For a great summer gathering, Compo’s South Beach is almost perfect.
The long swath of sand from the cannons to the kayak launch is filled with grills and picnic tables. Sunsets are gorgeous.
All we’re missing are fire pits.
Ta da!
Tomorrow night, the Parks & Recreation Commission hears a request from the Parks & Rec Department to offer fire pit rentals there, from May 1 through September 30.
A portable fire pit. This may not be the type our Parks & Recreation Department buys. And this sure is not a beach scene.
“It’s a natural addition to the amenities there,” explains Carmen Roda, Parks & Rec operations manager.
Two portable fire pits would be available to residents by reservation 7 days a week, from 4 to 10 p.m.
Users will be responsible for providing the wood (no pellets!) and starters.
Beach staff will monitor usage. At 10 p.m. they’ll cool the fire pits down, load them on golf carts, and store them securely.
Fire marshal Terry Dunn and the Westport Police Department were consulted, and support the initiative. Parks & Rec employees will be trained in fire pit usage.
The proposed fee is $150 a night.
(The Parks & Recreation Commission meeting is tomorrow — Wednesday, March 19 — at 7:30 p.m., via Zoom. The agenda also includes updates on the Parks Master Plan and Longshore Improvement Master Plan, and reports from the Golf, Racquets and Parks Advisory Committees.)
Glad Fire and Police think fire pits are okay. But there’s a reason we no longer burn leaves in the Fall. Is adding wood smoke to South Beach really healthy and environmentally sound on top of the minimal charcoal smoke? Might some consider it air pollution? Have any environmental opinions been sought? Okay, I’m the Grinch Who Stole Summer.
Ridiculous! Just asking for trouble.lets keep track of how many people with alcohol allowed in that section burn themselves. Taxpayer’s expense should not be spent for this this. Town employees need to pickup every evening and store?? Uncalled for! Spend the $ improving the tennis courts
Agree with the above!!!
This is nuts. WTF?
I’m not favor of fire pits. The smoke is not healthy to be around for those who have lung issues. I have asthma. Little kids sometimes have sensitive lungs, and the most wonderful thing about being outdoors at the beach is the fresh air from the sea. So I oppose this move.
Follow the science:
https://www.ehhi.org/woodsmoke-exposures.php
kind of funny… ban blowers in part because of pollution but allow the open burning… btw, im fine with blowers and safe open burning because prohibiting them wont make a dent in the pollution, esp with two major highways cutting through the town.
So as of two years ago ? no cigarette or cigar smoking allowed. But now fire pits are ok?
All of the above!
Right! We all see how well the beach staff monitors the “No glass bottles or wine glasses. They better keep the EMS at the beach for the wood snaping burns, especially for the children that will result. Makes it hard to enforce no cigars/cigarettes with wood smoke everywhere. Yet another hair-brain idea like the $8,000 electric sign telling us the parking is full.
Wow! Never realized a summer staple could be this polarizing. Love this idea!! It extends family time on the beach into the evening and night and is such a fun amenity for the town to offer.
I don’t think two fire pits across an entire beach will negatively impact the environment, or air quality. Consider this: most of the homes along the beach drive have fire pits, grills, and some even have traeger meat smokers, and are using them all summer. That usage hasn’t negatively impacted air quality to the extent that we would ever consider banning outdoor grilling etc.
In fact isn’t it better for the town to offer publicly rentable fire pits to use at the beach (that are monitored) instead of everyone getting their own and burning in their own backyard?
Suggest the town buy Solo stoves. They burn cleanly and leave very little ash. Better yet, buy your own. Two $150 rental payments and you’d own one. They come with a handy carryall bag.
Westport finds more and more stupid ways to use the Town funds.
These pits will last until the first person burnt sues the town. How much more will be paid out for securing them each night, if they really will.
6) Increased risk of police and fire people less able to respond in emergency on crowded summer roads: i.e someone burned, or person with a severe asthma attack from the smoke.
7) Fire pits planned to be available for use from 4-10PM can increase the the cars down here in the evening and potential noise, with more people at the beach at night.
