Open burning. All open burning, including but not limited to the
burning of combustible waste, rubbish, leaves, grass, wood, brush,
or other material, or the use of burn barrels, is prohibited within
the Village of Bellevue, except for:
(1) Outdoor cooking fires. Open or closed cooking grills (charcoal, clean
wood, propane, or natural gas) are exempt from the open burning restriction
described above, except as follows:
(a)
Except for one- and two-family homes, the use of any outdoor
cooking fire, cooking device, including deep fryer, charcoal, gas
and electric grills, or any other open-flame device is prohibited
within 15 feet of structure; building; other combustible material
such as a deck, wood pile; or above-grade floor level. Smoke from
an outdoor cooking fire shall not create a nuisance.
(b)
Except for one- and two-family homes, cooking using outdoor-designed
grills, cooking over open fire, using a deep fryer, or other open
flame cooking device such as a turkey fryer inside any structure is
prohibited. This does not include appliances expressly designed for
indoor cooking and so marked as approved by Underwriters Laboratory,
Factory Mutual or another recognized testing company or agency.
(2) Church, tavern, or other group gatherings where outdoor cooking devices
are utilized. The following restrictions shall apply:
(a)
Approval from the Fire Department shall be obtained for all
public events where food is to be sold and where open-flame cooking
devices are utilized. Outdoor sales may require a permit from the
Village of Bellevue Community Development Department.
(b)
All open-flame cooking devices shall be a minimum of 15 feet
from any combustible material and at least 15 feet from any vegetation
and shall be placed upon the ground or a stable noncombustible surface.
(c)
Fire extinguishing equipment, such as portable fire extinguishers,
charged water hoses, or an amount of water sufficient to extinguish
the fire, shall be provided within 50 feet of any open-flame cooking
device.
(d)
All open-flame cooking devices shall be attended at all times
by the person possessing the Fire Department permit or a designee.
(e)
Open-flame cooking devices shall not be located in a tent unless
the tent has a fireproof rating.
(3) Recreational fires. "Recreational fire" is defined as any fire such
as a campfire or bonfire fire located at one- and two-family residences
for the purpose of recreation and personal enjoyment. All recreational
fires shall comply with the following requirements:
(a)
No recreational fire shall be closer than 25 feet to any building
or any other combustible material and 15 feet to a property line,
unless the fire is contained within an outdoor permanently built masonry
fireplace that is approved through a design submitted to the Village
Community Development Department.
(b)
All recreational fires, except those noted above in outdoor
fireplaces, shall be in a below-ground fire pit with a minimum depth
of four inches and a maximum diameter of three feet or in a portable
(Weber-type) device that is placed upon a stable noncombustible surface.
The fire may not extend more than four feet above the ground at any
time. Burning materials must be contained within the fire pit enclosure
at all times. All below-ground fire pits shall be surrounded on the
perimeter by an aboveground noncombustible material such as concrete
block, rock or metal.
(c)
No recreational fire shall be started unless there are favorable
conditions for burning with regard to wind direction and speed. No
recreational fire shall be started at a time when the wind speed exceeds
10 miles per hour.
(d)
No recreational fire shall be started when the wind will cause
smoke, combustibles, or other materials to be carried by the wind
toward any building or other combustible or flammable materials. Smoke
from any recreational fire shall not create a nuisance for neighboring
property owners. Any on-duty firefighter, inspector or law enforcement
officer shall have the authority to restrict recreational fires if
such fire is causing health concerns, fire danger, or nuisance.
(e)
Materials for recreational fires shall not include rubbish;
garbage; recyclable items; trash; yard waste; any materials made of
or coated with rubber, plastic, leather, or petroleum-based materials;
and shall not contain any flammable or combustible liquids.
(f)
Adequate fire-suppression equipment shall be present to extinguish
or control the recreational fire at all times. Adequate fire-suppression
equipment may consist of shovels, fire extinguishers, water hoses,
or other like equipment sufficient to extinguish the fire if necessary.
(g)
All recreational fires shall be attended at all times by at
least one responsible person of age 18 or older until the fire is
completely extinguished.
(h)
There shall be no recreational fires within mobile home communities
located in the Village of Bellevue.
(i)
Citations may be issued for failure to comply with the above
regulations in an amount not less than $50 and not more than $500
per offense.
(j)
The property owner, renter, or lessee may be held liable for
any damage caused by any recreational fire, including the cost of
any citations and associated costs related to the fire-suppression
activities of the Fire Department.
(4) Required burning permit. The following described fires shall require
a burning permit from the Fire Chief or designee. The material to
be burned may only consist of clean wood, brush or leaves, generated
as a result of an agricultural or road construction operation, originating
from and being burned on a parcel of land located east of Huron Road
under one ownership of a gross size of one acre or more. All other
open burning may be approved at the discretion of the Fire Chief or
designee upon receipt of a burning permit application, the fee as
provided in the Village Fee Schedule and inspection by Fire Department
staff.