BURN BARREL AND TOWN BOARD MEETING AUDIO

Public Comment on Burn Barrel 3/8/04 audio

00:14:00 My suggestion to compromise on burn barrels.

00:15:30 I apologize to Peter (Knapp) But I misspoke. I meant to say that outdoor furnaces pollute as much as burn barrels but what I said was that outdoor furnaces pollute as much as indoor furnaces. I was referring to wood burning furnaces in both cases. Because outdoor wood burning furnaces do not have to comply with pollution standards the same as indoor wood burning devices they would pollute as much as a burn barrel when burning the same stuff. Still not a good thing, but I was wrong and I apologized to Peter for my error.

I suggested that the Town Board could create a very simple ordinance that would say:

Burn barrels are prohibited within 300 feet from any adjacent property line unless the owner(s) of property within that 300 feet gave their permission.

This would put the onus on the burner to get permission from their neighbors to burn. What the town board lack of a ruling does is force the victim to complain to the DEC about the burning, effectively shutting most victims up. The presumption made by the board is that most people are good neighbors and would make sure their neighbors approved of the burning. If this worked we would not be having these meetings. But it is all moot as the town board managed to get a lot of people out to oppose any change in the law and they even got 130 signatures on a petition to oppose it. By doing nothing they appease the burners and leave the rest choking in the wind.


Town Board Meeting 3/8/04 audio