Vancouver limits selling of fireworks to 3 days, 1 day to use
VANCOUVER, Wash. – The Vancouver City Council voted Monday night to limit the number of days personal fireworks inside city limits can be sold and used, according to a city spokeswoman.
The new rules, which will take effect in 2014, will limit the number of days fireworks can be sold from seven to three. Additionally, residents will only be allowed to shoot them off on July 4 – down from four days now.
The current rules will remain the same for 2013.
According to the city's communication manager, Barbara Ayers, the council chamber was packed for Monday night's meeting and 30 people spoke on the issue. She said the speakers were about evenly split in support or against the ordinance.
Last spring Vancouver city councilors considered a ban on fireworks but then decided against it.
Nonprofit groups that use the fireworks stands as their major fundraiser think the shorter selling period could hurt their profits.
The new ordinance will not affect the public display of fireworks at Fort Vancouver, Ayers said.
Fireworks was suppose to be lite off from 9am till 10pm from the first of July till July third and July 4th from 9am till 12am this past year. Why is it so hard for people to comprehend this law? Why is it that people have no respect for others that have to work early in the mornings and continue to light fireworks off all night long? Another issues is, People need to respect that there are disabled veterans that live in our community and communities around the United States. I strongly believe this ruling is due to the lack of respect and self discipline of though who abuse the privilege of being able to have fire works. I am one of though disabled veterans that have a really hard time with the fourth. I try to go to bed early or put ear plugs in but it just does not work. I like watching fireworks on the 4th of JULY but give me a break, Do we really need four days of celebration? I know there is going to be negative feed back on this post. Just think about who have fought for your freedom of speech. Thank you and God Bless the United State of America.
Well this will be a nice economic boost for battle ground and camas..
I really like what allot of people have said that you can celebrate your independence on one day, thank you so much for that act of socialism, you people have the nerve to tell other people how to celebrate their Independence. My neighbor who is from the Philippines he celebrated his sons 16th birthday with loud music and dancing for 16 days straight I am sure you liberal control freaks out there would tell him he is doing that wrong too. I am so stunned to live among such people that believe that they not only feel that they feel that they should go around and tell other people how to celebrate but that they pass measures to control the masses. It is apparent that the supporters off this measure do not have strong ties to being an American citizen who believes in freedom not oppressive behavior in which this measure supports. If the 4th of July offends all of you socialist please head west when you reach the ocean keep going till you hit land it will be Asia or japan your socialist values will be greeted there with open arms.
 @freedom123 Please define Socialism and how it relates to this story.
I live in the county , doe not effect me at all. It will be interesting to see all the stands lining up just ouside the city limits though
I only hope the other Clark County commissioners (Ridgefield, are you listening?) have the cajones to do the same thing. Setting off massive fireworks for 7-10 days around July 4 is simply a violation of neighbors' rights to a peaceful existence in their own homes. There is no conceivable justification for this length of time spent terrorizing your neighbors, and their young children and their pets. Freedom requires responsibility, too. One day of fireworks is plenty. Please, Clark County commissioners from other towns... please listen... and please do something similar. The neighbors of these obnoxious people who are celebrating "freedom" are suffering from the trampling on their own rights. Freedom does NOT mean free-for-alls. Please!
 @mara1 ~  I agree with you on the "usage" part; having people setting off fireworks for days (and nights, too, sometimes) is just a bit "much"..!   I'm in a neighborhood in Salem that's usually very quiet and peaceful, but we had some people here a while back that used to set off fireworks at all hours of the day and night ~ and they weren't very careful about it, either..!  Fortunately, they moved away and life is good again on our street..! Â
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Sales..? Â I know that there are non-profits that sell them, and I've heard that schools do, too... Seems like leaving the selling days alone would be OK if they could/would enforce the "setting off" days...Â
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Of course, it would also help if whatever rules they have could be consistent throughout a county or even the state... the way they'redoing it is too "patchworked", impossible to enforce...
More loss of freedom in the USSA.
You may only celebrate "freedom" on one day comrade.
All this will really accomplish is increase the number of illegal fireworks bought from the reservations.
I don't live in Vancouver but this seems like something that should be voted on by the people not enacted by a group of people persuaded by others.
Passing an ordinance and effectively enforcing it are two different things. You can pass anything you want, but if there's no buy-in by those affected, there is no compliance.
I'm all for the "usage" portion of this new ordinance. There's NO REASON why people need to light off fireworks any other time than on the 4th of July. I love, absolutely, LOVE fireworks, but in my family it's a given that you trick or treat on Halloween night ONLY and that you light off fireworks on the 4th of July ONLY.
That said, I completely disagree with the notion of limiting the time frame of selling the fireworks. There are a lot of organizations which depend on the funds from sales. When I was in high school, our band raised a ton of money for trips to Hawaii and Orlando because of fireworks sales. It concerns me that students today, and others in need, will be hurt by the tighter sales window.
Look for all the stands to move 10 feet outside of city limits (hopefully depriving the city of lots of tax revenue) with plenty of people thumbing their noses at the "no shooting fireworks" law, just like they do now.
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Complete waste of time as soon as the county board announced they would make no changes in their rules, not to mention Camas and other nearby cities.
Shorter selling period could hurt sales? You don't say...
well it is a good thing that thos fireworks sales are MAJOR fundraisers for local church and youth groups . The revenue generated by them over the week to two weeks being limited to 3 days really sucks. Leave it to government to stick it to the non proffits!!
Maybe we should require people to have a license to use fireworks, then we will need a panel of elected and appointed officials to roam the streets and hand out tickets to those people that feel that they are responsible for their own lives. Â The 9 scariest words one can ever hear are "I'm from the government and I'm here to help."
Wow, that is really stupid...... way to stick it to the people within the city limits while the old rules apply to those in unincorporated clark co.Â
Oregon has banned many of those fireworks, but you still see them all over Oregon on many occasions. Just how is Vancouver going to police this any better? If they know that they can't enforce the law, why pass it? This issue just seems like a waste of tax dollars!
 @Freedom1267Â
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Most of the illegal fireworks you see being used in Portland actually come from the Indian reservation near Chehalis.
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For new years 2000, we had a real blowout. We spent about $1000 on mortars, launchers, rockets, tons of stuff. All purchased from the reservation.
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This likely won't stop. This ordinance only stops people from buying in Vancouver. People will then travel the next 30 minutes to buy the bigger stuff.
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For new years 2000, we had a real blowout. We spent about $1000 on mortors, launchers, rockets, tons of stuff. All purchased fromt he reservation.
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This liekly won't stop. This ordiance only stops people from buying in Vancouver. People will then travel the next 30 minutes to buy the bigger stuff.
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Well, at least they didn't band it all to gather. and what of those families who have to work on those days? Is it not fair that they should go with out?.There are families that can not light off on the fourth do to work and such..I for see un happy consumers to come.
But on the other hand I do see less stressed pets.
And STILL better than Oregon.
@Peregrine "better" is subjective.
A few complainers always ruin the fun for the rest of us.....booo!!!
Boooh!