Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Sawdust Open Burning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Richmond County planning staff flag sawmill sawdust piles, recommend study of open-burning rules
Summary
Planning staff told commissioners the Board of Supervisors has asked the Planning Commission to review possible ordinance language to address large sawdust piles at sawmills — including setbacks and maximum pile height — after citizen complaints and repeated dispatch calls responding to burning piles along Route 3.
Richmond County planning staff presented exploratory language and asked the Planning Commission to begin reviewing possible ordinance changes to limit sawmill sawdust piles and reduce open-burning hazards.
"There is a local ordinance on open burning through the state code and they give us like a model ordinance that's way more than what we need," staff said, citing examples used by other Virginia counties. Staff pointed commissioners to Charlotte County's language, which includes the provision that "no sawdust, slabs, or shavings shall be deposited any closer than 200 feet of any public road, and sawdust and wood chip piles shall not exceed 25 feet in height." The county packet also included examples from Halifax and other counties for comparison.
Staff said the Board of Supervisors raised the issue because some sawdust piles have become very large and in some cases are located near woodlands or public roads; commissioners were told that at least one pile along Route 3 has prompted repeated calls into dispatch when it smolders or ignites. "This is coming from the supervisors," staff said, adding there is not currently ordinance language that gives the county authority to require smaller piles or setbacks.
Commissioners discussed practical considerations: whether piles are created by stationary or mobile sawmills, the cost and lack of market for sawdust disposal, and how spontaneous combustion in large, compacted piles can create persistent smoldering fires that are hard to extinguish. A commissioner suggested the fire department could advise on safe sizes and setbacks; staff agreed to consult fire officials. "So for the burning, you know, no decisions to be made tonight," staff said; the commission was asked to read the materials and prepare suggestions for potential ordinance language.
Ending: The Planning Commission will continue the issue at a future meeting after staff consults the fire department and members review model ordinances; no regulatory changes were adopted at this meeting.
