BANDON - First it was burn barrels. Now the Bandon City Council is proposing to ban all outside burning within city limits.

The council voted 5-1 at its Jan. 3 meeting to have staff draft an ordinance to ban open burns. Mike Claassen, one of the city's newest councilors who was sworn in at the beginning of the meeting, was the lone dissenting vote.

The council likely will vote on the ordinance at its Feb. 5 meeting.

In July 2005, the City Council unanimously amended city code to prohibit the use of burn barrels. The action came in response to a large number of complaints from residents. They objected to the odor and health hazards of burning.

Since the ban, City Manager Matt Winkel said he has received no complaints regarding burn barrels, either from those opposed to the ban or those in favor.

At the time, the council said it would revisit the issue of open burning within city limits. After such a burn on Edison Avenue in early December that caused a number of people to complain to City Hall, Mayor Mary Schamehorn said it was time to discuss the issue again.

All of the audience members who spoke at the Jan. 3 meeting were in favor of the ban on open burning.

“This isn't just a minor nuisance. It's a major health issue,” said Ramona Ponessa, who lives on Douglas, one street over from Edison where the most recent burn spurred complaints.

Ponessa said she supported the ban on burn barrels and likewise supports the ban on open burning. She listed numerous health problems exacerbated by smoke, quoting medical journals and other articles. She also said such burning easily could start an uncontrolled fire.

Those who complained about burning offered alternatives, too.

Ponessa advocated in support Bandon Disposal's brush hauling service.

Bandon resident Dale Schlack, Coos County public health educator who also is a member of the Coos County Clean Air Coalition, has offered to write a grant for the city to purchase a chipper that can be used to aid residents in brush and debris removal. Some audience members suggested the chips could be used to pave paths or trails, such as one around the City Park.

“To me, that's the ultimate recycle,” Roger Straus told the council.

Schlack said in addition to serious health risks, open burning is commonly carried out with minimal or no supervision and often in close proximity to homes or other structures.

“As we all know, Bandon is a city that has burned down twice and that alone is reason enough for finding a safer alternative method of waste material disposal.”

Claassen said he felt while there is a problem with open burning, he was reluctant to ban it altogether.

“We need to do something about it, but there are people who live away from anyone and there's been no problems,” Claassen said, admitting that he sometimes burns on his property off Beach Loop Drive, in the area of the city's unincorporated “doughnut hole.”

“I think we could tighten up the regulations and I'd like to hear from Fire Chief (Lanny Boston) with his opinion,” Claassen said. “I'd like to be able to retain (open burning) in a limited capability.”

Schamehorn said the county still allows open burning, but because much of the county is sparsely populated, such practices don't bother many people.

“To me, it's just the most archaic thing to allow open burning in a city,” Schamehorn said. “And I think cities need to help residents get rid of debris. It's just something a city should do.”

Bandon Disposal manager Bill Richardson, who was at the meeting with Pete Smart, Bandon Disposal owner to discuss a rate increase with the council, said the company offers brush pickup in North Bend and Coos Bay twice a year, with no charge for up to five yards of brush. The same service could be offered in Bandon, he said.

In addition, the city Beautification Committee has recommended that $2,400 be used from the committee's budget to fund a three-day curbside chipping program in the spring.

The council also voted to have staff work on developing alternative methods to deal with brush disposal, once the ban is in place.