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Milton council adopts fireworks ban ordinance; enforcement and tribal jurisdiction raised as concerns
Summary
Following an advisory ballot that favored a ban, Milton’s council approved Ordinance 2,131-25 to ban fireworks. Council and staff discussed enforcement roles, a delay before the ordinance 'goes into play' as transcribed, and limits where tribal trust land lies within the city.
Milton’s City Council voted unanimously Dec. 1 to adopt an ordinance banning fireworks after an advisory ballot showed voter support for a ban.
The mayor said residents had voted in favor of banning fireworks (transcript recorded '55.82% in favor' though numeric transcription contained typos). Councilmember Hall moved to approve Ordinance 2,131-25 and Councilmember Strader seconded. Hall said "our residents have spoken," and that the next step is determining how the city will enforce the ban.
Councilmembers asked whether the code’s enforcement language — which names the fire chief as the enforcing officer — would hinder prosecutions. Chief Hernandez said enforcement tools include public education and noted the ordinance names the fire chief (and references the fire marshal) as the enforcing officer; he recommended consulting the fire department, prosecutor and judge to understand how enforcement would work and to set expectations for the public. "Police are always willing to submit charges forward, but we're not the end result just because we submit a charge," Chief Hernandez said, urging coordination with the prosecutor and judge.
Councilmember Moretti asked whether the ordinance would apply to tribal trust land inside Milton; Chief Hernandez said the city lacks jurisdiction over tribal trust land and that will need to be part of public education so residents understand enforcement limits where Puyallup tribal trust lands exist.
Chief Hernandez also told council there would be a period before the ordinance "goes into play" (transcribed as "27 before it goes into play"), and advised the city use that time for education and process design so residents understand what enforcement will look like.
The council called the question and recorded the ordinance as carried 7–0.
