Beckley council approves fall burn times, clarifies city code issues

Sep. 14—Members of the Beckley Common Council set fall burning times and clarified issues of public interest concerning trash cans, signage and grass cutting times.

For their first agenda item at their regular meeting on Tuesday, council approved a resolution setting the time for the city's 2022 fall burning season.

The open burning of vegetation will be allowed in corporate limits of the city of Beckley between 5 p.m. and 7 a.m. from Oct. 1 until Dec. 31.

Before property owners in Beckley city limits can burn vegetation on their properties, City Attorney Bill File said they must notify the Beckley Fire Department.

"The open burning shall be in such a manner as to not affect the health, safety, comfort and property of any person," said File, reading the resolution. "If the open burning is determined to not meet this criteria, then the fire department is authorized to order the open burning to cease."

In other business, council approved the acceptance of three grants from the West Virginia Governor's Highway Safety Program, which will be disbursed to other agencies.

Those grants were a West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles Governor's Highway Safety Grant for $355,800, a WV Lifesavers Grant for $342,080 and a Law Enforcement Liaison Grant for $419,008.

Danielle Stewart was the only member of the public who spoke at Tuesday's council meeting.

Stewart, who also serves as chair of the Beckley Human Rights Commission, asked for clarification on city code regarding the posting of signs in city limits and the allowed times for trash cans to be left on the street.

"The way I understand it under city code, we're not allowed to have signs up on telephone poles and we're not supposed to keep our trash cans in the front of the yard," she said.

Over the past year, Stewart said she has noticed both issues happening more and more frequently. Giving examples, Stewart said she has noticed one roofing business posting signs on several telephone poles in the city.

She added that she's also seen residents building permanent trash receptacles in their front yards.

File said Stewart was right in her assumptions regarding city code.

Regarding the trash, File said trash cans can only be placed in front of a house the night before and the day of trash pickup.

For the signage, File said the city would be well within its right to have someone from public works remove the signage Stewart referenced as it is against city code.

Beckley Mayor Rob Rappold also chimed in, saying that the city has a long-established "handshake" agreement with Appalachian Power Company allowing the city to remove any signage it found posted on the power company's poles.

The final city code matter discussed Tuesday was regarding grass mowing times in Beckley.

File said city residents are permitted to cut their grass between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. during the week. On weekends, File said mowing cannot begin prior to 8 a.m.

"That has become a problem," he said. "There are some individuals, I understand, who have been cutting grass in their neighborhood well past 9 o'clock at night and certainly well before 7 a.m. That obviously is a nuisance in the neighborhood."

File said these issues are all spelled out in city code.

Council's meeting Tuesday night was held virtually because of a local uptick in Covid cases which has affected many in city hall including the mayor, who said he tested positive in late August.

The Beckley Common Council has met virtually for its past three meetings, which are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month.