Banning leaf blowers is so petty. Aren't there more important things to worry about?

This is rediculous.

How silly. Who's going to pay the people that would have to enforce such a ban? We have much bigger problems in this town than banning leaf blowers.

Leaf blowers are not a big deal. I can see saying don't use loud equipment before a certain time but to ban a leaf blower people have gone crazy.

Yeah... let's ban lawnmowers too. The old push mower was almost silent... so much healthier. Weed whackers?... who needs 'em. They used clippers back when I was a kid.

It's not suprising that Marbleheaders would like to ban these mini power plants. It would be a great chance for landscapers to double or triple their fees.

such a silly thing to vote on

Foolishness. If you want to ban something then fine, put time restrictions on when they can and can not be used. Say 8:00am to 7:00pm. What ever. This is the type of thing that makes towns like HW, Marblehead and any other well to do town look like snobs and out of touch with the real world.

Move along. Nothing to see here.

A lot of people do their own yard work because times are hard. tools like these are needed. Just don't be jerk and use them at 6am.
Bottom line: No... never... you will have to pry my leaf blower from my cold dead hands.

Gives a whole new meaning to the term "Marblehead."

What next, lawn mowers ?

Even if they do get banned how would they enforce the ban? Would I be arrested or issued a heavy fine? Quick call the police to enforce the leaf blower ban!!!! I can see the officer rolling his eyes now.

I cant wait for there to be 10 to 15 entries into the police log reading, "A resident of XYZ Street called to report the use of a leaf blower. Officers responded to find a Landscape company cleaning the mess they had made after doing work down the street."

To answer your question a Scenic Roadway is most any road in Tewksbury that has no sidewalks, numerous potholes, trash, cigarette butts and Bud Light cans decorating the borders of the worn away front laws from drunk and texting Tewksbury drivers who can't stay within the lines. One method to add to the beauty and attraction of a Tewksbury scenic roadway is to put cinder blocks or boulders on the edge of ones lawn. This also provides great entertainment when drunk and texting Tewksbury drivers drift off the road.
Have a great weekend....

This country is slowly eliminating the rights of it's citizens...possibly another civil war in the future?

How about dogs that bark for hours? A loud machine doing some kind of constructive work is not a problem for me but a barking dog is a result of an ignorant dog owner and should be banned. In Salem police won't even respond to barking dog calls even though it is disturbing the peace.

"That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government"

Hi all, I just want to let you know that this poll is cross-posted among many Patches and all the comments show up in this article. So if you're from Chelmsford or any other town, you may be talking about in-town issues with out-of-town folks in these comments...just FYI.

Personally I don't mind them too much. Landscapers need their business and it's not like they're being used into the evening.

Ahh perhaps the answer is to create a new town agency "Blowing Authority". It could be selffunded via permits issued for blowing.

I meant Leaf Blowing

I wish that every town only had the problems that Marblehead has to deal with. This is pathedic.... why don't the Marblehead residents who are complaining about this find something serious to complain about.

Maybe we can tax 'luxury items' like leaf blowers so our town doesnt go belly up as it seems to be on the path to, Does anyone know what happens when we really hit the red hard in 2014 and 2015 and we can no longer borrow money? I wonder if there will be any accountability of town leaders or if they will simply play the 'we didnt know revenues would dry up' and the spent money like it was going out of production and increased our bloated workforce with stimulus money and when that dried up we had to resort to strong arm tactics rather than cut back like we should oh what a situation. I am thinking about getting out now while I still can get a few bucks for my home and move to a town that has some foresight and isnt just 'one step to the next'

Who are the IDIOTS that came up with this idea ?????

Really this is making news over the overtime hours by police and fire department!

And what is wrong with the Police and Fire working overtime hours ?

Hey I got a great idea. Ban them inDecember, January and Feburary. Oh wait that is when you should ban the snowblowers. Boy what a problem this is turning out to be.. This suggestion is as stupid as the whole idea is !!!.

I do not know if the public at large understands that if Leaf Blowers are banded the increase in Labor bills for Landscaping will put It out of reach of all Seniors and the Middle Class ! I can find a new Occupation once the government shuts down Landscaping. But people that really need the service will suffer the most!

When leaf blowers are banned only illegal aliens will have leaf blowers.

I wish that the Patch had a dislike button for regional stories such as these. For the next three days, we can look forward to comments for this story showing up in all of our news feeds, confusing residents in many towns. The saddest thing is that MY comment will show up in the comment feeds of over 30 communities -- entirely overkill for a story that affects only the Town of Marblehead.

The bottom line is if leaf blowers are banned you have to ban everything else that makes noise. And banning frivolous stuff is a vilation of our rights.

Leaf Blowers create noise pollution and trigger anxiety for a lot of people within hearing distance...whatever happened to the good old fashioned rakes and brooms and a little hard work?

