Open burning approved for wastewater treatment site

Le Mars City Council members Tuesday, upon recommendation of Fire Chief Wayne Shipper, approved a request of an open burning permit requested by Ron Kayser, superintendent of the city water treatment facility. The variance will allow burning of brush piles behind the facility as well as at site across the river near the Police Shooting Range. Shipper told the council that it's hoped that the burning, expected to take several days time, can be completed within the next several months, depending on weather.

Approval was also given Tuesday to a request from the Powder Players' Snowmobile Club for use of city lands along Iowa Highway 3 to U.S. Highway 75 for a snowmobile route. The council action stipulates that, as recommended by the Park Board, the authorization covers only city-owned public lands, and that as in the past, the club must carry necessary liability insurance.

The council, in additional action, gave approval to adding a street light at the corner of Prospect Street and Third Avenue Southeast, members also agreed to proceed with revision of the current "Fire Prevention Code" with the City Code of Ordinance.

The proposed revision, ranging from the Uniform Codes to the International Fire Codes, as recommended by the city administration and Fire and Code Department, is being done to put the local code in line with recent action by the state of Iowa to adopt the International Codes system.

The code governs the storage of explosives and blasting agents, manufacture and storage of fireworks, the storage of flammable/combustible liquids and anhydrous ammonia in outside above-ground tanks and bulk tanks as well as the storage of liquefied petroleum gas.

Chief Shipper said there are no "drastic changes" in the new code but said at the same time, visits are being made to those with storage facilities who could, in the future, be impacted with additional code modifications.