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Council to draft local fireworks ordinance covering sales, discharge windows and enforcement
Summary
Staff presented a model ordinance to cover both fireworks sales in city limits and permitted discharge times; the council asked police and staff to tailor fees, times and enforcement language and return the draft next month.
Mr Bowling told the council Kingston’s existing city code does not address fireworks sales or permitted discharge times, so staff included a sample ordinance from MTAS for discussion. He said the sample addresses retail sales, inspection requirements, and times when fireworks may be discharged around holidays but contains a typographical time error Chief Washington flagged.
"...there's a sample ordinance that that we included in here for for your consideration...on New Year's Eve it it says until 1 p.m the next day where it should be 1:00 a.m. but other than that I think it's a good starting point," Bowling said; Chief Washington raised enforcement and nuisance concerns for late-night usage that requires police authority to back citations.
Council members discussed whether to allow retail sales within city limits, what fees and insurance requirements to impose (the template shows a $100 cleanup fee as an example), and the practical need for clear hours to reduce late-night complaints. Bowling said staff and the police chief will work together to adapt the template, determine appropriate fees and insurance/inspection procedures, and return a draft ordinance to the council next month for formal consideration.
