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Council adopts changes to fire code to align open-burning rules with Ohio standards
Summary
Council passed an amendment to the city's Fire Prevention Code to mirror the Ohio Fire Code on residential open fires and portable fire pits, adding state-based definitions and narrowing when the fire department may order immediate extinguishment.
The Strongsville City Council on Monday adopted an amendment to the city's Fire Prevention Code that brings the ordinance into alignment with the Ohio Fire Code for residential open burning and portable fire pits.
Councilmember Kozick, chairing the Public Safety and Health committee, said the change is intended to provide clearer rules for residents and for the building and fire departments. Neil, a city building/fire department staff member, told council the draft pulls definitions directly from the state fire code and clarifies acceptable locations and sizes for residential fire pits.
"We wanted some clarity for the building and fire department, particularly as it related to portable . . . fire pits," Neil said, adding that the previous local language had been interpreted inconsistently and that the state code standard is 15 feet. The new local ordinance uses the 15-foot reference from the state code as the benchmark for distance from a residence.
Council members asked whether the 15-foot measure is from the house or from the property line; staff said the 15 feet is from the house and offered to confirm and provide a follow-up clarification for questions about property-line measurement.
The amendment also adjusts the fire department's authority to order immediate extinguishment. Under the revised language, the department may order extinguishment when a fire violates the chapter or "is otherwise deemed to constitute a danger to safety," rather than under the broader authority in the prior draft. Neil said the wording was expanded to include statutory definitions and that the fire department was comfortable the change preserves the ability to respond if a fire threatens safety.
Council suspended the rules and adopted Ordinance No. 20 25 040 on a unanimous roll call. The motion to suspend was made by Councilmember Carbone and seconded by Councilmember Kaminski; the adoption motion was made and seconded the same way. All voting members recorded yes.
The ordinance text amends Section 1,601.28 of the Fire Prevention Code and inserts definitions and location requirements pulled from the Ohio Fire Code. Council directed staff to confirm and circulate a brief clarification on how distance is measured relative to property lines so members can answer resident questions.
The ordinance is effective immediately by the emergency clause adopted with the motion.
