Oak Bluffs

Ban status

Phased ban. Full gas leaf blower ban 3 years after passage. Ashley Van Murphy floor amendment permitting residential Sunday use 10am–5pm (same as Saturday) was critical to passage.

Timeline

• 2025-04-08 Vote taken — Martha's Vineyard Towns to Vote on Gas-Powered Leaf Blower Phase-Out at Town Meetings
• 2025-04-08 Adopted — Annual Town Meeting adopted phased gas leaf blower bylaw

• Upcoming 2028 Effective date reached — Full gas leaf blower ban takes effect (3 years post-passage)

Research & citations

• Martha's Vineyard Towns to Vote on Gas-Powered Leaf Blower Phase-Out at Town Meetings
  Five Martha's Vineyard towns — including Oak Bluffs, Edgartown, and West Tisbury — are set to vote at town meetings on April 8, 2025 on proposals to phase out gas-powered leaf blowers within three years. The Vineyard Conservation Society has driven the effort, citing noise, air quality, and worker health concerns. Landscapers express mixed reactions but many are already transitioning to battery-powered equipment.
• Leaf Blower Bylaw — Vineyard Conservation Society
• Oak Bluffs, MA — Official Municipal Website
• Leaf-blower ban passes three town meetings — MV Times, 2025-04-08
• Towns Pass Leaf Blower Bans — Vineyard Gazette, 2025-04-09