By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews
The sale, possession and use of any fireworks will be prohibited in unincorporated areas of Lincoln County beginning in January under a revised ordinance that commissioners plan to pass at their first meeting in 2024.
But don’t expect deputies out writing tickets or taking people away in handcuffs for lighting off fireworks, Lincoln County Sheriff Curtis Landers told YachatsNews.
Following an initial discussion Dec. 6, commissioners Wednesday unanimously approved amending a current county ordinance to prohibit “the sale, possession and/or use of consumer fireworks.”
Commissioners are scheduled to take a second vote on the ordinance when they meet Jan. 3. When approved, the change would be effective immediately.
During its two meetings this month on the proposed ordinance commissioners have received no letters or comments opposing the ban and one letter in support.
The amended ordinance would not affect public displays put on by various municipalities around the July 4 holiday and handled by licensed technicians who get permits from state and local agencies.
The change would affect only areas of the county outside of the seven incorporated cities. But commissioners and Landers hope the cities will follow their lead soon and prohibit fireworks too.
During a brief discussion Wednesday, commission chair Kaety Jacobson said the county’s ban could only be effective if cities adopt a similar ordinance. If not, she said, “this potentially could be one more layer of confusion.”
The seven cities in Lincoln County have a hodgepodge of fireworks regulations. Some like Lincoln City prohibit their sale or use in the city except on private property, Depoe Bay allows sales but not their use, and Yachats, Waldport, Siletz and Toledo allow both their sale and use under most conditions. The Newport city council is discussing an ordinance similar to the Lincoln City’s.
Commissioner Casey Miller said he met with the mayors of Lincoln City, Depoe Bay, Newport, Waldport and Yachats recently and all expressed support for doing something – but were “looking to the county for leadership.”
Landers echoed Jacobson’s statement in an interview Thursday with YachatsNews.
Landers said – and has told commissioners in the past – that enforcing such a ban is impossible given the sheer volume of calls and complaints the agency receives July 4.
“They understand that it’s not going to be enforced as they might want it to be,” he said. “But it does give us a tool if we get into a situation where there’s a lot of other things going on as well.”
Under the county’s nuisance ordinance, a sheriff’s citation could result in a fine of up to $500.
But Landers said a more uniform ordinance across the county and the seven cities would help his deputies and police departments in Newport, Lincoln City and Toledo. The sheriff has contracts to provide patrol services in Waldport, Depoe Bay and Siletz.
“Last year was a mess,” he said, referring to ordinances put in place in 2022 and last June when drought-caused fire danger increased. “One city you couldn’t sell but you could use and in another you could sell but couldn’t use. Some consistency between jurisdictions would help.
“But I’m glad they’re dealing with this early so at least we can get the word out,” Landers said.
You don’t get the public to comply with a law by advertising in advanced that you are not going to be very good at enforcing it. Yet Sheriff Landers, for whom I have great respect, continues to do this when it comes to fireworks bans. Sheriff Landers, we know your department is terrible at enforcing existing laws against illegal fireworks. Anyone who endures the annual mortar attacks in and surrounding Beverly Beach State Park knows this. So it would be very nice if the sheriff’s department would stop broadcasting in advance that they can’t enforce a law and instead announce that they’re going to do their best to enforce it.
I love fireworks, I honestly do. However, they do cause a lot of stress. But the biggest problem is the mortars which are beyond ridiculous to have in residential areas. If we could get people to be responsible, we wouldn’t need this but we do. A lot of people don’t know how to be responsible or respectful.