NORTH ROYALTON, Ohio – City Council will decide over the next few weeks, and perhaps months, whether to allow residents to shoot off fireworks.
That’s because earlier this month, the Ohio General Assembly passed House Bill 172, which eliminated a longstanding law that allowed people to buy most forms of consumer fireworks, like firecrackers and bottle rockets, but then required them to take those fireworks out of Ohio within 48 hours.
Under HB172, residents can set off fireworks on the days around July 4, Diwali and New Year’s Eve, over Memorial and Labor Day weekends, and on New Year’s Day, Juneteenth, Cinco De Mayo and Lunar New Year. The new rules take effect July 1.
However, HB172 also allows municipalities to ban fireworks altogether within their borders, designate when it’s permissible to shoot off fireworks or adopt the new state rules entirely.
“It affects you by creating a controversy that you otherwise would like to have avoided,” North Royalton Law Director Tom Kelly told council Nov. 16.
Kelly said he is studying the new state law and will present council with various options.
“It’s obviously going to be a contentious issue for those people who are adamantly in favor of it (allowing fireworks) and those who are adamantly opposed to it,” Kelly told council. “And it’s landing on your desk to make a determination.”
At the Nov. 16 meeting, council members pointed out that some pet owners don’t like fireworks because the noise frightens their animals. They said the noise also disturbs those with dementia and newborn babies.
“But then you have (U.S. founding father) John Adams who said (we should allow) fireworks, at least on the Fourth of July,” Kelly said.
Adams actually wrote that Independence Day should be commemorated “by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”
Kelly said that any fireworks regulations would be a “nightmare” for police when it comes to enforcement, especially as residents become more aware of HB172.
“People who ballyhoo their rights as citizens consider the opportunity to handle explosives . . . in their front yards, with their families . . . they are going to contend that they have the right to do it,” Kelly said.
Other communities along the Ohio 82 corridor in Cuyahoga County are also planning to discuss HB172 and how it affects them. They weren’t ready to express opinions yet.
“We will probably talk about this on Monday (Nov. 29, at our) next council meeting,” Broadview Heights Councilwoman Jennifer Mahnic told cleveland.com in an email.
“We haven’t had the opportunity to discuss (this) as a group and will do so in the future,” Brecksville Councilwoman Laura Redinger told cleveland.com in an email.
Strongsville council members didn’t return emails seeking comment.
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North Royalton, neighboring cities, to decide whether to allow fireworks under new state law - cleveland.com
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