Leaves still a burning issue in East Dundee

When East Dundee trustees limited leaf burning to two months several years ago, they thought they solved an seasonal headache and made everyone happy.

Residents who liked to burn their leaves and save money on buying bags could burn them in October and November. Residents who can't stand the smoke or whose respiratory systems can take it were given 10 months of relief. A previous ordinance allowed leaves to be burned all year.

Their complaints were heard, noted and acted upon. And they got their wish: tighter rules on the autumnal chore.

But that didn't end the complaints, said East Dundee Village President Dan O'Leary. People with asthma and other chronic respiratory ailments have been complaining two months before leaf-burning is allowed.

"It's an issue we have to revisit. I'd like to get a consensus of the board to see what direction we should take," he said. We're looking at all options."

One is to follow West Dundee's path and outlaw leaf burning entirely. Another is to leave it alone. And, another is to get tough with violators and begin ticketing them and possibly fining them up to $750, as the rule states.

The ordinance allows burning to be done between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. All fires have to be watched.

Village trustees talked about the issue this week at their committee of the whole meeting. O'Leary wouldn't predict how soon a decision would be made. He wasn't village president when the ordinance was approved in 1999.

Then, trustees under Village President Jill Yucuis took into consideration the complaints and comments from residents who couldn't afford the costs to stickers and bag for their leaves. Some of them live on lots with mature trees. And some of them like the seasonal tradition.

Eventually, the stickers were not needed and village officials offered homeowners 10 free bags to help them save money. Those free bags have not been available this year and they may not be in the future.

"People on both sides have good points," said T.J. Moore, East Dundee public works director. This summer, he was also the interim village administrator. "There's some people in this village who can fill up a lot of bags with their leaves with the trees they have."

In West Dundee, residents rake their leaves to the curb and a public works truck takes them. East Dundee trustees don't have the money to buy a similar truck.

Any decision trustees make would not be made in time to change the ordinance for this year.