WAPELLo, Iowa — The ban on burning yard waste in Wapello this spring will be reconsidered at the city council’s Thursday, April 2, meeting, the Wapello City Council agreed Thursday.

The Council took the action after local residents Eleanor Jones and Carol Parsons attended the meeting and criticized the ban, which had been approved during the Council’s March 5 meeting.

“My garden is just full of (vines and other debris) and I always burned it off in the spring,” Jones told the Council, explaining that is the easiest method of disposal.

Parsons agreed and said the burning would be minimal. She also said the city’s fall leaf pickup helped remove leaves during that season, but she had pin oaks in her yard that often did not drop their leaves until later.

Mayor Ron Durbin acknowledged some people would be inconvenienced by the ban, but said it was a matter of health for others.

“(There was a) concern about people with asthma,” he said.

“I feel for them, (but) I’m just asking for a few days,” Jones replied.

Council member Shawn Maine, who had proposed the burn ban motion at the Council’s March 5 meeting, said he was neutral on the issue, but said he would be willing to reopen the discussion if both opponents and supporters of the ban could present their opinions.

“I want to make sure everyone has a voice,” he said.

Notices that the burning issue will be on the April 2 agenda will be published in the local paper and televised on the local cable channel.

Meanwhile, the Council did agree to reverse itself and allow city workers to burn the wetland prairie at the south end of the Thompson-River Road Park. The Council’s initial ban included all burning, but public works director Mike Delzell said his crew needed to burn the prairie area to prevent the spread of thistles. Under the exception, the city crew can burn only on a weekday between            8 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the wind is in the correct direction.

“I don’t think that’s fair,” Jones complained after the vote.

Code cleanup on hold

The second reading of a proposal to adopt a new code of ordinances for the city was tabled after council member Adam Parsons, who is the assistant Louisa County Attorney, raised several questions.

The new code had been developed by a Clear Lake firm to comply with state regulations and remove any obsolete local regulations. Parsons, however, said the new codification had removed some sections, such as the council veto and a personnel chapter, which he thought were actions the Council should know.

One section, which would require pedestrians to walk only on the right side of a street, also caught his attention.

“Are we seriously going to issue citations for walking on the left side of the road,” he asked?

Other concerns included excessive noise, driving under suspension, water rates and cable franchises.

“I would like to table this until we can get some of these resolved,” he said.

The Council agreed to postpone any action and to ask the Clear Lake firm for some answers.