The blog about White Center » Archive » How to apply the new fireworks ban? Time for your comments

This is the first year that fireworks will be illegal in North Highline and the rest of unincorporated King County. So how should this be applied? The county just announced it’s time for your feedback:

Local Services is accepting public comments on a draft ordinance which establishes a complaints-based process for warnings and citations for fireworks violators.

Now that consumer fireworks are banned in unincorporated areas, King County is working to establish a complaints-based process that speaks to violators and wants to hear from the public.

Residents can submit comments on the proposed order until April 10. Changes include:

-Classify offenses as “civil offences” rather than criminal. It also clarifies that a breach in a “reckless manner that creates a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to others or damage to property of others” qualifies as a serious misdemeanour.

– Require that a public complaint be filed with the King County Local Services Permit Division to trigger enforcement of fireworks violations and imposition of civil penalties. Complaints must:

Include enough information to make the violation actionable.
Be specific to violations occurring on properties in unincorporated King County.
Be tracked by the department for reporting purposes.

Establish procedures for issuing warnings and citations for violations, in particular 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 may be revoked or amended by the Director if in error.
-The Director’s decision on disputed warnings/citations is subject to appeal to the Hearing Reviewer.
-Warnings/citations should be tracked by the department for reporting purposes.

To read a draft of the proposed fireworks enforcement ordinance, along with a plain language summary of the proposed changes, visit Permitting’s website. Legislation for Public Review and Comments Page.

Submit a comment

Comments can be submitted via the following methods:

Mail: Robin Proebsting, King County Permitting Division, 35030 SE Douglas St. Suite 210, Snoqualmie, WA 98065-9266
Voicemail: 206-263-3000
Email: [email protected]

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