The Battle Ground City Council may soon limit the number of nonprofit organizations allowed to open fireworks stands for the Fourth of July holiday.
The city’s municipal code currently has no limit on the number of stands allowed. After last year’s Fourth of July weekend, the city council received numerous complaints from nonprofit groups operating stands about dwindling profits. Those concerns sparked a discussion about changing the city’s policy. The council has not made a final decision and will accept public comment on the issue at a meeting early next month. The city intends to make the change as soon as this summer.
“I have heard overwhelmingly that there’s been an explosive growth in the number of stands and not in proportion with the population growth,” Mayor Michael Ciraulo said. “Thus, everyone’s revenues are down. I’ve heard that loud and clear.”
The city’s municipal code allows any nonprofit organization located within city limits or with services benefitting the people who live in the city to open a stand for a $10 fee. Throughout the years, the fireworks stands have served as fundraisers for numerous local nonprofit groups. But recently, more and more organizations have applied for stands, thinning out the profits, said Robert Maul, the city’s community development director.
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In 2005, the city had three fireworks stands. Last year, there were nine stands within city limits.
Ciraulo, who is president of the North County Community Food Bank board, said the food bank relies on the money raised from its fireworks stand to supplement its budget and provide services to the community.
“The bottom line is, if we don’t get that revenue, that’s less food we can serve,” he said. “It’s not about salaries. It’s not about benefits. It’s about serving food to the public.”
The council is now considering instituting a cap on the number of stands based on the city’s population. The cities of Vancouver and Woodland, as well as the county, have similar policies.
The proposed change would permit one stand for every 3,000 people. The city’s current population of about 17,150 would mean six groups could have fireworks stands this summer.
The council members seemed to agree on the idea of instituting a cap but several members expressed concerns for longtime stand operators who could be edged out.
“There’s been some groups doing it for decades,” Councilman Alex Reinhold said. “I don’t think they should lose because of (the cap). I think they deserve a nod because they’ve been doing it for so long.”
The council is considering giving three longtime stand operators — the Battle Ground Rose Float Committee, the Battle Ground Chamber of Commerce, and the food bank and Lions Club, which operate one stand together — permits and determining the other three stands by a lottery. The six permit holders this year would have until the end of the year to file a letter of intent to operate their stand again next year. If they fail to do so, their permit would be eligible for the lottery next summer, Maul said.
The council is also considering increasing the fee to operate the stands from $10 to $100. Clark County and the rest of its cities that charge for stands have a $100 fee. Ridgefield and La Center don’t charge groups to operate fireworks stands.
The city council also received complaints about the length of time fireworks are permitted in the city. The city’s code is in line with state law, which most other cities follow, and the council decided against reducing the number of days that the discharge and sale of fireworks is allowed, Maul said.
