Along with other important issues, and appointment of Planning Commissioners, City Council will consider Fireworks Task Force recommendations. See City Council Agenda, 6/10/13, Consent Calendar, item 17, direct, or Fix Pacifica article.
| Safer and saner good enough for you? |
.... "A proposal from the city's fireworks task force urges the City Council to prohibit them at one beach and severely restrict the "safe and sane" devices at another. The recommendations are intended to keep firework debris out of the sand at the only two city beaches on the Pacific Ocean where fireworks are allowed.
In an attempt to balance the restrictions, the task force has also proposed allowing fireworks in a limited strip of beach and two parking lots. The task force believes it would help keep drawing the crowds who spent over $424,000 last year at the town's fireworks stands and that community groups depend on for funding." Read article.
Related - Fireworks Land, "What's Safe and Sane?" "The short version of this page: "Safe and Sane" usually means fireworks that do not fly or explode. Fountains, sparklers, wheels, smoke and snake items, strobes, ground spinners, novelty fireworks that do not travel, snappers and caps are usually considered "Safe and Sane" fireworks. Firecrackers, rockets, missiles, mines, shells, aerial cakes, flying spinners and roman candles are usually not considered "Safe and Sane" fireworks, although they still are perfectly legal in many states. Only certain states and cities restrict the types of fireworks sold to just "Safe and Sane" types and each place that does has its own specific definition of which fireworks are "Safe and Sane." State of CA, "2012 State approved safe and sane fireworks list", pdf, 53 pages. Fireworks Press,"What is Law in California." Note: photograph from "Home's cool in my little corner" blog.
Posted by Kathy Meeh
46 comments:
First it was the fines for fireworks for the illegal stuff, next it's making parts of the beach off-limits (hi ya plovers!)for legal fireworks, and golly, the oracle Lynn Adams has spoken...how long can our hippie dippie council hold on? Will we go out with a bang or a whimper?
I am surprised that a town that has claimed "our environment is our biggest asset," would even discuss allowing fireworks on any beach. It should be a no-brainer: in the parking lots, maybe; on the beaches, most certainly not. I risking losing a bit of revenue more important than the risks of damaging a recognized sensitive environment? Where are all the snowy plover aficionados when you need them?
yeah 1255, they put out that cookbook and we never heard from them again.
uh oh somebody better check on the birds.
@1255 I thought we weren't claiming that anymore, or, is this slightly altered version of the old "our environment is our economy" now politically correct?
wow $425,000 from sales last year. And a big chunk of that goes to the city and non profits. No way should we ban them completely.
@646 Of that $424,000 about $100,000 goes to the 15 non-profits who have booths. Those fireworks vendors, primarily TNT, are very for profit. Billion dollar international business.
What's the point? This is Pacifica where beach protection laws are ignored and go unenforced. There's a reason it's called pathetica.
It's over $125,000 for local non profits and about another $100K in taxes, of which the city gets a big chunk. I wouldn't sneeze at that.
There will be a major revolt if they try to outlaw all fireworks.
Fireworks don't hurt anyone or anything, unless it is aimed in a face. Fukushima, now , that's something to worry about. Don't eat the sea food, or surf.
@1122 patience, baby. the LMBeach lockdown is about to start. paid parking brings rangers and nothing says carefree beach experience like rangers enforcing parking, litter and the leash laws. the plover corral should be along real soon and you're going to love the civilian plover police shushing and shooing beach-goers and reporting infractions. apparently we've been enjoying the beach all wrong for generations. this council will put a stop to that.
757 did you pay attention last night? particularly to the members of the task force who spoke? the days of fireworks on the beach are numbered. the groundwork has been laid. years of baby steps will lead to a city-wide ban.
I don't litter, but don't know how much more I could take of council speakers waxing rhapsodic about picking up trash. Had to turn the sound off.
@ June 11 at 10:15 a.m.: I don't litter either, but ever notice that there's a mentality out there of people who think a part of going to the beach includes leaving their garbage behind? These are the same people who leave their garbage on the tables at fast food restaurants like they're too good to bus their own tables. Thankfully, they usually only appear at the beach on the few hot days we have each year.
