On the March 12th agenda for the Whitemarsh Township Board of Supervisors, the elected officials will consider voting on whether to advertise that it will hold a hearing to consider the adoption of an ordinance that would prohibit real Christmas trees in multi-family, commercial, and public buildings.
According to public documents, the proposed ordinance comes at the recommendation of the township’s fire marshal, who claims there is a fire hazard created by natural trees. The draft ordinance states, “the Township Fire Marshal has determined that natural (live-cut) Christmas trees present a significant fire hazard due to drying, ignition potential, and rapid flame spread and recommended to the Board of Supervisors that regulations be added prohibiting natural Christmas trees in multi-family, commercial, and public buildings in Whitemarsh Township to better protect the health, safety, and welfare of the residents of Whitemarsh Township and the general public.” (i
So where would real Christmas trees be permitted if the ordinance is adopted? The draft ordinance essentially prohibits them in every building in the township, and then exempts, “one- or two-family dwellings, provided such dwellings are used solely for residential purposes and not for commercial, assembly, or public occupancy.”…