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ORDINANCE NO. 2024-07
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF CORONADO, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING
SECTION 48.04.120 AND ADDING SECTION
48.04.150 TO THE CORONADO MUNICIPAL CODE
RELATED TO BEACH FIRES ON CITY BEACHES.
WHEREAS, section 48.04.120 of the Coronado Municipal Code currently governs beach fires and states that beach fires are permitted when using a City-provided fire ring, portable barbecue, or personal fire ring container; and WHEREAS, the responsible burning of beach fires is a longstanding, cherished tradition within the City of Coronado that enhances the City’s unique sense of community and quality of life; and
WHEREAS, the responsible burning of beach fires provides accessible and costeffective coastal recreation opportunities for all the City’s residents; and WHEREAS, scientific studies have documented the adverse health effects of significant or prolonged exposure to smoke generated from wood-burning fires; and WHEREAS, smokeless fire pits and gas-fueled fire pits that produce significantly less smoke are commercially available and are already being responsibly used at City beaches; and
WHEREAS, residents of the Coronado Shores report that smoke from beach fires at South Beach can drift into their homes, causing nuisance and distress; and WHEREAS, South Beach is a very narrow beach that is prone to inundation during high tides; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to strike a balance preserving the City’s beach fire heritage and traditions, improving air quality at local beaches, protecting residents of the Coronado Shores from the potential of drifting smoke, and ensuring that all City beaches are safe, familyfriendly destinations; WHEREAS, the City Council directed City staff to explore establishing a policy and Municipal Code regulation for beach fires at all City beaches; and WHEREAS, the City Council directed amending the Coronado Municipal Code to limit beach fires at North Beach to portable smokeless and gas-fueled fire pits or wood-burning Attachment 2
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fires in City-provided fire rings; and allowing only smokeless and gas-fueled fire pits, at Central Beach and South Beach; and
WHEREAS, these amendments are exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act because they will result in only minor alterations and use of land, and are actions taken for the protection of the environment and natural resources.
NOW THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Coronado, California, DOES HEREBY ORDAIN as follows:
SECTION 1.
All of the above statements are true and incorporated herein.
SECTION 2.
Title 48, Chapter 48.04, Section 48.04.120, of Coronado Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as follows (underlines are additions and strikeouts are deletions):
C. It shall be unlawful for any person to build, maintain, or kindle a fire on any public beach, except in a City provided fire circle, or except as otherwise provided herein. It shall also be permissible to build a fire in a portable barbecue or other similar device. The coals from said barbecue or device shall be deposited in an official fire circle or hot coal container. A fire in a fire circle or portable barbecue shall be used only to build beach fires for cooking or warmth, and it shall be unlawful to use the same as incinerators to burn rubbish and waste materials. The materials used for fires on the public beach shall not exceed a height of 12 inches above the upper edge of the fire circle or portable barbecue and shall be contained within the inside edge of the fire circle or portable barbecue.
D. C. It shall be unlawful for any person to burn in any such fire circle, barbecue, or device landscape debris, paint, stain, sealer, wood preservative, cloth, rubber, metal (including nails and other hardware), asphalt, foam rubber, plastic, or any similar matter or material inconsistent with San Diego County Air Pollution Control District restrictions and leaving any type of solid residue other than ash.
E. D. It is unlawful for any person to abandon any lawful fire upon any beach area without first having extinguished the fire. The ashes thereof, however, shall not be covered. All unburned wood shall be removed or placed in trash cans or receptacles provided therefor, so that the beach is left in a clean, sanitary, and presentable condition.
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F. E. It shall be unlawful for any person to have, possess, or use any cup, tumbler, jar, bottles or container whose exterior surface is, in any degree, made of glass upon any beach in the City. (Ord. 2041 § 2, 2014; Ord. 1435) Title 48, Chapter 48.04, Section 48.04.150, of Coronado Municipal Code is hereby added to read as follows (underlines are additions and strikeouts are deletions):
48.04.150 Reserved Beach Fire Program
A. Purpose. The City hereby establishes the Beach Fire Program in order to continue the cherished beach fire tradition that enhances the City’s unique community and provides accessible recreational activities, while adopting rules to ensure that beach fires do not adversely affect human health and air quality at City beaches and are maintained in a safe, family-friendly manner.
B. Definitions. The following definitions apply to this Beach Fire Program:
1. “Beach Area” means any beach or land (with waters immediately abutting or adjacent) under the City’s jurisdiction and control.
2. “Central Beach” shall mean the Beach Area between Lifeguard Tower 4C and the intersection of Ocean Boulevard and RH Dana Place.
