JEFFERSONVILLE –– Each year, fireworks displays are held as a showing of patriotism and celebration of America’s birthday. However, concerns have been raised about the effects of fireworks on pets and livestock, as well as veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

At Monday’s Callicoon Town Board meeting, Supervisor Tom Bose noted that they’ve received an increasing number of fireworks complaints, and not just related to the Fourth of July.

New York State has rules/requirements for pyrotechnicians in order for them to be able to legally buy and use fireworks for their own celebrations (such as having state certification, insurance, etc.), but for most of us, consumer fireworks, including firecrackers, bottle rockets, roman candles, spinners and aerial devices, are illegal statewide.

Bose said he has been in contact with the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office regarding the firework complaints, and they told him that if someone is breaking the law, to call them and they will enforce it.

Whenever a neighbor complaint comes across his desk, Bose said the first thing he asks the person is if they’ve spoken with their neighbor, because a lot of issues can be resolved through a conversation.

“But it’s not working,” said Bose, “and we have some people that have no respect and no true regard for their neighbors, which is unfortunate.”

Currently, New York State Law does allow for the sale and use of a specific category of consumer fireworks known as sparkling devices, which are ground-based or handheld devices that produce a shower of colored sparks and/or a colored flame, audible crackling or whistling noise and smoke.

Counties can choose to opt-out of the law allowing for sparking devices. The following counties have already done so: Albany, Bronx, Columbia, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange (prohibited in the Cities of Middletown and Newburgh only), Queens, Richmond, Schenectady, Suffolk, and Westchester.

While most of the complaints mentioned at Monday’s meeting centered around firework demonstrations that were illegal, one town resident in attendance suggested that the Sullivan County Legislature consider joining the previously mentioned counties in not allowing  sparking devices, to see if it would help the situation.

Bose noted that aside from asking people to respect their neighbors, there was little the town board could do about the issue.

Unlisted use

Another topic of discussion was a property on Gulf Road, just past the intersection with Dutch Hill Road in Roscoe, near the Rockland town line.

The Town became aware that the property had been used for the property owners’  wedding, and that it was also being advertised as a commercial wedding venue online.

The property is located in the Town’s conservation zoning district, and currently wedding venues are not a listed use within that district. Therefore, Code Enforcement Officer Kevin Zieres issued the property owners a cease and desist letter.

At Monday’s meeting, Zieres expressed concerns about the site.

“Getting in and out of the driveway, you want to have your wits about you,” said Zieres, “because there’s two blind turns - one on either side of the property. It’s a 55-mile per hour road and you want to be quick. I’m totally against it. It’s a hazard. If you have people walking across the road … parking all over the road … They don’t have any place to park 200 cars [or] 100 cars if there’s 200 people, so it’s not a good site.”

Bose said he believed if the property (which is located on a county road) were to be granted a conditional use, requiring a change to the Town’s zoning, it’d have to be referred to the County Planning Department for 239 review? He added that he believes they’d probably get a “negative review” for the same reasons Zieres mentioned.

A few people who live near the property were in attendance at Monday’s meeting. They thanked the board for discussing it, and expressed issues with the noise from the wedding that was held there, as well as concerns for the safety of people crossing the road to get to where their vehicles would be parked for weddings at the property.

Town Attorney Marvin Newberg told the board that if the property owners were to  seek a conditional use for a wedding venue (which they have yet to do), it would be a matter for the Town’s Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA).

Newberg later stated that since the conservation district doesn’t allow for wedding venues or anything similar, the property owner would have to apply to the ZBA for a use variance. That process  would require public hearings and give those affected more opportunities to provide input.

Until such a time, as one member of the town board summarized, “It’s moot at this point.”

Car Show

Bose reminded those in attendance that the 8th Annual Town of Callicoon Car Show returns to the Town Park on 959 Callicoon Center Road in Callicoon Center on Sunday, August 7 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.