City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: DECEMBER 12, 2023 FROM: FIRE DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL
PARKS, RECREATION, AND COMMUNITY
SERVICES DEPARTMENT
POLICE DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: RIVERSIDE MUNICIPAL CODE FIREWORK REGULATIONS UPDATE AND SUMMARY OF 2023 ACTIVITIES ISSUE:
Receive an update on Riverside Municipal Code Firework Regulations and summary of 2023 activities.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council receive an update on Riverside Municipal Code Firework Regulations and summary of 2023 activities.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
Title 19 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR), Chapter 6 is the primary code used as the authority with inspections and the corrective actions that are necessary to ensure compliance with the California Fire Code. Other codes that are referenced are the California Fire Code, as adopted by the City of Riverside Municipal Code (RMC 16.32.010).
Chapter 16.32 of the City of Riverside Municipal Code identifies rules associated with the use, possession, sale, discharge, disposal, storage, or use of fireworks within the City of Riverside. Required inspections and permits related to fireworks are outlined in RMC 16.32. Chapter 1.18 of the City of Riverside Municipal Code identifies administrative penalties for violations of firework laws.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Riverside Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department (PRCSD) hosts two public firework displays on July 4th annually. The events are a collaborative effort between PRCSD, Police Department, Fire Department, Public Works Department, Community and Economic Development Department Code and Parking Services Divisions, and Marketing Department. Historically, the shows include a firework display at La Sierra Park and an aerial display at the top of Mt. Rubidoux.
DISCUSSION:
To deter the use of illegal fireworks, the City of Riverside hosts a public firework display on the West-side of the City at La Sierra Park and an aerial firework display at the top of Mt. Rubidoux. Both displays take place on July 4th and are promoted on all educational materials associated with the enforcement of illegal fireworks.
Educational Efforts
Extensive educational efforts begin in June each year and include a variety of exposure through:
• Press Conferences
• Press Releases
• Posters*
• Eblasts*
• Flyers*
• 311 Voice on-hold recording
• Electronic Signs
• Web sliders
• Promotional Video
• Parking Meter graphics
• Social Media posts
*provided in both Spanish and English
All marketing materials identify a minimum fine of $1,000 for the illegal use of fireworks. Publications and social media posts also list reasons why illegal fireworks are bad, provides phone numbers to report illegal use of fireworks, and contain a link to the community calendar where the public can access information on family-friendly July 4th activities.
Enforcement
Enforcement of illegal firework use is done through Administrative citations. Citations may be issued by the Police Department, Fire Department, or Code Enforcement Officer. In addition to the $1,000 administrative citation, any person in violation of any provision of RMC 16.32.375 is also subject to a disposal fee as set by the State.
Penalties are applicable to:
Any person causing a code violation to occur or allowing a code violation to exist or continue.
Every parent, guardian, or other person having the legal care, custody, or control of any person under the age of 18 years, who knows or reasonably should know that a minor is in violation of the RMC related to fireworks.
Each separate offense of the RMC for each and every day or portion thereof in which a violation continues.
Any property owner or person in control of property who has knowledge of a person selling, using, discharging, possessing fireworks, or providing fireworks to a minor on the property owned by such person or under such person’s control.
A total of 29 Administrative citations were issued in the weeks leading up to and following the 4th of July.
Public Firework Displays
In lieu of purchasing and discharging fireworks, the public is encouraged to attend one of two firework shows hosted by the PRCSD. The La Sierra show takes place at La Sierra Park located at 5215 La Sierra Avenue. The 2023 La Sierra firework display cost $31,500 and consisted of a ground show launched from the park ballfields.
The 2023 Mt. Rubidoux firework display resulted in the return of aerial fireworks to Mt. Rubidoux maximizing visual access to the public. The 2023 Mt. Rubidoux aerial display cost $70,000 and was launched at the top of the mountain. The total event costs to implement both 2023 shows including personnel and non-personnel was $346,914,63 and is outlined in the table below.
La Sierra
Mt. Rubidoux
Personnel
PRCSD
$1,304.13
$7,451.90
Fire**
$-
$33,147.55
Fire Backfill
$-
$24,240.00
PD
$9,304.55
$40,823.66
Parking Services
$470.84
$987.68
Non-Personnel
Westcoast Fencing
$6,550.00
$4,780.00
PYRO Spectacular
$31,500.00
$70,000.00
Statewide Safety Systems
$2,000.00
$14,740.00
Public Safety Services
$1,350.00
$1,980.00
Fire Permits
$1,892.00
$1,892.00
Pacific Coast Landscape
$-
$49,300.00
Fire Prevention Services
$-
$43,200.00
Total
$54,371.52
$292,542.79
**includes both La Sierra and Mt. Rubidoux expenses
Overall Total
$346,914.63
While the firework displays are launched at park sites, the planning and implementation of the July 4th firework displays requires collaboration of multiple departments. In response to the 2023 activities, departments provided feedback on lessons learned from the event including preparation, implementation, and post event activities. Challenges and findings include:
Challenge
Findings/Recommendations
Event clean up at both firework locations requires significant manpower to ensure parks reopen in a timely manner.
