Council advances revised burning ordinance to third reading after hours and penalty edits

The East Greenwich Town Council on Jan. 12 voted to send a revised burning ordinance back to a third reading after amending operating hours and removing two penalty subsections for further legal review. Town Manager Andrew Nada presented a condensed 'summary' draft he said reflected input from council members, staff and the public.

The draft would permit recreational burning of clean, dry fuels for cooking, warmth or aesthetic enjoyment in devices such as chimineas, grills, outdoor fireplaces, fire pits and campfires and set device size and setback rules. Nada read the proposed language: "No person shall kindle, maintain, or permit any outdoor fire within the town of East Greenwich except as expressly authorized in this chapter," emphasizing the working group had tried to balance safety and residents’ use of private property. The council amended the recreational-burning hours from a 10AM start to 6AM and removed two penalty paragraphs from the draft's penalties section for additional legal research before final adoption.

Council members and legal counsel debated enforcement and whether the town could recover costs for fire-department responses in cases of knowing and willful violations. The town solicitor advised that municipal fines commonly cap at $500 under the general penalty provision and that cost-recovery mechanisms of the type discussed might require further authority from the General Assembly or superior-court remedies such as injunctions. Fire Chief (name on record as the department chief) told the council the working group had reviewed other Rhode Island towns’ approaches and that setbacks of 15–25 feet and adult supervision requirements were typical and intended to make the ordinance practical and enforceable.

Residents who spoke during the public hearing raised questions about setback measurements from structures versus property lines, how existing devices would be handled, and whether smokers (long-duration cooking devices) should have exceptions; the council signaled those points could be addressed administratively or via permit provisions. The amended draft passed by voice vote and will return for a third reading, with legal staff tasked to clarify penalty and enforcement language.