Chico Municipal Code Ch. 9.38 contains no leaf-blower-specific time or gas-engine ban. Leaf blowers are regulated under the general residential noise caps in CMC §9.38.030 — 70 dBA at the property line 7 a.m.–9 p.m., 60 dBA 9 p.m.–7 a.m. — and the §9.38.052 unreasonable-noise standard. California Title 24 / CARB small off-road engine rules apply at the equipment level.
Unlike many California coastal cities, Chico has not enacted a leaf-blower-specific ordinance restricting hours of use or banning gas-powered units. Leaf-blower noise is governed by the standard residential dB limits under CMC §9.38.030 (70 dBA day / 60 dBA night at the property line) and the general unreasonable-noise prohibition in CMC §9.38.052. Most consumer gas blowers produce 65–75 dBA at 50 ft, so backyard use during daytime is typically legal; pre-dawn or post-9 p.m. use risks violation. CARB's Small Off-Road Engine (SORE) regulation (effective Jan 1, 2024) prohibits the sale of new gas-powered leaf blowers under 25 hp statewide, gradually shifting the market to battery-electric units — but existing gas units may still be operated. Chico has not layered local restrictions on top.
A blower exceeding the 70/60 dBA caps at the property line, or operating unreasonably (e.g., commercial crew running multiple units pre-dawn in a residential zone), is cited under CMC §9.38.054.
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