Impact
WARD / COUNCILMEMBER: City Wide
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Title
Approval of Ordinance 2021-07, to amend Section 50-8, add section 58.1(Special use permit for consumer fireworks) and amend section 46 (Noise Ordinance) in order to better regulate consumer fireworks to the extent allowed by state law and authorize the Mayor to sign and execute all related documents.
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ISSUE AND BACKGROUND:
Recently, the Georgia legislature amended state laws to give local governments more authority over consumer fireworks in certain circumstances. In an effort to take advantage of this state law, the city is amending its applicable ordinances. Under this state law, local governments have little authority to regulate fireworks on the last Saturday and Sunday in May, July 3 and 4th, the first Monday in September and December 31 between 10 am and midnight and January 1 from 10:am until 1:00 am. At other times, however the local government may require the fireworks to comply with its noise ordinance. This ordinance changes the time that fireworks are allowed so that it follows state law and allows the city to regulate fireworks as much as the state law allows.
RECOMMENDATION / REQUESTED ACTION: Staff recommends approval of Ordinance 2021-07, to amend Section 50-8, add section 58.1(Special use permit for consumer fireworks) and amend section 46 (Noise Ordinance) in order to better regulate consumer fireworks to the extent allowed by state law and authorize the Mayor to sign and execute all related documents.