Bonfires to be excluded
By Joseph Goral
Staff Writer
jgoral@mihomepaper.com
OXFORD — With a 3-0 vote, the Oxford Village Council scheduled three public hearings for their regular meeting at 7 p.m. on May 13, which includes a second reading of a revised fire ordinance and what types of fires are permitted at residents’ homes.
Council Members Maureen Helmuth and Jacob Nicosia were absent from the April 8 meeting.
A revision was requested by the Oxford Fire Department to change the ordinance so the village’s ordinance is the same or as closely-related as possible to the township’s ordinance, according to village documents.
“So, last time we had this on the agenda I think we discussed how there’s definitely a need for an updated fire ordinance,” Village Council President Kelsey Cooke said in March. “There are benefits to…having it be as consistent as possible with the township’s for understandability and enforcement, but we also talked about the fact that the village properties…are much different than the township properties as far as space concerns.”
Council Member Maureen Helmuth said during the same meeting she does not know why the village bothers to allow bonfires, which she described as “six feet (by) six feet.” She acknowledged the village allows ceremonial fires.
Council Member Ashley Ross said she believes having an ordinance aligned more with the township is “easier” for a fire department that serves multiple municipalities, but struggles “with the enforcement aspect and then also with the recuperation.”
Village Manager Joe Madore and Ross previously communicated through emails about the fire department not making people extinguish a fire if they see some aspects of the ordinance are not followed.
“I think (Ross is) referring to (Fire) Chief (Matt) Majestic’s comment on how if (the fire department drives) by a front yard on Halloween and they see a group of parents in the front yard with a portable fire container that happens to be closer than the minimum (distance) from a structure, combustible material and all lot lines as required in the ordinance that they will not stop and make them extinguish the fire unless they see a distinct safety reason,” Madore wrote.
Madore added this could be seen as selective enforcement, but wrote it could also be seen as the fire department “not being heavy handed in these situations.” He added that, from Majestic’s comments, they are not going to go out on Halloween and look for violators, but believe there should be consequences if the department gets a call that a burn was done in violation of the ordinance.
“I understand it’s for bad actors, but I will continue to be opposed to laws that are not always applied,” Ross said.
Costs may be recoverable from the party responsible for the open burning in response to costs or damages incurred, according to village documents.
Madore said during a workshop on March 31, only permitted actions, including small fires, are in the revised ordinance.
“One of the differences would be is the bonfire clause has been removed,” he said, adding he used the civil infraction scale from the village’s snow ordinance in the draft.
Madore explained the change regarding how the scale would allow fines to be smaller than the $500 minimum depending on the severity of an infraction.
It also states recreational fires “shall not be conducted within 25 feet of a structure” as opposed to the current ordinance’s requirement of 50 feet. Portable outdoor fire places shall not be operated within 15 feet, according to the draft.
To view the full drafted ordinance, open the village’s April 8 agenda packet at thevillageofoxford.org under “boards and commissions.”
The second public hearing will be for delinquent bills and violations to be on the 2025 tax roll and the third is for a budget adoption and truth-in-taxation hearing for 2026.
Oxford village hall is located at 22 W. Burdick St.