City: charcoal grills OK

Residents in the City of Custer are able to use charcoal grills again within city limits, after the City of Custer lightened some terms of its fire ban at its Aug. 6 meeting of the city council.

The city’s ban now mirrors the rules recommended by the Rapid City Fire Department, which states charcoal grilling is allowed in a safe and appropriately designed receptacle that reduces the possibility of sparks and embers spreading outside the cooking area. All outdoor burning is still prohibited, to include outdoor appliances such as chimneys, fireplaces, recreational fires, fire pits, etc. Typical cooking appliances such as LP gas fire appliances remain acceptable.

The council passed the second reading of its revised lawn maintenance ordinance, adding a stipulation saying that if a certified letter is not signed for within seven days of being mailed, the city will proceed with mowing the land of the landowner the letter was mailed to.

Before the ordinance was passed, alderman Alfred Heinrich brought up the issue of the “natural look” that is allowed through covenants in Boot Hill Subdivision, which is OKed through approval of the homeowners’ association, which in turn was approved by a previous council.