Zurich City’s citizens will decide on 28 September 2025 whether to ban petrol-powered leaf blowers. A Left-Green coalition wants only quieter electric ones, and only in autumn – from October to December. The city council and a majority of the municipal council are on board. But opposition was sufficient to call a vote against the move.
Opponents, mainly centrists, call the plan needless meddling that will make gardeners’ work harder. They forced the proposal to a referendum, arguing that the tools are noisy but not intolerable.
Many Swiss municipalities already have noise rules. It is not uncommon for excessive noise to be prohibited on Sundays and public holidays, or during established quiet times. There is even a website dedicated to noise and the rules and social norms against it. Some newcomers view these rules as an infringement on their personal liberty. However, many eventually learn to appreciate not being woken up by the sound of a lawnmower at 8am on a Sunday.
Voters in Zurich will also rule on parking permits. Under a new scheme, residents’ blue-zone passes would double or triple in cost, with heavier cars paying more. The FDP/PLR and the Swiss People’s (UDC/SVP) object, and demanded a vote on the plan.
More on this:
Zurich City vote info (in German)
For more stories like this on Switzerland follow us on Facebook and Twitter.