Warfield council is certainly getting the house in order after tackling two new bylaws for the books and updating several existing ones.
First is the Village of Warfield Fire Works Bylaw 919.
The village notes the goal of this bylaw, a first of its kind in the region, is to “reduce the risk of personal injury, noise and property damage from the use of fireworks and to minimize the impacts on pets and people.”
The bylaw regulates the sale, possession and discharge of fireworks within village proper.
“The fireworks bylaw stems from a review of fire prevention in the village, which earlier this year resulted in the banning of all open burning except for very small backyard camp fires, which require permits,” explains Warfield Coun. Raymond Masleck. “As for fireworks, council took the advice of staff and regional fire services that fireworks should not be discharged within the village except by certified people with a permit issued by fire department, and generally for public celebrations,” he said.
“This rules out private parties and celebrations.”
Permits will be contingent on fire conditions and fire bans, as well as conditions or restrictions imposed by Kootenay Boundary Fire Rescue and provincial/federal government bodies.
Moreover, the bylaw stipulates that the applicant must be at least 18 years of age, and the application for a fireworks permit must be made at least 14 days in advance of the proposed day of discharge.
Permit fees include: application ($50); initial site inspection ($100); each site re-inspection if required ($100); cost recovery if a firetruck is called in ($300); and incident cost recovery for each firefighter ($30/hour).
And council isn’t fooling around; there are applicable fines if fireworks are discharged in the Village of Warfield without a permit.
Fines include but aren’t limited to: discharging firecrackers or roman candles ($100); discharging fireworks without a permit ($250); failure to follow terms and conditions of the permit ($200); offer for sale, sell, give or trade fireworks in village boundaries ($350).
To view the new bylaw visit: Warfield.ca.
The second new bylaw, the Village of Warfield Business Licence Bylaw 920, is to licence and regulate business within the town proper.
“The business licence bylaw is an update of language and fees, which will now be $55 a year in most cases, up from $40,” Masleck clarified. “The new bylaw adds a series of departmental sign-offs on applications by building, fire and health inspectors.”
The two new bylaws, and others already in place, will be more easily enforceable now that council has hired a part-time bylaw officer in partnership with Rossland. Masleck added that a bylaw ticketing system will be put in place, likely later this year.
During the Aug. 8 regular meeting, council also tackled a zoning amendment bylaw, an expense reimbursement bylaw, and increased the price of rentals at the Warfield Community Hall under the village’s hall rental amendment bylaw 922.
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