2021-05-05-NAC-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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2. Landscaper Comments 22 people in addition to the 5 Committee members participated by attending the webinar meeting. Dan shared a chart that showed the Time and Season restrictions in nearby towns and asked attendees to limit their comments to these issues. In summary, a number of issues were raised to the Committee: • Two landscapers felt that all Town residents should be included in these discussions, and that the process could be postponed until there can be a large in- person meeting. This delay would also allow more viable equipment to become available. It was further requested that the Committee send out invitations to the list of landscapers to make it easier for landscapers to observe our committee meetings. • Paulette LaMacchia noted that "noise is noise" whether made by landscapers or homeowners and stated that her company purchases new GLBs every two years and sells their used GLBs to homeowners. She indicated that the current electric leaf blower technology is not efficient enough. She also asked for the equipment regulations to be addressed at a later date than the seasonal and days/hours of operation. She also asked if a GLB manufacturer were to develop a gas-powered machine that is as quiet as an electric blower would its use be allowed. • Landscaper comments indicated the need to clarify whether the bylaw targets all gas- powered equipment or just GLBs. Dan stated that the elimination of all gas-powered equipment has not been part of any Committee proposal. • Several landscapers discussed the reasons for starting their workdays at 7am. Reasons include the need to finish early enough so that employees can use public transportation to get home, the need to work during daylight hours, the need to avoid rush-hour traffic and delays caused by school buses and the desire to be home with their families to have dinner and participate in family life. • Several landscapers reported that losing one hour of work-time each day would have a huge economic impact on their business and on their employees' incomes. Landscape workers put a high value on maximizing the number of hours that they can work, and the loss of seven or more hours per week of wages is a concern. Landscaper Anthony Modoono indicated that eliminating Sunday hours and imposing later start times and earlier end times would result in the loss of 20 hours of work per employee multiplied by 30 weeks per year. • Mike Keegan indicated concerns about negative environmental issues associated with Lithium batteries, stating that they are worse than oil and a problem for landfills. He felt that our regulations would be saving ears, but killing the environment. He also questioned whether multiple noise complaints were from the same people and that 20 complaints in a town the size of Lexington was a tiny number and could have included complaints about DPW equipment noise, which will not be regulated under the proposed bylaw. He indicated that the DPW can't do their job with electric leaf blowers and landscapers can't either. Mike questioned how the regulations would be enforced, indicating his belief that the Lexington Police would not be interested in issuing citations. • George Carette, a landscaper who has used only battery-powered equipment for the past seven years, discussed the recyclable aspects of Lithium batteries and stated that, unlike two-stroke engines they don't pollute the air or soil. He further noted significant new and upcoming improvements in battery technology. He reported that he has no problem with profitability or work production and feels that his electric