Buena Park city officials are moving to phase in all-electric lawn mowers and other landscaping equipment for city employees and residents.
It comes after a new state law banned the sale of gas-powered lawn equipment and other equipment using similar small motors, which kicked in at the start of this year.
The move to slowly phase out gas-powered lawn mowers, leaf blowers, trimmers and other lawn equipment follows other cities like Irvine in their transition away from what is no longer sold in the market.
So far, Irvine is the only Orange County city to adopt an ordinance to switch from gas-powered to electric lawn equipment, with Buena Park considering it back in July.
[Read: Buena Park Considers Cracking Down on Gas Lawn Mowers, Street Vending]
Businesses that employ 50 or more people are banned from using gas powered lawn mowers and leaf blowers in Irvine, according to the ordinance adopted in December 2023. That ban kicks in on all people when the new year hits.
By July 1, 2026, people in Irvine will be forbidden from using all other gas-powered lawn equipment – like chainsaws, weedwackers and hedge trimmers.
Buena Park’s lawn equipment crackdown proposal comes as city officials start to fall in line with bill AB 1346 – state legislation that was approved a couple years ago outlawing the sale of small engines found in equipment as of January 2024.
During an Oct. 8 regular council meeting, Councilwoman Joyce Ahn pushed back on how soon enforcement of electric equipment would come, concerned over how it might disadvantage local businesses.
“I’m just wondering how fast and how much awareness we can create first,” she said.
But her council colleagues said it’s better for an ordinance to be considered sooner than later.
Since only electric lawn equipment is sold in California, Mayor Susan Sonne said city officials need to address it to allow for access to a rebate program for residents and small business – which is expected to be further discussed at a later meeting.
When asked about a future ordinance, Jessica Fewer, management analyst for Buena Park, said a new municipal code is expected to be voted on by City Council early next year.
When will new code come into effect?
After being reviewed by the Climate Action Commission at the request of Buena Park City Council members during a June 11 regular meeting, city staff laid out the four-year timeline for phasing out old equipment by the end of 2027.
City staff is recommending that all city-owned lawn equipment be fully electric – estimated to cost roughly $50,000 to replace 55 appliances, after one year from an ordinance being adopted.
Buena Park City leaders agreed with the staff report’s recommendation of adding a rebate program on lawn mowers for both small businesses and residents, allocating $50,000 in city funds.
While small businesses and residents are still permitted to use certain gas-powered engines for the time being, city officials are pushing for the switch to electric equipment.
Councilman Connor Traut said that on top of climate concerns, it’s important that the city provides avenues for local businesses to continue wanting to work in Buena Park.
“We don’t just want to be taking people’s equipment away – we want to incentivize and this does exactly that,” Traut said in last week’s council meeting.
The rebate program for residents – which is exclusive to electric lawn mowers – would start in the following year after all city-owned equipment is bought.
The reimbursements for residents vary on price range: the city plans on paying back a minimum of $150 on an electric mower purchase, maxing out rebates at $250.
The three-year transition plan mirrors that of another OC city, Irvine, which also anticipates all businesses and residents to primarily use electric lawn equipment after adopting new city laws.
Hugo Rios is a Voice of OC reporting fellow. Contact him at hugo.toni.rios@gmail.com or on Twitter @hugoriosss.
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