Orange County Commissioners Adopt Fireworks Permitting Ordinance

A fireworks display following a wedding at an Orange County venue several months ago has now prompted action from County Commissioners.

“The extremely loud noises shocked us and, literally, shook our homes. They frightened children, adults, pets and the elderly. Horses raced frantically. Goats escaped. And chickens were traumatized. One of my hens died from shock. All hens in the area stopped laying.”

That’s how Collins Creek resident Virginia Leslie described the night last fall when a pyrotechnics display prompted numerous emergency calls due to heavy smoke and fears that dry leaves and grass would catch fire.

The fireworks were shot off from the Barn at Valhalla, a wedding venue off of NC 54 near Orange Grove Road.

Local regulation of fireworks is a difficult issue, according to county attorney John Roberts, because the guidelines are managed by the state.

“Orange County does not allow or disallow this,” Roberts said at the board’s meeting on Tuesday. “The state regulates fireworks displays, and, for the most part, the only regulation that the state allows counties to have is this permitting process.”

Roberts said the display last fall was legally operated, but that the state does allow each county to issue permits that have specific parameters. And an ordinance was put before the board that will require those seeking a permit to notify neighbors within 1,000 feet of the display prior to the event, that postings be put up to notify neighbors and that the party seeking the permit would acquire insurance of at least $500,000.

Orange County fire marshal Jason Shepherd said the incident last fall was “isolated” and involved a group with the funding to put on a large display and weather factors that increased the noise produced from the event.

Commissioner Mark Dorosin said that the new ordinance would solve some of the issues brought forth by neighbors, while reiterating that the county could not ban fireworks all together.

“The goal of this is to try to at least get the notice requirements and the insurance requirements and some of the other limited regulatory oversight that we have,” Dorosin said, “in addition to what the fire marshal already has.”

The ordinance passed by a 6-1 margin with Commissioner Renee Price dissenting because she said she wanted to allow time for more public input.

Orange County Commissioners Adopt Fireworks Permitting Ordinance

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