Sterling Heights urges state to curb aerial fireworks after residents report nightly blasts

Sterling Heights officials on Tuesday pressed for changes to Michigan’s fireworks law after staff described repeated police and fire responses and frequent neighborhood damage tied to consumer aerial fireworks.

Assistant City Manager Dale Zukowski told the council the city has recorded hundreds of service calls tied to fireworks and that residents report recurring property damage, fire risks and sleep disruption. "We want to return, reduce, and regulate" fireworks use, he said, urging state lawmakers to draft bipartisan legislation that would give denser communities more local control and setback limits for aerial devices.

Why it matters: Staff said the Michigan Fireworks Safety Act currently preserves 11 statutory days each year (12 in some calendar configurations) when local regulation is limited or preempted. Zukowski showed screenshots of resident complaints and said Sterling Heights logged roughly 1,127 police runs and 113 fire-department runs tied to fireworks from 2020 through 2025. He warned that aerial devices designed to travel 100–200 feet are unsafe in neighborhoods with 60-foot lot widths and close setbacks.

What officials asked for: Zukowski requested that council back a coordinated push to state legislators and urged residents to use a city web form that will send prefilled messages to state senators and representatives. He said the city is working with Representative Menser’s office and the Michigan Municipal League to craft language intended to allow local setbacks and reduce the number of unrestricted consumer-fireworks days.

Enforcement and revenue: Council members asked whether the city can regulate sales and how enforcement is carried out. Staff said the State inspects and issues sales permits (about 768 permits statewide last year) and can revoke licenses for sellers who distribute nonconsumer or commercial-grade devices. Zukowski also noted a tax structure — a 6% state tax plus a 6% firefighter training tax — that channels revenue back to state funds and can complicate reform; he said the firefighter training fund brought in roughly $3 million statewide last year, with Macomb County receiving about $130,000.

Incidents cited: Zukowski read examples of fireworks-related calls: fireworks flying into homes, debris left on sidewalks, and at least one instance where a trash can display ignited and spread to the side of a house. He reiterated that the city is assembling incident data, testimony and a coalition of municipalities to support legislative changes.

Next steps: Council members asked staff to continue outreach to legislators and to provide quantified cost estimates of city public-safety responses linked to fireworks. Zukowski said the city will issue messaging, a press release and links to the resident web form, and that media interviews are already scheduled.

Attribution: Quotes and attributions in this story come from assistant city manager Dale Zukowski and city staff during the Sterling Heights City Council meeting.