Politics Watch — November 16, 2009
City Council considers adding amendment to nuisance party ordinance
The Columbia City Council first read a proposed amendment during the Monday night meeting that would change the definition of a nuisance party to include fireworks.
The current ordinance, which was passed three years ago, defines a nuisance party as a “gathering of 10 or more people” that includes any one item on a list of things such as underage drinking, littering or noise violations.
The idea of expanding the ordinance officially began July 22 when Sixth Ward Councilwoman Barbara Hoppe described a “persistent fireworks” problem in East Campus and motioned to determine whether fireworks needed to be added to the list of the ordinance’s violations.
After coming back from a conference of city governments this weekend, Hoppe said at the Nov. 16 meeting she had not read over the proposed amendment to the nuisance party ordinance.
“I’ll take a look at it,” she said. “I’m interested in people’s concerns, comments and perceptions.”
Though both firing guns and shooting off fireworks constitute misdemeanors within city limits, with the exception of permitted fireworks displays and hunting or range shooting, the amendment would add “setting off fireworks” and “discharging firearms” as numbers 12 and 13 on the list of nuisance party qualifications.
To read city documents pertaining to the amendment, visit the City of Columbia Web site, gocolumbiamo.com.