Smoke and Fireworks: St. Charles County to Consider Repealing Fireworks Time Limits

Not only will there be a renewed effort at a smoking ban at Monday’s St. Charles County Council meeting, but a reworked fireworks ordinance as well. The meeting is at 7 p.m. at the St. Charles County Executive Building.

If approved, the fireworks bill would make it legal to shoot fireworks year-round in unincorporated St. Charles County. Currently, shooting fireworks is legal in the county only July 2 through July 5.

“Two years ago, we made it so that you can only shoot them off July 3 and July 4,” said County Council Chairman Joe Brazil, R-District 2, the bill’s sponsor.

“It’s just been a complicated mess,” Brazil said. “We don’t enforce it. Francis Howell shoots off fireworks during football games. People shoot them off on New Years Eve. Are we ignoring it?”

Wineries and other businesses also would like to do firework displays for customers.

Brazil said the law also unnecessarily ties up law enforcement personnel.

“We get 600 calls for deputies to respond to, tying them up when they might be critically needed somewhere else,” he said.

Councilman John White, R-District 7, said he’s open to considering the ordinance, although he had not yet reviewed the bill on Monday.

“As long as people are reasonable about it and don’t shoot them off at times when they disturb their neighbors, I’m fine with it,” White said. “That’s when I get upset, when people are rude to their neighbors.”

The fireworks bill will be introduced at the Monday night meeting. The council will not vote on the issue at least until its next meeting.

See the complete ordinance in the photo section.