Shore Drive Community Coalition

Zero tolerance for personal fireworks - Shore Drive area “targeted”

As entertaining as “personal” fireworks have been:

This year the VB Police Department and VB Fire Marshall will be working together in several areas of the City to combat illegal fireworks.  Each Fire Marshall will be teamed up with a police officer and they will patrol areas where they have had complaints.  They will be specifically targeting the Shore Drive area, especially the beach.  There is a zero tolerance policy.  If you are caught with any illegal fireworks, you will be issued a summons.  It is a Class 1 misdemeanor, with a maximum punishment of up to 1 year and a $2,500/fine. 

The City Code:

Sec. 12-43.2.  Fireworks and pyrotechnic displays unlawful; exceptions.
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section it shall be unlawful for any person to transport, manufacture, assemble, store, sell, offer or display for sale, or to buy, use, possess, ignite or explode any firecracker, torpedo, sky rocket, sparkler, or other substance or device that contains any explosive or flammable compound or substance, and is intended or commonly known as fireworks, and which explodes, rises into the air or travels laterally, fires projectiles or discharges sparks into the air.
(b) The provision of this section shall not be applicable to any organization or group of individuals which has been granted a permit by the fire official for the public or private display of fireworks or pyrotechnics, provided that such fireworks are stored, handled, transported and used in compliance with the terms and conditions of such permit.
(c) The fire marshal or any law enforcement officer shall be authorized to seize, take, remove or cause to be removed, at the expense of the owner, all fireworks offered or exposed for display or sale, stored or held in violation of this section.
(d) Violation of any provision of this section shall constitute a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Am I reading this correctly that SPARKLERS (which can be held by adults for children to look at) are illegal?!

This is a sad day when we have real crime out there but are putting all of these resources into hunting down people shooting off a few fireworks.  I think of this waste of resources every time they talk about how taxes need to be raised to pay for things.  I always do a display at my house and the people on the street gather to watch.  No one gets hurt and all of the adults and kids alike have a great time.  This is just another way for the city to drag you to the beach and charge you parking so that you will watch thier fireworks display.

I just posted the info. Personally, I thought the 4th celebrations on the beach the last few years has, on a whole, been great. There have been problems with litter & stupid things some drunks tend to do....

Like I said… I just posted the info as an important fyi. Hopefully “we” can work out some way to keep the great parts of the 4th celebrations continuing. Be safe.

I have been a dangerous criminal for many years, making my run down to South Carolina to bring back fireworks for the 4th. I always thought that the Ocean Park and Chicks Beach displays, a gathering of neighbors watching fireworks in their own neighborhoods, was a wonderful tradition and an excuse for family and friend gatherings.

I don’t know where the political pressure came for this crackdown. I don’t believe we ever burnt anyone’s house down.I put the $500 bucks I blew each year for 8 great minutes of explosions into the tank of my boat instead and will sit out the 4th somewhere else. What a pity. An end to a great neighborhood tradition enjoyed by thousands.

Rob, normal people with fireworks are not the problem, drunks with fireworks are.