Proposal would designate some city parks for fireworks use

This version, from assemblyman and mayor candidate Paul Honeman, would also allow people to shoot off fireworks 50 feet or farther from a residence, but Honeman said he is thinking of eliminating residential fireworks altogether.

Too many people say they don't want fireworks going off near their homes, he said.

Honeman's proposal was before the Anchorage Assembly on Tuesday. Chairwoman Debbie Ossiander said it would be sent to the Parks and Recreation Commission for comment, and that the Assembly will take it up at a later date.

Parks Department executives have already said they don't support it.

Shooting off fireworks without a permit was illegal in Anchorage until the Assembly in 2010 made setting them off legal all over town for a few hours on New Year's Eve.

While many enjoyed the citywide display, many others complained about the noise, and especially how it disturbed pets.

Just before New Year's Eve 2011, the Assembly tightened the law to forbid using fireworks within 200-feet of a neighbor's house -- putting them off-limits in most Anchorage neighborhoods.

Still, lots of people set them off anyway.

Fireworks-backer Assemblyman Dick Traini wanted to end the debate by placing a proposition on the April city election ballot asking voters whether New Year's Eve fireworks should be legal. But two weeks ago, a majority of the Assembly decided against doing that.

As the situation stands, if the Assembly doesn't vote to extend the law allowing private fireworks, it will expire in early December.

Honeman's ordinance would keep the law alive and the New Year's Eve fireworks popping until Jan. 2, 2015.

Honeman said both of the first two versions of the fireworks law passed late in the year, without adequate public education to say what was permitted, where and when. So he's tackling the question early this year.

He would like to create places where people can go to enjoy celebrating with fireworks. He says designated parks should be monitored and regulated, and people should be required to pick up the trash afterward.

Parks superintendent Holly Spoth-Torres said she and parks director John Rodda don't support the idea.

Parks close at 11 p.m., she said. Usually if a group is permitted to use a park after hours, they have insurance, she said, but that wouldn't be the case in this situation.

"We're not going to know how many people would show up. We don't have staff to patrol," she said.

Ossiander said, "I continue to think we don't need to do this."

Traini still wants to let people shoot off personal fireworks on New Year's Eve.

Assemblyman Ernie Hall said he favored putting the question before voters, but now he's done with fireworks.

"My main concern is the congestion of people being there and the pure safety of that," Hall said.

Reach Rosemary Shinohara at rshinohara@adn.com or 257-4340.