A public meeting will be held by the Village of River Forest Sustainability Commission on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, 7PM, at Village Hall and via Zoom, regarding a proposed ordinance by the Sustainability Commission to ban the use of gas-powered leaf blowers within the Village beginning June 1, 2025. We encourage your feedback at the meeting and by completing a brief, 4-question survey found here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VRFleafblowers. All are welcome to attend this public meeting to learn more and/or provide comments on this proposed change.
Proposed changes to the Village Code are as follows.
GAS-POWERED LEAF BLOWERS PROHIBITED:
- For the purposes of this section, a gas-powered leaf blower shall mean: A leaf blower that is powered by gasoline or propane, including an electric leaf blower powered by stand-alone fossil fuel powered generators or generators powered by vehicle engines.
- No gas-powered leaf blower shall be permitted to be operated in the Village on or after June 1, 2025, except as provided in section 8-41-5 of this code.
- The use of portable generators to power electric leaf blowers or to recharge batteries used in leaf blowers is prohibited.
- Exceptions: Gas-powered leaf blowers shall be permitted to be operated as follows:
- At the direction of Police or Fire Department sworn personnel of the Village for the purpose of responding to an emergency, or in order to restore, preserve, protect or save lives or property from imminent danger of loss or harm; or
- To clear fallen trees in order to provide emergency clearance for public safety.
- Conflict with State Law: If any provision of this section conflicts or is otherwise inconsistent with a provision of state law, the more stringent or restrictive provision shall prevail and shall be enforced by the Village.
Anyone with questions regarding the proposed change or public meeting should contact Seth Jansen, Management Analyst and Sustainability Commission Staff Liaison at sjansen@vrf.us or 708-714-3521.