City Commission approves changes to fireworks rules

Published on June 11, 2019

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The City Commission this evening voted to change the fireworks ordinance, including limiting the use of them within the city of Grand Rapids and updating the fines structure. The ordinance amendments reflect recent changes to state law governing the use of consumer-grade fireworks. 

The City Commission-approved changes reduce the number of days consumer fireworks are allowed from 30 to 11 or 12, depending on the day of the week July 5 falls on. The changes also set the times and dates when fireworks may be set off:

• 11 a.m. December 31 to 1 a.m. January 1
• 11 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. on the Saturday and Sunday immediately preceding Memorial Day
• 11 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. June 29 to July 4
• 11 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. July 5, if that date is a Friday or Saturday
• 11 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. on the Saturday and Sunday immediately preceding Labor Day

The City Commission also approved a civil fine of $1,000 for each violation of the fireworks ordinance per the new state law. Previously, the City’s fine structure was $50 for the first offense, $100 for a repeat offense and $200 for the second and subsequent offenses.

The Michigan Legislature amended the state’s fireworks regulations late last year, changing previous laws governing state-level regulation of the fireworks industry and local authority regulations. Grand Rapids’ revised ordinance is now in compliance with those laws.