Well isn't this just asinine! I believe council is pushing the envelope just a little too far on telling the people of Whitehall that they can not have a pit on their OWN property. I also would hope that if the smoke is that bad, my neighbor would say something to me personally about it, in a mature manor, instead of calling the police right away. The police have better thngs to do than fire watch. Now, i can also see the issue with alcohol and being too noisy... but again, approach me personally and in a mature manor about it. Lastly, the only ordenance about fire pits would most likely be for the town homes in steeple chase and the apts. in prospect park; other than that, the homes through out the borough should be spaced far enough not cause the smoke issue... Tis all, good day

i love this idea! when my parent's lived in castle shannon, they received no peace from their neighbors who obnoxiously burned their pit, many times fueling it with garbage! When my parents voiced concern, they were ignored by the powers that be in shannon....essentially being told to keep their windows and their mouths shut! I am very happy that whitehall looks out for the rights of all citizens!

when we bought our house in april, I talked to our neighbors because I wanted to build one. both of my neighbors and the ones behind me all have fire pits so I think I am safe from having any cops called on me and my friends aren't rowdy

My next door neighbor is one who complains about the smell of smoke and says she can't open her wiondows. I have lived here for 30 years and never once in those 30 years did I ever see her open any window at all, long before fire pits became popular. Seems like people who never have friends over for whatever reason (don't have any!) are the ones that complain. Maybe it is jealousy. I don't know. I just know that pretty soon we will have to use a certain kind of toilet paper and wipe our butts between certain hours in Whitehall. I can see someone who has a big back yard not near any house to be able to have a fire pit. It would not be right if you lived in an apartment or townhouse. As far as the smell of smoke, it can be smelled in the air in winter when people use their fireplaces. I know windows aren't opened then but people are outside shoveling snow or whatever. That smell is no different than a fire pit so what is the big deal. As far as it being because of noise, if it is the hours withion what the borough ordinaces is then it shouldn't be a problem. (there again it is the neighbors with no friends/no life that complain) But then again they can start their snowblower up outside my bedroom window at 5 am because laws don't pertain to them.

Councilman's quote just added to the story:

"The intent is not to eliminate fire pits," Whitehall Councilman and newly elected Public Safety Committee Chair William J. Veith said in an interview, "but to provide common courtesy to our residents when they are in use.

"Besides the safety committee, we had input from our police and fire chiefs."

I understand that Bob. I just get mad because I know my neighbor went to the police station about the people on the other side of her. She told me she did. Said she can't open her windows because of it. That woman never opened them in 30 years so she is full of it. She says they burn garbage and it stinks. They are not burning garbage. I am right there too, downwind, and it smells like wood. It is crazy weird people like that who cause the probelms. She complains about the people across the street from her because they hang their towels outside to dry after coming from Whitehall pool. She said "don't they know about modern appliances?" She causes trouble just to have something to do since she has no life and if her world isn't perfect she starts trouble.
cc... I plan on it next time if it is before 7 am. We haven't really gotten enough snow for her to use it. The one time we did I think her husband was off that day so she didn't have to do it so early. I am waiting though and sooner or later she will.
Guess I will have to go to the 20th meeting.

I wonder where no firepits is, probably dropped over from smelling some horrible smell. I am sure he/she will show up soon.

We had a small, quiet fire 2 years ago and the crazy old lady that used to live next to me started yelling nasty things out the window at us, called the police and the fire department twice and told them we threatened to burn her house down. Right. Also, I think it might be hard for some people to have their gas grill more than 10 feet from their house. Most people have their grills on their deck or patio. Are they supposed to put their grill in the middle of their back yard now?

I have lived in Whitehall for about 5 years now. If I had known about all of the codes rules, etc in the borough I would have probably not moved here. I understand that the rules are here to keep our community looking as good as it can, but where does it stop. It's my house, and I pay my taxes, if I am not being a nuisance, leave me alone! My neighbor has a bigger than average fire pit and even though he doesnt have to, he asks me every time he starts a fire if it bothers me. It doesn't, but if it did I would close my window for a bit. It's not like he is burning for 12 hours straight 7 days a week.

