Just one citation has been issued in response to the City of Lafayette’s ban on gas powered leaf blowers since it went into effect July 1, 2024 – a sign that voluntary compliance is taking hold.

    And, such is the trend that Gerardo Jiminez, the city’s lone Code Enforcement Officer tasked with following up on complaints made by residents in response to scofflaws, hopes will persist in the year ahead.
    Jiminez noted an uptick in complaints from 2024 to 2025 made to his office as calls rose from 487 to 571.

    Issuing a citation is the last thing Jiminez says he wishes to do, with educating the apparent violators the preferred course of action.
    “Regardless of who they hire, it is the responsibility of the homeowner to provide the (landscape crews) with the resources and requirements, at the very least, to stay in compliance,” he said.

    To that end, he emphasized that “a very friendly letter” informing a resident that they are in violation is the first step in the process after a complaint has been logged, to which Jiminez hopes the individual self-polices their behavior and no further complaints result.

    But, if it comes to it, a notice of violation could follow. The ultimate hope is that violators comply, and after 30 days, the matter is closed. But a report about the specific residence will remain on file just in case a new complaint is made.

    The hardest part of Jimenez’s job is getting complaining residents to sign a Disclosure Form. Doing so means complainants may have to testify against the offending party if the matter goes to court.

    Jiminez encourages photos of the alleged violation be taken when residents make a complaint. Otherwise, he noted, it takes a lot more time for him investigate and see firsthand when a violation is taking place.

    “It is lengthy process, but I try to give the residents a chance to comply,” he said. “My goal is not to write citations; the goal is always voluntary compliance.”

    A common situation Jiminez finds is that the violations at times involve a property where its owner doesn’t reside there, and there is either a lack of awareness about the gas-powered ban or they have taken it on good faith that the landscaping crew who was hired had been following the law.

    Just as before the gas-powered leaf blower ban took effect in mid-2024, the City of Lafayette is continuing to offer its free loaner program for residents to borrow either a commercial backpack electric leaf blower or a smaller hand-held model. The leaf blowers are available for homeowners to try out the equipment and understand how much of a charge batteries carry for the equipment before making a financial investment for their residence.

    For details about the loaner program, visit: https://www.lovelafayette.org/city-hall/commissions-committees/environmental-task-force/electric-leaf-blower-lending-program