3. “City-Provided Fire Ring” means a container pre-installed by the City in certain Beach Areas for the purpose of containing beach fires.
4. “North Beach” shall mean the Beach Area between Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI) and Lifeguard Tower 4C.
5. “Propane Device” shall mean a portable liquefied-petroleum LP propane fuel-powered fire device with an LP gas container.
6. “Smokeless Fire Pit” shall mean a fire-burning device with double walls, venting holes, and a secondary combustion system that burns away fire smoke.
7. “South Beach” shall mean the Beach Area between Avenida del Sol Road and Gator Beach (Avenida Lunar).
C. Beach Fire Rules for Specific Beach Areas within the City:
1. North Beach. Wood-burning beach fires are permitted at North Beach only in City-Provided Fire Rings. Beach fires are permitted outside of City-provided fire rings at North Beach only if they are built, maintained, and extinguished using a Smokeless Fire Pit or a Propane Device.
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2. Central Beach. Beach fires are permitted at Central Beach only if they are built, maintained, and extinguished using a Smokeless Fire Pit or Propane Device. It is unlawful to build, maintain, or kindle a beach fire at Central Beach that is not built, maintained, and extinguished using a Smokeless Fire Pit or Propane Device.
3. South Beach. Beach fires are permitted at Central Beach only if they are built, maintained, and extinguished using a Smokeless Fire Pit or a Propane Device. It is unlawful to build, maintain, or kindle a beach fire at South Beach that is not built, maintained, and extinguished using a Smokeless Fire Pit or Propane Device.
D. Beach Fire Rules for all Beach Areas within the City:
1. Beach fires built in City-Provided Fire Rings are limited to using charcoal, clean wood, or paper products as fire fuel materials. It shall be unlawful for any person to burn in any City-Provided Fire Ring, Smokeless Fire Pit, Propane Device, or portable barbeque any landscape debris, paint, stain, sealer, wood preservative, cloth, rubber, metal (including nails and other hardware), asphalt, foam rubber, plastic, or any similar matter or material inconsistent with San Diego County Air Pollution Control District restrictions and leaving any type of solid residue other than ash, as provided in Section 48.04.120.D.
2. Coals. Coals from portable barbecues or similar devices shall be deposited in a City-Provided Fire Ring or hot coal container.
3. Waste Burning Prohibited. Beach fires constructed in CityProvided Fire Rings, in Smokeless Fire Pits, in Propane Devices, or portable barbecues shall be used only to build beach fires for cooking or warmth, and it shall be unlawful to use the same as incinerators to burn rubbish and waste materials.
4. The materials used for beach fires at City Beach Areas shall not exceed a height of 12 inches above the upper edges of CityProvided Fire Rings, Smokeless Fire Pits, Propane Devices, or portable barbecues, and shall be contained within the inside edge of the City-Provided Fire Rings, Smokeless Fire Pits, Propane Devices, or portable barbecues.
5. It is unlawful for any person to use a City-Provided Fire Ring, a Smokeless Fire Pit, or a Propane Device in any Beach Area between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m.
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SECTION 3:
Severability. If any section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this Chapter, or its application to any person or circumstance, is for any reason held to be invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remaining sections, subsections, subdivisions, paragraphs, sentences, clauses or phrases of this Chapter, or its application to any other person or circumstance. The City Council declares that it would have adopted each section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase hereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more other sections, subsections, subdivisions, paragraphs, sentences, clauses or phrases hereof be declared invalid or unenforceable.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This Ordinance shall be effective thirty (30) days after its adoption.
Within fifteen (15) days after its adoption, the City Clerk of the City of Coronado shall cause this ordinance published pursuant to the provisions of Government Code Section 36933.
INTRODUCED AND FIRST READ at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Coronado, California, on June 4, 2024; and
PASSED, ADOPTED, AND APPROVED by the City Council of the City of Coronado at a regular meeting thereof this June 18, 2024, by the following vote to wit:
AYES:
NAYS:
ABSTAIN:
ABSENT:
APPROVED:
RICHARD BAILEY, Mayor of the
City of Coronado, California
ATTEST:
KELSEA HOLIAN, City Clerk of the
City of Coronado, California
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*****
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO :
ss. CITY OF CORONADO )
I, Kelsea Holian, City Clerk of the City of Coronado, hereby certify that the foregoing ORDINANCE NO. 2024-07 passed at the regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Coronado held on the 18th day of June, 2024, after having been read at the regular meeting of said City Council held on the 4th day of June, 2024.
KELSEA HOLIAN, City Clerk of the
City of Coronado, California
ORDINANCE NO. 2024-07
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