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Castine Selectboard bans fireworks on town property, adopts updated facilities policy
Summary
The Selectboard voted 3-0 Aug. 18 to update the Town Facilities Use Policy to prohibit fireworks on all town properties, add insurance and noise‑curfew requirements, and confirm fee rules for residents and nonresidents.
The Castine Selectboard voted unanimously Aug. 18 to adopt an updated Town Facilities Use Policy that expressly prohibits fireworks on any town property and restates obligations for insurance, cleanup and noise control.
The board approved the policy after discussion prompted by a recent fireworks display at Fort Madison. The updated policy requires a Certificate of Insurance naming the town as additional insured, requires cleanup by the user, and sets a noise curfew (music and loud noise must cease by 11:00 p.m.). The policy also keeps the fee schedule: $100 per day for residents and $200 per day for nonresidents, with waivers available for town‑sponsored and some nonprofit events.
Chair Roberta Boczkiewicz introduced the policy update and moved adoption; Dan Leader seconded. The motion carried 3‑0.
Selectboard members discussed the limits of local authority under state law for private fireworks on private property and noted that the updated policy addresses town property only. The written policy added the language that “no fireworks [are] allowed on Town properties,” and reiterated that users must obtain required permits (for example, burn permits or liquor licenses) and secure liability insurance where applicable.
The policy text included other operational rules for specific sites (Fort Madison, Town Common, Backshore Beach), including prohibitions on parking on the grass and requirements to maintain emergency access. The changes take effect immediately, and the town clerk attested the policy in the minutes.
