Campfire Laws? (Riverside, Penn: rent, vacation home, neighborhoods)

[ekwmac723]

Hi Everyone,

I've been browsing this forum for a bit now as my husband and I are considering purchasing a vacation home in the pocono area. Basically we're looking for a place that's both within at least 25-30 minutes of a major ski area (camelback, big boulder or elk preferably) and that has a lake nearby. It definitely seems like there are a lot of communities and neighborhoods to choose from and I've gotten a lot of great information here.

One thing I haven't been able to find a lot of information on is burning laws. I've looked at the individual community bylaws and it looks as though quite a few of the communities ban burning of any type, then again I've also heard that having a contained fire in an outdoor coleman fireplace is ok. Ideally my husband would really like to build his own firepit with rocks, etc. So basically, does anyone have any info as to which communities allow campfires vs. those that don't and of those communities which allow campfires which require they be contained in something like a coleman firepit with a lid/fence vs. communities which will allow a regular old campfire. I know this seems nitpicky but it's the one little thing my husband's really wanted to find a bit more info on.

Thanks!

[thecoalman]

Probably depends on the community but if you don't have any close neighbors probably isn't any laws. The burning ban laws are mostly in more urban areas.

Having said that it probably also depends on your neighborhood, we live in very close neighbohood but the backyard are generally quite large. The one neighbor has small fire pit, not sure if there is law against it or not. No one complains and he doesn't use it that often so it's non issue. The only problem with it was when he first lit it.... FIRE!.... Actually alarmed me at first as you never smell fire around here unless something is burning down.

[DE_NePA]

Originally Posted by ekwmac723

Basically we're looking for a place that's both within at least 25-30 minutes of a major ski area (camelback, big boulder or elk preferably) and that has a lake nearby. Ideally my husband would really like to build his own firepit with rocks, etc. So basically, does anyone have any info as to which communities allow campfires vs. those that don't and of those communities which allow campfires which require they be contained in something like a coleman firepit with a lid/fence vs. communities which will allow a regular old campfire. I know this seems nitpicky but it's the one little thing my husband's really wanted to find a bit more info on.

Thanks!

Towamensing Trails is 15 minutes from Jack Frost and Big Boulder. I own a property there, and a home made rock firepit is allowed. You have to get a permit for it ($10), the board wants to see that it is not too close to structures, property lines, or under a tree. You are required to notify the office and the Penn Forest Fire District when you intend to burn. We notify for a month at a time, as we are only there on weekends.
The past 6 months there has been a total burn ban as the lake has been drawn down to allow repairs to the dam. But that work is almost complete, and the lake will be filled back up by January.
Let me know if you need more info.

[Riverside4ever]

Stay out of a development and a community , Buy your own house with land and do whatever you want ....

[DE_NePA]

Originally Posted by Riverside4ever

Stay out of a development and a community , Buy your own house with land and do whatever you want ....

And build your own lake, pool, clubhouse, snackbar, basketball courts, tennis courts, playground, boat launch, etc, etc

[Riverside4ever]

Originally Posted by DE_NePA

And build your own lake, pool, clubhouse, snackbar, basketball courts, tennis courts, playground, boat launch, etc, etc

Absolutely ......

I lived in a community for a few yrs .. If you dont believe Then you go ahead .. After a while You'll understand ...

There aint nothing anyone can tell you when you own your own land .
In community's You dont own the land , You dont own the pool You can RENT the clubhouse ,( but you can also rent any VFW post too) Most of the lakes in the community's you cant swim in because of high bacteria levels and NO gas engines , just electric on boats in the lakes .. You have neighbors all around you and No say about anything ..You MUST follow there laws ,(No pools , no fences , what colors you can use on your own house , how many sq ft of blacktop you can have , The list goes on ) You can use Public tennis courts in just about every area up here .There are Public launches in many lakes ..

Oh also Resale values in communitys are much lower than a home not in one ..

Good luck to you .. Dont forget about those community Dues $1250 a yr in most cases More or less in others ..

[Irish Eyes]

Originally Posted by Riverside4ever

Absolutely ......

I lived in a community for a few yrs .. If you dont believe Then you go ahead .. After a while You'll understand ...

There aint nothing anyone can tell you when you own your own land .
In community's You dont own the land , You dont own the pool You can RENT the clubhouse ,( but you can also rent any VFW post too) Most of the lakes in the community's you cant swim in because of high bacteria levels and NO gas engines , just electric on boats in the lakes .. You have neighbors all around you and No say about anything ..You MUST follow there laws ,(No pools , no fences , what colors you can use on your own house , how many sq ft of blacktop you can have , The list goes on ) You can use Public tennis courts in just about every area up here .There are Public launches in many lakes ..

Oh also Resale values in communitys are much lower than a home not in one ..

Good luck to you .. Dont forget about those community Dues $1250 a yr in most cases More or less in others ..

Sorry you bought in a lousy community, but I haven't experienced ANY of the things you mentioned in ours. And while I have no idea why people want to blacktop the forest, there doesn't seem to be any law against that either.

[Riverside4ever]

Its ok I was lucky and sold the house . Now have acres out in Northern Wayne county

Gods country ,, and we do as we please ..

[DE_NePA]

If you dont believe Then you go ahead .. After a while You'll understand

I already have, and do
In community's You dont own the land ,
Yes I do, my own 1/2 acre
You dont own the pool
Nope, and I don't take have to care of it either, just swim in it.
Most of the lakes in the community's you cant swim in because of high bacteria levels and NO gas engines , just electric on boats in the lakes ..
I can swim in our lake and I'm OK with no gas engines, no noise
You have neighbors all around you and No say about anything
Yeah, I saw the houses around mine when I bought, no surprise. You do have a say in things, if you care enough to attend meetings.
..You MUST follow there laws ,(No pools , no fences , what colors you can use on your own house , how many sq ft of blacktop you can have , The list goes on )
Yes, there are restrictions, I read the by lawas before I bought. Didn't you?
Oh also Resale values in communitys are much lower than a home not in one
You're dead wrong.

Good luck to you .. Dont forget about those community Dues $1250 a yr in most cases More or less in others
$400 a year, not bad for a pool, lake, security patrol, road maintenance, etc, etc.

[Riverside4ever]

In Towamesing trails there aint a tree thats 20' high .. The roads are real rough But I wont debate it with you .. That place is the hood .. Plain and simple .. So is every community around it ..

Pfffsst