Ramsey Resident - 2001 - May/June

Home

7 ACCESSORY STRUCTURES/ UTILITY SHEDS There are rules and regulations regarding where you may build a structure on your property and how big it can be. Buildings less then 120 square feet do not require a building permit but still must meet certain regulations. All other structures require a building permit. All structures are to be placed in the side or rear yard of the property and must meet certain setbacl(s. The setbacks depend on which zoning district you are in. Please call City Hall at 427-1410 BEFORE you begin construction to confirm setbacl(s and other regulations. RECREATIONAL FIRES Be sure to follow the City's burning regulations if summer inspires you to have a recreational fire. A recreational fire is an area of no more than three feet in diameter or nine square feet. It must be located at least 50 feet from any structure or vehicle. Burning barrels are prohibited. Use only dry, clean wood. Plywood, chipboard and other products containing resins or glues are strictly prohibited. Painted and preservative-treated wood scraps can give off toxic smoke. Don't inhale! Running grass fires are prohibited, except for prairie restoration. Burning leaves, grass and debris is also prohibited. Recreational burning is allowed only between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Fires must be attended by an adult at all times until completelyextinquished. A garden hose connected to water should be nearby. Violations can be subject to a citation, including extinguishment charges of $250 per hour. Be respectful of weather conditions, neighbors, burning bans, and air quality so that nuisance, health or safety hazards will not be created. Open fires larger than three feet in diameter require a permit which can be obtained at City Hall. A complete copy of Ramsey City Ordinance #92-03, which regulates burning, is also available at City Hall. LEAFLETS OF THREE, BEWARE OF ME With summer finally here, many foll<s are out doing yard worl<, hilOOg, bilOOg and just generally enjoying the great Minnesota outdoors. But if you belong to the 85% who are allergic to or will develop allergic reactions to Minnesota's most common poisonous plants, Poison Ivy, Poison Oal<, and Poison Sumac, summer can be anything but glorious. Poison Ivy - Usually grows as a vine but can also appear as a climbing vine or a small shrub. Each leafhas three leaflets and are a shiny, darl< green. The leaves have jagged edges and in the Spring, it has yellow-green flowers. In the early fall, the leave can turn colors to yellow and red when other forest floor plants are still green. The leaves of the Poison Ivy plant drop off in winter and both the dried leaves and the plant remain poisonous and can cause allergic reactions if the plant or leaves come in contact with your sl<in. Poison Oal< - May grow as a vine, but is usually a shrub. The leaves are usually made up of a cluster of three leaflets and in the spring they produce white, glossy apple blossom-Ioolang flowers. As the season continues, the leaves, fruit and trunl< tal<e on a "hairy" appearance. The Poison Oal< loses its flowers and its leaves become a maroon or firey red in color, which turn yellowish red in the fall. It loses its leaves in the winter and then you can tell it's a Poison Oal< by its three-branch clusters. Poison Sumac - Usually a tall shrub or small tree with six to twelve leaves arranged in pairs. The yellowish green flowers, which grow in clusters, mature into whitish green fruit that hang in loose clusters. Unlil<e the Poison Sumac, the non-poisonous sumac species that have similar leaves but have red fruit that forms a distinctive red, cone-shaped terminal heads. Urushiol Oil - This substance is common to the above poisonous plants and is what causes the allergic reactions. There are three ways of coming into contact with the Urushiol oil of these plants: Direct Contact - actually touching or rubbing up against the sap of the toxic plant. Indirect Contact - touching something that has Urushiol oil on it. The oil can sticl< to the fur of animals, such as dogs and cats; garden tools or sports equipment; or to any obj ect that comes into contact with a crushed or brol<en plant. Airborne Urushiol Oil Particles - is caused by burning the leaves or plants of these poisonous plants and it then comes into contact with your sian. It can also be breathed in, causing severe internal discomfort. Continued on Page 8 If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do matters very much. - Jackie Kennedy Onassis