Columbia Fireworks and firearms ordinance (§ 16-234)

(a) Discharging. Every person who shall fire or discharge any gun, pistol, revolver or any other firearm or air rifle, or shall possess, use, burn, explode or set off any firecracker, torpedo, bomb, rocket, pinwheel, fire balloon, Roman candles or any other firecracker or fireworks other than a sparkler within the city shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section.

(b) Exceptions to provisions of paragraph (a):

(1) Gun clubs, sheet shoots, target ranges. The provisions of paragraph (a) of this section shall not apply to the firing of firearms within the bounds of gun clubs, skeet shoots or target ranges in the manner specified, and as authorized by the board of adjustment, after public hearing and in accordance with provisions of chapter 29 of this Code.

(2) Permits for special shooting events and fireworks displays. The city manager is hereby authorized to issue permits for special one day shooting events or fireworks displays to be held at such places as, in the opinion of the city manager, shall provide maximum safety for all persons concerned, and under direct supervision and control of such persons as the provisions of paragraph (a) of this section shall not apply to such authorized events for which such permits have been issued.

(3) Hunting. The provisions of paragraph (a) of this section pertaining to the discharge of firearms shall not apply to any person discharging a shotgun, primitive firearm or BB gun while lawfully hunting on a privately owned tract of land twenty (20) acres or larger that was annexed into the city after February 21, 2005, subject to the following prohibitions:

a. It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge a firearm in such a manner that the projectile travels along or across any street, building or playground.

b. It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge a firearm at or in the direction of any visible person, domestic animal, vehicle, building or playground within reasonable range of the firearm at an angle that might allow the projectile to strike near any of these objects or areas.

c. It shall be unlawful to discharge a firearm within three hundred (300) feet of any building or playground off the premises where the person is shooting.

(c)

Sale of fireworks prohibited. Except as provided in subsection (d), every person who shall sell or expose for sale any fireworks, firecrackers, torpedoes, bombs, rockets, pinwheels, fire balloons, Roman candles, toy cannons or any other fireworks of a like kind within the city shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor; provided, however, that this section shall not be construed to prohibit the sale of fireworks in wholesale lots by any person holding a wholesale license to do business within the city for use or sale outside the limits of the city, or for use within the city limits by competent persons under a permit issued by the city manager.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Code, any property annexed into the city which was lawfully used for the commercial sale of fireworks at any time during the year immediately preceding annexation may be used for the commercial sale of fireworks for up to seven (7) years after annexation.