An ordinance recently proposed by County Councilman Tom Smith caught the eye of many, including the state’s Forestry Commission.
But Smith’s proposed burn ban isn’t supposed to limit what residents burn in their backyards. Instead, it’s aimed at stopping large businesses from blowing smoke across Lake Wylie.
Smith wants to limit new business’ ability to burn items that could be turned into mulch.
“We don’t want to take away farmers ability to burn leaves,” Smith said. “We’re looking more at developments.”
An assistant forester with the state’s forest commission told the council he’d worked with other counties on wording their burn bans and expressed interest in helping to write York County’s.
The ordinance was deferred, along with other proposed regulations Smith suggested including protecting tributaries and the hundred year flood plains, for further research.
Burning
Recently a neighbor burned tree limbs, etc. on a windy day using gasoline. No problems, but the idgit was asking for it.
Outside city limits you are supposed to call the SC Forestry Commission. You leave your information on the recording and they advise you of conditions allowing for burning, including prohibition.
York: 1-800-517-9644
South Carolina Forestry Commission
Commercial burning, like construction debris or from clearing land has another set of stricter rules:
SC Forest Law Handbook
However, I could not find a requirement for forced air ventilation of burning land clearing debris, but i am not a lawyer. On many construction sites they use huge diesel powered fans to force air which virtually eliminates smoke altogether. Plus the debris burns faster so the job is over more quickly.
Maybe Tom Smith knows about this, maybe not.