As we have discussed before in this column, Milam County now has a Fire Marshal and is developing a Fire Code. As with anything new, there seems to be some misunderstanding about what the new Fire Code will regulate so I thought it would be a good use of space to discuss this.
First off, let’s lead this off by saying that the Fire Code is primarily aimed at commercial and industrial developments to include new housing developments/ subdivisions in the unincorporated areas of the county. That means that the new Fire Code is being put into place to address and regulate the growth coming to Milam County.
I say this as it seems that one of the biggest concerns most Milam County residents have is the rumor that there will be a permit to burn on your own property and the short answer to that is no, you will not need a permit to burn brush or anything else you normally burn right now. The fire code is built with managing growth and ensuring that new commercial, industrial and subdivision buildings and homes are built in a safe and secure manner to insure the safety and security of Milam County residents and businesses as best we can.
All too often, growth comes to a rural county and new buildings or subdivisions are started without the establishment of a Fire Marshal’s office nor the implementation of a Fire Code. This more often than not results in conditions where new structures and developments see corners that are cut and many times safety takes a back seat to the construction and production processes thereby making things inherently unsafe. Having a Fire Marshal with an active Fire Code to enforce safety regulations helps ensure that these developments are conducted in a manner where safety is paramount to the process.
Several folks have also questioned the cost to the budget by adding a County Fire Marshal’s office, but as we have explained in earlier articles and on the radio, the Fire Marshal’s office is a budget neutral position. This means that the permitting fees charged for new developments will not only more than cover the budget of the Fire Marshal’s office but will also add money to the county that can only be used for emergency management functions.
That means the excess money generated by the Fire Marshal’s office will be used to help prevent fire and other destructive events in the future. We are currently looking at how this revenue can be used, but it will definitely benefit the county overall. Fee revenues will be calculated based on standard accepted practices from other, more-established County Fire Marshals; however, for most new industrial buildings, the county will see fees that should be on average between $50,000 to as high as $500,000. Money that can greatly enhance our emergency services and reduce the monetary stress seen by most of our first responders throughout Milam County.
Overall, the Country Fire Marshal’s office and the new Fire Code will be greatly benefi cial to the county and our residents by working to make things as safe and secure as possible, especially in a time of growth as we are seeing at this time. From the regulatory powers used to ensure new structures and developments are built as safely as possible, to generating the fees from that permitting of those new structures, the goal is to help make Milam County as safe and secure as possible without infringing on the very freedoms we enjoy as property owners in Milam County.
So, no, you will not need a permit to burn on your private property just as you have always done.
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