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Council directs counsel to draft amendments to fireworks ordinance after debate over tents vs. brick-and-mortar sellers
Summary
Council instructed corporate counsel to draft changes to the city's fireworks ordinance, touching on whether to restrict sales to licensed brick-and-mortar sellers on Telegraph Road and how enforcement would address illegal use.
Taylor City Council voted to direct corporate counsel to amend the city's fireworks ordinance after members debated whether to prioritize brick-and-mortar sellers over temporary tent vendors and how best to address complaints about fireworks usage.
One councilmember said the change would support established businesses that pay taxes and rent permanent commercial space and criticized temporary tent sales that appear near existing retailers. "We should support them by requiring anybody who sells fireworks to be a brick and mortar business," the councilmember said, arguing that tents unfairly compete with permanent stores. Other members warned restricting sales would not stop illegal late-night fireworks use and cautioned the measure could resemble past contentious debates over food trucks and similar street vendors.
The motion to direct counsel to prepare ordinance language passed on a roll-call vote (motion passed 4 to 2). Councilmembers asked counsel to return recommended language that balances supporting local businesses with enforceable rules and that considers practical enforcement of illegal fireworks usage.
