Proposed fireworks law in Florida seeks to defuse explosive neighborhood clash

Miami Herald

7 days ago

ORLANDO, Fla. - A pesky neighbor whose explosive barrage plagues homeowners in Waterfront Estates is propelling a tougher Orange County fireworks ordinance that could ease tensions - and kabooms - around the region.
County commissioners discussed the revamped rules at their meeting Tuesday.
Discontent in the working class neighborhood near Little Lake Conway has been simmering for more than a year but boiled over in September when a disquieted group of residents appeared before commissioners to plead for help. Though they had repeatedly called the Sheriff's Office, residents said responding deputies informed them no enforcement action could be taken unless an officer personally witnessed the infraction.
The proposed rule change would drop that requirement and treat illegal use of fireworks as a code violation rather than a crime.
If an investigating office found probable cause of a violation - say a video or audio recording from a home-security system - a written warning or a citation could be issued to the alleged offender along with a directive to "cease and desist" in a reasonable time.
Assistant County Attorney Joy Carmichael, who presented a draft of the new rules to commissioners, defined a reasonable time to mean "within five minutes or immediately." A first offense would carry a $200 fine and a second offense a $400 fine. Each subsequent violation would carry a fine of $500 and mandate the alleged offender to appear in court, she said.
Florida law allows fireworks "solely and exclusively" on three holidays - New Year's Eve, New Years Day and July 4th.
Commissioner Mayra Uribe, whose district includes Waterfront Estates, said she has heard the unnerving blasts in the neighborhood.
She described the explosions as "random -9 o'clock in the morning, 3 in the afternoon - whenever he wants,"
When drought-like conditions this spring prompted Orange County and other Central Florida governments to impose burn bans to prevent a stray ember from touching off a dangerous wildfire, the fireworks stopped. "We were all like, 'Hallelujah,' " Uribe said.
But then it rained, the ban was lifted and the fireworks resumed.
Residents also allege the neighbor erected phallic objects on a fence at his home to annoy them.
Though neighbors have identified him, the Orlando Sentinel is not naming him because he has not been charged or cited.
The man could not be reached by phone for this story.
Jill Sharga, among neighbors who have appealed to commissioners for help, considers the revamped rules to be "good news."
She previously appeared before the board with a calendar festooned with cartoon bombs, each marking a day she'd heard an explosion.
"I am very happy it's going in the right direction," she said in a text after Tuesday's commission meeting. "We would not need a sheriff's deputy to personally observe the guy lighting a match to blow up his bombs."
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