The days of gas-powered leaf blowers on the Vineyard may be numbered after three towns voted to phase out the lawn equipment at their annual town meetings Tuesday night. 

The bylaws are being proposed across the Island in an attempt to reduce noise and emissions, according to proponents. The articles drew some concerns from landscaping businesses in the lead-up to Tuesday, but passed at the first town meetings of the season in Oak Bluffs, Edgartown and West Tisbury.

Under the new bylaws, landscapers and homeowners will have to stop using gas-powered leaf blowers by the spring of 2028, giving people time to switch over to electric-powered blowers or old-fashioned rakes.

The articles were backed by the Vineyard Conservation Society, and drew considerable debate on town meeting floor. The landscaping industry is one of the largest on Martha’s Vineyard, hiring hundreds of people. During the spring and fall clean-up seasons, the chorus of blowers can be heard throughout the Island.

Edgartown moderator Steve Ewing looks out on the crowd at the Old Whaling Church. — Jonathan Fleischmann

“As much as we want to be able to do our spring cleanup, we also should be able to enjoy time outside with our kids, with our grandkids, with our guests lying in a hammock, gardening,” Samantha Look, the executive director of Vineyard Conservation Society, said at West Tisbury town meeting. 

Each of the articles designated periods in the spring and fall to allow the use of gas leaf blowers until the phaseout date. All blowers would also be subject to restrictions during certain times of day.

Edgartown, which was the first town to take up the issue via a rejected citizen’s petition last year, passed the new bylaw in a 197-42 vote. The article was amended to change the dates leaf blowers are permitted in the fall from Sept. 15 through Dec. 15 to Oct. 15 through Jan. 15.

A second citizen’s petition to ban gas-powered leaf blowers as early as July 1 was postponed indefinitely. Jim Joyce, a real estate broker who lives full-time in Edgartown and was behind the petition, told the town floor he may have been too harsh. 

“All I really wanted to do was make America rake again,” Mr. Joyce said.

Mark Hess, manager of Edgartown Golf Club, said gas-powered leaf blowers are more efficient than electric and are essential to clearing goose feces and stray sand off the 62-acre course.

“There’s no question that gas-powered leaf blowers are overused,” Mr. Hess said. “In my opinion, they are essential to some operations.”

Affordable housing committee member Justin Kush proposed amending the article to exempt recreational facilities from the article’s provisions but it did not carry.

In Oak Bluffs, the bylaw passed narrowly by a vote of 98-79. The article carried after an amendment allowing the use of non-commercial leaf blowers on Sundays between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. passed. 

“I’m somebody who works six days a week,” said resident Ashley Van Murphy. “My only day off is Sunday. I should be able to clean my yard.”

Jose Sanabria, who owns a small landscaping company, said that he worried about the fact that the bylaw will be enforced by the police department when many of the landscaping company owners are immigrants.

Reading over the warrant in West Tisbury. — Joshua Robinson-White

“My main concern at this point becomes not really the bylaw about the noise, but the police department enforcing this bylaw,” he said. “Police are meant to keep the harmony among the town.”

Mr. Sanabria also said that because many small landscaping companies are owned by immigrants, not all of the owners could vote on the issue that pertained to them.

Oak Bluffs Police Chief Jonathan Searle also expressed concern about uniformed, armed police officers being the ones to enforce the restrictions.

“I don’t believe it’s a legitimate use of police resources,” he said, citing concerns about understaffing.

The chief also worried leaf blower calls could take time away from the regional communication center, which also handles calls about medical emergencies and motor vehicle accidents. 

In addition, he highlighted the potential impact of what would happen if the fines associated with the restrictions were not paid. On the first violation, people will receive a warning. On the second, the fine is $100. Subsequent violations come with a $200 fine. 

“If someone does not pay that bylaw ticket, it turns into an arrest warrant,” Chief Searle said.

In West Tisbury, the leaf blower article drew the most discussion of the evening. Amendments changing the phase-out date and other pieces of the bylaw failed.

Landscaper Justin Kelleher brought the amendment forward, citing that he wasn’t against the restrictions but was worried about potential price increases and the durability of electric leaf blowers, issues he had experienced having used similar equipment.  

“If you’re lucky enough, maybe you can send it back to the actual manufacturer and eventually get it repaired and [have them] send it back,” he said. 

The bylaws will now head to Tisbury and Chilmark later this spring. Aquinnah town administrator Jeffrey Madison said that there is not a ban on his town meeting warrant, which is still being finalized.

Addison Antonoff, Katrina Liu and Gwyn Skiles contributed to this report.