San Francisco Administrative Code § 4.14 Restriction on Use of Polluting Equipment

(a) For purposes of this Section 4.14, “polluting garden and utility equipment” means gasoline-powered equipment under 25 horsepower, including two-stroke and four-stroke models, such as, but not limited to, lawnmowers, leaf blowers, trimmers, weed whackers and jackhammers. Except as otherwise provided in this Section, no City department shall use polluting garden and utility equipment on “Spare the Air Days” or other days in which the Bay Area Air Quality Management District notifies the public of unhealthy levels of air pollution and requests that the public refrain from engaging in polluting activities. The prohibition on the use of polluting garden and utility equipment shall not apply to an employee whose supervisor, in accordance with written departmental procedures, has exempted the employee from the prohibition on a specified day. The department head of each department that uses polluting garden and utility equipment shall establish procedures for informing employees about the prohibition on use and authorizing exemption requests.

(b) Chapter 12E of the Administrative Code establishes a ban on the City’s use of gas-powered landscaping equipment. In the event of any conflict between this Section 4.14 and Chapter 12E, Chapter 12E shall govern. (Added by Ord. 5-98, App. 1/16/98; amended by Ord. 202-22, File No. 220199, App. 10/6/2022, Eff. 11/6/2022)