Despite objections from a local fireworks seller, the Nicholasville City Commission passed the second reading Monday of an ordinance that bans Class C fireworks from being sold or set off within the city limits.
Class C fireworks include bottle rockets, Roman candles and larger items that shoot exploding fire balls into the air. The city commission felt the need to revise its ordinance, which it passed in May 2012, after receiving numerous complaints from residents following the 4th of July in 2012.
Wayne Malone, who works seasonally at a fireworks tent off Edgewood Drive, once again presented his argument prior to Monday’s vote, saying the city should not punish the ones who played by the rules.
Malone said that he was in the process of collecting signatures to put the matter on the ballot to go to a vote.
His petition would need signatures of 3,188 registered city voters to put it on the ballot.
The city commission seemed open to the idea of the measure being put on the ballot and left up to the residents of Nicholasville to decide.
“What we tried to explain is legally, (the commission) cannot put this on the ballot,” commissioner Doug Blackford said. “You can; if you get enough signatures, you can get this on the ballot, and I would love nothing more than that.”
During the meeting, Blackford signed Malone’s petition.
The commission told Malone the primary reasons for amending the ordinance were public safety and the public nuisance because of the noise fireworks make.
But Malone said city leaders were punishing the majority because a small number of people didn’t play by the rules.
“I respect the other side’s feelings, and if it’s put on the ballot and the people of Nicholasville vote against it, then I won’t set my fireworks off,” Malone said. “When I’m inside my house, I can barely hear it. If you don’t like it, and if I was a person that didn’t like the big boomers, then I would go in my house and turn my TV up and drown out the sound.”
After a few more minutes of discussion, the commission voted 5-0 to approve the second reading.
