The first three readings of an amended wood burning appliance and air quality bylaw was tabled by city council at its regular meeting Tuesday (Oct.13).

The councillors agreed to table the readings that night so they could get further clarification regarding specific details surrounding the bylaw, such as wood stoves and measurement of smoke.

Merritt’s current bylaw for wood burning appliances doesn’t have any ticketing powers and its wording has no clear standard for a person to know whether their conduct is permitted by the bylaw.

According to a report to city council in the agenda, the city has received complaints from residents regarding smoke emanating from neighbouring properties only to have the infraction go uncorrected due to the wood burning appliance bylaw’s weak language and inability to impose fines.

With this amendment, city staff intend to strengthen the language of the bylaw and add the power to issue tickets to violators of the bylaw.

The first three readings of the bylaw will be back before council tonight.