From the explosive pops of uncorked champagne, to fireworks and loud (usually bad) singing, 2023’s entrance will make a joyful noise.

Loud revelry is by design — and an ancient ritual to boot. “Make loud noises” ranks foremost on the New Year’s to-do list to blast away any lingering bad energy from the previous year. And the time zone-spanning fireworks displays that mark its first stroke show our shared, global optimism.

But other, non-holiday times — when late-night pyrotechnics are of the “we’re in a vacation-rental in a neighborhood” variety — show why “fireworks” can be an apt euphemism for conflict.

As a state, Michigan itself is conflicted on the matter. Michigan’s Department of Licensing and Regulation (LARA) collected more than $600,000 in fireworks-based fees, and cited 31 complaints and 119 enforcement actions in its 2021 Consumer Fireworks Safety Fund.

Our fireworks law has undergone several rounds of loosening and tightening. A 2011 law brought more boom, allowing bigger fireworks formerly purchased on-the-sly in Indiana and Ohio. A year later, a law allowed cities, townships or villages to prohibit overnight blasts between midnight or 1 a.m. through 8 a.m. on and around holidays, and to levy $500 fines for infractions.

In 2019, communities got more leeway, with the ability to douse the number of days that consumer fireworks can be lit, from 30 days to 12. Many larger cities, like Detroit and Lansing, restrict displays to the 12 days protected under state law: Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, the week of July Fourth and New Year’s Eve. Grand Rapids, East Lansing and Kalamazoo give Juneteenth protected status.

Fireworks vendors, by and large, say the laws have had little impact.

So, too, say those who live in communities where houses formerly occupied by families have been replaced by a revolving door of those in vacation mode. And nothing says “northern Michigan vacation” like a load of pyrotechnics on a Tuesday at midnight.

This influx of unpredictable popping off can make neighbors miserable — neighbors with dogs and cats not protected by the firework law’s “harassing livestock” provision, neighbors with post-traumatic stress, neighbors who just want a good night’s sleep before waking up for work and school. It should be noted that fireworks-related injuries also rose 25 percent in the last 15 years, according to a 2022 report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. In 2021, fireworks accounted for nine deaths and an estimated 11,500 injuries.

But municipalities have more leeway to regulate this issue; indeed, some are already tweaking ordinances. For example, Garfield Township’s holiday restrictions start at 11:45 p.m. Traverse City doesn’t allow fireworks within 500 feet of city waters.

So, in areas where the noise becomes less-than-joyful during non-holiday times, township, city and village ordinances can help. Lighting the fuse on these controls may prevent conflicts from popping up during our new, shared future.

— Traverse City Record-Eagle