Melvindale City Councilman Steve Densmore
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
MELVINDALE – City Councilman and Dearborn fire official Steve Densmore suggested at the June 2 Melvindale City Council meeting that the body consider revising a city ordinance, to allow safe outdoor firepits.
“After quite some time – I’m talking several years – I would like to do something to change one of the ordinances we have, with the proper steps,” he said. “It’s the code of ordinance book, chapter 12, health and sanitation, 12-36, that talks about open burning in the city.”
Densmore said he has been working with interim Police Chief Dan Jones to allow some type of open burning, to allow the type of fire pits that residents can buy at local stores.
“The last time this ordinance was looked at, according to the book itself, was 1968,” he said. “Basically, it’s about open burning, which we have enforced for so many years, and was strictly prohibited.”
Densmore said the ordinance, when established, applied to trash and rubbish incineration.
“The only person that can write a ticket and enforce that is the DPW commissioner,” he said. “So, I would like to work with our corporation counsel, and also with Chief Jones, in order to bring something back here in the near future, allowing residents to have a small type fire pit, enclosed, with a safe top, so they can enjoy our beautiful summer nights that we have here in the city.”
He asked his fellow officials for their input, and said he thinks it is something the city council should investigate.