Santa Rosa, CA Noise Ordinances: Leaf Blower Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Weekday restricted hours
- 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.
- Weekend restricted hours
- 8 p.m. to 9 a.m.
- Covered equipment
- Gas-powered leaf blowers and lawn brooms
- Zone covered
- Residential districts only
- Penalty
- Infraction, fine capped at $100
- Adopted
- Ordinance 2773, 1989
Summary
Santa Rosa bans gas-powered leaf blowers and lawn brooms in residential districts between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. on weekdays, and between 8 p.m. and 9 a.m. on weekends. Municipal Code Section 17-16.125 makes a violation an infraction capped at a $100 fine, giving residents a fixed nighttime and early-morning quiet window for gas-powered yard equipment.
§ 17-16.125. Leaf blowers. (A) Offense. It is unlawful for any person to operate any gas-powered leaf blower or lawn broom in a residential district between the hours of eight p.m. and eight a.m. on weekdays or between the hours of eight p.m. and nine a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. (B) Penalty. A violation of this section shall constitute an infraction with a maximum penalty of a fine not to exceed $100.00.
Full Breakdown
125, adopted by Ordinance 2773 in 1989 and sitting in Chapter 17-16's Article II on special noise sources, targets gas-powered leaf blowers and lawn brooms specifically, rather than yard equipment generally. window on Saturdays and Sundays, giving neighborhoods an extra hour of quiet on weekend mornings. The restriction is tied to the residential district designation, so operating the same equipment in a commercial or industrial zone during those hours doesn't trigger the section. Subsection (B) fixes the penalty as an infraction, capping the fine at $100, well below the general misdemeanor exposure that applies elsewhere in Chapter 17-16.
040 if the noise unreasonably disturbs a neighbor regardless of the time of day. on a Tuesday, for example, is operating outside the permitted window even if the work is otherwise lawful.
Violations & Fines
Operating a gas-powered leaf blower or lawn broom in a residential district during the restricted hours is an infraction under Section 17-16.125(B), with a fine capped at $100 per violation. That's a lighter penalty than the general Chapter 17-16 misdemeanor in Section 17-16.050, and each instance of use outside the allowed hours can be cited separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time can gas leaf blowers run in Santa Rosa neighborhoods?
Are electric leaf blowers restricted the same way as gas ones?
How much is the fine for using a leaf blower too early?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Rosa
How Santa Rosa compares: Cities with the Strictest Leaf Blower Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Rosa to another location·View the California noise ordinances overview
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