Brandon Twp. – Brandon Township residents can no longer burn at will, and Brandon Fire Chief Bob McArthur says, it will be good for everybody.
In April 2003 the township began issuing yearly burning permits, accompanied by a calendar of scheduled days residents can burn. McArthur says the system has worked out.
‘We’ve had minimal complaints on the permits and it’s beginning to work itself out,? said McArthur.
‘The biggest complaint we get is the specific days you cannot burn.?
The yearly permit system has been adopted by both Independence Township and, most recently, Groveland Township.
Oxford Township issues yearly permits limited to one acre and with less than 15 mph winds.
Groveland Fire Chief Steve McGee says although they’ve only used the system since April 2004, the system is working out well for the residents.
Burning permits are valid until the end of March 2005 and then residents need to renew the permit, which will be good for another year,? said McGee.
Chief McArthur says that while issuing yearly burning permits is inconvenient to some residents because of the limited amount of days in a month that burning is allowed, the new system also accommodates those who are opposed, or suffer from respiratory illness affected by smoke filled skies.
‘This way people get a break from the smoke,? said McArthur.
However, residents who live on more than three acres are permitted to burn at any time because of the amount of property between them and their neighbors.
‘There are two weekends a month to burn? and then for those who don’t like it there are two weekends without burning so they can get that break.?
‘But the calendar stays consistent so people can plan ahead,? he said.
With more than 2,000 burning permits issued in Brandon Township each year, McArthur says the one-year burning permit system is an easier process for both the residents and the fire department.
‘In the past residents were required to obtain a permit, each time they burned and could only get them on Saturdays,? said McArthur.
‘Now residents can get permits, seven days of the week,? he said, adding that the department no longer needs to have a staff member manning the phone strictly to issue the permits.
When signing up for the free yearly permit, residents are required to sign a receipt of ordinance rules and guidelines, which McArthur says are rules of common sense, including not burning under dry and windy conditions.
While drought condition seldom occur in the area, McArthur says residents should be aware that the department will notify the newspapers, cable, and television news, should a burning restriction apply to the township.
Since the burning rules have gone into effect in Brandon, the township has had only once incident of a blatant disregard for the ordinance, which McArthur says the burning permit can be revoked for the remainder of the year.
To bring further convenience to both the resident and the department, McArthur says he hopes that it will be possible to obtain burning permits from the township website in 2005.