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Commission discusses fireworks permit for school event; staff to apply state fire‑marshal standards
Summary
Commissioners discussed a school district request for a professional fireworks display at an upcoming game, clarified that state fire‑marshal permits and municipal code provisions apply, and asked staff to ensure equitable treatment for any group that complies with state rules.
Commissioners on Sept. 9 considered a request from the school district for a professional fireworks display at an upcoming rivalry game. Staff said the city’s fireworks code currently allows professional public displays if the state fire marshal issues the required permit, and noted the municipal code did not explicitly reference the state permitting subsection in the packet language.
Commissioners discussed policy and equity implications. Several said they would defer to the state fire marshal’s review and would apply the same standard to any other organization that seeks a professional public fireworks display and that meets ORS and state fire‑marshal permitting requirements. Other commissioners said they would prefer to phase out fireworks overall and suggested alternatives such as drone or laser shows, but no change to city code was adopted at the meeting.
Staff indicated the school district’s permit request was moving quickly through the process and that the city would sign off consistent with existing code and the state fire marshal’s review unless the commission later adopts stricter local limits. No special exception was granted at the meeting; commissioners requested staff to clarify code language to explicitly reference the state permitting process and to treat similar requests consistently.
