Just bottle rockets off the back deck at midnight like always. Then again, it's on an acreage and our NYE parties are kid friendly - some mild drinking among the adults but no one getting trashed.
Anyone else following this? (legalization of Fireworks in Iowa)
- Thread starter ClonesTwentyOne
- Start date
I'm all for the legalization of fireworks in Iowa even though I don't plan to buy any myself this year but I also understand some of the concerns that come with it. The main thing being people not abiding by the ordinances set by various communities. Grimes is working on one right now but until they get it passed from what I am hearing the Polk County sheriff's office which patrols Grimes (another rant about that coming...) has told people until Grimes has their ordinance passed they can only enforce it by what the Iowa law says which says it is currently legal to use fireworks until 10 pm right now. Saw another suggestion made by someone that these fireworks stands should be required to either post or hand out the ordinances for the town the stand they are selling them is in so the buyers are aware of when/if they can or can't use them.
Anyways, as long as people are following the law and ordinances of the city they are in as annoying as it is with a newborn and 3 year old who thankfully sleep right through someone just blocks away shooting off fireworks at all hours of the evening and sometimes past 10pm at least if there is proper notification and enforcement of them I really don't have an issue with it as if we lived outside of city limits I'd probably buy and fire a few off myself. I can only imagine what it's like to have pets going nuts over it too.
Back to the other issue I brought up with Grimes which is somewhat un-related to this... for as fast as the town is growing it's about time they get their own police department to be able to enforce the various things the city council has been trying to do recently. The fireworks being the main one, they have posted on their facebook page to call the Polk County Sherriff dispatch for fireworks issues and people have commented back they are getting little to no help on it because since they don't have an ordinance officially in place yet they can't enforce anything since by Iowa law they can shoot them off right now. I'm sure they probably are just as annoyed with the city telling their residents inaccurate information too. But that's just 1 of many issues, I know several people who are tired of the town making decisions with small town logic when it's obvious the city is growing to the point that it needs to start making decisions like a growing suburb would and be more pro-active with things with the rate of growth they have seen. There is a lot of construction going on that is making it more challenging to get in and out of Grimes when your main 4 lane road is Hwy 141 (which was already a parking lot at times without construction) and it is currently under construction for a widening project which at times closes it down to 1 lane each way. I take what I consider one of the other main roads out of town which is James, St which eventually turns into NW 128th St in Urbandale/Clive. Well it is 2 lane until you hit Urbandale and there is more and more being built in that area it's about time for Grimes to realize it needs another 4 lane road in and out of town to ease some of the traffic congestion as it is getting bottle necked now too where it turns from 4 to 2 and the stop light not far from that point having no left turn lanes or signals which sometimes means only a few cars get through each green light. I love living there as it is a great community but I can see myself becoming more frustrated the larger the city gets and the leadership not adjusting their ways of thinking to accommodate the needs of a growing city if the current through process they use continues.
Anyways, as long as people are following the law and ordinances of the city they are in as annoying as it is with a newborn and 3 year old who thankfully sleep right through someone just blocks away shooting off fireworks at all hours of the evening and sometimes past 10pm at least if there is proper notification and enforcement of them I really don't have an issue with it as if we lived outside of city limits I'd probably buy and fire a few off myself. I can only imagine what it's like to have pets going nuts over it too.
Back to the other issue I brought up with Grimes which is somewhat un-related to this... for as fast as the town is growing it's about time they get their own police department to be able to enforce the various things the city council has been trying to do recently. The fireworks being the main one, they have posted on their facebook page to call the Polk County Sherriff dispatch for fireworks issues and people have commented back they are getting little to no help on it because since they don't have an ordinance officially in place yet they can't enforce anything since by Iowa law they can shoot them off right now. I'm sure they probably are just as annoyed with the city telling their residents inaccurate information too. But that's just 1 of many issues, I know several people who are tired of the town making decisions with small town logic when it's obvious the city is growing to the point that it needs to start making decisions like a growing suburb would and be more pro-active with things with the rate of growth they have seen. There is a lot of construction going on that is making it more challenging to get in and out of Grimes when your main 4 lane road is Hwy 141 (which was already a parking lot at times without construction) and it is currently under construction for a widening project which at times closes it down to 1 lane each way. I take what I consider one of the other main roads out of town which is James, St which eventually turns into NW 128th St in Urbandale/Clive. Well it is 2 lane until you hit Urbandale and there is more and more being built in that area it's about time for Grimes to realize it needs another 4 lane road in and out of town to ease some of the traffic congestion as it is getting bottle necked now too where it turns from 4 to 2 and the stop light not far from that point having no left turn lanes or signals which sometimes means only a few cars get through each green light. I love living there as it is a great community but I can see myself becoming more frustrated the larger the city gets and the leadership not adjusting their ways of thinking to accommodate the needs of a growing city if the current through process they use continues.
