SUMMERDALE, Ala. — Summerdale residents will no longer be required to get a permit from Town Hall in order to burn debris on their property.

During its regular meeting Monday evening, the Summerdale Town Council amended its burn ordinance to reflect that change.

“No burn permits will be issued by the town of Summerdale,” Mayor David Wilson said.

The Council’s vote also relaxed regulations on how far an outdoor fire should be from a standing structure.

“From 300 feet from a building or fence to 75 feet,” Wilson said.

However, the amendment does regulate weekend burning.

“No burning from 6 p.m. on Saturday until 8 a.m. Monday,” Wilson said.

That deadline of 6 p.m. will also hold throughout the week for those burning debris.

“They can’t add anything else to the fire after then, but it can continue to burn out,” Wilson said.

Monday’s vote came after discussion of the issue during the Council’s March workshop, with Wilson citing the town’s strict ordinance regarding burning.

“The way it is right now, you can’t do a thing,” he said in the workshop.

“I thought it was a little restrictive, myself,” Councilwoman Cheryl Wallace Stewart said.

But Councilwoman Norma Wilson Giles cited resident health issues as the reason for such restrictions.

“I think what started it was people with allergies were complaining,” she said in the workshop.

The mayor also pointed out problems with the permits, themselves.

“It’s too difficult to figure out who’s supposed to issue these permits,” Wilson said in the workshop.

With Monday’s vote, that responsibility will lie with the Alabama State Forestry Commission. However, Wilson warned that that even then, Summerdale residents won’t be able to burn this summer.

“May 1st to October, there’s going to be a statewide burn-ban for everywhere around us,” he said.

When approving the town burn ordinance, the Council suspended the rules to speed the legislative process. With the vote, the new ordinance will go into effect in approximately two weeks.

Additional points in the ordinance include:

* Only untreated wood and plant growth shall be permitted to be burned. Under no circumstances shall any treated or painted lumber, heavy oils items containing synthetic or natural rubber, asphalt materials, plastics or refuse be burned.

* Permitted open fires shall be constantly attended by a competent person until such fire is completely extinguished. Such person shall have available on the premises such fire extinguishing equipment and/or materials adequate to completely extinguish the fire.

* The Fire Department may prohibit any or all-open burning when local circumstances or atmospheric conditions make such fires hazardous.

* Open burning of materials generated by major land clearing practices is prohibited in the Corporate Town Limits of Summerdale.

Exceptions include the disposal of plant growth generated by major land clearing practices may be conducted only in an incinerator designed to meet the requirements of the Air Pollution Control District having jurisdiction.