Sun, 09/22/2019 - 11:45pm

ROCKPORT — After convening for a 5:30 p.m. workshop on short-term rental rules Sept. 23, Rockport’s Select Board will enter into a regularly scheduled meeting with an agenda that includes a citizen proposal to ban fireworks after 9 p.m. in town.

The agenda also includes hearing an update from the Camden-Rockport Pathways Committee Chairman Geoff Scott, review of a general assistance ordinance, and ends with an executive session concerning legal matters.

The board meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Geoffrey C. Parker Meeting Room in the Rockport Opera House and will be streamed at https://livestream.com/Rockportmaine

A citizen contacted Select Board Chair Debra Hall following a fireworks display, according to Town Manager William Post, in his memo to the board. Susan Sinclair has proposed limiting fireworks to before 9 p.m., with the possible exception of July 4.

“I met with Ms. Sinclair along with Chief Gagne to discuss current Maine laws, the fact that Rockport does not have a seperate ordinance controlling or restricting fireworks, and the process by which an ordinance could be created and voted upon,” he wrote. “I directed her to meet with the Select Board as that is the next step in considering whether a fireworks ordinance should be drafted.”

“If I blasted the sound of an AK 47 (or jet engine, or cow) through loud speakers at random intervals, between the hours of 8 and 10 p.m., most people would call that nuisance noise and strenuously object,” Sinclair wrote to Hall. “Yet anyone can fire extremely loud explosions as close to neighboring homes as they want, and there's absolutely no way for the affected citizen to get it to stop, no matter what their circumstances are. The police say their hands are tied.

“The town is much more densely populated than it was even 30 years ago, and the large, random, war zone explosions until 10 p.m. are a physical, emotional, and psychological assault to families, domestic animals, and wildlife. Currently there is no recourse whatsoever for citizens who are ill and need to have quiet, or for citizens with screaming, terrified children or panicked pets when their near neighbor decides to randomly explode ordinance that would be illegal in most other states, until 10 p.m.. The noise has no useful purpose. It's not construction. It's not manufacturing. It's not even someone with a loud radio with their car window open, which according to police is considered a noise violation.

“There are far, far more citizens who don’t use fireworks in Rockport, and their right to peace and enjoyment of their own homes can't be subjugated to the few people who find firing off loud explosions ‘fun’. People can party and celebrate without the addition of dangerous and heart stopping explosions that profoundly affect the community. If nothing else, the decibel levels of fireworks need to be limited. As far as I know there is no limit at all.”

The meeting’s full agenda follows, with supporting material in the attached PDF of the board packet

AGENDA

Call Meeting to Order
Public Hearing

a. Public Hearing to give interested members of the public an opportunity to comment on the Amendments to the General Assistance Ordinance Appendices A-D effective October 1, 2019

Town Manager’s Report/Update
Public Input on Non-agenda Items
Public comment should be directed at issues not under discussion on this evening’sagenda. Comment from the public will be welcome prior to each agenda item. Further comment will be granted only by permission from the Board. All public comment should be brief and to the point.
Amendments to the Agenda
Consent Agenda
1. Adopt the General Assistance Ordinance
2. Meeting Minutes
3. ➢ August 12, 2019➢ September 9, 2019
Action Items

a. Approval of Planning Board Bylaws

VIII. Discussion Items