New Mount Pleasant fire law draws mixed opinions from students
Amidst a series of torched dumpsters and furniture, the Mount Pleasant City Commission passed a new fire law, stating persons within 300 feet of an open fire could be charged with a misdemeanor.
Portland senior Richelle Vallier sees points on both sides of the argument for the law.
“It makes sense because we had so many fires, but I can also see the other side, because it’s ridiculous to charge everyone within 300 feet of a fire with a misdemeanor,” Vallier said. “How would they (the police) know someone was involved?”
The law began as an emergency ordinance passed by the city’s planning commission shortly after a campus couch burning incident on April 26. The ordinance was voted into law by the City Commission on June 23.
The law is connected to a regulation on outdoor fires that was already in effect, reading, “No person shall kindle or maintain any bonfire or rubbish fire or permit any such fire to be kindled or maintained within the city limits.”
Those charged with violating the law would receive 90 days in jail or a $500 fine.
Jeff Browne, MMPD’s public information officer, said the law’s purpose is to make sure people are safe.
“I think the idea is to let there be no open fires, and it’s a safety issue,” Browne said. “The ordinance is meant to protect people in the community, protect property and protect personnel.”
Browne said different groups like Central Michigan University administrators and the Greek community have been extremely cooperative with the police on this matter.
“I think it’s more focused on the people who are contributing to the problem,” he said
Houghton Lake senior Jim Dunn, who lived in Casa Loma Apartments over the summer, said he firmly supports the law.
“I think that the fire ordinance is a good thing, because I lived in an apartment complex where we had five dumpsters in two months,” Dunn said. “It’s just really inconvenient to have to call the police every other week and say, ‘Hey, the dumpster’s on fire again.’”
Dunn said he thinks the dumpster fires negatively affect the town.
“It just smells bad, and it sort of gives Mount Pleasant a bad reputation, especially for the students,” Dunn said. “It’s just a few students that do stuff like that, and it makes the whole student body look bad.
Alma junior Liz Robb, who also lived in Casa Loma over the summer, said while she understands why the law passed, she also finds it to be “extreme.”
“When you generalize like that, ‘everybody within 300 feet was involved,’ it’s just going to upset people,” she said.
But Browne encouraged residents that the specific distance was not the main focus of the law.
“You’ve got to set up a number. I would ask that people not get hung up on the number, and get hung up on it being a public safety issue.”
Browne said the department is greatly involved in education programs such as “College Life and the Law,” teaching incoming freshman and transfer students about the law and its ordinances. He said they are hoping all residents in the town get involved in its safety.
“We’re requesting assistance from everyone in the community, including students,” Browne said.
