Council embraces state fireworks law, signs off on clock tower repair

Phase II proposal on chopping block

by Judy Stringer

June 21 city council meeting

Hudsonites can legally set off commercial fireworks on their property this Fourth of July. Hudson City Council unanimously passed an ordinance aligning city regulations with a recently passed Ohio law that permits the discharge of fireworks on designated days.  

Those special days are New Year’s Eve and Day, Chinese New Year, Cinco de Mayo, Memorial Day weekend, Juneteenth, July 3rd, 4th and 5th, the weekends before and after the July 4th holiday, Labor Day weekend and Diwali.

Ohio’s new consumer fireworks law went into effect July 1. Local governments had the ability to opt out and several, including Brecksville and Broadview Heights, have done so. Under the law, consumers can set off fireworks on their own property or on other’s property with their permission. Previously, fireworks could be bought from a licensed retailer in Ohio but not legally discharged in the state.

Council member Kate Schlademan said that while she supports the ordinance, she wants city leaders to monitor the fireworks season closely and be prepared to “make any necessary changes.”

“I do have some concerns that we’re not putting any kind of restrictions on this, considering our historic downtown and other issues it could cause,” Schlademan said.

Council also passed a resolution to pay Roger Gordon Clockmakers Limited of Titusville, Pa., $38,600 to get the clock on the clock tower up and running. The clock was switched off earlier this year because of needed repairs. It will be disassembled for the work, which will take 8 to 10 weeks.

Phase II proposal

Council heard the second reading of an ordinance that, if passed, will kill a deal to sell city-owned property at the Owen Brown Street and Morse Road intersection to Fairmount Properties for the Phase II downtown development. Fairmount Properties proposed a plan for a new 40,000-square-foot Heinen’s grocery store at the end of Clinton Street and approximately 100 residential units consisting of townhomes, quad homes and patio homes north of Heinen’s.

A notice on the city’s website states, “Fairmount Properties and the city have not been able to collectively reach a purchase agreement and site design that aligns with the concepts supported by the Hudson community last year.”

After the meeting, Council President Chris Foster said he expected a vote on the property sale repeal at the first July meeting, scheduled for July 19 after council’s summer recess. 

Earlier this year, Testa Enterprises Inc. – the previous developer for Phase II – filed a lawsuit alleging the city of breach of contract in the dissolution of its Phase II partnership and saying it was not informed about poor soil conditions at the site. ∞