Wichita City Council approves fireworks ordinance, street flooding fix

Ryan Newton
·2 min read

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – The Wichita City Council voted 6-0 to amend the city’s fireworks ordinance at Tuesday’s meeting.

With the approval, fireworks will be allowed for an extra day during the longer holiday weekend. Aerial fireworks can be legally discharged from July 3 through July 5 from 10 a.m. to midnight. The sale of aerial fireworks will also be allowed in the city, which was not allowed last year. One vendor told the council that it was a little late to be changing the policy.

“As a vendor, I have to completely 180 change my product mix, my tents and what’s happening for my business,” Jacob Marietta, Wholesale Fireworks operation manager, said. “You are letting a whole new category in. So, the inventory that we had planned is not completely obsolete, but it is now 20% of the sales instead of the 100% it was last year.”

“Safe and sane” fireworks will be allowed to be discharged from June 27–July 5 from 10 a.m. until midnight. Safe and sane fireworks include fountains, sparklers, smoke balls, snake-type fireworks, ground-spinning fireworks, pinwheels, most novelty fireworks, toy-trick noisemakers, and crackling fireworks.

In addition, the ordinance will now mirror state statutes, making it illegal to:

  • Ignite fireworks from a bicycle, motorcycle, electric scooter, car or other motor vehicles,

  • Ignite fireworks within 50 feet of a fireworks stand,

  • Possess or ignite non-consumer grade fireworks,

  • Engage in the manufacture of fireworks for sale or personal use without a permit issued by the State of Kansas and

  • Engage in a pyrotechnic show without a permit.

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Bleckley Drive Drainage project

The council voted 6-0 to spend millions to fix flooding on Bleckley Drive in east Wichita.

The City of Wichita started looking at the problem in the late 1990s. Council member Brandon Johnson says the project is large and expensive.

“When you see the flooding that’s occurred there, it can move whole vehicles, people could drown, on bad rainy days when school is in session those kids probably couldn’t cross the street. To me, it’s more important to get that solved,” Johnson said.

The project could start in 2025 and wrap up by 2028.

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