Fireworks groups want one more sales hour

Costa Mesa City Councilman Gary Monahan plans to ask his fellow council members to support extending the hours for Fourth of July fireworks sales at tonight’s council meeting.

At least five of the nonprofit organizations that operate fireworks booths approached the city about extending operations by one hour, from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m on July 4. Pop Warner Football, Costa Mesa Boys’ Basketball, the Orange Coast College Foundation, Mika Community Development Corp. and Estancia High School’s golf program argued in a city staff report that extending their operations by one hour on the final day of sales will help them raise more money for their programs.

“One more hour, especially with these economic times, is definitely going to help them raise more money, Monahan said. “I think it’s a good thing.”

But the Police and Fire departments are against extended hours, stating in a memo that they are concerned about accidents and already reduced staffing levels.

Extending the hours of operations would lead more drivers to drive in the dark when the air is filled with smoke, traffic is heavy and pedestrians are filling the streets and sidewalks, public safety officials argued.

But Monahan said an hour shouldn’t create major problems for police and firefighters.

“They’ve always recommended against that, it’s a given,” he said. “Police departments have to deal with fireworks, and it’s a headache, and I understand their concerns. It’s a minor little increase of the hours, one more hour can mean a lot of money for the organizations. I hope my fellow council [members] support it.”

Costa Mesa is one of five cities in Orange County that allow nonprofits to sell fireworks around Independence Day.

Nonprofit organizations in the city partner with companies to sell so-called “safe and sane fireworks” and keep about half of the proceeds, said Costa Mesa Assistant City Manager Tom Hatch.

The organizations are allowed to sell their fireworks from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. July 1 to 3. On July 4, sales begin an hour earlier, but must shut down by 8 p.m.

Last year, 35 organizations set up fireworks booths in Costa Mesa, Hatch said.

“It’s work for nonprofits, and it’s a big commitment, but it’s a way for them to make a lot of money in a short period of time,” Hatch said.

Monahan and two of the nonprofits are also asking that the city reverse its ban on the so-called “hand-held devices,” commonly referred to as Morning Glories.

Although the devices are not outlawed by the state, the city made them illegal in 2004, Monahan said.

“The sparklers [are] one of the fun things for all the kids to have,” he said. “The city banned it because one year some kid burned their hands, but they are safe and not outlawed by the state, and things happen.”

Monahan will make his case during the City Council’s regular meeting at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 77 Fair Drive.

If the majority of the council supports the idea of extending the hours and lifting the ban on hand-held devices, the city will have to amend its ordinance before the new policy takes effect.