Guidelines for Fireworks Use
The City and Borough of Juneau Assembly requests that citizens desiring to use fireworks do so in a manner that is considerate of others in public and residential areas. Some fireworks, which are low impact and don’t disturb the peace, should be allowable at any time. Other types of fireworks create loud, sometimes startling noise, which can have an unfavorable impact on those within hearing range.
Use of fireworks in the community offers some unique challenges. Juneau’s topography results in loud sounds reflecting off of mountains or water, and sound often travels farther than intended. In addition, the community’s urban parts are closely co-located with residential neighborhoods.
As a result, the Assembly has asked staff to publish guidelines that address the use of fireworks and the Disturbing the Peace Ordinance 42.20.095 – sometimes referred to as the Noise Ordinance. CBJ 42.20.095 provides:
(a) Policy. The purpose of this section is to protect the health, welfare and safety of the City and Borough’s residents by regulating the time, place, and manner of unreasonable noise. It is the intent of this section to secure the health, safety, comfort, convenience, and peaceful enjoyment of all public places, such as public streets and public parks, as well as the City and Borough’s residents’ homes, by prohibiting unreasonable noise.
(b) General.
- It is unlawful for any person to make or continue, or cause or permit to be made or continued, any unreasonable noise.
- As used in this section, “unreasonable noise” means noise that unreasonably annoys, disturbs, injures, or endangers the comfort, health, peace, or safety of a reasonable person of ordinary sensibilities in the vicinity…
Accordingly, the guidelines outlined in the chart will be used by the Juneau Police Department to enforce the Disturbing the Peace ordinance.