Put real mufflers on Motorcycles and fire trucks if you want to stop noise and one more thing, that crying baby next door is just too loud at 2 am.

So if thy are going to try and bam leaf blowers from homeowners/landscapers in Marblehead does that mean they are next going to ban te jackhammer from the construction company, and the skil saw from the carpenter, need I go on? Really Marblehead do you want to be the laughing stock of the country???

You know, some people are so lucky that this is all they have to worry about. There is so much noise in the world - you cannot legislate it all. If you want silence, buy 100 acres somewhere and build your house in the middle of it. When you live in a highly populated area like the northeast, you can't have everything your way . . . geesh. (Sometimes the birds in my yard wake me up and do their business on my deck . . . what to do what to do . . .)

What a totally ridiculous thought. These ultra-liberal, personal rights bashing fools should not even get the time of day on something like this. Marbleheads is quite appropriate with these folks.

My shoulders can't handle raking any more; my leaf blower is a blessing!

Seriously? All of you are arguing over leaf blowers?

It is kinda of fun to banter over silly issues that some think is "so green". Brookline already has the ban, surprise.
The funny thing about Marblehead is that it has no forest to blow the leaves into. They simply blow them back and forth, leaf wars of sorts.

This has to be a joke. In this day and age of advanced technology do they really want to go back to back-breaking raking when a little wind from a machine makes short work of it? So it makes some noise ... so what? It gets the job done. It is also GREAT for removing snow from my shrubs preventing branch breakage. I'm with Phil Stanway ... they will need to pry my leaf blower from my cold dead hands ... and then pry me away in a body bag before I give up the convenience and efficiency of my leaf blower. I'm too old to fool around with old-fashioned methods that will age me further. So, there!!!!! PS ... Chelmsford is my town.

Everyone is on vacation this week at the "local patches". This is their way of keeping the "local patches" occupied while they are occupied by their unoccupied children. I guess it has worked. Ashley....am I right?
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At least leaf blowers are used during the day light hours. What is worse is living next door to a drummer who practices all night and all day. Nothing can more annoying than hearing drums and cymbals with no music in the background. If there is music, it is heavy metal. It almost sounds like he has it amplified. Not only does this person play his drums at all hours, he leaves his two dogs all the time barking all day and all night. Maybe he is driving his dogs crazy with his banging.

Has anybody from Westford chimed in here? I'd be curious to hear thoughts about how this in Marblehead and Swampscott compares to the Drop Box warrant article passed at Town Meeting a few weeks ago. (http://westford.patch.com/articles/poll-should-westford-s-charity-bins-and-dumpsters-get-more-regulation)

How about banning dog walkers using our sidewalks, parks and front lawns as a dumping ground for their pet. Tired of seeing them carrying a bag a dog waste around town. Contaminates and degrades our town. So nasty.

I bet the same folks who are for banning leaf blowers are the same lot that love creating havoc with the farmers market being held in the center. Not a problem limited citizens if it effects them but when something impacts others it's no big deal.

How about banning dog walkers using our sidewalks, parks and front lawns as a dumping ground for their pet. Tired of seeing them carrying a bag a dog waste around town. Contaminates and degrades our town. So nasty and disgusting.

Agreed Michele. I rather hear a leaf blower than seeing a slob unloading their dog in public.

I agree with Ron Powell (Fri 10:42) regarding the need for an 'ignore' option. Regarding the subject of leaf blowing.. Zzzz

Thank you to the more than 700 people who voted in the poll and more than 60 people who voiced their opinion in the comment section about this issue. Feel free to continue the discussion.

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So Marblehead Mabey we should ban Back how Excavators too there kida loud. wile were at it lets ban trash trucks too there kida loud. so when a water line or gas line beaks we can use picks and shovels to fix them instead.

Ok I have read all the comments thus far and have seen no clear explanation as to why the towns are considering the bans. What I have seen, however, is many of you using the issue to promote your agenda. We have lost civility and courteousness. If we could be aware that others exist and not just me, me, me and MY property, maybe, just maybe voting on issues such as this would not be necessary.

Lets not forget snowblowers also

Waht about street sweepers ???? GOT TO GO !!!

Ban dog fouling in public.

carring dog waste in a plastic bag is totally gross. I see this lady walking with bags of it tied around her belt...sooooooo gross.

If these people in Marbelhead had a Job to go to each day during work hours they would not even hear the Leave blowers during business hours. How nice it must be to be able to stay home and have the bills paid without working each day .

ban them please, people are so lazy. just rake them for goodness sake. Its pollution!

Why not just ban everything and let big goverment tell us what we can do. GIVE ME A BREAK.

Towns want to ban leaf blowers so they can rake in the fines. We are getting clipped. Leave us a lawn.

Is Kevin behind this latest appeal