Laketown Township approves burn ordinance tweaks

Mitchell Boatman, Holland Sentinel
·2 min read

LAKETOWN TWP. — After months of discussions, Laketown Township has approved changes to its open burning and recreational fire rules.

The Laketown Township Board of Trustees unanimously approved changes in April, including differentiating between recreational fires and open burning and adding specific rules for short-term rentals.

The new ordinance will go into effect in May, according to a release from the township.

Laketown has considered the rules for open burning for “about six months." Trustees Patrick Dietrich and Jim Delaney worked with Graafschap Fire Department Chief Doug DenBleyker, with input from residents, to recommend updates.

Previously, the ordinance didn’t differentiate between recreational fires and fires to get rid of debris.

After months of discussions, Laketown Township has approved changes to its open burning and recreational fire rules.
After months of discussions, Laketown Township has approved changes to its open burning and recreational fire rules.

It now defines a recreational fire as one “used for cooking, warming or a social gathering.” Recreational fires are allowed throughout the township, but can’t be more than three feet wide and must be in an approved container with a “spark-arresting screen.”

For those west of 66th Street, an annual permit for recreational fires must be applied for with the fire department, which will inspect containers.

STRs anywhere in the township must receive an annual permit from the fire department, with containers inspected and approved. Violations may lead to revocation of rental certificates.

Open burning is defined in the ordinance as a fire “from which the combustion emissions pass directly into the open air without first passing through a stack or chimney.” These fires can include brush, limbs and stumps.

Permits are required for all open burning and can be obtained from either the Graafschap Fire Department or Laketown Township Hall.

Open burning is allowed, with a permit, throughout the township with the exception of the area west of 66th Street.

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That area — the shoreline along Lake Michigan — was a particular focus in the new ordinance. Fighting fires in the dunes is a difficult task for the fire department, leading to the need for enhanced regulation.

In 2007, a fire in the dunes sparked by fireworks destroyed three homes and burned 50 acres along the lakeshore.

— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Laketown Township approves burn ordinance tweaks