Independence Day has come and gone, but city officials have not stopped receiving complaints from residents who are upset that people are still lighting off fireworks.

“We had a lot of complaints this year,” said councilman and ordinance committee member Dan VandenHeede.

“We had a lot of fireworks activity and I heard about it from some people,” said Councilman Bill Weimer, who also sits on the committee. “I believe the state’s very liberal law with fireworks can be addressed somewhat by local authorities.”

Sparked by these complaints, the Niles City Council’s ordinance committee had a discussion Monday about ways it could muffle the noise issue.

City Administrator Ric Huff said state law allows fireworks at any time of the day or any day of the year unless there is a local ordinance. If there is a local ordinance the maximum restrictions it can have is to prohibit fireworks all days and times except the day before, day of, or day after a national holiday. During the day before, day of, or day after a national holiday a city can only prohibit fireworks between the hours of 1 a.m. and 8 a.m.

Committee members decided as a group that they would look into drafting an ordinance that would prohibit fireworks from being discharged from 1 to 8 a.m. year round.

The committee also decided to investigate the feasibility of making it unlawful to light fireworks on public property or to allow fireworks to land on public property.

Weimer suggested the ordinance committee go a step further and look at limiting the number of days each year when fireworks can be discharged.

Although no action was taken, the committee gave Huff permission to take a closer look at the recommendations it made.