By Richard Smith
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X: @rsmithYWV

The Glendale City Council finishes a busy workshop with its first discussion of potentially banning the use of fireworks in the city.

The workshop starts at 12:30 p.m.  Tuesday, March 25 in the Glendale Civic Center, 5750 W. Glenn Drive. Fireworks are the eighth and final item on the agenda.

Council member Lupe Conchas brought up the topic as a council item of special interest.

"As we know, fireworks create a significant strain on fire and police departments, contribute to air and water pollution, negatively impact residents with PTSD, veterans and young children. While Glendale enforces restrictions, state law prevents us from fully regulating firework sales and usage," Conchas said during the Feb. 11 council workshop. "I;m requesting that staff do a thorough review, including fire safety and resource allocation, assessing fire-related incidents and emergency reponse costs, environmental and public health impacts -  air quality and water contamination and mental health impacts. Finally, and most importantly, legal and policy analysis. I would like the city to explore the feasibility of a a charter amendment to ban fireworks, their sale and possession."

Conchas said he discussed legal pathways to nullifying firework usage with City Attorney Michael Bailey and Deputy City Manager Brent Stoddard.

The council discusses, but does not vote on this, or other items presented at the workshop. Items preceeding the fireworks discussion of Tuesday's agenda are:

• This month's update on the downtown campus reinvestment project update.
• How to modernize Visit Glendale, and the Glendale Convention and Visitors Bureau.
• Discussing the feasibility of an ad-hoc ciziten bond election committee for 2025
• The possibility of adding a GlendaleOne QRC code to park signs.
• Looking at reducing the amount of time bulk trash is out on front yards before it is picked up.
• Creating a cemetery memorial for Mexican nationals working on local farms in 1959 who tragically lost their lives in a bus accident.
• Cleaning up conflicting city codes and correcting language to make codes consistent.

Richard Smith
Senior News Editor | Glendale & West Valley Preps

rsmith@iniusa.org

Richard Smith has been with Independent Newsmedia since 2016, and worked at a Sun City-based news outfit covering the Northwest Valley for 22 consecutive years.

An NAU alum and lifelong Arizona resident, Richard began as a copy editor and page designer at Surprise Today and the Daily News-Sun, then rekindled his love of sports writing by taking the reins on West Valley Preps in 2008.

For most of the mid-2010s he was the Surprise editor and West Valley Preps reporter. Now he’s the West Valley Preps Editor and Surprise Associate Editor.

As COVID restrictions slowly lift, Richard is cautiously optimistic he will visit book stores, football fields and gyms again this fall.