Evanston

Ban status

Year-round prohibition on operation of gas- and propane-powered leaf blowers anywhere in Evanston city limits. Electric blowers permitted year-round subject to general noise ordinance hours. Codified at Evanston City Code Title 9, Chapter 5 (Noise Control) as amended by Ordinance 111-O-21. Enforcement paused October 14 – December 31, 2025 in response to DHS "Operation Midway Blitz" ICE raids targeting landscaping crews; pause was a city-manager action endorsed by Mayor Daniel Biss. Enforcement resumed January 1, 2026.

Timeline

• 2026-01-01 Enforcement resumed — Enforcement resumed
• 2025-10 Enforcement paused — Enforcement paused in response to federal immigration enforcement activity affecting landscaping workers
• 2024-03 Bill introduced — Council rejected 3-week pause on 5–4 vote
• 2023-04-01 Effective date reached — effective
• 2021-11 Adopted — Ordinance adopted by City Council

Research & citations

• Everyone hates gas-powered leaf blowers. So why is it so hard to ban them? — Grist — Grist, 2025-11-26
  Kate Yoder surveys the national landscape of gas-powered leaf blower restrictions and the implementation gap behind them: Westport, CT fought for a seasonal restriction and then found local officials weren't enforcing it; in Evanston, IL landscape workers allege harassment from residents reporting violations; Texas and Georgia have preempted local regulation; California's sales ban took effect January 2025, with the Western States Petroleum Association running a Latino-focused campaign against electrification; Colorado offers a 30% rebate on electric equipment; Portland and Baltimore are phasing out use; Wilmette, IL is coordinating with other greater-Chicago towns toward consistent regional policy. Article notes more than 200 local governments now have some form of restriction.
• Responding to targeting of landscapers by ICE, Evanston enacts moratorium on leaf blower ordinance — The Daily Northwestern — The Daily Northwestern, 2025-10-22
  Coverage of Evanston's October 14, 2025 city-manager moratorium on leaf-blower-ordinance enforcement in response to DHS "Operation Midway Blitz" ICE raids targeting landscaping crews. Mayor Daniel Biss endorsed the pause; enforcement resumed January 1, 2026.
• The Movement to 'Make America Rake Again' — Reasons to be Cheerful — Reasons to be Cheerful, 2024-01-18
  Hannah Wallace profiles the national push to ban gas-powered leaf blowers, opening with Quiet Clean PDX co-chair Michael Hall (Portland, OR) and noting more than 100 US cities have enacted bans alongside 45+ Quiet Clean Alliance member groups. Calls Washington D.C.'s 2022 phase-out the "gold standard" — three-year ramp-up, citizen-affidavit enforcement via DLCP, fines up to $500. Surveys California's CARB AB-1346 zero-emission rule (effective Jan 2024) plus the state's $30M CORE voucher program; cites bans in Burlington VT, Evanston IL, Oakland, Beverly Hills, Santa Barbara, and Montgomery County MD; flags rebate/discount programs in Colorado (30% statewide point-of-sale discount, eff. Jan 2024) and Dallas. Quotes Seagraves Landscaping (West Linn, OR — a Lake Oswego Parks contractor) on crews preferring electric blowers. Closes by linking the movement to the Xerces Society's Leave the Leaves campaign.
• Petition: Expand Evanston's Leaf Blower Ban — Change.org, 2021
  Evanston IL pro-ban expansion campaign. Drove Ordinance 19-O-21 (Nov 2021) expanding seasonal ban into full GPLB phase-out. Victory.
• City of Evanston — Municipal Code (leaf blower / noise) — City of Evanston
  Codified leaf blower / noise ordinance for City of Evanston, Illinois. Source: Municode.
• Leaf Blowers — City of Evanston
• Petition: Urge Evanston City Council to Uphold Gas Leaf Blowers Ban — NO MORATORIUM — Change.org
  Evanston IL pro-ban DEFENSE petition (675 signatures). Opposes a proposed moratorium that would suspend the existing GPLB ban. Active.
• Evanston sees surge in gas leaf blower complaints year after ban — WTTW, 2024-05-17
• Evanston pauses leaf blower enforcement amid ICE raids — Evanston RoundTable, 2025-10-15