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Cedar City Council urges caution on July fireworks, details designated discharge sites and legal limits
Summary
Council members and public-safety officials warned residents about drought and nearby wildfires, encouraged use of city-sponsored professional displays and five designated parking-lot discharge locations, and explained that a citywide ban or designated-only rule would require meeting state-law deadlines and hazard mapping.
Cedar City Council members on June 25 pressed for extra public-safety outreach ahead of July celebrations, urging residents to use the city’s recommended discharge sites and follow state law.
"We currently have an ordinance that we follow state law," said Mike Schertz, fire chief, listing recommended discharge locations the city provides for the Fourth: the south parking lot at Cedar High, Bicentennial Softball Park, Canyon View High, the Aquatic Center and Iron Springs Elementary. "We provide dumpsters at those locations so we can take care of the waste and the mess."
The discussion began after council members said they had received constituent emails expressing concern about fireworks during a severe drought and active regional wildfires. Council members said they wanted reassurance that staff were prepared for the expected increase in private discharges and that emergency access would be preserved.
Darren Adams of the police department said staff had inspected likely viewing areas and estimated capacity constraints for one access corridor. "If you park them parallel, we figured you're about 184 vehicles on both sides," Adams said, noting the logistical challenge of closing roads and providing sufficient personnel to marshal parking and egress.
Chief Schertz and police staff described the limits of municipal authority. "If we wanted to ban them, we would have to start that early," Schertz said, noting state law requires municipalities to complete mapping and a hazard determination by May 1 to designate historical hazard areas or to impose a local ban. He also advised concentrating activity at the city’s professional show and the recommended parking-lot sites to reduce neighborhood discharges.
Council members discussed operational options such as temporarily closing sections of 1600 North, coordinating traffic loops to allow straight-in parking, and using social media to direct residents to the designated sites. Several council members and the fire chief emphasized that a local prohibition outside selected sites would follow the same state-law process and evidentiary requirements as a full ban.
The council took no formal ordinance action at the meeting. Staff said they would consider increased social-media outreach, logistical studies for parking and egress on Lund Highway and 1600 North, and whether to initiate the state-required process for a future restriction. The city also plans to place dumpsters at designated locations and to staff them for post-event cleanup.
