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REQUEST FOR <br />COUNCIL ACTION <br />CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: <br />APRIL 6, 2016 <br />TITLE: <br />OPTIONS FOR THE SALE AND USE <br />OF SAFE AND SANE FIREWORKS <br />{STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL NO. 1, 2D} <br />f2/a "" �Z I 1� <br />CITY MANAG R <br />RECOMMENDED ACTION <br />CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY: <br />e, <br />❑ As Recommended <br />❑ As Amended <br />❑ Ordinance on 1" Reading <br />❑ Ordinance an 2 I Reading <br />® Implementing Resolution <br />® <br />Set Public Hearing For <br />CONTINUED TO <br />FILE NUMBER <br />Review and select an option for the use and sale of safe and sane fireworks from the options <br />listed below: <br />1. The sale and use of safe and sane fireworks remain legal in the City of Santa Ana; or <br />2. Ban the sale and use of safe and sane fireworks within the city limits effective 2016; or <br />3. Ban the sale and use of safe and sane fireworks within the city limits effective 2017. <br />DISCUSSION <br />Since April 4, 1986, the City of Santa Ana municipal code has allowed the sale and use of safe <br />and sane fireworks. Since that time, a lottery system was established allowing non - profit <br />organizations to enter into agreements with safe and sane fireworks vendors to operate and retail <br />legal fireworks within the City. Selected non - profits enter into sales agreements generally <br />allowing them to retain 50% of all firework sales proceeds before subtracting rental, fire related, <br />and land use permit fees. During the short firework sales time frame, non - profits routinely make <br />thousands of dollars to further their respective initiatives. In addition, funding is directed to some <br />of the most needy populations and goes to fund various activities that have been cut as a result <br />of budget shortfalls. <br />During the month of June 2015, the Santa Ana Police Department received 474 calls for service <br />that referenced illegal fireworks being discharged throughout the City. That equated to <br />approximately 15.8 calls for service per day. Although the Department managed these calls, the <br />activity began to strain both Police Dispatch and field resources. From July 15t through July 6th <br />2015, the Department received 473 calls for service referencing similar activity. Nearly 50% of <br />the calls, 223 of the 473, were received during an eight hour period on July 4th. This equated to <br />approximately one firework/skyrocket related call for service every two minutes. These extensive <br />numbers did not include multiple calls that referenced the same location or police resources <br />65A -1 <br />