Petaluma, CA Noise Ordinances: Leaf Blower Rules (2026)

Sonoma County's leaf-blower rules are a patchwork of overlapping local and state law. In unincorporated areas - including the Russian River corridor, Sonoma Valley, Mark West Springs, Larkfield-Wikiup, Bennett Valley, and the Sonoma Coast - there is no specific leaf-blower ordinance. Use is regulated under the general noise framework: Chapter 3, Article III (Sec. 3-41 et seq.) of the County Code prohibits loud, unnecessary, or unusual noise that disturbs the peace, and the General Plan Noise Element imposes 50 dBA L50 daytime / 45 dBA L50 nighttime limits at any residential property line. A gas-powered backpack blower typically generates 65-75 dBA at 50 feet, well above these limits, so use during early morning, late evening, Sunday, or holiday hours can draw a Chapter 3 nuisance citation. The City of Sonoma (the city within the County, population ~11,000) adopted a comprehensive gas-leaf-blower ban via voter Measure V on November 8, 2016, which took effect December 22, 2016. Under the City's ordinance, gas-powered leaf blowers are prohibited within city limits at all times. Electric and battery-powered leaf blowers are allowed Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and not at all on Sundays or observed holidays. A first violation carries a $250 fine; a second violation within twelve months carries a $500 fine. Code enforcement is handled by the City of Sonoma Code Enforcement Officer. (Earlier 2011 and 2014 versions of the ordinance limited noise to 70 dBA and restricted Sunday/holiday use before the 2016 referendum imposed the outright gas ban.) Outside the City of Sonoma, other Sonoma County cities have not adopted equivalent bans as of early 2026, though Petaluma and Santa Rosa have considered similar measures and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District has urged jurisdictions to act on small-off-road-engine emissions. Statewide, California Assembly Bill 1346 (Berman, 2021) directed the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to adopt regulations prohibiting the sale of new small off-road engines (SOREs) under 25 horsepower used in lawn equipment, including leaf blowers, lawn mowers, and chainsaws. CARB's regulation took effect January 1, 2024 and bans new-equipment sales, though it does not retroactively ban use of existing gas blowers. Many landscape companies operating in Sonoma County have transitioned to lithium-battery backpack blowers (Stihl BGA 200, Ego LB7654, Husqvarna 530iBX, Echo DPB-2600) which deliver similar airflow at 60-65 dBA. After the 2017, 2019, and 2020 wildfires, defensible-space maintenance requirements under PRC 4291 and Sonoma County Code Chapter 13A still permit reasonable use of leaf blowers and other power tools to clear vegetation, subject to the noise hours.