City Council to Consider Restricted and Prohibited Fireworks on Beaches

With less than a month until Independence Day, fireworks in Pacifica will most likely not be banned this year, but they will certainly be restricted.

Tonight at a Pacifica City Council meeting a proposal from the city's Fireworks Task Force Committee urges the Council to consider approving recommendations for a "safer and saner" Fourth of July — an Independence Day celebration that addresses an on-going environmental concern regarding the litter created by the fireworks that ends up on the beach and in the ocean presenting a potential danger to sea life and recognizes that the sale of “safe and sane” fireworks provides a significant revenue stream for community nonprofit groups.

“The Task Force worked very hard and came up with a very viable compromise that everyone could agree on, including the Pacifica Beach Coalition, Firework booth groups, and citizens at large," said Pacifica Beach Coalition president Lynn Adams, who is also a committee member on the Fireworks Task Force. "We all set aside our differences and decided on this course, which we feel is a step in the right direction to helping the ocean and wildlife but still allows the sale and setting off of 'safe and sane' fireworks at places which is vital to many of our community groups.”

July 4 revelers spent more than $424,000 last year at the town's fireworks stands and community groups like Terra Nova High School and the Pacifica Girls Softball League depend on that money for funding, according to a report in the Pacifica Tribune.

The Task Force specifically recommends the following at tonight's council meeting, which has not been approved, adopted or amended:

1. Limitation of fireworks to a defined portion of Pacifica State Beach / Linda Mar and two other sites.

“Safe and Sane” fireworks to only be allowed on the area immediately west of the north parking lot of Linda Mar Beach to approximately 10 feet east of the tideline and immediately north of the Taco Bell Restaurant to the prolongation of the north end of the north Linda Mar Beach Parking Lot.

“Safe and Sane” fireworks are banned from: Rockaway Beach, Sharp Park Beach, Manor, and Esplanade. 

“Safe and Sane” fireworks be allowed in the south Linda Mar Beach Parking Lot (asphalt area) and the south Rockaway Beach Parking Lot (asphalt) as alternative sites. Citizens would be able to enjoy the beaches for recreational activities and then could utilize the parking lot to display “Safe and Sane” fireworks. 

There would be no parking of motor vehicles allowed in the south Linda Mar Beach Parking Lot or the south Rockaway Beach Parking Lot on the 4th of July in order to accommodate for the use of the area for fireworks.

2.     Encourage neighborhood block parties with specific locations and cleanup plans in place.

Recognizing that the restricting of fireworks on the beaches will likely result in an increased use in the residential neighborhoods, the Task Force recommends that the City promote organized block parties to provide an increased sense of community and responsibility. The promoting of block parties would be done through the City website, social media and print media.

3.     Enhanced effort for organized and effective clean up by nonprofit organizations. 

Major emphasis to be placed on the clean-up efforts by the nonprofit groups after the 4th of July with focus on designated firework sites.

Clean-up efforts on the morning of July 5th. Historically, the Department of Public Works has responded to Linda Mar Beach at 7 a.m. to do clean-up. This has resulted in the Department of Public Works cleaning up the majority of the litter that is visible.

The community nonprofit groups have typically responded later in the morning and completed additional clean up at the beach. It was discussed and agreed, that it would be more effective if the non-profit groups arrived earlier at 7:30 a.m. to begin their clean-up efforts with the Department of Public Works personnel who would coordinate and direct the clean-up efforts.

Initiate a pilot program in 2013, requiring community nonprofit groups permitted to sell fireworks to provide 160 hours combined additional clean-up efforts beyond the 5th of July, which would be coordinated between the Pacifica Beach Coalition and the nonprofit groups. This would include specific clean-up location, number of hours and number of personnel required. This clean-up effort to be completed by August 5th of the same year.

In subsequent years, the Task Force recommends that specific language be added to the City of Pacifica Application For Permit To Sell Fireworks form, which would require each group to perform a specific number of hours of clean up at specific location(s) on specific dates. (This recommendation could not be implemented this year because the applications have already been submitted.) It is also recommended that if either of the permanent or rotating non-profit groups did not adequately fulfill their clean-up obligation they would lose their privilege to sell fireworks the following year.

The Committee recommends that a representative from each nonprofit group attend a mandatory meeting prior to the 4th of July to understand their responsibilities and consequences as it relates to their ability to sell “Safe and Sane” fireworks.

4.     Community-wide anti-littering education marketing campaign

Recognizing the need for a community engagement, it is recommended that the Parks, Beach and Recreation Department and Commission be tasked with providing language/templates for the anti-litter campaign and literature.

The Task Force recommends that “anti-litter” signage be required to be posted at each fireworks booth and on fireworks literature that is handed out at the booths.

The Task Force recommends for the Fourth of July, anti-litter signs be posted on the garbage dumpsters and garbage cans that are located on the beaches and in the beach parking lots. These signs would also include language regarding distance from tidelines.

The Task Force recommends utilizing electronic and paper media to distribute the anti-litter message. This would potentially include the use of the Pacifica Tribune, Channel 26, City of Pacifica website, school media, school email, social media, telephone call-out blasts and flyers.

5. Waste Receptacles – Waste Removal

It is the recommendation of the Task Force that TNT Fireworks works with Recology of Pacifica to place dumpsters on the Fourth of July at each of the designated fireworks sites, including the south Linda Mar Beach parking lot, the north Linda Mar Beach parking lot and the south Rockaway Beach parking lot to accommodate the large amount of litter and debris associated with the holiday.

The Task Force recommends that the City of Pacifica, Department of Public Works empty the garbage cans on Linda Mar Beach, the south parking lot of Linda Mar Beach and the south parking lot of Rockaway Beach prior to darkness on the 4th of July to minimize overflow.

“If the proposals are enacted as written, people will still be able to buy safe and sane fireworks," said Butler, "and will have three official sites to set them off — a reduced area on Linda Mar Beach, as well as the South parking lots at Linda Mar and Rockaway.”

Mayor Len Stone, City Councilmember Mike O’Neill and City Staff Representative Jim Tasa of the Pacifica Police Department did not reply with their comment on the issue for this article.

The City Council meets at 7 p.m. Monday at 2212 Beach Blvd. in Pacifica.