Mason City council to discuss fireworks sales changes, State Highway 122 later tonight

MASON CITY — The City Council in Mason City tonight will consider the second and possibly final readings of an ordinance repealing where consumer-grade fireworks can be sold in the community.

After the sale of consumer fireworks became legal in 2017, the council established a law to restrict sales of fireworks in temporary structures to only areas that were zoned as industrial. During the recently-completed legislative session, lawmakers passed a law that was signed by Governor Reynolds prohibiting cities from adopting or enforcing laws to prohibit or restrict the sales of consumer fireworks in commercial or industrial areas, invalidating the current city law.

The council has been asked to re-tool the language of the ordinance, stating that fireworks sales shall be permitted on property containing commercial or industrial forms and functions within the Z4-Multi-Use District, the Z5-Central Business District and the Z6-Industrial District. Director of Development Services Steven Van Steenhuyse says that language will mean that fireworks sales could not be done in places like apartment building parking lots or other parts of a multi-family property.

The council passed the first reading of the ordinance at their June 7th meeting but held off on waiving the second and third readings of the ordinance, even though fireworks vendors have already submitted plans for temporary sales from stores in the Z4 District for city approval.

The council meets at 7 o’clock tonight in the Mason City Room of the Public Library.

Before tonight’s meeting, the council will be having a workshop session at 5 o’clock where they will be discussing the future reconstruction of State Highway 122 in the western part of the community.