CANNON BEACH, Ore. (AP) — After what the city called one of the worst years for fireworks during the Fourth of July holiday, the City Council unanimously voted this week to ban all fireworks.
Legal fireworks were allowed within city limits, but not on the beach. The new ordinance extends the ban on fireworks throughout Cannon Beach and increases fines, The Astorian reported.
City Council discussed the ban in several public meetings following the holiday. Residents and Friends of Haystack Rock urged the city to add restrictions
The city said all fireworks, even novelty fireworks like poppers and noisemakers, are disruptive to pets, people and wildlife, generate litter and pose fire dangers.
Police Chief Jason Schermerhorn said in a July meeting that during the holiday weekend officers were patrolling throughout the night and seized over 200 fireworks. One citation was issued.
“Most of those were on the Fourth of July and they would respond down when we got a complaint and by the time we got there, the people would be gone,” Schermerhorn.
He called it a perfect storm because the holiday fell on a Saturday and the weather was nice.
City Councilor Mike Benefield was concerned about the ordinance being overly restrictive and asked the rest of the councilors if they were amenable to making an exception for novelty fireworks like poppers and noisemakers.
City Council decided to not make the exceptions.