The time is six o'clock, and we do have quorum with uh two of the two out of three, and the third uh counselor on the rule public health safety.

Oh no, this is the public health safety and transportation meeting.

So I was thinking about rules.

So we have um full quorum.

Uh roll call, uh counselor long.

Yes.

Uh counselor White Harvey.

Yes.

And Councilor Bryant.

Um yes.

Okay.

And um Brandon said that he's watching, but I think he wants to be in the let me see the participants here.

Okay, Mike, you can hear me, right?

Yes, I can.

Okay, so Brandon, I think he's watching because he's gonna come on for the 6 30 meeting.

We're gonna move quickly.

Okay, so the public health um uh this meeting is now called to order.

We did that.

We did roll call, and now I can't get down the um, the thing is blocking me.

All right, um, and now we will go on to the agenda, which is simple.

We have one item on the agenda, but we've called the I've called the meeting to order.

We will have public participation um on anything that is not on the agenda.

We have one action item for discussion and or votes.

Um, item A, Order 2025-076, upon request of the chair of the city council, a referral to the public health safety and transportation subcommittee and the rules, ordinance and ethics subcommittee discussion of air and noise pollution and the current noise ordinance.

Uh background material is the City of Framingham Noise Ordinance, um uh Massachusetts information on Massachusetts leaf blower ordinances and restrictions, and um a letter from Richard Lerner about leaf blowers.

Uh I will say Larry Stoat also had uh back in 2023 sent a paragraph in um uh asking that we don't like saying about the dangers of leaf blowers, but um when this comes to the city council meeting um or public hearing for uh then obviously more materials will be uh available.

So before we go into it, everyone got the background material, right?

Okay, right.

So uh what I just want to say is to just this is gonna be a short meeting anyway.

Oh, first let me ask does anyone have anything that they wanted to did they want to comment on that is not on the agenda.

All right, good, because it's just us three anyway.

Okay.

Now, uh having gone over it more than I would like, frankly, uh, because we did uh back in 2023 air the issue out in this very subcommittee.

Uh and you know, we gave it a little airing then.

And I could see that uh what we had people on both sides of the issue.

But um, no what the questions that I would want to be answered from proper agencies of the city or and or state are what are the acceptable for Framingham?

What are the acceptable and unacceptable noise levels in Framingham?

Now in the ordinance we have it, but really I want to know in terms of these equipment and then in terms of the general state and health.

Do these leaf blowers and other landscaping equipments violate uh Framingham law as one um uh uh anonymous person keeps trying to say that you know it's above the decimal level.

Um and does it or does it violate any other noise ordinance?

What decimal levels do not cause hearing damage?

What decimal levels cause or contribute to hearing loss or damage?

That I would probably have to go to the board, um have the uh director of the um health department uh come back with that information.

I'd really like to have for the city council.

Um I don't think we need to air it again here, but I think it we should have it go to the city council, get the information from um that is needed to answer these questions and a few more I have, and actually have a public hearing on it as well before we decide uh whether to uh create a ban, create um a higher level of enforcement on what we already have in place, or whether we need to update um the current um uh uh noise ordinance, which might be simplest, but what we have here is so, oh yeah, also does um a higher level what level of decimal uh you know loudness uh causes uh temporary or permanent uh loss or damage to one's hearing, uh, what type of uh damage does it cause?

How serious is it?

Are there less noisy leaf blowers and other landscaping equipment?

Are there electric or battery operated leaf blowers and more as I know there are some electric uh I mean battery operated leaf blowers, um, air pollution, what level of air pollution do these leap blowers and other gasoline powered landscaping equipment cause?

Do the noxious fumes from the gasoline powered equipment negatively affect the health of innocent bystanders?

What are the possible negative health impacts and outcomes to which gasoline powered leaf blowers and and like equipment are thought to contribute?

And then how many landscaping businesses are registered in Framingham and pay taxes in the city of Framingham?

I think the critical concerns that I have are uh obviously there's a constitutional right to the pursuit of happiness, so we have to consider that on both sides.

The health impacts, right?

Um, somewhat financial impacts, but I don't think that that's huge.

Um, more the health impacts.

Now we also have the public needs um knows our noise um ordinance is extensive, but I don't know that it's um so specific to this.

Now, I will also state as as I put in the background material since I put it in, um, that there is a list of municipalities with enforcement programs in place, but uh Lexington is the only one that has like um is specifically documented as having hired a dedicated code enforcement officer to handle leaf blower complaints.

Um, but many municipalities, uh, when they say many, not many in terms of all of the municipalities in Massachusetts, but plenty have enacted restrictions or bans.

Um, Arlington, Belmont, Brookline, Cambridge, um, Arlington, uh residential use of gas-powered leaf mowers is prohibited for from June to September, June 1st to September 14th.

A full ban on these devices will extend to all residents starting March 15, 2026.