Outdoor Wood Furnaces Banned in City of Sturgeon Bay

The Sturgeon Bay Common Council gave final approval Tuesday to a citywide ban on outdoor wood furnaces used to heat homes.

A ban on those types of heaters – which pipe heat into houses in the form of hot water and resemble a small outdoor shed or shanty with a wood-burning furnace and chimney – was sought by Fire Chief Tim Dietman. He said there aren’t many properties in the city that have enough land for a setback to install those furnaces without causing a nuisance with smoke, and it would be best to prohibit their use throughout Sturgeon Bay. 

The ordinance drafted by City Attorney Jim Kalny to ban outdoor wood-burning furnaces states: “No person shall construct, install, operate or use, or suffer to construct, install, operate or use any outdoor wood-fired furnace upon any property in the City of Sturgeon Bay.”

The penalty for violating the ordinance on the first offense will be a fine of not less than $15 nor more than $500, together with the costs of prosecution. The minimum fine would be increased to $75 for a second offense within one year.