All the neighbours around me have fire pits, as do most many people in the community. Mine is probably one of the few that actually has the space and is not pushing up against a fence.
Bylaws are there or should be there for things like disturbing the peace, if you just don't like fires then that really should not be on them to take that away from someone else.
That is what it was before, which made it basically impossible for anyone to get a permit thus leaving the majority of the population doing it illegally and possibly subject to a $300 fine.
It is not an issue for me to spend the money, the issue is for people who cannot afford this or are cash tight at the moment thanks to the lock downs and the pandemic. One can go out and buy wood from a farmer for $5, they could have a fire ring already, many houses here have them as the houses are not new, my house is a120+ years old. So now you can enjoy some spaced out time with family or friends, outside, on the cheap. Not everyone does this as regularly as I do, usually out at least once a week so the cost to me is warranted to get a permit, others it is not for those few times here and there over a summer. Neighbouring city Kitchener has no need for permits, no spark screens, dense populated area, few simple common sense rules like don't have a fire in high winds, be a few meters away from a structure, then be an adult and you are good to go. These spark screens were not in the bylaw before which was more restrictive and I am sure something would have been done a lot sooner to change this if they were really causing a problem.
Your argument is basically that you want to do something that is banned and it doesn't matter if someone else disagrees. You haven't yet posted any facts such as distances to other structures, fire loads or available fire suppression should things get out of hand.
There seems to be an assumption that everyone with a fire pit is knowledgeable in ignition, fire control and suppression.
Years ago we had a trailer in a decent seasonal park and every site had a truck rim fire pit. The sites were not huge and we enjoyed a few fires, usually visiting at other trailers. However a drunk at another site decided to go big by throwing an accelerant on his, blistering the paint on a nearby car.
We have laws and rules so we can minimize surprises. We have drivers licenses so we know to drive on the right, not where we like. Our houses are wired by competent trades that don't run 18/2 lamp cord because it usually works for most stuff.
The part that is hard for many to understand is the difference between passive and aggressive. A person that doesn't make noise doesn't intrude on another's peace and quite. That is passive. A person with a loud radio can intrude on another person's peace and quiet and telling the passive person to "Not listen" doesn't work.
A person with no fire can't affect you. You, having a fire can affect them. They may not object to the fire itself but some people may have asthma and suffer. They have rights as well.
I live in Toronto and the closest I can get to a fire outside of a fireplace is a charcoal BBQ. I don't even think I'm allowed a chiminea.
"Are wood burning fireplaces allowed in Toronto?
Under the Ontario Fire Code,
anything that qualifies as open-air burning is forbidden. That includes fire bowls and pits, bonfires, outdoor fireplaces, sky lanterns, chimineas, incinerators, burn drums — essentially anything that's fueled by wood.Oct 31, 2020"
The catch point seems to be the cost of a legal screen, a couple of hundred dollars. I understand that a couple of hundred dollars to one person is an expensive bottle of wine and to another, needed groceries for the family or a dental bill.
I agree that a fire pit sounds great. There is something soothing about a wood fire, fresh air with a whiff of smoke and starlight. Sometimes we can't have what we want.
