Royal Oak City Commissioners voted 6-1 Monday evening to table amending the fire prevention ordinance in order to allow small recreational fires in the city.
Late last week, commissioners received a memorandum from Fire Chief Thomas that provided a summary of ordinance provisions from dozens of fire departments in Michigan, including 11 communities that share a border with Royal Oak.
Commissioner Kyle DuBuc made the motion to table the discussion to give commissioners time to pour through Thomas’ 2-inch stack of documents, which contain the full text of other communities’ ordinances.
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[To read the fire chief's full report click here.]
Neither the Royal Oak Fire Department nor the city administration is in favor of repealing or amending the open burn ordinance.
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In 2012, Royal Oak fire and police personnel responded to 30 complaints regarding open burning, including: 20 recreational fires, six burning leaves and two burning refuse, according to City Manager Don Johnson.
“So we had 30 people in a city of 60,000 that took exception to the burning,” said Commissioner Mike Fournier. “If overnight, we move forward with something and all of a sudden we have 9,000 complaints in 2013 or 2013, then OK, it’s time to go back to the table and revisit it.”
Fournier said he recognized the issue is an emotional one and that he doesn’t want soot and smoke going into windows and causing health issues for residents. Still, Fournier contends there are many communities in Michigan and outside of Michigan that allow recreational fires and have not had problems.
“We are not reinventing the wheel,” said.
Fournier applauded the data the fire chief provided, which he said put commissioners in a much better place to make decisions.
Supporting the motion to table, Mayor Jim Ellison said he needed more information.
"I am firmly planted on the top of the fence on this issue right now,” Ellison said, addiing that permits and enforcement are vital.
“We have to have something in place to deal with obnoxious burners," he said.
Commissioner Peggy Goodwin was the lone nay vote. She told commissioners she has received dozens of emails.
“The way to make things better is not to make something illegal legal,” she said.
Goodwin favors proactive enforcement.
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