Council Approves Adjustments to Fireworks Ordinance

Approved adjustments to the Colton fireworks ordinance include clarifications regarding fireworks license issuance, license fees, liability insurance policies, groups or organizations eligible to sell fireworks in the city, and firework sale site location approval. In a 6-0 vote with Councilmember Summer Zamora Jorrin absent from the dais due to illness, the Colton City Council on March 3 approved the updates to the ordinance. Staff reports show the updates clarify that firework sale licenses will only be issued to recognized non-profit church, civic and youth organizations who can provide evidence of their Federal 501(c)(3) Tax Exempt status; stipulate a maximum total of 15 licenses for the sale of "safe and sane" fireworks as defined by Section 12529 of the California Health and Safety Code to be distributed throughout the city; raise the license fee amount from $50 to $100 to reflect current fees for fire permits; clarify that applicants are required to obtain and maintain a $300,000 public liability insurance policy and $50,000 property damage insurance certificates designating the city as an additional insured thereunder; clarify that all site locations for firework booths must be approved by the fire department; clarifies that no other structures used for firework storage may be allowed on the site; and now include a definition for a "new" group or organization as a "church, civic or youth organization that has not been issued a fireworks license the previous two years pursuant to a City Council resolution." Prior to the approved March 3 update, the fireworks ordinance had last been updated on March 21, 2006. The sale of safe and sane fireworks by approved groups takes place between noon on June 28 of each year and runs through midnight on July 5 each year, the approved updated fireworks ordinance states.