Any possible changes to the City of Sequim’s fireworks policies for next year fizzled out after recent talks to ban and/or limit them in city limits.

Sequim city councilors, at multiple councilors’ requests, discussed options on Monday, June 13, for possible changes to policies for the Fourth of July beginning in the summer of 2017. But city councilors couldn’t reach consensus on what direction to take.

The city council’s discussion stems from an update to the city’s municipal code from August 2015 that goes into effect Aug. 14, prohibiting sky lanterns, which already are illegal in Washington, and allowing the city’s fire marshal or city manager to ban fireworks in high or extreme fire danger.

However, the direction of the city councilors’ discussion was unknown to opponents and proponents of fireworks who spoke prior to the discussion. Proponents spoke on the benefit of fireworks stands supporting youth activities, creating a sense of community and nationalism and more while opponents felt fireworks are disruptive for humans and animals, and dangerous.

Councilor Ted Miller said the updated ordinance doesn’t ban the sale of fireworks but he’d like to prohibit where fireworks can be set it off.

“You’ll be able to buy anything short of a nuclear bomb so long as it’s allowed by the federal government or the state government,” he said.

Miller said the issue to him is noise and that pets and humans can be terrified.

“It doesn’t make sense to set them off in a highly dense area,” he said.

Miller, who has suggested bans and/or fireworks limitations before in city limits, suggested there are plenty of spots in the county to discharge fireworks but not in the city.

However, city councilors didn’t all agree.

Councilor Candace Pratt said she and her family love fireworks, but she understands noise has become difficult for many people. She recommended the time and dates fireworks could be discharged be reduced.

Fellow councilors Genaveve Starr and Pamela Leonard-Ray said they’d be open to reducing fireworks discharge hours but not banning them entirely.

“I don’t really like fireworks, but I don’t want to tell our citizens they can’t use legal fireworks,” Starr said.

“I’d like to reduce the number of days they can be used in city limits,” Leonard-Ray said. “I assume many of the people who buy fireworks don’t live in the city limits.”

Councilor Bob Lake liked one resident’s suggestion to allow fireworks in a controlled area, like a park, during certain times.

Mayor Dennis Smith felt banning wouldn’t work with the city’s proximity to fireworks sales in Blyn.

“By saying we want a ban isn’t going to work,” he said. “It’ll increase the workload on the police department.”

If city councilors did want to push for changes in 2017, they would have needed to ask for a special meeting and draft ordinance by June 22. Nothing was set.

City Manager Charlie Bush said any changes/discussion after June would be relative to 2018.

Miller said he considered the topic dead but recommended councilors talk to constituents to see if it’s worth pursuing further.

Fireworks and you

In the City of Sequim, fireworks are sold from June 28-July 5.

They can be discharged from noon-11 p.m. June 28, 9 a.m.-11 p.m. June 29-July 3,  9 a.m.-midnight July 4 and 9 a.m.-11 p.m. July 5.

In Clallam County, they can be discharged from 9 a.m.-11 p.m. June 29-July 3, 9 a.m.-midnight July 4 and 9 a.m.-9 p.m. July 5.

Sequim Police Chief Bill Dickinson said last year the police department received 25 calls about fireworks, nine in 2014 and 12 in 2013.

Of those calls, he said a majority of the calls are about illegal fireworks and that the call load doesn’t necessitate more officers on duty but reserve officers do provide extra help patrolling for illegal activity.

Public input

Pastor David Westman of the Sequim Worship Center told city councilors he’s part of a group that’s sold fireworks for more than 40 years and found it disconcerting fireworks would come up as an agenda item when they possess permits for this season and they didn’t know it was being discussed.

“We’re trying to get on board,” he said. “We just want to know what we’re getting on board with.”

The Rev. Randy Hurlbut of Sequim Valley Foursquare Church said he’s been selling fireworks for 14 years and they promote safety heavily.

“I’m a pyro and I’ve always loved the Fourth of July,” he said. “I stand before you with all my toes, all my eyebrows and my hair … I can tell you we promote safety, safety, safety.”

Hurlbut said banning fireworks could lead good people to becoming criminals.

“They are going to run to the reservations and buy the insane stuff, not the sane stuff,” he said.

City resident Anne Goetz-man isn’t a fan of fireworks in her neighborhood.

“I love Sequim 51 weeks out of the year and then I have fireworks week,” she said. “I’m starting now to prune all my landscape. I have to prepare for the fireworks that are going to go off where I live.”

She suggested a sponsored public display as an alternative to individual fireworks discharges in city limits.