The entire Vancouver City Council wants to ban personal fireworks starting in 2017, and it will formally vote later this year to change the city’s fireworks ordinance.
But informally, the outcome already seems clear, given the council’s unanimous, vocal opposition at Monday evening’s workshop to the sale and use of fireworks.
“I’m just going to say it right now. … I think it’s time the community moves to a ban of fireworks,” said Mayor Tim Leavitt, echoed by four other councilors who favored a ban by council vote.
Councilors Alishia Topper and Bart Hansen both said they supported banning fireworks but felt a citizens’ advisory vote was needed so everyone’s voices are heard.
Topper said she calculated that statistically, citizens have higher odds of dying in a car accident, winning an Oscar or finding a pearl in an oyster than having their home burned down by fireworks. This year’s citywide fireworks damage of roughly $574,000 was extreme compared to last year, when there was only $5,000 in property damage, Topper said.
Hansen said, “You either do or do not like fireworks. You either think they’re a nuisance or do not. Everyone thinks they’re in the majority. And I think we should find that out.”
But the rest of the council disagreed with holding an advisory vote.
“I don’t care what the odds are,” Councilor Bill Turlay said. “If you lose one life, if you lose one house because you’ve abdicated our responsibility — we’ve been elected to make hard decisions. … I think we should do the ban now.”
Councilor Jack Burkman adamantly opposed a citizens’ advisory vote, saying, “I get really concerned when we’re talking about taking something to the voters where one group wins and one group loses, and it’s about public safety.”
He noted that the last time the council held an advisory vote was in 1999, to decide whether councilors should be elected by district or at large.
Following the discussion, Mayor Tim Leavitt directed the city manager to bring back an ordinance later this year for a first and second reading and public hearings. Then the council will vote.
Under state law, any changes in fireworks regulations require 365 days’ notice, so next year’s Fourth of July cannot be affected. May 23 is the latest date the council could take action to have a new ordinance effective for July 4, 2017, according to city staff.
In 2012, the council restricted the use of fireworks to July 4 only and limited the days fireworks could be sold to July 2, 3 and 4. Fireworks are not allowed on New Year’s Eve in city limits. Fireworks rules vary in other Clark County jurisdictions.
Vancouver is the largest city in Washington that still allows personal fireworks, Fire Marshal Heidi Scarpelli told the council.
Here are the city fireworks-related costs in 2015, according to city staff:
• Total permitting and fire inspections for fireworks stands: $7,950.
• Fireworks enforcement campaign, legal process for citations, hearings: $19,000 to $23,000 (depending on number of citations written and hearings attended).
• Firefighter overtime staffing, June 28 through July 5: $107,034.
• Fireworks caused four structure fires, one vehicle fire and 14 landscaping and brush fires, for a total of 19 fires.
