Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Borough eyeing ban on fireworks
WEST CHESTER » West Chester Mayor Dianne Herrin is pushing to take the bang oout of Independence Day. Herrin wants to completely ban or severely restrict the use of fireworks in the borough.
“We simply live too close together to be setting off fireworks in the borough,” Herrin said. She is lobbying ublic Safety, Events and Quality of Life committee members.
A new Pennsylvania law recently went into effect. The new law allows Pennsylvania residents to buy larger fireworks, like Roman Candles and bottle rockets. The law allows the sale of pyrotechnics containing up to 50 milligrams of explosive material.
“All of us have gotten complaints this year because of a new law that allows sale of a higher level of fireworks in the state,” Herrin told the committee. “My impression is that they are prohibited pretty much everywhere in the borough except possibly in public parks.”
Herrin said the new law forbids consumer fireworks from being launched within 150 feet of an inhabited structure.
Herrin said she spoke with borough Police Chief Scott Bohn about banning fireworks in
public parks.
“As aggressive as we can be — but to eliminate all fireworks in the borough — can we do that?” Bohn said.
Committee member Don Braceland said that those blasting fireworks need the permission of a property owner.
Borough Manager Mike Perrone said that the borough “owns” the parks and should be able to simply post a sign forbidding fireworks in parks.
Braceland said that he also has received numerous phone calls and emails. He noted that some have blasted off teeth-jarring quarter sticks of dynamite, but the law is difficult to enforce.
“We’re not sure how to enforce,” Braceland said. “These guys set it off and we don’t see them go into an alley.”
Perrone said that only consumer, and not display fireworks, are affected by the law.
Committee member Bernie Flynn reported that a small fire was set off by fireworks at the Wyeth property and was extinguished by the responsible party.