8) The smell: Other people sitting or exercising at the beach will to be exposed to smoke and particulate matter in the air and Allowing fire pits at Compo Beach ? Parks & Recreation review of this issue has a Zoom meeting scheduled on March 19. If you can’t be on their Zoom call, voice any of your concerns ASAP:
email: recreation@westportct.gov
Phone: (203) 341-5090 hit #1 Leave a message
Fax: (203)341-5073
Concerns:
1) Environmental risk- Burning wood in fire pits pollutes air.
2) Increased fire risk in Compo area- Over the last ten years we experience more and often sudden much higher wind velocity at the beach area, causing tree damage and increases risk of fire from a burning ember and sparks entering the air from one of these wood burning pits. (Learn from Los Angeles- they think the fires ignited from embers or sparks in the air from a person burning something in their yard)
3) Heath risks- Especially for children, (who breathe in more air per unit weight than adults). Smoke and the particulate matter irritates respiratory tract. 28 million people in the U.S. have asthma– 1 in 12 people; an increasing problem in children & older adults with COPD. Exposure to burning wood & smoke, or allergic to the wood itself increases their risk of breathing and respiratory damage. Smoke & particulate matter from an open flame contains wood tars, gases, soot, carbon monoxide, dioxins, and volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) flame affects the respiratory system.
4) The Beach staff is supposed to monitoring this. Are they old enough and trained to handle an emergency that could result from fire pits ?
5) Risk of more debris on beach- Increased risk when not cleaned up properly by town staff at night and if pieces of wood fall in the sand someone can step on, or a hot one.
the smell of burning wood ? Plus homes in the Compo area.
6) People are to supply their own wood, that too is a risk. If people use treated wood (that contain chemicals), rather than untreated wood that has been well-seasoned for 6 months .
7) When air pollution advisories are issued people should not burn fires. Will people in summer understand this ?
8) People are to bring their own fire starter– if an accelerant is used it puts more toxins into the wood & smoke and our air.
9 ) Recommendations on fire pits include keeping a bucket of water with them, in case the fire gets out of control, or if winds blow up; how will the town’s staff monitor that?
10) Supplying fire pits and extra staff needed to handle and clean them up at night is waste of taxpayer money.
Fire Pits reduce our enjoyment of clean air at beach; puts beach goers at increased health and fire risks and for residents and their homes who live in Compo Beach.
Another sad thread. Westporters these days a) hate each other and b) are choking all the fun out of living in a bucolic CT beach community 75 mins or so from Manhattan.
Lighten up Francis….
Post COVID crowd is almost unbearable, you’re raising a bunch of angry and hateful kids who learn it from their parents.
As a 70’s resident who returned in 2000, I expected the houses to be unrecognizable but the people have far out paced that.
There is plenty said here about the fire pits so I want to add this. How about a few more tables and decent barbecue stoves? Pretty sparse pickings at our South Beach.
Just a dumb idea. And Terry Brannigan noted on the Westport Front Porch fb page that the Staples S awards for sportsmanship, athletic ability, leadership in each sport were replaced by cheap plaques because of the cost. Seems like rewarding teens for qualities that prepare them for adulthood should be more important than some (dangerous) fire pits at the beach. Priorities, please. (Not to mention the danger that we would put employees in when they have to ‘cool down and transport’ these fire pits.) Just ridiculous.
Do something about the Soundview Parking lot … gravel or pave…that would be a HUGE improvement.
We all have sweatshirts and throw blankets … they have worked since inception … use those if chilled.
People go to the beach to enjoy the nice clean air. I have walked on the beach when wood was being burned rather than charcoal on the grills . It was horrible. This is a terrible idea!
Why are we doing this? It’s not like we have to add ‘amenities’ to attract people to South Beach. This sounds like someone’s pet project that didn’t get vetted.
I am a very frequent user of South Beach for fresh air, sunsets, picnics and relaxation. I see so many more downsides than upsides to firepits on the beach.