The City of Walnut Creek is stepping up outreach efforts to remind residents and business owners of the new gas-powered leaf blower ban set to begin April 1.
In November 2025, the City Council voted 5-0 to support the community-wide ban on gas powered leaf blowers, but opted at that time to delay the ordinance until April 1, 2026.
The ordinance would prohibit the use of gas-powered leaf blowers for anyone in the City of Walnut Creek, including City staff and contractors working on City-owned property. The only exemptions listed in the ordinance are for emergency cases as approved by the City or other first responders. This includes when responding to an emergency or as necessary to restore or protect life or property.
This week, in the city managers recent newsletter, it issued the reminder:
On April 1, a prohibition the use of gas-powered leaf blowers will go into effect. Visit the City’s Leaf Blower webpage for resources and information you can share with your neighbors and landscapers to help with the transition. Gas-powered leaf blowers produce high levels of pollution into our community. These toxic emissions can cause health problems for people nearby.
In Contra Costa County, more people, especially children, have asthma compared to the state average. Reducing air pollution from tools like gas-powered leaf blowers can help protect our community’s health. Switching from gas-powered equipment to electric-powered options also reduces our contribution to climate change.
The Policy: The City’s Municipal Code will be updated to add Chapter 9 (Gasoline Powered Leaf Blowers) to Title 5 (Sanitation and Health). The policy will prohibit any person, business or entity who owns, manages or rents property in the City to: (1) use or operate any gasoline powered leaf blower in the City or (2) to hire, allow, employ or retain the service of a person or business to use gasoline powered leaf blowers on the property. Limited exceptions are allowed for emergency cases as approved by the City or other first responders. The policy was discussed in detail at the November 4, 2025 City Council meeting. The agenda and meeting recording can be find on the City’s Public Meeting Agenda and Videos webpage.
Walnut Creek joins over 100 cities in California have restrictions or bans on leaf blowers, including Lafayette, Pleasanton, Piedmont, Emeryville, Novato and Oakland.
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