Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: FEBRUARY 4, 2025
TO: CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR AGENCY
SUBMITTED BY: LUCINDA WILLIAMS, CITY CLERK
PREPARED BY: LUCINDA WILLIAMS, CITY CLERK
SUBJECT: 2025 SAFE AND SANE FIREWORKS SALES
SUMMARY
Fullerton voters reinstated the sale, possession and discharge of safe and sane fireworks in Fullerton on November 6, 2012 and re-affirmed the practice on November 3, 2020. This report presents the 2024 Safe and Sane Fireworks Sales Annual Report and seeks approval of the 2025 fireworks sales process.
PROPOSED MOTION
1. Receive and file 2024 Safe and Sane Fireworks Sales Annual Report.
2. Confirm timeline and process for 2025 fireworks sales.
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
Approve the Proposed Motion
Other options brought by City Council.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Proposed Motion.
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
Receive and file.
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statements:
Fiscal and Organizational Stability.
Public Safety.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City will receive revenue from both the fireworks lottery and sales permit processes determined by the number of applications received. The City collected $924 from lottery application fees and $43,500 from permit fees in Fiscal Year 2024-25. These amounts do not fully recoup the City costs to implement this program.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
Fullerton voters approved Measure X, which adopted City Ordinance No. 3183 and reinstated the legal sale, possession and discharge of safe and sane fireworks on November 6, 2012. Voters re-affirmed the sale of safe and sane fireworks on November 3, 2020, rejecting Measure U which proposed banning the sale. possession and discharge of safe and sane fireworks. 2024 marked the twelfth year of sales, possession and discharge of safe and sane fireworks under the reinstated rules and regulations.
City Council adopted Resolution No. 2022-018 in 2022 which amended the fireworks sales lottery drawing process to reserve five sales permits for Youth Sports Partner League organizations and the remaining ten sales permits for all other qualified lottery participants.
Process
The City Clerk’s Office accepts fireworks lottery applications during the month of March. The City then holds two lottery drawings during the City Council meeting on the third Tuesday in April to select groups to advance to the sales permit phase. The City conducts one lottery drawing for all qualified Youth Sports Partner League applicants to select five Youth Sports Partner League organizations to advance to the sales permit process and five alternates for the Youth Sports Partner League permits. The City then conducts a separate lottery drawing for all other qualified applicants to select ten organizations to advance to the sales permit process and five alternates for the other organization permits.
Current practice allows one representative group per educational institution (elementary through university level) as designated by the school principal, dean or other head of the institution to submit a lottery application. The representative group may be a group from within the institution or a booster club operating outside of the school in support of an official school program even if the outside organization operates under a separate tax identification number.
Timeline
Resolution No. 2022-018 opens the lottery application filing period on the first business day in March and closes on the last business day in that same month. The resolution also established the dates and times for fireworks sales and discharge.
City Council traditionally conducts the lottery drawing during the public portion of the Closed Session of the second City Council meeting in April.
Staff proposes the following timeline for the 2025 safe and sane fireworks sales:
February 4, 2025
City Council approves 2024 timeline and process
March 1 – 30, 2025
Lottery applications accepted
April 15, 2025
Lottery drawing at City Council meeting
April 16 – June 6, 2025
Fire Marshal accepts permit applications
June 7 –30, 2025
Permits processed / Stands drop
July 1 – 4, 2025
Fireworks sales
July 5, 2025
Stock removal
July 13, 2025
Stand removal by this date
September 1, 2025
Permittee financial reports due
Fees
City Council updated fees in 2024 to collect more of cost of service for processing fireworks sales permits, outreach and enforcement in 2024. The lottery application fee remained at $28 and the permit fee increased to $2,900 and directed staff to adjust fees in future years through the budget process. City Council directed staff to include future fee increases in the budget process. The 2025 permit fee will increase by $119.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – Ordinance No. 3183
Attachment 2 – Resolution No. 2022-018
Attachment 3 – 2024 Fireworks Sales Annual Report
cc: City Manager Eric J. Levitt
2025 Fireworks Sales
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