Laurens County Council has turned down on a 4-3 vote a separate fireworks ordinance that Northern Laurens County residents asked for in order to protect livestock from explosives.
Nancy Garrison and Pam Riddle approached the council at the first meeting after the Fourth of July with concerns about fireworks from the Durbin Meadows subdivision that they said were frightening, and one case injuring, horses on their adjoining ranches. A sample ordinance was provided for the council’s consideration by Garrison.
At the Aug. 12 regular council meeting, first reading of that ordinance, #969, was on the agenda; however, it was turned down, after an amendment was suggested to reduce the no-fireworks-around-livestock zone from 1,500 ft to 500 ft, without the written permission on the livestock owners within 72 hours of the fireworks event.
The proposed ordinance stated non-permitted hours for fireworks. But Council Chairman Brown Patterson said the existing Noise Ordinance is even more restrictive than the proposed ordinance on allowable times for fireworks.
He said existing ordinances, if enforced, already provide relief from fireworks during late evening and early morning hours, and there was no need for a separate ordinance.
Council Vice-chairman Jeff Carroll, and members Luke Rankin and Kemp Younts agreed, voting “no”.
Council Members Diane Anderson, Shirley Clark and David Tribble voted “yes,” for the ordinance.
This is the way the council’s July 8 minutes describe the request for a separate ordinance presented by the two county citizens:
“Nancy Garrison expressed her concerns regarding fireworks in the county. She communicated on the Fourth of July, she experienced a ‘massive free for all’ of fireworks being shot from Durbin Meadows subdivision. She called the Sheriff’s Office to be told that they county doesn’t have anything on the books to enforce against fireworks, that she would have to reach out to the development’s HOA. After looking into the developments HOA CCR’s, the homeowners signed a contract that includes the prohibition of fireworks, however, it only helps after the fact. Ms. Garrison proposed a draft ordinance for Council to consider that helps protect the farm animals whenever it comes to fireworks.
“Chairman Patterson inquired what time she experienced this; she responded that it was around 10:30pm- 11:00pm. Mr. Patterson advised that the Sheriff’s Office can enforce the noise ordinance from 9:00pm- 7:00am.
“Pam Riddle also commented on her experience from the Fourth of July. She voiced that her family was away from home, as well as the horse boarding business, whenever a neighbor called to advise the horses were running everywhere due to the fireworks being shot. The next day, the friend went to check on the horses when found that one of the horses were burned by the fireworks. She concluded that she is happy to hear that there are things in place, however, through the calls for help; the things in place are no help without follow through.”
No one spoke to the matter during public comments. If it had made it to third and final reading, there would have been a public hearing. The full ordinance is available for review in the agenda packet portion of the Council’s Aug. 12 meeting on the county website. (https://laurenscounty.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/CC_agenda_2024_08_12.pdf)
Before the final vote rejecting the ordinance, Rankin proposed an amendment reducing from 1500 ft to 500 ft the distance that fireworks are prohibited from a fenced area for animals. He said it is a property rights issue.
Rankin said the prohibited area would be “over a quarter mile, 1500 feet is extremely complicated when you have a large number of people who have fenced areas for livestock. The average recreational firework will not travel more than 500 feet. The amendment is to 500 but I could live with 600 feet (away). We’re not talking about a major fireworks show. It’s too much to ask for Laurens County citizens to abide by. … I am concerned this could weaponize people to go after (people who shoot fireworks) with these fines, it’s a quarter mile radius, that’s massive. Fireworks do not go 1500 feet in the air. I understand the intent and agree with the premise, but I’m a property rights advocate. We need to protect livestock but this was one instance. I’m not taking away from (the seriousness) but we don’t want to go over the top. We do not want to do something to harm our citizens.”
The livestock-area-restriction amendment was turned down with just Rankin and Carroll voting “yes”. However, when the ordinance itself came up for a vote, Patterson said that growing up on a farm, he knew that the livestock was to be taken into the back pasture when fireworks were going to be shot.
Carroll said the ordinance, as written, could pit neighbor against neighbor over a dog pen.
Patterson made it plain that shooting fireworks over into someone else’s pasture is “totally unacceptable;” however, he added, current ordinances, if enforced, would handle most of the conflicts that were presented to the council from this past Fourth of July.
These include the noise ordinance, disorderly conduct, public nuisance, and so forth.
“There’s all kinds of laws on the books that, in my personal opinion, if chosen to be enforced by the law enforcement officers, could easily take care of the majority of the issues that we have been told about with this ordinance,” Patterson said. “In my personal opinion, we have a phenomenal Sheriff’s Department and I think they use good judgment in their exercise of their duties and I think when there are problems because, once again, shooting fireworks into someone’s pasture is totally unacceptable and the Sheriff should handle that if he’s able to find who the perpetrator is. I think we can work with the current laws that exist to accomplish the goals. That is my personal opinion.”
The proposed ordinance, which was voted down, also prohibited fireworks within 600 feet of a church, hospital or school, and within 300 feet of a gas station. Sparklers are not considered fireworks. Fines upon conviction by a magistrate would have been $500 1st offense, $750 2nd offense and $1,000 3rd offense, and the local law could have been administered by a Sheriff’s official or the County Fire Marshal.
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The Laurens County Council meets the second Monday of each month, 6 pm at Hillcrest Complex East, 105 Bolt Dr., Laurens. More: https://laurenscounty.us
