By Greg Stanley
Rockford Register Star
ROCKFORD — Northwest Pallet Supply, the company responsible for a massive mulch fire last year in Boone County, got the go-ahead Monday from the City Council to stockpile mulch in Rockford.The company leases land from the Chicago Rockford International Airport. It had been looking for a new site to store its product since being effectively banished from its spot in Boone County after large mulch piles spontaneously combusted in May 2012. The blaze took five days, more than 100 fire agencies and 4 million gallons of water to extinguish.Large piles of mulch can generate enough heat from internal decomposition to spark flames.Boone County sued the land owners over zoning violations relating to where the mulch was stored. Northwest Pallet ultimately settled the lawsuit by agreeing to pay $4,500 — the overtime costs of Boone County Sheriff’s deputies — and to never store commercial mulch on that property again.The company also donated $16,000 to a Boone County fire district before the lawsuit.To get a zoning change passed in Rockford, Northwest Pallet agreed to several restrictions recommended by Rockford fire officials.The company will have to keep the mulch piles smaller than what’s allowed by city code and with more space in between each stockpile.Fire officials are satisfied that the plans are not consistent with the practices that contributed to the Boone County fire, said Todd Cagnoni, Rockford director of economic and community development.“We vetted this out extensively with the fire department,” Cagnoni said. “There certainly was a concern when the company’s application was submitted because of their past practices. But they’ve agreed to follow all the recommendations that our fire prevention division has provided
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