The following letter was sent to the Rehoboth Beach Board of Commissioners with a copy provided to the Cape Gazette for publication.
We are writing to express disappointment in your recent decision to defer any action on the environmental committee's recommendation for a phased-in ban on gas-powered lawn equipment in the City of Rehoboth.
Three thoughts came to mind as we read the July 15 article in the Cape Gazette:
1. Yes, there is a cost, but all lawn equipment wears out and will need replacement, either by the city, contractors or homeowners. Cost alone is no excuse for inaction.
2. If you don't agree on the committee's recommended timeline, fair enough. Negotiate it. Bring in contractors and seek their input on how it will affect their businesses. They operate in many localities; we aren't the only jurisdiction discussing this topic.
3. Noise, noise and more noise. We sit on our front porch during the day and we can't believe how noisy Rehoboth has become. Lawnmowers, blowers, contractors hammering and screaming children in rental swimming pools. It goes on and on and on. This is not a productive environment for people working from home – an expanding audience that we should be listening to carefully.
As we swelter under the heat of the hottest summer ever on record, we scratch our heads at your lack of leadership on this issue. This was the time to take a stand, to signal to our community and region that we are doing everything possible to responsibly meet climate change head on, one step at a time. Instead, we punted.
We hope that fortitude will prevail and that this issue will reappear on your agenda very soon – and with a different outcome.
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