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Harrison County advances draft fireworks ordinance after months of loud, persistent displays
Summary
After months of public complaints about near-daily fireworks in the Enterprise area, the Harrison County Commission voted to revise and send a countywide fireworks ordinance to first reading and public hearings to address buffer distances, exemptions and enforcement concerns.
The Harrison County Commission voted June 4 to move forward with revisions and a first reading of a countywide fireworks ordinance after residents described months of persistent, loud fireworks in the Enterprise area that they say have harmed elderly neighbors, frightened veterans and unsettled pets.
Lloyd Parrish of Enterprise told commissioners the problem has been ongoing for months, with fireworks “starting as early as 06:00 in the morning and continuing on till 2 or 03:00 in the evening,” and asked the commission to "consider adopting this ordinance" modeled on an ordinance referenced in the packet. Virginia Tichenor, a trailer‑park owner in Enterprise, said the devices were “so big, they sound like sticks of dynamite” and recounted shaken windows and frightened children and animals.
Commissioners and staff spent more than an hour debating enforceability and scope. Commissioners raised three recurring concerns: whether deputies can respond countywide in a timely fashion, how to define buffer distances around residences and occupied areas (staff noted a proposed straight‑line buffer of 500 feet in the draft), and whether licensed professional displays should be exempt. One attorney advised that the county’s proposed consent language and distance metrics were consistent with ordinances in other counties examined for the draft.
Despite differing views about enforcement, the commission voted to instruct staff to make the suggested changes and place the ordinance on a future agenda for a first reading and public hearings. The commission also discussed a tiered fine structure included in the draft ordinance and retention of exemptions for state‑licensed displays.
The next procedural step is a revised draft with distance and timing clarifications and at least one public hearing before a final vote. Commissioners said enforcement capacity and deputy staffing will be part of the public record during the hearing process.
