STAMFORD — After weeks of debate on the floor and in committee meetings, the board of representatives voted against two highly discussed ordinances Monday night.

An ordinance regulating commercial leaf blowers and an ordinance providing a property tax exemption to residents who purchase hybrid vehicles, were both defeated on the floor at the board's regular meeting May 5.

The noise ordinance would have required professional landscapers to use leaf blowers that had a noise output of 65 decibels or less.

"I can completely appreciate and understand the quality of life issue with leaf blower noise," said City Rep. Scott Mirkin, R-13. "But what I'd like to see is regulation come from the top down."

The ordinance did not required homeowners to use quieter equipment, part of the reason why the board voted against it, Mirkin said.

The tax exemption that would have allowed residents to exempt the first $2,000 of property taxes on automobiles with a fuel efficiency of 40 miles to the gallon or better, was voted down in large part because the board felt shifting the tax burden to residents was unfair.

"I thought it was a noble idea, but buying a hybrid car is a matter of consumer choice," Mirkin said.

Had the ordinance passed, residents who purchased a qualifying vehicle on or after May 1, would have saved about $68 in property taxes.