A group of Fort Collins residents is hoping to repeal the recently imposed curfew on backyard wood-burning fire pits before s'mores season kicks into high gear.

Penny Laviolette and other supporters of the repeal have been gathering signatures to force the City Council to either rescind the curfew outright or put it to a vote of city residents.

The ordinance, passed March 19, was "ram-rodded" through, Laviolette said, and not enough residents knew about it. It sets a 10 p.m. curfew for wood-burning fire pits and a 15-foot setback from property lines. It does not apply to fire pits that are not wood burning, such as a gas fire pit, or appliances designed specifically for cooking, such as a grill or a smoker.

That curfew turns a "spiritual experience" of gathering around a campfire into an exercise in clock watching, Laviolette said, and strips neighbors of a reason to get together. At the height of summer, 10 p.m. is barely dark enough to start it up, she said.

"We have a fire pit in our backyard, and a standing invitation to all our neighbors: If you see a fire, pop in, pop a beer, have a chat," Laviolette said in Old Town Square while gathering signatures recently.

She had help from her son, grandson and friends Friday, with more supporters ready to cover Fort Collins over the weekend. Their Facebook page, Repeal Fort Collins Fire Pit Curfew, chalked up 300 likes in the two weeks since it launched. Since she started gathering signatures, her team of petitioners has grown to 18 people, she said.

Laviolette hasn't counted the number of signatures they have so far. They need 2,991 signatures by 5 p.m. April 25 to compel the City Council to take action. She's aiming for for closer to 4,000 to show the support for repeal and make sure invalid signatures — such as those from people not registered to vote or who live out of city limits — don't sink the effort.

If the effort is successful, it will compel City Council to either outright rescind the ordinance that created the curfew or refer the repeal to voters at the next regular or special city election.

The curfew on wood-burning fire pits arose out of a discussion to outright ban the backyard activity. Some residents complained that smoky neighbors mean they can't keep their windows open on cool summer nights or that burning causes breathing issues.

Council member Ross Cunniff, a driving force on the discussion, acknowledged during those council meetings that many residents enjoy backyard fire pits, "but that does not trump people's ability to enjoy their property unimpeded.”

Laviolette said she's heard from some supporters of the curfew who have respiratory issues inflamed by smoke and said she sympathized with their plight, but noted the city sponsors mediation programs to resolve issues between neighbors. Still others with respiratory issues signed the petition in protest of government overreach, Laviolette said.

Mostly, she said she's hearing that people "didn't know this was a right that was taken away from them."

Noting a new council is being sworn in this week, Laviolette said she's "hopeful they'll have a new heart about this."

Petition to repeal the fire pit curfew

2,991 signatures of registered Fort Collins voters required

Would force City Council to either repeal the curfew or put it to a general vote

Petitions must be delivered by 5 p.m. April 25

More information at on the Repeal Fort Collins Fire Pit Curfew Facebook page

Nick Coltrain covers local, state and federal government and how it affects you and Fort Collins residents. Email him at NickColtrain@Coloradoan.com and follow him on Twitter on @NColtrain. Keep him employed by buying a digital subscription.