Northwest Iowa — With the new Iowa fireworks law having been signed by Governor Terry Branstad, northwest Iowa towns are having to decide how to handle both the sale and the use of fireworks, some of which have been illegal in the state for nearly 80 years.
In communities where it is not otherwise prohibited, Iowans will be able to use consumer-grade fireworks, including, but not limited to bottle rockets, firecrackers and roman candles.
The code specifies fireworks will be able to be sold from a permanent structure between June 1 and July 8, and between December 10th and January 3rd. They can also be sold from a temporary structure between June 13 and July 8.
People can use fireworks from June 1 through July 8th, and December 10th through January 3rd every year, between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m., with extended hours until 11 p.m. on the fourth of July and the Saturdays and Sundays before and after the fourth, as well as the Saturdays and Sundays before and after New Year’s Eve. The longest exception is the early morning hours of January 1st, immediately following New Year’s Eve when they can be used until 12:30 a.m.
In Sheldon, city officials plan on continuing their discussion this Wednesday, during their meeting. City Manager Sean Hutchison says no ordinance is proposed at this point. He says city code currently prohibits the use of fireworks and it will have to be amended if the council decides to allow them. He says they’re waiting for the State Fire Marshal to recommend a course of action in regard to structures from which fireworks may be sold.
In Sibley, city staff say that there has not been any council discussion yet, but there probably will be.
In Rock Rapids, City Administrator Jordan Kordahl says that their city council will probably talk about fireworks at their next meeting on Monday, May 22nd.
George city personnel tell us their council has not considered the issue yet.
Rock Valley city personnel say that the issue was discussed last week by the city council, but no decisions were made.
Sioux Center City Manager Scott Wynja says that their council talked about the issue on May 1st. He says city code currently forbids the use of fireworks. He says he thinks the ordinance will probably be repealed to comply with state law. He says the council decided to “give it a try this year” and not make any more restrictions than the new state law. Wynja says the council has said they will re-address the issue next year if there are problems. He says their main concerns are related to building and fire code for those planning on selling fireworks.
Orange City City manager Duane Feekes says their council talked about the issue two and a half weeks ago. Their council wanted to know what the Alton City Council is thinking, as the two communities share a police department. He says they also want to do some research to find out what other communities in the area are doing, and they’re also waiting on a reccomendation from the Iowa League of Cities. He says there is an ordinance in place at this time that bans fireworks, that would have to be changed if that is the council’s intention. He says they had planned to talk about it at their meeting on Monday night.
Sanborn city Administrator Jim Zeutenhorst says their council discussed it at their last meeting. He says as far as the use of fireworks, they plan to allow it on the days that the state allows it, but they wanted to discuss the hours that they could be used in Sanborn to limit the noise late at night. He says a group of northwest Iowa city managers is passing sample ordinances around to get an idea of what should be addressed. He says at the next Sanborn City Council meeting on June 12th, he hopes to have samples and perhaps a proposed ordinance. He says they’ll also need to consider the safety issues and talk about where sales of fireworks will be allowed.
The community pointed to when people ask why fireworks have been banned in Iowa for almost 80 years — is Spencer. And in Spencer, people are still not going to be able to use fireworks. Spencer City Manager Bob Fagen says, “we know what [fireworks] can do for your community.” He says the council plans to opt out of the new state law. Fagen says the second reading of the new ordinance was read this past Monday night. He says the rules on the use of fireworks will be the same in Spencer as before — only sparklers and snakes will be allowed. As far as sales, Fagen says any building will have to meet international code.
Fireworks were prohibited in Iowa a few years after a devastating fire caused by a sparkler being dropped into a fireworks display in Spencer in 1931.
