Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fireworks Storage topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County allows commercial fireworks storage inside pole barn on vacant lot in Wellington area
Summary
Larimer County commissioners approved an appeal to allow commercial fireworks storage inside a Type‑4 magazine within a pole barn on a vacant O‑Open zoned lot; the decision includes conditions requiring continued permits and limits on expansion.
The Larimer County Board of County Commissioners on Feb. 24 approved an appeal that allows the storage of commercially used fireworks inside a Type‑4 magazine located within a pole barn on a vacant lot in the Wellington area.
Principal planner Cassie Fiore presented the staff report on the Ehrlich appeal, file 24GNRL0561. The subject parcel is a 4.07‑acre lot at 2163 B Lake Road in the O‑Open zone, adjacent to the owners’ residence at 2151 B Lake Road. The owners, Brian and Mary Ehrlich, operate Bee Lake Productions, a pyrotechnics business that provides display services to the town of Wellington and other customers.
Fiore said staff and referral agencies reviewed federal and state safety permits supplied by the applicant, including an ATF explosives license and permits from the Wellington Fire Protection District and the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control. The development services team found the appeal met the five review criteria in the land‑use code and recommended support subject to conditions.
Brian Ehrlich described the property’s history of outdoor storage and said moving the storage inside the pole barn improved security and aesthetics. "Safety is our highest priority," Ehrlich told the board, and he explained the magazine uses ATF‑approved locks and construction. He said Wellington Fire inspects the magazine annually and ATF inspections occur on a three‑year cycle.
Commissioners asked about magazine design and distances to neighboring homes; staff and the applicants said the magazine is designed to contain internal deflagration and that the nearest neighbor residence is several hundred feet away. The county’s recommended conditions limit storage to a Type‑4 magazine, require that no fireworks be stored outside the designated facility, and require maintenance of federal and local permits for the duration of the use; staff also cautioned that any expansion of storage or increased capacity would require additional county review.
Commissioners found the appeal met the land‑use review criteria, notably that it would not be detrimental to public health or safety given the regulatory permits and safety measures presented. Commissioner John Kefalas moved approval; the board voted 2–0 to approve the appeal with the staff‑recommended conditions.
