Peter Pike, Sandy Pike and Tammy Wood are fed up with one neighbor who just will not leave the leaves alone.

“We have an issue with someone leaf blowing all the time, all day, every day it seems, for hours, nonstop,” said Sandy Pike. “He comes in our yard and does it. We’re getting tired of it.”

As per Village Board policy, comments directed at other members of the public are not tolerated during public comments, so the residents did not identify the neighbor by his full name. The neighbor, who they identified only by the name of Dan, was referred to as a longtime resident of the village.

While some may argue the issue is blown out of proportion, the residents feel their concerns are more than just hot air. Aided by a light agenda for the meeting with no action items listed under old or new business, the Village Board was generous with its time to hear the residents speak their minds.

Silver Creek Village Trustee Kathy Tampio listens to public comments during a recent meeting.

Peter Pike claimed that his neighbor spends six hours a day using a leaf blower, which he claimed is an industrial sized piece of equipment.

“It’s getting annoying,” Peter Pike said.

Tammy Wood came to the meeting to voice her support of the Pike family’s stance.

“I am with them. I have been there for seven years, and for seven years I have listened to this,” Wood said. “I have battled cancer while he’s leaf blowing.”

Wood stated the group of residents have each spoken with the neighbor about his dedicated yet excessive pursuit for a leaf-free neighborhood. However, their efforts have not made any progress in their own quality of life.

Residents attended a Silver Creek Village Board meeting to voice their complaints about a neighbor’s excessive leaf blowing.

“He has been spoken to. We have asked him politely, and we have gotten nowhere. That is why I am here tonight,” Wood said.

Wood also stated that their neighbor’s arduous pursuit of arbor maintenance can sometimes last six hours a day.

“I’m not disputing the fact that he does it,” said Silver Creek Mayor Jeff Hornburg, who also lives on the street in question. “I’m not arguing with you, but I think six hours is an exaggeration.”

Hornburg referred the residents to the code enforcement office to urge them to file a complaint.

“I’m happy to get more complaints on those written forms. It makes it so much easier to keep track of,” said John Kennedy, village code enforcement officer. “We don’t use them to tell your neighbor you’re complaining about them. We do it so we get information to keep you in the loop.”

Kennedy said a resident should not be going onto other people’s property or causing debris to end up on another person’s lawn – whether good intentioned or not.

“We’ll be happy to address it in some way or form. We don’t need to rush him to the police department, but he can’t be blowing stuff onto other people’s property,” Kennedy said.

After 12 minutes of discussion, the residents thanked the Village Board for its time and attention to their concerns.

Also of note, the village will be collecting leaves through the month of November. Brush must be separated and will not be collected by the village, but residents can dispose of brush at the Old Main Road disposal site on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. through the month of November.

Peter Pike joked, “Why don’t you guys hire Dan?”