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Springettsbury staff proposes separate burn ordinance to clarify what residents may burn
Summary
Staff presented a separate burn ordinance (outside zoning) to define open and confined burning, list materials allowed (charcoal/seasoned wood) and prohibited (painted/pressure‑treated wood), and set distance rules and enforcement through civil penalties enforced by police.
Staff described a separate burn ordinance drafted to be easier to enforce than the state model language the township previously considered. The draft distinguishes open burning, confined burning, and agricultural burning, and lists exemptions for devices used solely for cooking (charcoal grills and similar devices).
Erin explained acceptable materials for burning and cautioned residents not to use treated or painted wood in outdoor fires: “You can burn charcoal or seasoned wood. So don’t be throwing in painted boards,” she said. The draft sets confined burning to receptacles no larger than four feet in diameter and height and requires at least 10 feet from a property line for confined fires; it sets larger minimum distances for open burning and requires agricultural burning be limited to properties zoned agriculture and, in the township’s draft, typically 25 acres or more.
Staff noted civil penalties and enforcement under this code would be handled by police and the code‑enforcement function rather than through zoning, and promised to clarify language to explicitly allow common fire‑pit uses in residential backyards while preventing burning of prohibited materials.
Next steps: staff will clean up the ordinance language and ensure the confined‑burning/fire‑pit provisions are clearly stated in the draft sent for public review.
