Item 2A: Approval of City Council Minutes

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5. ACTION: An Ordinance Concerning Noise Disturbances; Amending Section 4.083, and 4.084 of the Eugene Code, 1971; and Adding Sections 6.750 and 6.755 to that Code. Councilor Pryor, seconded by Councilor Taylor, moved that the City Council adopt Council Bill 4937, an ordinance concerning the noise disturbances. Councilor Poling, seconded by Councilor Pryor, moved to add an additional exemption to Eugene Code section 6.755(1), as follows: “Sounds produced by leaf blowers and street sweepers being used to clean parking lots and adjacent areas in commercial or industrial zones.” Councilor Poling explained that he wished to include the additional language to assist in the task of cleaning up parking lots and associated areas in the commercial and/or industrial areas that was routinely done late at night, typically between 10 p.m. and 7:00-8:00 a.m., when the parking lots were empty and the businesses closed. Councilor Taylor asked Councilor Poling if he would accept as an amendment “500 feet from residential areas.” Councilor Poling declined to accept Councilor Taylor’s suggested amendment. Roll call vote; the amendment to the motion that the City Council adopt an additional ex- emption to Eugene Code section 6.755(1), as follows: “Sounds produced by leaf blowers and street sweepers being used to clean parking lots and adjacent areas in commercial or in- dustrial zones,” passed 6:1, with Councilor Taylor voting in opposition. Councilor Taylor thanked Dr. Polter for sending the council more information about leaf blowers, which described places where and why leaf blowers were banned. Councilor Taylor, seconded by Councilor Zelenka, to substitute “65 dBA” for “70 dBA” in both places that dBA is mentioned in EC 6.750(e). In response to a question from Councilor Pryor, Mike McKerrow, Land Use Supervisor for the Planning and Development Department, explained that City of Eugene staff currently used the lower decibel models. He had limited information, but acknowledged that one private firm recently ordered the lower decibel leaf blowers. He did not believe that the lower decibel models were generally used by most local maintenance companies. In response to Councilor Zelenka, Mr. McKerrow said he did not know the life span of the machines, although limited information he received from one vendor said a noise reducing shroud to reduce decibels made maintenance more difficult. He added the quieter machines were about $100 more than the louder machines. Councilor Zelenka proposed phasing the ordinance in over a two-year period to allow businesses to transition to the new equipment. Councilor Zelenka offered a friendly amendment, to phase the lower dBA level in over a two-year period. Councilor Taylor accepted the friendly amendment. MINUTES—Eugene City Council February 26, 2007 Page 5 Regular Meeting