It's too early at 7 a.m. for mowers and leaf blowers

I moved to this area two years ago and settled in Newbury Park because I was attracted to the community. However I've found myself faced with a situation that may drive me and other likeminded residents out of this neighborhood.

The same day every week at exactly 7 a.m., I'm awoken by cacophony generated by my neighbor's landscapers. A team of people are simultaneously running mowers, edgers and, the worst, leaf blowers- all within 30 feet of my bedroom window. This has occurred not only during the week but also on the weekend.

I was shocked to learn that according to the municipal codes of Thousand Oaks, this practice is completely legal. Both Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties have recognized how bothersome these machines are and have subsequently banned the louder gas-powered leaf blowers completely.

And yet this community not only allows them but allows them at 7 a.m.

Landscapers, and especially the homeowners who hire them, need to show courtesy and respect for their neighbors. It's a sad truth that many do not. These jobs can be completed at reasonable times and with quieter equipment.

I ask that the city of Thousand Oaks evaluate the impact of these practices on the peace and well-being of residents. At minimum, I ask that the city consider banning the use of all landscaping equipment, especially gas-powered leaf blowers, before 8 a.m. within residential neighborhoods and before 9 a.m. on weekends.

Let's return our community to the peaceful place we would all like to enjoy.

Elizabeth Baker
Newbury Park