"Fireworks don't hurt anyone or anything, unless it is aimed in a face." That's the dumbest comment I've read on Fix Pacifica, perhaps even on the whole internet.
I believe at least 90% of households participate in and or watch the legal safe and sane fireworks with their families every year. There's no way you're going to ban them completely without a backlash.
I would think it's more like 10%.
Ban 'em.
"... 90% of households participate in and or watch the legal safe and sane fireworks.." Anonymous 12:30 PM. Really???
"90%???" Where did you get that statistic? Not in my neighborhood.
And what about the other 90% (lol) of people who have pets that freak-out and need closed in house protection? What about the confusion, disorientation and displacement caused to wildlife? What about The real fire and safety danger in the neighborhoods, and in all this "open space" NIMBIES gifted us with? Then there's the party excesses, and the mess left, often for others to clean up. Otherwise, its a swell, unevolved tradition.
Okay, you really love those lights in the night that go boom, but how about a picnic, a parade, and a designated location for fireworks? How about a functional city economy that can afford to assist some of these community clubs?
True, this comment may not be popular, except with a few NIMBIES and choking fish, but its my view (as is your 90% statistic).
Yes! Kids don't need this stuff to celebrate the 4th. We don't need the nuisance and fire hazard and the wink wink cultural approval for the illegal stuff for the adults. Ban them all and enforce it vigorously. Get togethers, parties, barbecues will continue and the non-profits will survive. Contribute directly to the ones you support if you're concerned. It'll take a couple years of diligent enforcement to change the town's outlaw reputation on this, but it can be done. Pacifica can join the rest of the civilized world.
Supposedly the safe and sane stuff is for the kids to enjoy. Kids would enjoy a city celebration of the 4th just as well in a safe, central location. Maybe the non-profs could work together to sponsor and hold such an event with food, games, whatev. Start a tradition and make their money at one focused, controlled event instead of disrupting the town. Other cities do it.
"Kids would enjoy a city celebration of the 4th just as well in a safe, central location." Anonymous 1:45 PM
The entire comment and thought, perfect! That's more likely the discussion we need to have in this city.
There is a city celebration every year during the day at Frontierland Park. It's a great time with many organizations there, music, food, and activities. Put on by the Parks, Beaches and Recreation Department.
Gosh 342, that sounds like an absolutely insurmountable obstacle. Nope, no solution comes to mind. Hmmm. Lot of volunteers, venue, crowd. Possibility of a bigger crowd. Brick wall. What are we to do? I know. Keep peddling fireworks til the city bans them. That's how we do things in Pacifica.
I see on the KPIX page Pacifica Bans Fireworks on Beaches Starting in 2014"
That's good. There is no need to ban safe and sane fireworks everywhere.
Nice idea having an organized event. But this city does not have the 100's of thousands of $ needed to put on a 4th celebration with professional fireworks. And it would take a hell of a lot of people to generate the same money as by selling fireworks. At $10 per person you would need 42,500 people to match legal fireworks sales last year.
In my neighborhood most families are out on all streets celebrating with the safe and sane fireworks. Kids love it. It brings families and neighbors together. It is what our forefathers intended. And I've been over plenty of other peoples houses on the 4th and it's the same thing. There's usually a block type party.
I realize this is hard on animals but sorry I feel people come first. Dogs and cats will survive just as they survive severe thunder storms. Besides It is not the legal fireworks that are the problem. So why punish those people and take away $100K+ from nonprofits as well as a hell of a lot in tax money for the city?
I say ban them on the beaches and drastically step up the crackdown on illegal fireworks. Maybe increase fines to $2000. But don't think about banning the legal ones in safe area's.
Like it or not the days are numbered for legal fireworks in Pacifica. It's been coming for years. They're just chipping away. Other cities had the same separation anxiety. They got over it. As a city we should be able to come up with an event that focuses on families, satisfies any need for pyrotechnics, uses volunteer labor, and raises money for the non-profits. Re-tool the celebration at Frontierland or come up with something new. Other cities have done it. Hell, we even do it with FogFest and FunFest. Might even draw some visitors. Evolution.
