CENTERBURG — Village council members used Monday night’s work session to take a closer look at two safety concerns: fireworks and the rising popularity of electric bikes.

Central Ohio Joint Fire District Chief Mark McCann said most villages and cities have passed a resolution to ban aerial fireworks within their limits. Centerburg has not.

“I thought we passed it when we tightened up all the restrictions at the state level. Through my research, I don’t think the village has ever done that. So I’m just making a recommendation that we try to pass a resolution to ban aerial devices in the village center,” he said.

Village Administrator Richard Dzik said the village code word-for-word reflects the state’s language under the Ohio Revised Code and Ohio Fire Code.

That means there are potential areas within the village where residents could set off fireworks.

“Council under state code is authorized to further limit fireworks launching in the village. So it’s something we can keep talking about,” he said.

Under state law, residents are permitted to set off consumer-grade fireworks on specific holidays providing they meet distance and property requirements.

Residents can discharge fireworks on their property or someone else’s property providing they have the landowner’s permission. Additionally, they must stay stay at least 150 feet from the nearest residence.

Distance requirements increase in relation to schools, hospitals, multi-family buildings, and other units.

No one under age 18 is allowed to set off consumer-grade fireworks (1.4G).

McCann said COJFD would enforce the fire code portions of the fireworks law; law enforcement would enforce other parts.

“Enforcement has always been a difficult problem, even before the state legalized it,” McCann said.

Officials consider local ordinance on e-bikes

Another area where village code defaults to the state is electric bikes. Under state code, Class 2 and 3 e-bikes are permitted anywhere a bicycle is permitted, including the Heart of Ohio Trail.

However, Sheriff’s Deputy Austin Albanese reports he has received a growing number of complaints about riders activating motors while on the bike path and riding at high speeds. Some Class 3 e-bikes can reach speeds up to 28 mph.

Because the village does not have its own e-bike ordinance, Albanese is limited to enforcing regulations on state roads.

Another challenge is that Albanese is still learning to distinguish between e-bike classes. In many cases he relies on riders to state which type of bike they are using.

Councilman Rusty Griffith cited a recent instance where he witnessed an 8-year-old cross a street on an e-bike without checking for traffic.

“We’ve got to do something because somebody’s going to get killed and then it’s going to be, why didn’t the village protect my kid riding his e-bike down the street,” he said.

Albanese shared an example of another city’s e-bike ordinance with council members. Dzik will research other ordinances, and council will revisit the issue in August.