However, Beavercreek plans to continue the previous ban, citing safety concerns. The city held the first reading of an ordinance to uphold the ban Monday. Council has not yet done its formal vote.
Consumer-grade fireworks pose a “significant danger to the public and may cause serious injuries, as well as significant property damage in residential and business areas,” the city ordinance reads, adding that the ban is a way to protect residents’ quiet enjoyment of their property.
Previous Ohio law allowed people to purchase consumer fireworks in the state, but buyers were required to transport them out of state within 48 hours, a law many people have ignored. Council member Charles Curran said Monday that people may exhibit a similar disregard for using legal fireworks, instead purchasing more powerful ones that would cause more damage in dense Beavercreek neighborhoods.
“You could have a person on private property, or two or three in a block, that might fire off fireworks and catch somebody’s roof on fire,” Curran said. “They’ll get it, put it on their property, and somebody’s going to get hurt.”
Beavercreek is the first Greene County community planning to continue the ban, though Bellbrook has also considered the measure. The city of Dayton passed a similar ordinance in December, saying they already have a problem with illegal fireworks. Other communities near Cleveland and Columbus have passed or are weighing bans.
“Unlike some other issues the state is considering, the fireworks law preserves the Home Rule for cities,” Mayor Bob Stone said. “Addressing the fireworks legislation is the same as what home rule is designed for, being that all cities are not alike, so each should legislate according to the needs of their communities.”
The state law lifting the fireworks ban takes effect July 1.
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