Press Release | Office of the Mayor | Westland City Council Amends Ordinance to Further Limit Fireworks

For Immediate Release | Official Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

36300 Warren Road | Westland, Michigan | 48185

Office 734.467.3200 | Fax 734.422.1230

WWW.CITYOFWESTLAND.COM

Westland City Council Amends Ordinance to Further Limit Fireworks

Westland, MI (March 19, 2019) - On Monday March 18, Westland City Council unanimously approved an amendment to its Fireworks Ordinance to conform to new changes in state law. Michigan's Firework Safety Act was amended on December 28, 2018 to restrict the use of fireworks in the state and allow for local communities to better control the use of fireworks.

Under the old state law, the use of commercial-grade fireworks was lawful on days surrounding national holidays from 8:00 am until 12:00 midnight. There were 30 days of the year in which commercial-grade fireworks could be used. Fines for igniting or using fireworks on prohibited days or times were $500.

Under the adopted amendment to city ordinance pertaining to the use of fireworks, the number of days and time allowed for fireworks has decreased. The number of days allowed for the use of fireworks is now 12. The new times for igniting fireworks in the City of Westland are from 11:00 am to 11:45 pm.

The use of fireworks is permitted on the following days:

Between 11:00 am on December 31 and 1:00 am on the immediately following January 1;
The Saturday and Sunday immediately preceding Memorial Day between 11:00 am and 11:45 pm on each of those days;
June 29 to July 4 between 11:00 am and 11:45 pm on each of those days;
July 5 between 11:00 am and 11:45 pm, but only if that date is a Friday or Saturday;
The Saturday and Sunday immediately preceding Labor Day between 11:00 am and 11:45 pm on each of those days.

Each violation will now result in a civil infraction with a fine of $1,000

"This issue generates a significant amount of complaints among residents each year, particularly during the warmer months," commented Council President Jim Godbout. "This amendment aims to address and alleviate some of their frustrations."

For more information, please call Aubrey Berman at (734)467-3200

Westland, Michigan is the state's 10th largest municipality, with a population of over 84,000 people who exhibit a great deal of pride in their All-American City. Westland has a thriving business community along with beautiful residential areas. The citizens enjoy a wide array of amenities and a quality of life that is second to none.

In 2014, Westland was rated as one of 24/7 Wall Street's America's Best 50 Cities to Live, offering residents and visitors an ideal blend of single-family affordable homes, apartments and condominiums, great schools, and access to numerous outdoor activities. Public safety is delivered by full-service, professional law enforcement and firefighting personnel. Westland Police Department, whose motto is protect and serve, provides emergency dispatch services to four cities and over 100,000 residents; the Westland Fire Department are licensed paramedics who responded to over 9,000 calls for service last year, about 85% being medical based. They never forget their mission of preserving life and property.

Westland is well-known as the premier destination for shopping and dining in Wayne County with hundreds of shops and restaurants anchored by the Westland Shopping Center, one of the country's original four regional malls.

Infinite opportunities are available in Westland for the recreation aficionado including, more than 40 parks and 1,500 acres of trails, a 9-hole golf course, hockey arena, athletic fields, playscapes, a Farmers and Artisans Market and more. One of Michigan's most environmentally friendly cities, Westland has a progressive curbside recycling program with one of the highest participation rates in the nation and the City is raising the bar for cultural experiences with the placement of public art throughout the City.

The City is served by two public school districts; Wayne-Westland Community Schools serving 12,000 youth was recently named one of the Best School in Michigan by WXYZ-TV and is the proud recipient of 14 Golden Apple and two Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards. Livonia Public Schools, educating nearly 15,000 students, is proud of their MEAP/MME scores that exceed state averages and the District has also earned Golden Apple and Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards.

The City provides competitive incentives for those who are interested in investing in Westland, making it one of the hottest investment markets in the region. Our Fast-Track to Business Team, which consists of key decision makers who work diligently on a development plan will "cut the red tape" and expedite the approval process for new business development.