On 15 Dec 2004 02:45:30 -0800, "
wrote:

I have a friendly helpful next-door neighbor here in the woods (PA)
where the zoning ordinance does NOT prohibit open burning. This is a

It is against the law to create a public disturbance.

lifelong neighbor (30+) who grew up along with us and with whom we have
up until now been on very good terms. (The good terms do not extend to
neighbor's wife.)

For the past month, our home has REEKED of whatever it is that he has
been burning. We live on a dead-end road, but I don't want to give the
impression this is, like, Deliverance-style territory. It's just a
70's-era development in the Poconos. We're not concerned that he's
burning something necessarily illegal as we are that our home is
becoming uninhabitable because of the smoke.

I phoned two Saturdays ago. Neighbor's gnarly wife answered, claimed
"We've burned twice a week for ten years!" (patently untrue), and that

Even the die-hards had to give up painting their houses with lead
paint, tell her to get with the time, it's winter time, don't burn on
stall air days or when you are down wind.

"*I* don't smell a thing." The response, while not out of character
for this woman, was a bit more unfriendly than we're used to, even for
her.

Respond with, from your personal habits, I guess nothing else does
smell to you. :-P JUST Kidding. Document on your calendar this
call, time and date. Keep this calendar into 2005.


The smoke got even worse, so we actually phoned neighbor's mom, who
lives in a house out of line of the drifting smoke. Result was that
smoke stopped, and next day, neighbor drives over to apologize and give
me a hug. I thought the problem was solved.

Two days later, the burning started again. Because neighbor is
extremely well-employed, I could see it wasn't a matter of his burning
on yet another Monday mid-morning, and I started to wonder if he
installed some sort of wood-burning device inside his home whose vent
is aimed directly our way.


If it's a piece of equipment that is installed, it doesn't seem very
well 'drafted' might want to pry and find out if it was under permit
and inspection. If not, and he becomes a problem, give the city and
his insurance company a call. Only if you are truely evil.
muhahahahahah


What if anything can we do to settle this nightmare? This would be
like something from Seinfeld if it wasn't causing such pain. If we
contact him again (and we'll have to do it when we're sure we won't
instead get wife-from-Hades), we'll 1) "take back" the friendly
reception of our complaint to his Mom, or 2) show that we don't believe
his explanation of "just extra wood left over from chopped trees." He
would have had to cut down half his lot in order for the burning to be
going on this long.

Any advice--mechanical, structural, legal, seasonal (!)--desperately
needed and appreciated.

If you his smoking problems are creating a serious problem, maybe when
you smell the smoke again, call the fire department. A few calls
about you smell something, or it's so much 'smell' it might be out of
control calls, he will be shut down. BUT..... even though he
instigated the problem, and continued after you asked him to stop, you
will be seen as a bad boy. So, you might want to get advice from
adjacent neighbors before you make your decision.

IMHO,

tom @ www.ChopURL.com