There are state-level regulations that address some of these concerns, the city said, but it’s still necessary to adopt some local zoning and safety codes as well.
Interest and demand for firework retailers has increased in the wake of House Bill 172, which went into effect last year, the city said.
The law allows Ohioans to set off consumer-grade fireworks on certain designated days — including July 3-5, the weekends immediately before and after Independence Day and several cultural and religious holidays. Consumer-grade fireworks include firecrackers, bottle rockets, and Roman candles.
Several cities across the Dayton area moved to ban fireworks in the wake of the bill’s passage. However, Xenia has already taken the position that it will allow residents to launch fireworks in accordance with the new state law, City Manager Brent Merriman said, adding that current measures only apply to retail sales.
“I believe is is Council’s desire to look into additional limitations on locations fireworks can be sold from, in additional to any regulations the state may already have,” he said.
Xenia does get complaints about fireworks going off, particularly around the Fourth of July, Merriman said, but it’s too soon to fully understand how many people may be bothered by the new law, as it just went into effect in the middle of last year.
Previous Ohio law allowed citizens to have fireworks, but not set them off.
Cities with bans include Dayton, Beavercreek, Fairborn, Germantown, Kettering, Oakwood, Trotwood and Vandalia.
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