Interesting note: a local police/sheriff dispatcher posted on facebook that they estimate the number of calls on fireworks in the last 2 weeks has been probably 10x what they have expirienced in an entire year since shes worked there. Multiple calls on fireworks being thrown at people walking, thrown inside cars/backs of pickups etc. Did mention in the comments that almost all calls are for the stuff that just makes noise, not any of the actual big fireworks that are fun to look at.
Maybe something to look at banning the noise makers and only allowing the stuff that you actually see at fireworks shows.
Maybe something to look at banning the noise makers and only allowing the stuff that you actually see at fireworks shows.
Couple from my apartment complex have been shooting them off. I don't care too much since they are doing it qhile the sun is still out. As long as they don't burn down the apartment I guess.
I will say, they should be illegal to shoot within city limits of any town unless you are a pro. But once you get out of town, have at her.
I will say, they should be illegal to shoot within city limits of any town unless you are a pro. But once you get out of town, have at her.
All the people complaining of being kept up all night should utilize their local non-emergency number. It's still illegal to make that much noise after 10.
My dog finally stopped licking me and panting at about 2:30 a.m. Then at about 3:45, one of those ones with a boom and a whistle noise went off and he had an accident in the house, which hasn't happened since he was a puppy nine years ago.
I agree and nearly did last night but the hard part is unless you know exactly where it is coming from your complaint it is nearly useless. For me personally living on the far NE side of CR chances are it would take at least 5-10 minutes to get out there and that is if they dispatch it right away. A lot can happen in that time. Who knows what their current workload is and where their officers may be. A couple of years ago it took the CRPD 20 minutes to respond to what at the time was an active burglary attempt on our house in the middle of the night. Download a police scanner app and listen in after you make the non-emergency complaint, it can be interesting and also give an idea of what all else is going on. Also my best suggestion is it sounds like it is coming from X street. So they drive down that street whenever they get out there and if they see someone they may talk to them. Then that person probably doesn't tell the truth and the cop doesn't see anything to tie them to it and moves on.
Even out in the country, we're done at 10 for our July fireworks (not always ON the fourth, though). NYE, just a quick burst at midnight.
This. Plus, when it wakes you up at 3:15 a.m. and you are done cleaning up the puddle from your terrified dog, you think do I really want to get more awake by looking up the number and calling with my 90 pound dog in my lap?
After a couple of times Googling I now have the non-emergency number saved in my phone.
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growing up in the 80s, and in Iowa, my parents let me have at it on 7/4 with any of the fireworks we purchased in Missouri. I had to be done before 11pm on 7/4, and if 7/5 was a "normal" work day 10:30. Never heard about a complaint.
This year, I have heard every night and throughout the night, fireworks. Some at 4AM. As mentioned earlier, let the dimwits have fun this year and get their rocks off ... it will settle down and become easier to live with next year.
This year, I have heard every night and throughout the night, fireworks. Some at 4AM. As mentioned earlier, let the dimwits have fun this year and get their rocks off ... it will settle down and become easier to live with next year.
I mean I understand it's not the ideal solution, but I'd think it'd be better than nothing. I think you said it's been literally every night (someone in here has said that, may not have been you). If they start getting multiple (assuming you're not the only one hearing them) complaints every single night, I'd think they'd be a little more diligent trying to figure out who is doing it.
Are you the guy who called the noise complaint on BDJ?
Don't be that person that calls someone in at 10:01 because you can't fall asleep on a Saturday night.
Enjoy the legalization of fireworks.
Enjoy the legalization of fireworks.
What I don't understand is I'm pretty sure all of these communities have noise ordinances, so I don't understand how even if it's legal to use fireworks, how you get around using them after dark in the summer without violating the noise ordinances.
It makes me wish the CRPD still had their helicopter. In the past, I would laugh when I'm driving somewhere around the 4th and the copter is highlighting some house they just identified as setting off fireworks for the patrol cars.
It's been every night for about a week since the small town Hy-Vee let someone set up a tent in their parking lot. I don't think our police department is exactly highly staffed at 3:00 a.m. and I know the sheriff's office is out doing runs by a lot of farms. Also hard to tell the direction they come from when they wake you up. We have a cop with two toddlers and a baby about a block away from us and he's been trying, but he's so sleep deprived with his own kids, it's a good thing we aren't a hotbed of crime, other than fireworks.
Luckily living out in a small town, most folks who want to use the fireworks have been using them for years now. No differences on my end from the new law.
For the rest of the folks, its a new thing, it will wear off.
For the rest of the folks, its a new thing, it will wear off.
