By David Fleet
Editor
Atlas Twp. — With the Fourth of July just weeks away— the local firework shows are sure to echo throughout the township.
Prior to lighting up the night, a few firework laws should be considered before the booms of summer echo.
For Atlas Township fireworks are permitted from June 29 to July 4 until 11:45 p.m. on each of those days.
“Due to the amount of calls received each holiday at the township coupled with the number of 9-1-1 calls violators are going to get tickets,” said Shirley Kautman-Jones, township supervisor. “Each year it sounds like the British have arrived. Be mindful of the residents in our township that care for animals along with many people who suffer from hearing the explosions late into the night. We all need to be good neighbors and have consideration for others.”
In 2011, the local fireworks issue became louder after state lawmakers opened up sales and usage in Michigan. The lawmakers’ intent was to keep a few tax dollars from going to border states who sold such fireworks. The legislation expanded the types of fireworks that could be ignited legally in the state including bottle rockets, aerial cakes, Roman candles, and firecrackers. All are sold legally after lawmakers and then Governor Rick Snyder erased the ban.
In June of 2019 the township board of trustees voted 5-0 to amend the current fireworks ordinance and fizzled a few celebrations. The amendments mirrored changes in the state law implemented earlier that year.
The statute was a significant reduction in the number of days fireworks can be used, from 30 days in the old statute, to 12 days in the new rules. Also, there was a change for penalties, now it’s $1,000 for each violation and $500 of that to fund the township police department—the Genesee County Sheriff Department. If the police officer determined that a violation of the ordinance occurred, the officer may seize the consumer fireworks as evidence of the violation.