IN THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE OF JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI
Title
AN ORDINANCE repealing sections 5612., 5627., and 5628., Jackson County Code, 1984, relating to fireworks, and enacting, in lieu thereof, three new sections relating to the same subject.
Intro
ORDINANCE NO. 4839, April 18, 2016
INTRODUCED BY Dennis Waits, County Legislator
Body
WHEREAS, certain revisions to the code provisions regarding the distribution, sale, and use of fireworks in unincorporated Jackson County have been proposed; and,
WHEREAS, such revisions are in the best interests of the health, welfare, and safety of the citizens of Jackson County; now therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED by the County Legislature of Jackson County, Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Enacting Clause. Sections 5612., 5627., and 5628., Jackson County, 1984, is hereby repealed, to be known as sections 5612., 5627., and 5628., to read as follows:
5612. Fireworks.
Fireworks means and includes any combustible or explosive composition, or any substance or combination of substances or articles prepared for the purposes of producing a visible or audible effect by combustion, explosion, deflagration of detonation.
5612.1. Examples.
The term "fireworks" includes but is not limited to: Blank cartridges; toy pistols, toy cannons, or toy guns in which explosives are used; balloons which require fire underneath to propel them; fire crackers; torpedoes; sky rockets; roman candles; [dago bombs;] colored flares; colored cone fire; fire and torches; wheels; colored mines and shells; aerial bombs; missiles; and other devices, articles or tablets containing any explosives or flammable compound.
5612.2. Exclusions.
The term "fireworks" shall not include toy pistols, toy cannons, toy guns or other devices in which paper caps are used containing not in excess of an average of twenty-five hundredths of a grain of explosive compound per cap.
5627. Exception, Seasonal Fourth of July Sales.
The retail sale of fireworks at temporary sites may be conducted by non-profit organizations within the unincorporated areas of the County for a period of [forty-five (45)] forty-three days prior to the Fourth day of July of each year, said days beginning on the [21st] 23rd day of May and including the first (1st), second (2nd), third (3rd) and fourth (4th) days of July and ending at 3:00 p.m. on the fifth (5th) day of July of each year upon issuance of a permit, renewable annually, from the County.
5627.1. Limitation on Number of Seasonal Sales Permits.
There will be a maximum of nine (9) permits issued as the initial number of permits for local non-profit organizations for seasonal retail sales at temporary sites in 2009. Preference will be given to non-profit organizations located in Jackson County. [After July 5, 2009] Annually, the County Legislature may set by resolution, approved on or before [5:00 p.m. on] February 28th of each year, an annual limit on the number of permits that may be issued which limit shall continue in effect until further resolution of the County Legislature.
5627.2. Permit, Application and Issuance.
Any non-profit organization desiring to sell or offer for sale permitted fireworks within the County shall make a timely, written application to the County for the issuance of a permit on a form to be provided by the Clerk of the Legislature.
5627.3. Procedures for Initial Permits [for 2009].
[Commencing with the 2009 permit year, a]Any qualified non-profit organization will make application through the Clerk of the Legislature on or before [March 1st] May 6 of each year. The Clerk shall notify the Legislature of the permits proposed to be issued. The Legislature may reject the issuance of any initial permit within 15 days of the notice from the Clerk. Any such person, firm or corporation making application for a permit [in 2009 or subsequent years] shall accompany the application with current proof of insurance which shall remain on file with the Clerk of the Legislature.
5627.3.1. Maintain Insurance.
The applicant shall maintain adequate insurance coverage for any liability that might arise from the sale and storage of the fireworks.
5627.3.2. Denial by Clerk; Zoning Requirements.
The denial of a fireworks permit shall be at the sole discretion of the Clerk based upon the foregoing requirements; and all applications must contain the name of the applicant and a detailed description of the proposed location and the provisions to be taken for fire protection under the Jackson County Code. Any site location is limited to property which is zoned for an appropriate commercial or industrial use and any required special use permits or zoning variances; and the actual stand, tent or facility shall meet the following conditions: it shall be at least [fifty (50)] one hundred (100) feet from any temporary or permanent building; it shall be at least three hundred (300) feet from any gasoline pump, gasoline filling station, gasoline bulk station, or any building in which gasoline or volatile liquids are sold in quantities in excess of one (1) gallon, or any dispensing unit for ignitable liquids or gases; and it must be at least three hundred (300) feet from any Adult Entertainment Business as defined in section 4301 of this code. The applicant must provide the Clerk with documentation of these facts.
5627.4. Information Required for Approval.
In support of the application to the Clerk, the applicants are required to set forth the intended use of the funds produced from the fireworks sale, together with a proposal projecting the financial benefits from the operation of the fireworks stand, including the profit percentage expected by the applicant for the sale of the fireworks; and applicants shall satisfy the Clerk that all monies collected from the sale of fireworks will be the funds of the non-profit organization subject to payment of expenses.
5627.5. Permit Renewals and New Applications.
In the event fireworks permits are available for succeeding years, the Clerk shall give preference to applicants for a fireworks permit who were permit holders in the year [2009 or in the year] prior to the application. Applicants must complete and submit the application on or before [April 29th] May 6 of each year. The Clerk shall notify the Legislature of the available permits proposed to be issued on or before May [6] 11. The Legislature shall have seven (7) days in which to reject any proposed permit. The Clerk shall issue the permits within [seven (7)] five (5) days following the seven day period. The Legislature is the sole judge of the basis for rejection of a proposed permit.
5627.6. Permits Non-Transferable.
All permits issued and approved by the Legislature are personal to the applicant and non-transferable. The sale of fireworks or operation of a facility for the sale of fireworks by someone other than the license holder shall void the permit and cause forfeiture of the permit fee and constitute grounds for denial of any future permit.
