After last weekend’s Fourth of July mayhem, the Vancouver City Council wants to explore options for banning fireworks in the city.
On Monday night, Councilor Alishia Topper broached the idea of holding a citizens’ advisory vote in November regarding a fireworks ban. Topper said the council has received numerous emails from residents wanting a fireworks ban, concerned about drought conditions and the fire marshal’s lack of authority to declare an emergency ban on fireworks.
“This is an option the citizens should have, to tell us if they want it or not,” Topper said.
However, other council members didn’t want to leave a public safety decision in the hands of voters.
“Fourth of July was a war zone around here. … It went crazy and stayed that way nonstop till midnight,” Councilor Jack Burkman said. “We’ve actually reached the point now where it’s time to ban.”
Councilor Anne McEnerny-Ogle agreed, saying, “I, too, am ready to have that discussion about banning this.”
Councilor Larry Smith noted that every year for the last 25 years following the July 4 festivities, the council has batted about the notion of banning fireworks. Community safety is paramount over people’s “God-given right” to shoot off fireworks in a densely populated urban area, he said. This is the fourth consecutive year it’s been dry, and he doesn’t see that changing.
“We’ve got to have the moral clarity and courage to make these types of decisions,” Smith said. “Maybe this isn’t in the best interest for our community.”
Burkman speculated that if the city banned fireworks, Clark County and the smaller cities might follow suit.
By state statute, changes to fireworks laws take one year to go into effect. That means if the council did adopt an all-out ban or enact an ordinance allowing declaration of an emergency fireworks ban during times of extreme fire danger, the new regulations wouldn’t be applicable until July 2017.
Councilor Bill Turlay said he wanted to look at the cost of deploying so many first responders to fireworks-related calls. He favors holding a discussion about a ban and then taking a council vote.
Councilors acknowledged that a ban would mean nonprofit organizations that sell fireworks would have to find another fundraiser and said they wished there were a way to minimize the impact to charities.
The council will hold a workshop in August to discuss policy options regarding a fireworks ban.
