Should Greenville County change its fireworks ordinance? Some residents think so

Let us know what you think in our reader poll at the bottom.

Greenville County Council is reviewing a recently approved fireworks ordinance after noise complaints from residents of Greenville's Eastside.

Greenville County Council Chairman Willis Meadows has instructed the council's Public Safety Committee to see if further changes are needed to the ordinance that was approved last year.

Meadows acted after county officials received petitions signed by nearly 70 Greenville County residents who complained about "individuals who shoot off fireworks of high volume, intensity and frequency." The petitions said residents "have the right to an environment free of excessive, harassing, frequent, and intense noises."

Under the county ordinance adopted last September, fireworks are not to be discharged in areas outside of city limits in Greenville County between 11 p.m. and 10 a.m. except on New Year's Eve and Independence Day, when they can be shot off until 1 a.m. Each violation is punishable by a $100 fine.

Greenville County Sheriff's Office spokesman Lt. Ryan Flood said the Sheriff's Office has received 57 calls complaining about fireworks since September, and none have resulted in citations.

Sheriff's Office Capt. Rob Whatley said complaints tend to increase around holidays like New Year's Eve and Independence Day, and he said some residents continue shooting off leftover fireworks for several weeks after those holidays, which is when the issue becomes a nuisance for neighbors.

Whatley said complaints are not concentrated in any particular area of the county.

County Attorney Mark Tollison told council members that he will prepare some "reasonable alternatives" for them to consider.

County Councilman Stan Tzouvelekas said he has spoken to residents who are upset about fireworks. He said he has asked Tollison to determine whether portions of ordinances adopted in Mauldin and the city of Greenville could be incorporated into the county's fireworks law.

Fireworks are illegal in Mauldin and Travelers Rest

The use of fireworks is illegal in the city limits of Mauldin and Travelers Rest.

Mauldin has a detailed noise ordinance that prohibits any noise that "substantially interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of persons with ordinary sensibilities."

The measure was updated last year to ban the use of "construction machinery, heavy-duty equipment used in street repair and maintenance, and domestic and commercial power tools" between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. unless a permit is obtained.

Mauldin's ordinance also has a chart of sound limits. For instance, sounds reaching residential properties, public spaces and "noise-sensitive" facilities cannot exceed 70 decibels, which is roughly as loud as a vacuum cleaner, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Sounds emanating from these same places from 10:01 p.m. to 6:59 a.m. cannot exceed 50 decibels, which is roughly as loud as the sound someone would hear standing 100 feet from a large electrical transformer.

The city of Greenville passed a local fireworks ordinance in 2019. It prohibits fireworks from being shot off from 10 p.m. until 9 a.m. except for on Independence Day and New Year's Eve when they can be detonated until 12:30 a.m.

The city's ordinance includes a $100 fine for an initial violation and $500 fines for subsequent violations in the same year.

Cast your vote

Vote below, and check back for results, on whether you think Greenville County’s fireworks ordinance should be changed. Results don’t necessarily reflect those of all of the nearly 370,000 Greenville County residents who would be affected by an updated County County ordinance.

Kirk Brown covers government, growth and politics for The Greenville News. Reach him at kebrown@greenvillenews.com or on Twitter @KirkBrown_AIM. Please subscribe to The Greenville News by visiting greenvillenews.com/subscribe.