by Kevin Cody
Fines for possession of fireworks in Hermosa Beach were increased from $250 to $1,500 for the first violation, under an urgency ordinance approved by the City Council on a four to one vote Tuesday night, June 25.
Fines for second, and third fireworks violations will escalate to $3,000 and $5,000, respectively. Property owners who host firework displays are also subject to a $5,000 fine under a resolution that accompanied the urgency ordinance.
(Six South Bay Fourth of July Fireworks Shows that are free and legal)
At its June 11 meeting, the council directed the city staff to prepare the urgency ordinance so it could go into effect prior to July 4. But the council also expressed hope the new fines would deter fireworks throughout the year.
“We’ve always had fireworks. I remember people bicycling on The Strand 50 years ago shooting bottle rockets at one another. But now it’s different. Kids are throwing M80s into crowds. I don’t understand why this is going on…It’s never been this bad before,” Councilmember Rob Saemann said.
“A few weeks ago,” he continued, “we raised the stakes for e-bike violations. I hope the new fines serve as a similar deterrence.”
At its June 4 meeting the council passed an urgency ordinance that allowed police to impound e-bikes whose riders violated traffic laws. It also increased e-bike traffic fines to $500 for the first offense, $750 for the second offense, and $1,000 for subsequent offenses.
The staff proposed the same fine schedule for fireworks violations in its report to the Council Tuesday night.
But Councilmember Raymond Jackson, who proposed the urgency ordinance at the June 11 council meeting, proposed the higher fines.
“If we’re going to deter, let’s deter. We want people to go ‘Holy Moly’ when they hear about the fireworks fines in Hermosa.”
Mayor Justin Massey cast the dissenting vote.
“I’m open to increasing the fines. I’m not open to adding additional ordinances. I’m hearing from the chief of police that the existing prohibitions are adequate. The nature of the crime makes it difficult to enforce, because it doesn’t take long to light fireworks and run off.
“The urgency e-bike ordinance,” Massey added, “is different because it added the ability to enforce the fines by impounding the e-bikes. With fireworks fines, we don’t have that tool.”
City Manager Suja Lowenthal cautioned the council to “manage expectations” in regards to colleting new fines.
The city’s current law makes possession of fireworks a criminal offense. Judges can impose fines of up to $5,000, sentences of up to one year in jail, City Attorney Patrick Donegan said. Under the new ordinance, the citations are for a civil offense, which is not punishable by jail and does not appear on a person’s criminal record.
“Administration citations are rarely paid when they are high. We see that with our short term rental citations. We can’t attach liens to property. We work with a collection agency who may negotiate for a lower percent,” Lowenthal said. ER