During the 2023 show, the Parks Division assisted with event clean up at both La Sierra and Mt. Rubidoux. The additional assistance proved to be a tremendous help.
Show security boundaries were breached at both locations despite posted signs and Parks staff onsite. Hikers continued to hike up Mt. Rubidoux despite and members of the public were rude to PRCSD staff enforcing closure and continued to hike up mountain.
Specific to Mt. Rubidoux - Remove Parks staff from working morning trail shifts at Mt. Rubidoux on July 4th and replace them with security or PD to enforce trail closure.
Specific to La Sierra - Have security in place once Mitchell Street is closed off as identified in traffic plan. Ensure fencing near facility is secured and located.
Traffic leaving both La Sierra and Ryan Bonamino Park(s) was backed up for more than an hour. Illegal parking at park sites and on the street side near show locations impacted traffic plans.
Revisit traffic plan with Public Works in November.
Additional Recommendations include:
• (Both site) PRCSD recommend Public Works team assist the day of the event to gain traffic pattern awareness and assist with day of communication between City and traffic vendor. • (La Sierra) Extend the green traffic light on Gramercy & La Sierra to assist with clearing traffic. Recommended light timing change to occur at 8:30 a.m. the day of the event. • (La Sierra) Consider restricting private parking on the Northeast corner of Gramercy and La Sierra by using through enforcement by Code Enforcement and PD. Parking at this corner increases congestion. • (Both) Ensure barricades are in place 1 - 1 1/2 hours to fully block location prior to the show. • (Both) Ensure effective barricading of event through the use of Type III barricades (one per lane). • (Both) Ensure PD is included in Traffic Plan Meetings. • (Mt. Rubidoux) - Security and Traffic Companies worked well together. PANS also assisted. Support level recommended to continue. • (Mt. Rubidoux) - Ensure Code Enforcement staff is onsite to assist enforcement of Parking including Palm & Center median. • (Mt. Rubidoux) - Ensure no parking signs are posted in parking lot "sidelines" or areas that do not include parking stalls. Ensure Code or Parking Enforcement Team is onsite the day of event to enforce. • (Mt. Rubidoux) - The Traffic Plan needs to ensure staff are assigned at Bandini Avenue. • (Mt. Rubidoux) - Add Dexter Street and Westside of Lake Evans to traffic plan. • (Both) - keep 7 a.m. traffic plan deployment.
Improve communication regarding traffic plan and street closures.
Recommendations Include:
• Defer any community traffic questions regarding Traffic Plan and Street Closures both pre and post event to the Public Works department. • Create a resident map that will be sent out to the public and residents surrounding show locations. Provide information 2 - 4 months in advance vs. one month in advance.
Fire Fuel mitigation impact on Mt. Rubidoux.
Improvements to the pavement on Mt. Rubidoux proved to be helpful on the event day.
Additional Recommendations include:
• Response to Fire Fuel Mitigation will pose serious erosion issues that will exceed the $200,000 appropriation given last fiscal year. An unfunded needs request will be submitted during budget development to meet needs associated with Mt. Rubidoux aerial show. • Path improvement added rock to Mt. Rubidoux and restricted Fire vehicle and equipment access. Requests to remove of cut/shape rocks will be made to Public Works prior to the 2024 show.
Street closures and park access at the La Sierra site have been challenging in the past.
Use of chain link and Police Explorer to man street closures provide beneficial at the 2023 show.
Timing associated with cleaning up of the launch area extended staff schedules including PD, PRCSD, and Fire. Lack of security resulted in a breach of firework fall out area.
Recommendations include:
• Ensure staff schedules for PD, PRCSD, and Fire extend to no less than 10:30 p.m. • Improve level of barrier used at Mitchell (East & NS) to include more than one barrier. • Ensure event security is scheduled to 10:30 p.m. with the option to extend the day of as needed by event site manager.
Staff will return with an overview of planned 2024 activities in May 2024.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This item contributes to Strategic Priority No. 2 Community Well-Being and Goal No. 2.6 – Strengthen community preparedness for emergencies to ensure effective response and recovery.
This item aligns with each of the five Cross-Cutting Threads as follows:
Community Trust – The City of Riverside builds community trust through the development and implementation of a safe family-oriented firework show aimed at deterring the use of illegal fireworks within the City of Riverside.
Equity – The Riverside Fire Department strives to serve the community with duty and honor by protecting and preserving life, property, and the environment through prevention and education.
Fiscal Responsibility – The competitive bidding process used to procure vendors related to the implementation of public fireworks displays and activities ensures ethical use of public funds.
Innovation – Through reviewing past practices and proposing now solutions to event challenges, the development of marketing strategies, traffic plans, and event implementation yields to the introduction of innovative strategies to meet the growing community needs.
Sustainability & Resiliency – Through constant review of better business practices and operations, the Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department and collaborative departments strive to establish sustainable practices to host an aerial firework show and public safety response during the July 4th event.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal action associated with this report.
Prepared by: Megan Stoye, Principal Management Analyst
Approved by: Michael D. Moore, Fire Chief
Pamela Galera, Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Director Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Mike Futrell, City Manager
Approved as to form: Phaedra A. Norton, City Attorney
Attachments:
RMC 1.18
Firework Regulations and 2023 Activities ● Page 3