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County to schedule public hearing on updated burn ordinance after staff revisions
Summary
Mason County staff proposed updates to Chapter 9.48 of the county code to modernize definitions, add enforcement tools (including permit suspension/revocation) and clarify tribal ceremonial fire and recreational burning permit rules; commissioners agreed to place the item on the April 28 action agenda to set a May 26 public hearing.
Randy Collins, Mason County fire marshal, presented proposed amendments to Mason County Code Chapter 9.48, describing updates intended to modernize language, add a definitions section and provide additional enforcement options for egregious violators such as permit suspension or revocation.
Collins said changes also incorporate a long‑standing land‑clearing burn permit arrangement with ORCA (the regional burn authority) and that the ordinance now clarifies which burn types the county regulates. He noted a late request from ORCA to confirm that recreational burning and tribal ceremonial fires do not require written permits when they occur on tribal or trust lands, and Collins said he revised the draft language to make that limiting clarification.
Commissioner comments: Commissioners broadly expressed support and asked staff to specifically add the phrase "tribal land" where the ordinance references ceremonial fires to avoid confusion about sovereign authority. Several commissioners requested the redlined language and the corrected notice of hearing dates (the staff report had inconsistent date lines) be included in the packet.
Board action and next steps: Commissioners agreed to place the ordinance on the April 28 action agenda so the board can set a public hearing for May 26. Staff said the redline and corrected notice dates are available in the meeting packet and offered to circulate the clarified language.
Context and procedural notes: The current county burn regulations were last substantially updated in 1995; staff and the fire marshal framed the changes as clarifying delegation of authority, expanding enforcement tools and improving public understanding by including definitions and guidance in the code text.
