GRAY — New limits on the use of fireworks in Gray will take affect June 14.

The Gray Town Council voted 3-2 Tuesday to enact a new fireworks ordinance that restricts their use by individuals to only a few holidays and weekends during the year. It also requires permits from the Gray Public Safety Department for any professional firework displays in town.

The ordinance was drafted by town Community Development Director Doug Webster, who based it on existing ordinances in neighboring towns and guidance from the council provided at meetings last fall and this spring.

Council Chairwoman Lynn Gallagher, Vice Chairman Bruce Foshay and Councilor Sandy Carder voted for it.

“I don’t like ordinances, but I happen to believe we need an ordinance of some type,” Foshay said. “We’ve had enough complaints about it – this has been going on for a number of years.”

Several residents Tuesday night and at previous meetings told the council they were concerned about fireworks use in town and the impact on safety, wildlife, livestock and lake health.

Under the state law passed in 2011 that legalized consumer fireworks in Maine, municipalities can restrict or ban the use of fireworks. In the absence of local regulations, consumer fireworks are legal throughout the year with some restrictions on times.

Councilors Dan Maguire and Jason Wilson voted against the ordinance Tuesday night.

Maguire said he had hoped a town fireworks ordinance would balance people’s existing rights to use fireworks under state law with others’ fireworks concerns.

“I do not think this ordinance strikes that balance,” Maguire said, adding that he thinks it goes “too far in curtailing what is legally available to people in the state.”

Wilson, who voted to advance the ordinance at its first reading on May 1, expressed concern about enforcement of the ordinance and a provision relating to the seizure and disposal of fireworks. He said he was not opposed to an ordinance if those concerns could be addressed and said before the vote that the Council had a “chance to clean it up and get it done by July.”

Under the ordinance, the use of consumer fireworks will be limited to July 3 between noon and 10 p.m., July 4 between noon and 11 p.m., the Saturday following July 4 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., the Saturday preceding Labor Day Weekend from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Dec. 31 from 9 a.m. until 12:30 a.m. on Jan. 1, and Jan. 1 from noon to 10 p.m.

People will also be prohibited from using consumer fireworks within 50 feet of a public way or 75 feet from any building or structure. No fireworks can be set off on days with a fire danger classification of three, four or five.

The ordinance calls for fines of between $100 and $250 plus any attorney fees for a first offense, and between $250 and $750 plus attorney fees for any subsequent offence within a two-year period.

Gray has no police force, and Town Manager Deborah Cabana said Tuesday that she spoke with members of the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office about the ordinance’s enforcement.

Cabana said that conversation “raised some issues in regards to enforcement,” including that the Sheriff’s Office could cite someone for a violation of the fireworks ordinance but would not be authorized to appear before a court on behalf of the town.

“Right from the beginning, we have talked about enforcement and that being a challenge,” Cabana said before Tuesday night’s vote, adding that educating people in town about the new ordinance will also be a challenge.

Matt Junker can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 123 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @MattJunker.

The Town of Gray’s new ordinance limiting the use of consumer fireworks will take effect June 14.