MEDICAL LAKE — The Medical Lake City Council voted to approve the first firework sales permit application it has received this year. The vote came at the council’s May 19 meeting. The application came from J&M LLC.
The issue was brought to the council by city administrator Doug Ross, who felt the business wouldn’t be prohibited by Gov. Jay Inslee’s COVID-19 related proclamations.
“I was asked the question, ‘Is this even allowed today?’” Ross said. “Quite honestly, this is probably the definition of a drive-through business. Also, fireworks can’t be on sale inside our city limits until July 1. I am guessing things will be quite a bit different by then. Even today, I think this would be allowed under Phase 1, and certainly, by Phase 2.”
Ross added that he expects to see two more applications for fireworks sales this year.
The approval also had the support of Spokane Fire District 3 Chief Cody Rohrbach.
“We historically support folks’ rights to celebrate independence responsibly,” Rohrbach said. “We will back the position of the city.”
This is the first year that Spokane Fire District 3 will be providing service to Medical Lake during fireworks season. The all-volunteer Medical Lake Fire Department was annexed into the district after a vote last year.
Fireworks are banned in Spokane County except in Medical Lake, Airway Heights and Deer Park, the latter two being outside of District 3’s coverage area.
With legal fireworks being new to the district, Rohrbach assured the council his department was ready to handle July 4.
“The one caveat we have is if we reach any sort of critical fire danger or fire weather event on that day, we retain the right to make an audible at the last moment,” Rohrbach said.
Jeremy Burnham can be reached at [email protected].
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