photo by: Douglas County

Trash from fireworks is pictured at Lone Star Lake Park on July 5, 2021.

Douglas County leaders will soon continue their discussion of changes to fireworks regulations that would increase requirements on fireworks stands and prohibit people from setting off fireworks on some county-owned properties.

As part of its meeting Wednesday, the Douglas County Commission will consider adopting a new home rule resolution to replace the existing resolution regarding the use and sale of fireworks. The commission previously discussed the changes in April but voted to table the discussion after hearing concerns from owners of fireworks stands.

Though the city of Lawrence bans both the sale and use of fireworks, no such bans generally exist in the unincorporated or rural areas of the county. The new resolution would ban people from shooting fireworks off on county-owned property, with the exception of Lone Star Lake and Wells Overlook Park, where use would be more limited than it is now. Other provisions would increase the permit fees for fireworks stands to help offset county costs associated with the permitting process, as well as additional updates and requirements.

A county staff memo discusses various issues with trash, noise and contamination, particularly at locations where many people congregate to shoot off fireworks, such as Lone Star Lake and Wells Overlook Park. Several community members complained about a lack of courtesy of those shooting fireworks at those parks, and some Lawrence residents who live near the edge of the city also expressed concerns about people shooting fireworks late into the evening multiple nights in a row, saying it was disruptive to their children and pets.

The memo states that following Fourth of July weekend this year, 2.5 tons of waste were hauled out of Lone Star Lake Park. County staff received complaints regarding individuals igniting fireworks on the shore or off of boats, as well as reports of individuals packing fireworks in culverts and igniting them. Some people also complained about strangers igniting fireworks near their families. Staff included photos of the park from July 5 in addition to some of the complaints received.

photo by: Douglas County

Trash from fireworks is pictured at Lone Star Lake Park on July 5, 2021.

photo by: Douglas County

Trash from fireworks is pictured at Lone Star Lake Park on July 5, 2021.

When the changes were initially proposed, county staff recommended that fireworks be banned at all county-owned properties, including both parks. Now, in an effort “to mitigate damages and reduce clean up,” county staff is recommending the county designate specific portions of Lone Star Lake and Wells Overlook parks for firework ignition and to consider contracting for cleanup out of concerns for staff cleaning up potentially unspent fireworks. The memo states the change was to prevent fireworks from becoming an issue on other county-owned properties.

The county is also backing off of other previously proposed changes. Initially, the county proposed the prohibition of fireworks stands on “county islands,” or lots that aren’t part of a city but are completely surrounded by land that is within a city. To explain the change of course, the memo states only that “after further discussion with officials with the City of Lawrence, firework vendors, and fire departments, staff have withdrawn this proposed amendment.”

When it comes to permit fees for fireworks stands, initially staff recommended that fees increase from $125 to $250 to help pay for county time spent processing and approving the permits. The memo states that staff is still examining the county’s costs when it comes to processing permit applications, and that currently fees are expected to be anywhere from $500 to $1,000. Several other safety and permitting requirements for fireworks stands are also proposed to be updated, including regulations related to flammable materials, public notice and parking.

The County Commission will convene at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the county courthouse, 1100 Massachusetts St. Residents can participate in the meeting in person, virtually or via phone, and more information about those options is available at douglascountyks.org/commission/meetings.