The Linn County Board of Supervisors, in partnership with Linn County Public Health, has extended the burn permit deferment in unincorporated Linn County through the end of the year. This action allows the open burning of storm related landscape waste, including trees and tree trimmings in unincorporated Linn County outside of the city limits of Cedar Rapids, Marion, and Hiawatha without a permit through December 31, 2020. However, open burning is not allowed within the half-mile buffer zone around the cities of Cedar Rapids, Marion, Hiawatha, which is zoned as Urban Services Residential (USR) or otherwise incorporated.
The following conditions must be followed to help limit adverse air quality impacts and reduce risk to surrounding property:
- Burning must be conducted during daylight hours only (half hour after sunrise until half hour before sunset).
- Fires must be attended at all times during the burning.
- Burning shall not be conducted when wind speeds exceed 15 mph.
- Maximize the separation distance from the fire to any structure or combustible materials.
- Have a plan for fire extinguishment, such as a garden hose connected to a water outlet that is long enough to reach the fire.
- Demolition waste from damaged structures must be separated from the landscape waste and sent to an approved landfill for proper disposal.
- A landowner may only burn organic materials that originated from their property.
Linn County Public Health reminds the public that it is illegal to burn waste, including storm debris, within the city limits of Cedar Rapids, Marion, and Hiawatha. Please contact your city hall for additional information regarding local open burning ordinances.
Other Disposal Options
In addition to open burning, residents of unincorporated Linn County have other options to dispose of organic storm debris. Linn County is removing organic storm debris from the rural right-of-way. Rural residents may also self-haul organic storm debris to these four Linn County drop-off sites at no charge:
The sites are open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
County Home Road
1888 County Home Rd
Former Abbe home location
Mount Vernon Secondary Road Shop
788 Cedar River Road
Mount Vernon
Whittier Secondary Road Shop
721 County Home Road
Springville
Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center
10260 Morris Hills Rd
Toddville
Find more information about Linn County’s storm response and resources at LinnCounty.org/Storm.