Sequim city councilors recently agreed again to finalize an ordinance change to ban the sale of fireworks in city limits, effective October 2025.

At their Oct. 28 regular meeting, they voted 5-0 — with mayor Brandon Janisse and councilor Dan Butler excused — to approve the change through their consent agenda.

All seven councilors unanimously approved the ban and to move the ordinance change through the consent agenda on Oct. 14.

Former councilors previously banned the discharge of fireworks in city limits seven years ago.

Speaking during public comments on Oct. 28, Randall Cearley, a TNT Fireworks area manager, said he felt there was a lack of public notice and encouraged councilors to follow other city’s examples, such as Port Orchard, to do more outreach where officials learned residents did not want to ban fireworks.

“It’s disheartening this has been pushed through so fast,” Cearley said. He asked councilors to put it to a vote again.

City residents favored banning the discharge of fireworks in a November 2016 advisory vote with 65.6% (2,642) in favor.

While councilors then approved the ban of discharge of fireworks, they did not go forward with a ban of firework sales to allow nonprofits to continue operating fireworks booths and raise funds.

Previous councilors also directed staff to budget and start a public display on the Fourth of July at Carrie Blake Community Park, which won’t be affected by the latest vote.

Councilor Kathy Downer, who brought a discussion forward in August, said Oct. 28 she brought the ban suggestion forward at the request of a citizen and a group’s request.

In August, she said it was misleading that residents can’t shoot fireworks while sales are allowed in the city.

In response to Cearley, Downer said she received “many, many emails from people asking us to stop the sale of fireworks” for various reasons.

“We discussed it at three separate meetings,” she said. “I don’t feel like it was rushed. I don’t feel like our minds were made up ahead of time.”

Downer said, “I think the citizens in Sequim know what’s going on. I think the majority of them knew we were thinking about it and discussing it. It was in the newspaper and people talk amongst themselves.

“I just wanted to say, I wouldn’t worry about anybody saying they didn’t know about it.”

Councilor Vicki Lowe said she supported Downer.

“Our citizens are very different than those of (Port Orchard),” she said. “For us to have a different outcome is certainly reasonable.”

Leading up to an Oct. 14 public hearing, city staff received four emails in support of a ban and two against. A few residents spoke in person for a ban, too, with concerns about liability, fires, pet safety, and veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Ban date

With the ban not going into effect for a year, fireworks sales will be allowed one more summer from June 28-July 5, 2025. Sequim Municipal Code allows one booth per 1,500 city residents, and permits are given first preference to local nonprofits benefiting youth, and second preference to other local nonprofits.

The city had three booths in 2024 with Sequim Vineyard at Walmart, Seattle International Christian Church at Safeway, and Big Dog Fireworks at Hardy’s Market.

Clallam County allows fireworks to be discharged only on July 4 in unincorporated Sequim, unless there is a high fire danger. Jefferson County allows the discharge of fireworks from June 28-July 5 at various times.

Sequim Police reports there were 26 annual fireworks complaints the last three years in city limits.

Eleven complaints were made on July 4, 2024, with some of those in unincorporated Clallam County, one about the city’s fireworks show, and multiple calls from one resident with law enforcement unable to find the fireworks or they were found to be in an allowed area.

Police report residents have always voluntarily complied when asked to stop by officers. They can offer verbal warnings, seize fireworks, and charge a resident with a gross misdemeanor (a fine up to $5,000 or 364 days in jail) if complaints persist under the city’s code.

For July 4, 2024, Clallam County Fire District 3 reported all fireworks-fire calls were in the City of Sequim, and none in unincorporated Clallam County.