DI resident's petition to limit gas-powered landscaping equipment is gaining speed
A new petition asking for less gas-powered lawn maintenance equipment is making the rounds on Daniel Island. If successful, the document will request gas-operated landscaping equipment not be used in public spaces managed by the Daniel Island Property Owners’ Association.
“To me it’s a no brainer,” said petition creator Sara Gail, a Daniel Island resident. “It’s for cleaner air, higher community, it’s the way that everything is going.”
Gail created the petition to promote lower carbon emissions and noise pollution.
“We care about our water being clean and regulated, a lot of us are buying organic food. Why would we not want to have cleaner air?” she asked.
Jane Baker, vice president of community services for the POA, states that she is in support of the petition.
“I think it’s a great idea and we always welcome residents bringing good ideas to us that eventually are money saving for the POA and a more sustainable practice in keeping up with what other communities are doing around the country,” said Baker. “So we are studying the option with our landscape company of trying to have them start to implement using more battery and electric powered equipment for Daniel Island common area landscaping.”
The South Carolina Coastal Conservation League commented that they are in favor of the petition because of its efforts to curb noise and environmental pollution.
“We heard from residents, like Sara, on Daniel Island who are bothered by the noise from lawn mowers, edgers, trimmers, and leaf blowers, and they’re concerned that fumes from the equipment were polluting the air,” said SCCCL Communications Director Caitie Forde-Smith.
According to the petition, which was put out to the public the week of October 17, 100 signatures are needed to meet with Charleston City Councilman Gary White “to discuss transitioning to electric mowers, blowers and trimmers for commercial landscaping.” As of Sunday evening, the petition had received 91 signatures.
Public spaces owned by the POA are manicured by an outside company, called the Greenery. “The POA has a three year contract in place,” said Baker. “We are encouraging our landscaping company to start including electric powered tools in their inventory for Daniel Island. We do not expect it to be an overnight change but will continue to encourage them to replace old equipment with electric/battery powered equipment.”
The POA’s contract with their landscaping company ends in 2020.
If the proper number of signatures is reached, the POA will not enforce the rule on individual citizens caring for their private yards. “There’s no current prohibition in our CC&Rs [Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions] from using any type of lawn equipment you want to use,” said Baker. The petition is strictly concerned with POA managed public spaces.
Gail believes that electric-powered equipment is a suitable alternative to the gas-powered mechanisms employed by many landscaping companies.
Electric equipment is typically seen as cheaper in initial cost, and upkeep, since no gas is needed for operation, but many sources (including technology news outlet Popular Mechanics, Consumer Reports, and several local hardware stores) claim that gas-powered equipment is much stronger and effective than electric equipment. “For the homeowner, a corded grass trimmer would be okay,” said Clements Ferry Ace Hardware assistant-manager Steve Wood. “For professional landscaping people, it’s strictly gas powered all the way.”
To access the petition, visit https://p2a.co/RdSDMJs.