San Benito County, CA Noise Ordinances: Leaf Blower Rules (2026)

There is no separate leaf-blower chapter identified in the San Benito County Code for the unincorporated area. Instead, gas-powered and electric leaf blowers are governed by the County's general Noise Control Regulations in Chapter 19.39. That means a leaf blower must not create an unreasonable 'noise disturbance' under Section 19.39.020, must not exceed the maximum permissible sound pressure levels in Section 19.39.030 when measured at the property line, and powered yard equipment is effectively tied to the permitted-hours framework that the County applies to construction-type activity under Section 19.39.010 (the County's Building Inspection Services describes those hours as 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday-Saturday, no Sundays or National Holidays). A typical gas backpack blower produces roughly 65-75 dBA at 50 feet, so early-morning, late-night, Sunday, or holiday use in audible range of neighbors is the most likely to draw a complaint. On the statewide layer, California Assembly Bill 1346 (2021) directed the California Air Resources Board to phase out new small off-road engines (SORE), and CARB's regulation prohibiting the retail sale of new gas-powered leaf blowers and similar equipment took effect January 1, 2024. AB 1346 targets the sale of new equipment; it does not make it illegal to own or operate a leaf blower you already have, and battery-powered models are widely available as replacements. This combination - County noise rules plus the state sales ban - is what governs leaf-blower use in unincorporated communities like Tres Pinos, Paicines, Ridgemark, Aromas, Cienega, Panoche, and Bitterwater. The cities of Hollister and San Juan Bautista may adopt their own equipment or landscaping-noise rules; Hollister has separately updated its construction and landscaping-maintenance noise restrictions, so check the city code for properties inside those limits.