"It is what our forefathers intended."
I missed that part... Was it in the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence?
I believe we can give credit to John Adams who had become familiar with celebratory fireworks displays in Europe. He felt the birthday of America should always be celebrated with fireworks and other pomp. He mentioned this in a letter to his wife Abigail just before the Continental Congress in 1776. I guess we could call him a founding Father. He later was President.
Yes our forefathers Anon 723
"It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews [Shows], Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more," John Adams
Fireworks, first authorized by Congress for Fourth of July, 1777
The American Pyrotechnics Association reports that fireworks are more popular than ever, and that backyard fireworks more than doubled between 2000 (102 million pounds) and 2007 (238 million pounds)
I seem to recall that they all owned slaves and refused to let women vote too.
You're really equating slavery with fireworks celebrating? Next I expect the brownshirt crack from you anon 924
John Adams said we should have fireworks, so we should be allowed to shoot off skyrockets whenever and wherever we like.
Limiting us to those safe and sane fireworks is an abridgment of our fundamental rights.
Those other 20 cities in the county who don't allow any fireworks are un-American. Buncha commie bastards.
Really? What we thought was best 250 years is our yardstick?
Good point, 9:24.
Nobody's perfect!
Look out, the commie bastards have been unleashed. It's on, fools!
aw go pick up some trash
Look out, the people who say "commie bastard" are back.
Don't forget your fiber, gramps!
We had fireworks as kids. Not the safe and sane kind either. We never blew anyone up, or set anything on fire.
Your asking for safe and sane in Pacifica, with this council.
At least I got in a good laugh this am.
When I was a kid we drove a Pinto and ours never blew up. Also, our school was full of asbestos and I've never come down with lung cancer. Yet.
We had fireworks as kids. We burned up cars, blew up a public toilet, and my friend blew his thumb off. A big boom rocket misfired and knocked over a group of people. Yeah, good times.
When I was young, we rode motorcycles and we didn't wear helmets. Nobody I knew ever got hurt.
I don't know why emergency room docs call them "donorcycles."
We played tackle football on the pavement and no one got hurt.
Maybe us kids were a lot tougher back then.
ahhh, those were the days
Our moms smoke and drank while pregnant and we ate lead based paint chips in the crib, with few side effects.
Anonymous 3:09, from some of the comments on this blog I am not so sure of that.
Eating lead based paint chips in moderation was probably OK.
Eating them by the bucket load probably not a good idea.
Yeah Tom, tell those bozos to get the lead out!
http://www.kypost.com/dpps/money/business_news/kroger-shares-rising-on-positive-analyst-reviews-possible-acquisitions_8239795
•By: Dan Monk, WCPO Digital By: Dan Monk, WCPO Digital
CINCINNATI - A Goldman Sachs analyst has increased his rating to neutral from sell on Kroger Co. stock, impressed by rising profits and acquisition prospects.
Analyst Stephen Grambling also increased his target price to $27, up from $24. Kroger shares were up 2 percent to $28.77 in mid-morning trades. Shares are up more than 7 percent so far this year. It's one of more than three dozen stocks that hit a 52-week highs Monday morning.
Grambling cited Kroger’s “best in class” growth in earnings before interest and taxes, and an expectation that grocery spending will gradually increase this year. He also likes the company’s prospects as an acquirer of smaller grocery chains.
Kroger “has one of the cleanest balance sheets of the traditional grocers … and could benefit as a consolidator,” Grambling wrote.
Analyst Chuck Cerankosky with Northcoast Research agreed that Kroger will look to acquire all or parts of smaller chains that are expected to make assets available on the West Coast or in Chicago. Kroger has been telling analysts that it will increase capital spending to expand its presence in markets where it wants to improve market share or in cities contiguous to where it already competes.
“The easy answer is yes. The harder answer is who and how much,” Cerankosky responded to a question of whether Kroger will acquire smaller rivals.
Read more: http://www.kypost.com/dpps/money/business_news/kroger-shares-rising-on-positive-analyst-reviews-possible-acquisitions_8239795#ixzz2WCtONDPU
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