What happened, and what we're asking for.
On November 19, 2025, the Lower Merion Board of Commissioners adopted a sweeping gas-powered leaf blower ordinance. Most of the 64,000 residents it affects only learned about it after the vote. The rule treats a quarter-acre yard the same as a fifty-acre country club, gives small landscapers little time to transition, and removes tools that keep our streets and sidewalks safe in late fall.
We support clean air. We don't support rules passed without telling residents or protecting the people who pay the cost. We're asking the Board to amend the ordinance before the first phase begins on June 1, 2026.
Harm to Seniors
Seniors on fixed incomes will see landscaping costs rise sharply at exactly the moment they can least afford it.
Harm to Small Businesses
Family-run landscaping companies face $5,000 to $15,000 in new equipment costs and many will close.
Safety Risks
Leaves and snow left on sidewalks and streets in late fall become slip-and-accident hazards for everyone.