4 days ago
Orange County fireworks ban: Commission to vote on a proposed ordinance which would limit use
The Brief
A man accused of excessively launching fireworks has led to a proposed ordinance in Orange County.
The ordinance would impose fines on offenders and would go into effect after 30 days if the ordinance passes.
Commissioners will vote on the ordinance at their next meeting.
ORLANDO, Fla. - People living in an Orlando neighborhood say for over a year one neighbor has been launching fireworks multiple times a day, and it has become a nuisance.
What we know
Residents in an Orlando neighborhood say they've endured near-daily fireworks for over a year, allegedly set off by a single neighbor.
Despite repeated calls to 911, law enforcement has told residents that unless officers witness the fireworks firsthand, they cannot intervene. Orange County officials are now considering a new ordinance aimed at regulating non-holiday fireworks.
Residents banned together before Orange County Commissioners and pleaded for help. Now the ordinance will be voted on at the next commission meeting.
If the ordinance passes, it would limit fireworks to Independence Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day unless a permit is issued. If a person violates the ordinance, they could face hundreds of dollars in fines.
The first offense would be a $100 fine, the second offense a $200 fine, and a $500 fine for each additional offense along with a mandatory court appearance.
What we don't know
Authorities have not named the person allegedly responsible, and it's unclear whether any prior citations or warnings have been issued. There's also no definitive timeline on when or if enforcement will begin should the ordinance pass.
The backstory
The conflict began more than a year ago when neighbors say fireworks began erupting regularly — sometimes several times a day. The disruption has been especially hard on families with young children and those sensitive to loud noises. Frustrated residents recently brought their concerns to the Orange County Commission.
What they're saying
People living near the man who's accused of launching fireworks almost daily for nearly one year say they're fed up.
"You cannot ask me to continue to live like this where I walk out of my house and unexpectedly there's something blowing up over my head," said Madison Burke. "That's not fair."
Burke says the constant fireworks are hurting her children.
"It was making them cry and that would make me upset because they're having break downs because they don't know what's going on. It's just this huge loud bang," said Burke. "He's making me feel in danger, and it's harassment because it's over and over again."
Other neighbors, like, Jill Shargaa, said she just wants a peaceful neighborhood.
"Sometimes for a couple of days, nothing, and then it just rains bombs. Big, big, bombs," said Shargaa. "Not happy fireworks, big annoying bombs that just move your chest. It's awful, just awful."
The neighborhood is in Orange County District 3, represented by Commissioner Mayra Uribe, who said she fully supports the proposed ordinance.
"We actually didn't have anything in the books at all," said Uribe. "We're not trying to go after somebody who's doing a wedding on a weekend. That's not the goal here. The goal is the repetitiveness of somebody who's doing it in a community that it's becoming harmful to the quality of life."
Uribe said if the ordinance passes, people can record evidence of the fireworks and that can lead to a code violation and fines.
"If it's recorded, if there's a resident that says they saw it, if somebody has a recording of it going off, now we give law enforcement the teeth to now cite them," said Uribe. "It also becomes a code enforcement violation."
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The Source
FOX35's Chancelor Winn spoke with Orange County Commissioner Mayra Uribe, and residents living in the impacted neighborhood.
