Illegal Fireworks Discussion Underway In Coral Springs

Published May 1st, 2008

By Nicol Jenkins
Editor

Is the use of illegal fireworks becoming a problem in Coral Springs?
That is the topic of discussion underway in the city.

The city’s Customer Involved Government Committee has set up a sub-committee to organize and conduct a study circle to discuss the issues surrounding fireworks.

Committee members- Lorraine Campbell, Joseph Eikenberg, John Faiella, Hilda Fiammetta, Jerry Modell, Tom Powers, Carl Prescott, Sherry Reece, David Reese Jr., Carol Sjursen, and Gordon Boast- have spearheaded the study circle and will discuss the pros and cons of the issue.
Currently, the committee is seeking 50 to 60 Coral Springs residents who are for or against illegal fireworks.

The study circle organizing committee is currently meeting once a week in preparation for the upcoming formal study circle sessions.

“We organized the study circle as a way to get members of the community to talk about what might be issues or problems with the area in regards to fireworks and to propose solutions,” said Study Circle Committee Chairman Gordon Boast.

“The purpose is to bridge the gap between Coral Springs residents and city government,” added committee member Tom Powers. “Some say it’s their God given right to set off fireworks, others say it’s dangerous. We want to get every side. Our goal is to stop talking about it and take action.”
If they fly or explode and you don’t have a license it’s illegal, everything else is legal, according to the members.

So far, the committee has collected information on city, county and state ordinances on fireworks. Prior to 2003, the city of Coral Springs had a noise ordinance which included fireworks. However in 2003, fireworks were taken out of the ordinance. Modell said he is “puzzled as to why a perfectly meaningful noise ordinance dealing with fireworks was removed and the new noise ordinance doesn’t mention fireworks even once. There is state law to deal with the illegal use of fireworks.”
The committee will present the study circle findings to the City Commission in June.

Carl Prescott and Jerry Modell spearheaded the effort and asked the Commission to further discuss fireworks. Prescott brought the topic to the Commission’s attention after a friend was injured from a fireworks explosion.

The duo says they are in favor of the city hosting a Fourth of July fireworks display but are against the use of illegal fireworks. Either way, as moderators the facilitators must remain neutral.

Modell said he would like to see stricter enforcement of illegal fireworks across the city and state wide.

“When signing a waiver at a fireworks store, you are only attesting to the fact that you have read the Florida ordinance dealing with fireworks that fly in the air or explode. To legally use them in Coral Springs you would have to use them to scare away birds from your crops or if you had a fish farm. There are no crops being grown or fish farms in Coral Springs,” said Modell. “You don’t even have to be licensed to make the purchase.

Virtually everyone signing the waiver is committing perjury. This all falls under the Department of Agriculture and they do not follow up on the waivers. There is no system to enforce this.”
Boast also wants stricter laws.

“The fact is that the use of illegal fireworks is dangerous. The current laws are weak and difficult to enforce. We are optimistic that the citizens will say they would like to see something done,” he said.
Prescott has a stronger opinion.

“People say it’s patriotic to shoot fireworks off on the Fourth of July, but what is patriotic about scaring animals to death or putting a ball of fire on a roof,” he said. “We’re all in favor of the city putting on a display but we’re not of fireworks being used by unlicensed individuals in their neighborhoods.”

Boast added, “Our job is to make sure that everyone in the room speaks up and keeps the discussion going. By the end of the first meeting, the study circle will reach an agreement and propose solutions for two to three issues.”

For more information or to join the study circle on fireworks, contact Toni Hawkins at 954-344-1148 or thawkins@coralsprings.org.