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Resident says neighbor's burning leaves thick smoke 'unbearable'; council to follow up
Summary
Resident Eileen Dahl told the Plevna Town Council she can't tolerate thick smoke coming from a neighbor's burning and said the chimney may be too short; Councilman Kyle Vennes said he will speak with the resident to determine what is being burned.
Eileen Dahl told the Plevna Town Council during public comment that smoke from a neighbor's burning has become a health and nuisance problem, saying "the smell of it is unbearable." Council members confirmed they have noticed the smoke and discussed whether town code or chimney height might be factors.
Councilman Kyle Vennes said he also had smelled the smoke and planned to speak directly with the resident to ask what is being burned. Councilwoman Michele Gray asked whether the burning involved used or old oil; Dahl said she believes the chimney is simply too short, which Mayor Gary Thielen agreed would allow smoke to linger at house level rather than rise above rooftops.
The council did not take formal enforcement action at the meeting. Councilwoman Promise Miller noted she did not believe the town code currently addresses the issue beyond accepting a complaint, so the next step the council settled on was informal outreach: Vennes will contact the neighbor to seek clarification and, if needed, the town will issue a formal complaint notice.
