How should the new fireworks ban be enforced? Time for your comments
This is the first year fireworks will be illegal in North Highline and the rest of unincorporated King County. So how should that be enforced? The county has just announced it’s time for your comments:
Local Services is accepting public input on a proposed ordinance that establishes a complaint-based process for warnings and citations for fireworks violators.
Now that consumer fireworks are prohibited in the unincorporated areas, King County is working to establish a complaint-based process that addresses violators and wants to hear from the public.
Residents can submit their comments on the proposed ordinance through April 10. The amendments include:
-Classifying violations as “civil violations” rather than criminal. It also specifies that a violation of a “reckless manner which creates a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury to another person or damage to the property of another” is classified as a gross misdemeanor.
-Requiring a public complaint be filed with the Permitting Division of King County Local Services to trigger enforcement of fireworks violations and imposition of civil penalties. Complaints must:
Include enough information for the violation to be actionable.
Be specific to violations occurring on properties in unincorporated King County.
Be tracked by the department for reporting purposes.Establishing the procedures for issuing warnings and citations for violations, specifically that:
-A warning will be issued for the first complaint against the person, and a citation will be issued for the second complaint.
-Warnings/citations can be revoked or modified by the director if there is an error.
-The director’s decision on contested warnings/citations is appealable to the hearing examiner.
-Warnings/citations must tracked by the department for reporting purposes.To read a draft of the Proposed Fireworks Enforcement Ordinance, as well as a plain language summary of the proposed changes, visit Permitting’s Legislation for public review and comment page.
Submit a comment
Comments may be submitted via the following methods:
Postal mail: Robin Proebsting, King County Permitting Division, 35030 SE Douglas St. Suite 210, Snoqualmie, WA 98065-9266
Voicemail: 206-263-3000
E-mail: permittinglegislation@kingcounty.gov
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March 18th, 2022 at 10:03 am
Not worth the KCSO’s time nor worth the taxpayers’ money to enforce! KCSO has much more pressing issues to take care. Why pull them away from all the felony crimes occurring to chase after people who are enjoying life to issue them a citation?
March 19th, 2022 at 4:02 pm
Enjoying life by traumatizing neighborhood pets, people with dimension and our beloved vets with PTSD? Not to mention all the paper trash that litters pur yard and street every year. Please find a less disruptive form of enjoyment.
Happy this finally got passed after years of neighborhood activism!
March 18th, 2022 at 8:52 pm
Don’t bother. I love the fireworks
March 27th, 2022 at 12:23 am
It’s f#$+Ed up y’all are taking away shyt for the younger generations but wanna complain bout the stuff they do and the vets yes it sucks but it’s part of history and I’m sure as a community (those that arent all anal anyways) can come up with a solution for em I mean honestly this world lacks communication compassion and then some why it’s so effed up now .. basically I’m saying QUIT TAKING EVERYTHING AWAY FROM THESE KIDS there no more pools, barely skating,
March 19th, 2022 at 11:46 am
Land Use complaints, such as these, sent to the Permitting Department are where a great many issues in the community are sent to King County to die.
And far more definition needs to be given to what an “actionable” complaint (which may be responded at King County only weeks after the complaint is filed) would actually consist of.
March 23rd, 2022 at 12:51 pm
It’s about time! Heavy fines and confiscation, please!
Fireworks are just awful and so traumatic for many, including veterans and pets! It is so selfish of people to light them off and effect other people for miles around.
The mess fireworks people leave is also shameful.
March 23rd, 2022 at 1:01 pm
I’m squarely in the fireworks camp.
I first fell in love with WC at a 4th of July party years ago, I was so captivated by the free spirited neighborhood I bought a home here.
*I have a dog, who doesn’t care for the fireworks.He hangs in the tub or between my legs.
* I have a friend who does our fireworks, remains sober for it, and I have three hoses and 4 fire extinguishers posted.
* we launch fireworks for ~3 hours from dark to about 12am on the 4th of July. That’s it. Not every Sunday there’s a football game. Not randomly on my dad’s cousin’s wedding anniversary. Just for 3 hours on the 4th. Full stop.
Let’s focus on ending hunger.Let’s focus on supporting our Veterans with real solutions. Let’s focus on spay and neuter campaigns and crack down on dog fighting. Let’s focus on ending homelessness. Let’s focus on arson, robbery and hate crimes. Let’s celebrate our similarities and work to heal and overcome our differences. Then maybe we can have beverage and stand in the yard watching fireworks together once a year. I’ll have tamales from the carneceria, too!
March 28th, 2022 at 2:03 pm
Chris, I wish all those with fireworks were responsible and sane like you are. Unfortunately that is not the case. Maybe if we had a 3 hour time period and required safety equipment like you do, we could continue but….