Councils to discuss possible fireworks ordinance
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
FIREWORKS over residential homes are expected and, for the most part, appreciated during events like this year’s August Festival in Washburn, as pictured here. But such isn’t the case for general public use, when users don’t take into consideration who fireworks will affect — neighbors and their pets.
By Kathy McCarty
Fireworks and their impact on the residents of local communities will be the topic of discussion at two upcoming municipal meetings — first in Presque Isle, then in Washburn.
Presque Isle City Council will take up the discussion at their meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 5, at 6 p.m. at City Hall. Since the first of the year, emergency personnel — both fire and police — have responded to 27 calls for service related to fireworks, with most of those calls being complaints about noise.
In a memo to City Manager Jim Bennett, Police Chief Matt Irwin noted, “While clearly creating some additional workload for both the police and fire departments, both Chief Darrell White (PIFD) and I agree that the impact was minimal on our staff and did not create any added challenges for either department that could not be easily overcome. Therefore, if drafting a fireworks-related ordinance becomes desirable, the core of the ordinance should likely focus on ‘quality of life’ issues for our residents rather than restrictions based on some perceived, but non-existent, undue burden on the city’s public safety departments.”
Irwin said options to consider include: further restricting the time to discontinue use of fireworks; further restricting the distance from neighboring residences to set off fireworks; creating a “fireworks zone” within the city limits, but away from residential areas, to allow residents to lawfully use such while minimizing/eliminating undesirable noise for disinterested residents; restricting use unless properly permitted; or having more restrictions on the use of fireworks within the compact zone than other areas within city limits.
Washburn Town Council will also be taking up the matter during their meeting on Monday, Sept. 10, at 6:30 p.m. at the Civic Center.
“We’re considering some type of fireworks ordinance. We’ll be holding a public hearing and want to hear citizens’ concerns,” said Town Manager Bev Turner.
Turner said councilors will discuss at that time whether an ordinance should be enacted to limit or abolish the use of fireworks in Washburn.
“We’ve had complaints brought to Council by residents concerned over how fireworks are used, where they’re used and when they’re used. Most notable have been comments on the effect fireworks have on our veterans, who are experiencing flashbacks due to the sound being similar to explosions and gunfire they experienced in the military,” said Turner.
“We want to do what’s best for our residents. To do that, we need to hear from the public,” said Turner.
Maine state officials authorized the use of fireworks by the general public at the beginning of the year. Only a handful of communities across the state, including Caribou and Houlton, have enacted any additional limitations beyond the state law since then.
State law currently states: fireworks cannot be set off after 10 p.m., unless it’s a special occasion, such as Fourth of July; permission must be obtained from a property owner prior to setting them off; and to purchase/use fireworks an individual must be at least 21 years of age.
Both municipal meetings are open to the public and citizens are encouraged to participate. For more information, call Presque Isle City Hall at 760-2785 or Washburn Town Office at 455-8485.