As far as some of the other rules, why are they enforced only on some residents. I wanted a 5 foot privacy fence, but was told it was against code. I complied, but if you take a drive through my neighborhood there are a bunch of people with privacy fences, 5 foot fences, even some 6 and 7 foot fences. I bought a rubbermaid outdoor storage container and I was told I needed a permit, it had to be a certain amount of feet from my house and property line, and it would have to be inspected by the code enforcement person upon completion. So what, was I supposed to put it in the middle of my yard, spend money on the permit, and have somebody come tell me if I snapped it together properly! It's not a permanent structure, it's a big plastic box!There is a no commercial vehicle in the front of house rule, but my neighbor always his company vehicle with signs and letters up and down the sides of it in his front driveway. I called multiple times, stopped by the enforcement office in person, and sent multiple emails....2 years later and still nothing is done

Policing little fire pits? How about I've had a halfway house move in one house away in Provost Rd and the boro didn't know anything about it until we had an incident and called the police who confirmed it was a halfway house. The next day I went to the zoning office. They had no idea about this halfway house. It's been since August that the police and boro knew about this. I have tried following up, but no one ever returns my calls or emails. Whitehall, let's get or priorities straight. I don't care about gravel spilling out into Curry Rd from the lot, nor do I care about my neighbors fire pit! This boro is ridiculous!

Glad my fireplace was built years ago. They can't touch me .

fire pits are commonly used in chilly weater.Why would windows be open.

It would be too hot for me to sit around a fire pit in the summer. I only used mine one time last fall and it was chilly and the neighbors had their windows closed.

Steve c., I've said the same thing for years; had we known this borough would regulate every aspect of our existence, we wouldn't have bought here!! I have paid enough parking tickets to pay our police chief's salary this year even though we were parked in front of our own house and the police were notified that we had an extra vehicle. When I fought the tickets, Judge Barton compared the offense of parking on the street to robbing a bank. Seriously? Now they're going to monitor our fire pits? I don't even have 10 feet of backyard!

If it is the odor of the smoke that is causing the uproar, then indoor fireplaces should be banned as well- The wood burners that the residents in Whitehall use to heat their basments give off just as much smoke...perhaps that will be discussed at the March meeting... Come to think of it, the laundry dryers being vented outdoors and the kitchen exhaust being vented to the outdoors is odorous as well, I wonder when an ordinace will be discussed for those issues?

Here's a 'kind and gentle' article from the Allegheny County Health Department about wood burning. In my opinion it's way too kind and gentle. Wouldn't want to rock any political boats or anything. But it does include the contact information for making air quality complaints - which the health department is woefully understaffed to actually address. Consider this a sort of begging appeal to the burners' basic human decency. It is the local politicians who must actually try to help the people who suffer. And most of them are too politically afraid to try. It's not about the spread of fire, as fire marshals and police care about. It's about the neighborhood air quality making people sick and miserable.

"Even if wood smoke
does not bother you, it may be causing serious problems for
others."

http://www.achd.net/air/pubs/EcoCurrents/2012_July-Sept.pdf

ACHD operates a 24-hour complaint line: 412-687-ACHD (412-687-2243)

Even if the fire is long out by the time ACHD can look into it, the phone calls can help to document violations for statistical purposes.

Again, here's WTAE's very recent story:
http://www.wtae.com/news/local/investigations/Asthma-rates-high-among-children-in-Pittsburgh-area-communities/-/12023024/18455952/-/sve5xuz/-/index.html

Just what you need more local government control in Whitehall. No wonder you see so many houses for sale in Whitehall.

but we were told that Whitehall is so CLASSY!

