SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — After numerous complaints from residents after the Fourth of July holiday, South Charleston City Council passed a law Thursday night limiting the use of fireworks.
The law restricts fireworks to four holidays: Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day and New Year’s Eve. They can be shot off on those days until 10 p.m., with the exception of New Year’s Even when they’re allowed until 12:30 a.m.
“I think it’s a good piece of legislation. We don’t want to be anti-fireworks, but we want it to be done responsibly and with consideration of your neighbors,” said Mayor Frank Mullens.
After an expanded menu of fireworks was made legal by the legislature during the 2016 Legislative Session, they were exuberantly shot off around the Fourth of July, prompting complaints from residents across the state.
City Police Chief Brad Rinehart said South Charleston was no different.
“Fourth of July, probably a few days before, a few days after; until everybody ran out of fireworks,” he said describing the volume of complaints.
Both Mullens and Rinehart admitted the law would be tough to enforce, but hoped for residents’ cooperation.
“We know that by the time somebody lights a firework off, we get and call and get up there, chances are they’re going to be gone,” Mullens said. “Hopefully it’s a deterrent and it does what we think it’s going to do. And the residents understand (about) the difficulty of enforcing it.”
Mullens said he had no complaints about the new law.
“The response I’ve gotten has been overwhelmingly positive. As a matter of fact, I’ve had no negative comments at all,” he said. “I don’t think, I know, that the majority of our people are thrilled we addressed it. We think most people are very pleased with it.”
Fireworks seem like harmless fun, Rinehart said, but many don’t realize that they also create many problems.
“They’re violating noise ordinances, people’s animals get upset; the elderly go to bed early. It caused a lot of grief here in the city and hopefully we can educate everybody.”
Penalties for violating the new law could be a up to a $500 fine and up to 30 days in jail, but Rinehart said repercussions would be dealt with “on an individual basis.”
The new law, which council passed unanimously on second reading Thursday night, is effective on passage.