[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Camden 4-9-1987 by Ord. No. MC-2289 as Ch. 244 of the 1987 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A. 
As provided in the Zoning Ordinance[1] of the City, the manufacture of fireworks is prohibited within the limits of the City.
[1]
Editor's Note: For the Zoning Ordinance, see Ch. 870.
B. 
The sale or exposure for sale, use, distribution or possession of fireworks or pyrotechnics or devices in which explosives are used for fireworks or pyrotechnics are prohibited within the limits of the City, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
FIREWORKS
Includes any blank cartridge, toy pistol, toy cannon, toy cane or toy gun in which explosives are used; the type of balloon which requires fire underneath to propel the same; firecrackers, torpedoes, skyrockets, Roman candles, bombs, sparklers or other fireworks of like construction; or any fireworks containing any explosive or flammable compound or any tablets or other devices commonly used and sold as fireworks containing nitrates, chlorates, oxalates, sulphides of lead, barium, antimony, arsenic, mercury, nitroglycerine, phosphorous or any compound containing any of the same or other explosives; or any substance or combination of substances or articles prepared for the purpose of producing a visible or an audible effect by combustion, explosion, deflagration or detonation, other than aviation, auto and railroad signal light flares, except that the term "fireworks" shall not include:
A. 
Any toy pistol, toy cane, toy gun or other device in which paper caps containing 0.25 grain or less of explosive compound per cap are used, provided that they are so constructed that the hand cannot come in contact with the cap when in place for use, and toy pistol paper caps which contain less than 0.20 grain of explosive mixture per cap.
B. 
The sale or use of blank cartridges for a show or theater or for signal purposes in athletic sports or for use by authorized military or veterans' organizations.
No person shall offer or expose for sale, sell, distribute, possess or use or explode any fireworks, as defined in § 369-2, except as relates to public displays as more particularly hereinafter provided in §§ 369-4, 369-5 and 369-6.
A. 
The City Council may, upon application in writing, upon the posting of a suitable surety as provided in § 369-7, grant, by resolution, a permit for the public display of fireworks by the City, by religious, fraternal or civic organizations or by other organizations or groups of individuals approved by said Council.
B. 
Such permission shall be granted only when such display is to be handled by a competent operator, to be approved by the Chiefs of the Police and Fire Departments of the City.
[Amended 12-10-2019 by Ord. No. MC-5232]
C. 
Such display shall be of such a character, and so located, discharged or fired as, in the opinion of the Chiefs of the Police and Fire Divisions, after proper inspection, shall not be hazardous to property or endanger any person or persons.
D. 
After such permit shall have been granted, sales, possession, use and distribution of fireworks for such displays shall be lawful for that purpose only.
A. 
All such applications for permits under § 369-4 shall be made at least 15 days in advance of the date of the public display for which the permit is sought.
B. 
The application shall set forth the date, the hour, the place of making such display and the place for storing fireworks prior to the display and, further, the name or names of the person, persons, firm, partnership, corporation, association or group of individuals making the display and the name of the person or persons in charge of the igniting, firing, setting off, exploding or causing to be exploded such fireworks.
C. 
The location of the storage place shall be subject to the approval of the Chief of the Fire Division of the City.
No permit granted under § 369-4 shall be transferable.
As a prerequisite to the issuance of the permit required under §§ 369-3 through 369-6, the permittee shall furnish surety in the amount and in the form deemed adequate and proper by the City Council. The surety required may be in cash or government bonds, personal bonds or surety bonds of a corporate surety authorized to do business in New Jersey and, in addition, if deemed necessary, other forms of insurance. Said surety shall be conditioned for the payment of all damages which may be caused either to a person or persons or to property by reason of the display for which the permit was issued and arising from any acts of the permittee, his agents, employees or subcontractors. Such surety shall run to the City of Camden and shall be for the use and benefit of any person, persons or the owner or owners of any property so damaged who is or are authorized to maintain an action thereon, or his or their heirs, executors, administrators, successors or assigns.
Any fireworks that remain unfired after the display is concluded shall be immediately disposed of in a safe way as deemed adequate by the Fire Official for the particular type of fireworks remaining.
[Amended 4-9-1987 by Ord. No. MC-2289; 10-12-2006 by Ord. No. MC-4234]
Unless otherwise provided in the chapter, penalties against persons violating the provisions of this chapter shall be imposed in accordance with the provisions of § 1-15.