Why is it that some people in this boro think that we are Upper StClair. We are not! For god's sake it's Whitehall Boro. Granted, it is a wonderful little community, which is one of the reasons it's so charming. Why can't we just keep things the way they are? I don't believe the size of the ordinance code book needs to be enlarged.

cc WOW Glad to hear your grandmother is doing so good. My mom was 93 the other day.

I use to use my fire pit year round, I was cautious of my neighbors and burned only dry wood and kept my music low, in 16 years I never had a complaint. I no longer do this because of pollution. Not from the smoke mind you, I,m talking about noise pollution. For the past 8 years from May up until November every Sunday. Caste host a event that drives us inside. I am talking about the car cruse,s The noise from the music may sound good in the parking lot but by the time it reaches my house its noise pollution. I and my neighbors cannot enjoy our yards we are forced inside, On nice cool days in spring,summer and fall we cannot open our windows to air out the house we have to run our a/c's to cool our house, if your watching TV you have to turn it up. I and my neighbors have complained to the point that we gave up. The Police say its not their problem and they are no were to be found when people leaving the event go racing up Baptist. Others say call Frishes restaurant they sponsor the event, tried that it did not work. So me and my neighbors will stay inside and pray for rain each Sunday.

PS I don,t even want to get started about the vac trucks and leaf blowers at Caste between 5 and 5:30 AM each morning.

Vicent-I am the opposite side of Caste Village that you are and we hear it up here too but not as good. I can imagine how loud you hear it. How about light pollution? (yes, there is such a thing!) My one neighbor has such a bright spotlight on during certain hours that it blinds me when I walk out my front door. It also has to be annoying for anyone driving along this street. He needs to aim them down and not straight out. Talking to him won't do any good, he is that type of person... just like the crackpot on the side of me. I have a couple HUGE lights in my garage and when it is nice out I am going to set them up and blind him back. LOL When he complains to me I will tell him about his blinding everyone. That might be the only way to get through to people like that.

i would really like to know more about the halfway house on provost and the address if you would please reply to this Deb!

It doesn't matter what municipality you live in. They all have there share of idiots and troublemakers. As for the fire pits I am sure by the time they get done regulating the location, how big they can be and the times you can use them, not to mention the permit you will have to purchase it will not be worth having one. You have to understand government whether it be local or federal, wants to control every aspect of your life.

old man- Yep, you are right, every neighborhood has their share of idiots and/or troublemakers. It is just a shame they make things miserable for the rest of us.

old man- Whitehall council is just like those in Washington, They make up feel good regulations and laws to please the squeaky wheel while the silent majority lets it happen. Besides, Whitehall does not enforce the codes already on the books. What makes them think they can enforce this new one, form a fire pit patrol?

The halfway house is listed on the web too. Just Google Provost Rd Pittsburgh halfway house. Six months and no response. It's called Fresh Start House! Ive got a revolving door of drug addicts, alcoholics and very unseemly looking people trolling up and down my street from the bus stop in front of my house every day. Not even licensed and I've contacted the dept of health too. No one cares I guess but me and my neighbor. Yeah, fire pits are of the utmost importance. More regulations to pay peoples salaries so they can keep making more regulations to fine us for.

There is 3 Half Way homes in the Baldwin/Whitehall area. 2 in Baldwin and 1 in Whitehall.
The one on Provost is called Fresh Start. "Welcome to the Fresh Start House...... The Fresh Start House is a women's sober living home. Our program is structured to provide a safe and supportive living environment for our residents. We strive to help people achieve lasting sobriety while learning how to live a life of integrity and purpose."

These halfway homes started popping up in neighborhoods when our Government started shutting down mental hospitals, as the government felt these people need to be out living in the real world.

cc- are you going to go to the meeting to see if they discuss it? I am going to try to make it.

UPDATE: "Whitehall Council Posts Open Fires Ordinance" - http://patch.com/A-2jpL