Cornwall's Cold Fire

The furnaces attracted controversy in the state in 2009, when then-Attorney General Richard Blumenthal (now a U.S. Senator), called for them to be banned. Several towns in the state have already banned the devices, which, unlike indoor wood burning stoves, burn wood 24 hours a day, and are considered by some to be a viable alternative to purchasing home heating oil. Following an anonymous complaint earlier this year (the origin of which Mr. Larson will not name, other than to say it came from a person who does not live in the state), Mr. Larson found out that the state had passed certain regulations for chimney height and setbacks from a neighbor’s property during the summer of 2005 that effectively outlawed his furnace, but had not alerted the towns to the rule changes. The furnaces attracted controversy in the state in 2009, when then-Attorney General Richard Blumenthal (now a U.S. Senator), called for them to be banned. Several towns in the state have already banned the devices, which, unlike indoor wood burning stoves, burn wood 24 hours a day, and are considered by some to be a viable alternative to purchasing home heating oil. Following an anonymous complaint earlier this year (the origin of which Mr. Larson will not name, other than to say it came from a person who does not live in the state), Mr. Larson found out that the state had passed certain regulations for chimney height and setbacks from a neighbor’s property during the summer of 2005 that effectively outlawed his furnace, but had not alerted the towns to the rule changes.

COMPLETED: Outdoor Woodburning Furnaces: P&Z Public Hearing ...

: Maria Moore

A Public Hearing will be held by the Planning & Zoning Commission tomorrow evening, Wednesday, June 8 at 7:00 p.m. to continue the moratorium on outdoor woodburning furnaces (OWFs) for one year and also to amend the town’s Zoning regulations to add OWFs under Article V, Section 14 – Prohibited Uses.

The following legal notice regarding the Public Hearing was published in the Hartford Courant on May 25, 2011 and June 1, 2011:

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TOWN OF NEW HARTFORD

The Planning & Zoning Commission will meet on Wednesday, June 8, 2011 at 7:00 P.M. in New Hartford Town Hall, 530 Main Street, New Hartford, CT to conduct the following public hearing:

Continue Moratorium on Outdoor Wood Burning Furnaces – Article V, Section 14.2 – a one (1) year moratorium on Outdoor Wood Burning Furnaces

Amend Regulations – Article V, Section 14 –Prohibited Uses – Add new Paragraph n. Outdoor Wood Burning Furnaces.

At these public hearings, interested persons may appear and be heard and written communications received. Copies of the applications are on file and are available for inspection in the Land Use/Planning Office in New Hartford Town Hall, 530 Main Street, New Hartford, CT.

At their May 11 meeting, the Planning & Zoning Commission (P&Z) members were able to discuss outdoor woodburning furnaces (OWFs) with their Land Use Attorney, Mark Branse. Jim Steadman, P&Z Chairman, recapped where they were with the issue by saying that the selectmen had sent P&Z a letter asking them to act to regulate OWFs. Jim said: “I’d like to ban them – wait for some further regulation – something to hang our hats on.” Ted Stoutenberg added: “That’s why we sent it to the selectmen so that they can do an ordinance to regulate those (OWFs) that are here.” Gil Pratt agreed: “The ones that exist, there’s nothing that we can do here.” It was apparent that the commission members felt that the selectmen had abrogated their responsibility by not taking action themselves on the issue.

P&Z members were told their options were: A, do nothing; B, put in some sort of regulation; and C, ban future installations. Attorney Branse pointed out that the EPA already has standards for wood stoves and they are considering similar regulations for OWFs. The commission members continued discussing OWFs, with Dan LaPlante saying that we already have regs now with setbacks, etc.; Ted Stoutenberg said that OWFs cost beween $20,000 to $30,000, that people who have them have to cut wood and they have to keep them stoked. In his opinion, he said: “We’re making a mountain out of a mole hill.

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