of Davis and contributed to particles of ash accumulating outdoors. Concerns about air quality and the further distribution of ash particles in the air were a significant point of discussion in the community, as well as at the City’s Natural Resource Commission and City Council – particularly around impacts of using leaf blowers for outdoor landscape maintenance on days with poor air quality and on accumulated ash.

The immediate concern about the impact to air quality with their use during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic led the City Council to ask the City Manager to use his existing authority to issue Executive Proclamation and Order No. 02-2020, declaring an emergency relating to airborne particulate matter and other pollutants during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and wildfires burning across the State. With this emergency declaration, prohibitions were placed on the use of leaf blowers during periods of poor air quality, as defined by the proclamation and order. On October 6, 2020, this order was ratified by the City Council, and remained in place until it was terminated on February 28, 2023, coinciding with the termination of the state emergency. 

Proclaimed and Ordered September 26, 2020: Air Quality Emergency Declaration and Emergency Order Banning Leaf Blowers (PDF)

Proclaimed and Ordered October 2, 2020: Air Quality Emergency Declaration and Emergency Order Banning Leaf Blowers (PDF)

Commission and Council Discussion On the Temporary Ban on Leaf Blowers

Below is a list of public meetings where the temporary ban on leaf blowers have been discussed. Older records are no longer available online, but are available upon request. To access any of these older meeting records, please submit a Public Records Request via NextRequest.
  • Natural Resources Commission - August 24, 2020
  • City Council Meeting - September 15, 2020
  • City Council Meeting - September 22, 2020
  • City Council Meeting- October 6, 2020

Permanent Changes to Leaf Blower Ordinance

Comments received by the City Council and staff on the use of leaf blowers have made it clear that the issue is of interest to the community and would benefit from a more in-depth analysis. In addition to providing direction to return with the urgency ordinance, staff were directed to work with the Natural Resources Commission, other applicable City commissions, and stakeholders to undertake a review of the City’s leaf blower regulations and consider any necessary modifications. Updates on this process will be provided via notices on this page. 

Below is a list of public meetings where the permanent ban on leaf blowers have been discussed. Older records are no longer available online, but are available upon request. To access any of these older meeting records, please submit a Public Records Request via NextRequest.


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