Creston’s new fireworks ordinance could include a full week of legal shoot times after a debate by the members of the Creston City Council during their regular meeting Tuesday via Zoom.
The first public hearing on the change to the ordinance will be held 6 p.m. Nov. 17.
Two weeks ago the council voted 6 to 1 to limit legal fireworks to three days surrounding the Fourth of July. Matt Levine cast the dissenting vote saying he was in favor of a longer period.
Tuesday, Levine opened the discussion on fireworks by explaining the rationale behind his vote.
“We need to have it a week long,” Levine said. “Personally I’m not a huge fireworks fan but the state of Iowa legalized them and put the ball in our court and it’s our job to allow citizens to legally shoot them off for a designated amount of time. ... If you do a week-long shoot, you catch a weekend in there every year, which is important.”
Council member Terry Freeman said he would be open to the longer time period if the hours were reduced from noon to 11 p.m. to 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Mayor Gabe Carroll said that stretching the time limit to a week would allow residents to concentrate their firework activity on the actual day of the Fourth of July and the weekend that falls in the time period.
City clerk Lisa Williamson said no vote was needed to amend the proposed ordinance because it is only a draft.
The council voted 5 to 2 to hold a public hearing with the revisions to the proposed ordinance. Council members Rich Madison and Brenda Lyell-Keate voted no. Madison explained his vote was voice his dissent on the change to the proposed ordinance.