Perry residents will soon be able to openly burn yard waste again this year.

The City Council earlier this month approved the fall yard waste open burn dates from October 31st-November 20th. Residents are only allowed to burn yard waste from 10am to sundown. During the discussion at the meeting, some of the issues that were brought up concerning open burning were largely health related and individuals burning wet yard waste instead of dry yard waste. 

City Administrator Sven Peterson says because of these issues, the Council increased the amount of fines that law enforcement can issue with $250 for first offense of violating open burning and $500 for the second or subsequent offenses.

“I think a little bit of enforcement, this is kind of a grace year that the Council is giving people to see if we can kind of get some of these issues under control.”    

Peterson points out the City offers three alternatives to open burning. Those include curbside pickup, the yard waste drop off site and developing a video to show residents how to mulch leaves and the benefits for mulching. 

“Three great options for people other than burning. So we’re really trying to encourage people to only burn if that’s really the only method that they have to take care of their yard waste.”

Other requirements to openly burn yard waste includes burning in the rear yard of a property and that the burning is at least 30 feet from any structure.