It seems only logical that, under a ban, these companies would face additional costs that would force them to raise prices. The loss of leaf blowers would drive businesses to hire more employees for additional working hours.

A ban also would make it so that a homeowner wanting to use a leaf blower to take care of his or her own lawn would be unable to do so.

Hill has argued that blowers emit high amounts of carbon dioxide. But Ron Holdway, director of the Orange County Environmental Health Services Division, said leaf blowers are not significant polluters.

The effect of the machines on the environment is unclear, and officials should explore the full impact of the machines before coming to a conclusion.

An outright ban on leaf blowers is an extreme measure, but the concerns raised Monday call for some action in the middle ground. A time restriction on using leaf blowers - for example, prohibiting their use between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. - might provide enough relief from the noise.

A time-based restriction on leaf blowers would ensure that pedestrians have their allotted time to roam walkways without having to deal with oppressive noise. Such a rule also would allow for businesses and homeowners to use blowers at some point during the day.

An outright ban on leaf blowers in Chapel Hill would be a reactionary response that could have unintended and negative results. Chapel Hill should avoid such a measure.