5627.7. Distribution of Fees.
All fees collected from fireworks permits shall go to the General Fund.
5627.8. Application Fee.
Any such person, firm or corporation making application for a permit to the Clerk of the Legislature shall accompany said application with a fee of five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each location that a permit is sought. If the issuance of the permit is denied by the Clerk or rejected by the Legislature, four hundred ($400.00) of the five hundred dollars ($500.00) fee shall be returned to the applicant with one hundred dollars ($100.00) retained by the Clerk as an administrative fee. If such application is approved, then the total fee shall be five hundred dollars ($500.00) which shall be retained by the County.
5627.9. Sales by Volunteers Required.
No non-profit organization shall allow anyone other than unpaid volunteers of said organization to participate in any respect in the sale of fireworks or operation of the place of sale.
5628. Exception, Licensed Wholesale Distributor, Storage and Sale of Fireworks.
There will be a total of four (4) wholesale fireworks sales distributorship licenses issued from year-to-year for wholesale fireworks distributors for the purpose of storage and sale of consumer fireworks.
5628.1. Must be Licensed by State of Missouri.
Any wholesale fireworks distributor must be licensed by the State of Missouri to engage in the wholesale distribution and sale of fireworks and in good standing with the State of Missouri and the County regarding taxes and insurance.
5628.2. Located within County.
Any such wholesale fireworks distributor must make application to the Clerk of the Legislature on a form provided by the Clerk. Such distributor must have a business location in Jackson County and its proposed sites for operation must be physically located within the unincorporated area of the County [and owned by the applicant within one (1) year of the adoption of this section].
5628.3. Application Fee.
The initial application fee will be $1,000.00 for any proposed wholesale storage and sales location and an additional five hundred dollars ($ 500.00) for each proposed retail sales location, including the retail sales at the wholesale location for a total possible annual license fee of three thousand dollars ($3,000.00). The fee must accompany the application to the Clerk in a form required by the Clerk. The Clerk shall review the application and notify the Legislature of the proposed issuance of a license. The Legislature shall have fifteen (15) days in which to reject any proposed issuance. If denied by the Clerk or rejected by the Legislature, the sum of two hundred dollars ($200.00) shall be retained by the Clerk as an administrative fee and the balance of eight hundred dollars ($800.00) shall be refunded to the applicant. If such application is approved, then the total fee shall be one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) which shall be retained by the County. If any proposed retail sales location is denied or rejected, the sum of one dollars ($100.00) shall be retained by the Clerk as an administrative fee and the balance of four hundred dollars ($400.00) shall be refunded to the applicant.
5628.4. Zoning Requirements.
The grant or denial of a distributorship or retail license shall be at the sole discretion of the Clerk based upon the foregoing requirements; and all applications must contain the name of the applicant and a detailed description of the proposed location and the provisions to be taken for fire protection under the Jackson County Code and State statutes or regulations. Any site location is limited to property which is zoned for an appropriate commercial or industrial use and any required special use permits or zoning variances. The provisions of section 5627.3.2 of this chapter regarding location shall also apply. The applicant must provide the Clerk with documentation of these facts.
5628.5. Scope of Wholesale Distributor and Distributor Retail Licenses.
The distributorship license shall authorize the operation of one site for year-round wholesale storage, sale and distribution of fireworks. If eligible for the issuance of a distributorship license, the applicant may also apply for distributor retail licenses that authorizes on-site year-round distributor retail sales at the wholesale location as well as three distributor retail sales sites at permanent sites located within the unincorporated areas of the County for a total of four (4) year-round distributor retail sales locations for which a separate application or renewal fee must be paid.
5628.6. Distributorship License and Distributor Retail License Issuance.
[Commencing with the 2009 license year, a]Any qualified distributor will make application through the Clerk of the Legislature on or before [March 1st] May 6 of each year. The Clerk shall notify the Legislature of the licenses proposed to be issued. The Legislature may reject the issuance of any initial license within 15 days of the notice from the Clerk. Any qualified distributor making application for a license [in 2009 or subsequent years] shall accompany the application with current proof of insurance which shall remain on file with the Clerk of the Legislature. In the event distributorship licenses for wholesale and retail sales are available for [succeeding] any year[s], the Clerk shall give preference to applicants for a license who were license holders in the year [2009 or in the year] prior to the application. Applicants must complete and submit the application on or before [March 1st] May 6 of each year. The Clerk shall notify the Legislature of the available permits proposed to be issued on or before [March 16th] May 11. The Legislature shall have [fifteen (15)] seven (7) days in which to reject any proposed permit. The Clerk shall issue the permits within [thirty (30)] five (5) days following the [fifteen] seven-day period. The Legislature is the sole judge of the basis for rejection of a proposed wholesale or retail license.
5628.7. Wholesale and Retail License Renewable Annually.
Wholesale fireworks distributor and distributor retail licenses shall be renewable annually by payment of the annual fee of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for each wholesale location and five hundred dollars ($500.00) for each retail location for a total possible license renewal fee of three thousand dollars ($3,000.00) subject to denial by the Clerk or rejection by the Legislature.
Enacted and Approved
Effective Date: This Ordinance shall be effective immediately upon its passage by the County Executive.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
____________________________ ________________________________
Chief Deputy County Counselor County Counselor
I hereby certify that the attached Ordinance, Ordinance No. 4839 introduced on April 18, 2016, was duly passed on _________________________, 2016 by the Jackson County Legislature. The votes thereon were as follows:
Yeas _______________ Nays ______________
Abstaining __________ Absent ____________
This Ordinance is hereby transmitted to the County Executive for his signature.
________________________ ______________________________
Date Mary Jo Spino, Clerk of Legislature
I hereby approve the attached Ordinance No. 4839.
_______________________ _______________________________
Date Frank White, Jr., County Executive