Council Quick Story: Open Burning, Fire Pit Rules Get Thumbs Up

You can get fired up now. The controversy is over.

After at least 10 months of discussion and debate, the Geneva City Council made it official Monday night, voting 6-2 to approve a new set of regulations for open burning and the use of fire pits in Geneva.

Council action follows a suggestion back in February by Geneva resident, who asked the city to review its open-burning ordinance, especially in regard to changes that might allow outdoor fire pits.

"I am very appreciative of all of the effort the city and council have put in on this," Campbell said Monday night after the new ordinance passed without discussion. "They really did a good, thorough, professional job. Whether it passed tonight or not, I can’t thank the city and staff enough for spending the time, being thorough and trying to walk a truly intelligent middle ground on this.

"I'm very pleased with what they did—not because I got what I wanted, that wasn’t the issue. It cleared up something that needed clearing up in the city."

Over the course of the past several months, the fire-pit and open-burning regulations got , with some folks arguing and others contending that regulation would be a better option.

At the City Council's direction back in March, and fire-pit regulations in effect at neighboring communities. Staff came up with a draft ordinance, .

 last week to recommend the adoption of the revised ordinance. 

The revised ordinance allows fire pits but puts limits on their use. For example:

• Fires can only take place between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m.
• A fire pit is limited to no more than 36 inches in diameter and 24 inches deep, and must be surrounded by a barrier that's at least 6 inches tall.
• When you are burning "recreationally," the wind has to be less than 10 mph.
• Fires have to be constantly attended by a person over the age of 18.
• You can only burn untreated, unpainted, seasoned dry wood and manufactured fire logs. Propane and similar gases may be burned. But burning of processed wood is prohibited.

Part of the original dilemma facing Geneva policy makers was that the open-burning ordinance hadn't been reviewed or changed for decades. 

"It ws an old ordinance, and times have changed," Campbell said. "So now the city is prepared to deal with these changes.

"It gives people who are bothered by somebody’s fire pit much more ammunition to protect themselves than they had before, with the fines and regulations as to time and size and placement. I think it offers more protection— so I think it’s going to be better for everybody."