South Frontenac Scorches Burn Bylaw   

Wilma Kenny | Nov 30, 2020

On Monday Nov 24, South Frontenac Council held what was to have been a brief meeting to approve some revisions to the recently passed Burning By-law, which is slated to come into effect January 1^st.

Fire Chief Darcy Knott, who was unable to be present because of other commitments, said in his report that staff had “identified language discrepancies in the by-law which would result in permits being required for several types of fires that were not intended to be subject to permits.”

The recommended minor revisions led to a lively l discussion.

Most if not all Councilors had heard feedback from the public expressing concerns about the new bylaw.

The By-law will restrict hours of burning during the April 1^st-Oct 31^st fire season. Councilor Alan Revill pointed out that this could be interpreted to mean there were no restrictions during the rest of the year. Councilors Randy Ruttan and Ron Sleeth said that most brush-burning was done during the winter, and burn barrels are used year-round.

Twice, CAO Neil Carbone pointed out that the request to Council was simply the approval of the revisions in wording that were before them.

“There’s been a significant amount of concern about this bill,” said Councilor RossSutherland; “I would like to have had more public consultation. Unless we pass these changes, there will be a lot more resistance fomenting."

“I have not supported this by-law,” said Mayor Vandewal; “it’s much too complicated, makes no logical sense. If fires are going to burn, they’re going to burn, and we’ll go after them.”

Ruttan agreed that he could not support the bylaw: “We need to govern in broad strokes; if we get too (detailed), people won’t follow it. We need more consultation to work through some of people’s concerns. We’re just raising more concerns.”

Councilor Norm Roberts suggested the bylaw be withdrawn, so they could start over. This changed the tone of the discussion.

Revill said clarification could be done through amendments, and "there is ample time before January 1 for more discussion.” Sutherland said he felt there were some useful things in the By-law, and it might be better to reconsider, rework, and bring changes back for final approval later.

Councilor Pat Barr, speaking online, said “It’s a mixed-up mess: I think we should vote to reconsider it.”

Ruttan said there was “Some great stuff in (the bylaw); the problem is compliance. It’s no good if people don’t comply.”

Mayor Vandewal summed up the predicament as “passer’s remorse: perhaps we passed (the bylaw) too quickly. We need time to think it over, and get more public consultation.”

Sutherland reminded Council that the former burning bylaw becomes invalid January 1st. “If we move to reconsider, we want to ensure we’re going back to at least the one before.”

A motion to reconsider the new Burn By-law passed unanimously.

CAO Carbone said that since there seemed to be support in principle for parts of the new bylaw, it would be necessary to extend the previous bylaw past January 1st, to allow sufficient time to conduct discussions and consultations about revisions to the new bylaw.