Rye

Ban status

Year-round prohibition on gas-powered leaf blowers, effective May 1, 2026. City of Rye Code Chapter 122 (Leaf Blowers) as amended by Local Law No. 2-2026 (adopted 2026-02-11 by City Council in 6-0 vote with one abstention). §122-3 permits year-round use of electric leaf blowers; §122-4 prohibits all gas leaf blower use except as listed in §122-5D exceptions. Replaces the prior 2023 framework which had limited gas blowers to spring (March 1 – April 30) and fall (October 1 – December 15) cleanup windows. Operating hours (unchanged): M–F 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.; weekends 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; not on holidays. Penalties: $250 (1st offense), $1,500 (2nd), $2,500–$10,000 (3rd+); repeat offenders subject to court appearance and potential civil forfeiture. Both homeowners, landscapers, tenants, and contractors liable. Other gas-powered lawn equipment (lawnmowers, weed trimmers) not affected.

Timeline

• 2026-05-01 Effective date reached — effective
• 2026-01-07 Adopted — Rye City Council first-meeting passage
• 2025-12-16 Report published — Year-end enforcement: citations more than double, 111 to 267
• 2025-08-06 Hearing held — Council postpones leaf blower changes to 2026 amid electric-transition debate
• 2025-06-11 Hearing held — Rye Council holds hearing on tightening gas-blower seasonal restrictions
• 2025-05-07 Bill introduced — Henderson proposes shortening leaf blower season, banning gas on Sundays
• 2025-04-24 Report published — Police data: leaf blower summonses spike 300% in March 2025

Research & citations

• City of Rye — New Leaf Blower Law in Rye — City of Rye, 2026-04-08
  City news announcement of Local Law No. 2-2026 (Chapter 122 amendment) banning gas leaf blowers citywide effective 2026-05-01. Penalty schedule $250 / $1,500 / $2,500–$10,000.
• MyRye.com — Rye Implements Year-Round Ban on Gas Leaf Blowers, Fines for Violations — MyRye.com, 2026-02-13
  Reporting on the 2026-02-12 four-hour hearing and Local Law No. 2-2026 adoption (6-0 with one abstention), $10,000 maximum fines, 2025 record of 586 leaf blower summonses under prior seasonal framework.
• City of Rye — Local Law No. 2-2026 (full text PDF) — City of Rye, 2026-02-11
  Codified text of Local Law No. 2-2026 repealing §133-7 lawn-maintenance equipment regulations and amending Chapter 122 to prohibit gas leaf blowers with §122-5D exceptions; §122 penalties.
• Chapter 122: Leaf Blowers — City of Rye
• City of Rye, NY — Official Website
• Rye City Plans to Ban Gas Leaf Blowers, Raise Violation Penalties — MyRye.com, 2026-01-08