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  • Citrus Heights council votes 3-2 to fund fireworks show, patriotic event

    Citrus Heights council votes 3-2 to fund fireworks show, patriotic event

    Citrus Heights city hall
    Night-view of Citrus Heights City Hall. // CH Sentinel

    Sentinel staff report–
    In a controversial vote Thursday night the Citrus Heights City Council narrowly approved spending up to $80,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to pay for a patriotic event this summer that will include a 20-minute professional fireworks show.

    The council was divided on whether to include the fireworks show with the event, as feedback received from the public noted concern for pets and veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder who can be negatively affected by the loud sounds of fireworks.

    Citing resident input, Mayor Tim Schaefer during the meeting proposed dropping the fireworks show from plans for the event. His motion was seconded by Councilwoman Jayna Karpinski-Costa, but failed to get the necessary three votes of support.

    A subsequent motion to move ahead with planning a full event with fireworks included was approved, with Vice Mayor Bret Daniels being joined by Councilwoman Porsche Middleton and MariJane Lopez-Taff in support. Schaefer and Karpinski-Costa opposed the plan.

    The event is slated to be held on the weekend before the Fourth of July and will include music, food and other festivities — although planning is still in its preliminary stages and details are limited. The main venue has been determined to be City Hall, with viewing of the fireworks show from Van Maren Park. Fireworks would begin around 9:30 p.m., but other aspects of the event would begin earlier.

    City Manager Ash Feeney clarified to the council that funding of up to $80,000 for event is “not all fireworks,” noting costs for traffic control, musical performances, stage setup, and other ancillary costs. Funding will come from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which initially was restricted to pandemic-related expenses but later gave entities broad discretion in how to use the first $10 million in funds.

    Related: City says broad use of federal COVID rescue funds now allowed

    Citrus Heights was allocated just under $15.7 million in ARPA funds and has approved funding to go towards police staffing and vehicles, a small business COVID Recovery Grant, infrastructure financing planning at the mall, technology upgrades, the city’s new Beautification Crew, and other costs.

    Comments on the plan
    The council heard public comment prior to the vote from two people who spoke via Zoom, one of whom suggested the city use the funds instead to crack down on illegal fireworks. Another empathized with concerns about pets being “terrified” by fireworks, while noting positively that the show would only last 20 minutes and asking why the city’s Red, White & Blue Parade was discontinued in 2019.

    From 2019: Citrus Heights says Red, White & Blue Parade won’t be happening

    Two written comments against the fireworks proposal were also read aloud during the meeting, with one citing a letter published in The Sentinel that advocated for residents to be polled about how best to use funds. Several other letters about fireworks were also published in The Sentinel. Additional public comments were printed in a packet and distributed to the council as well.

    “On behalf of the dogs, I’m not going to support it,” said Karpinski-Costa in explaining her position prior to the vote, also noting concern for nonprofits who rely on fireworks sales and for veterans who suffer from the noise. “I think that we just take this money and flush it down the toilet; it’s just gone in 20 minutes.”

    Middleton said she was “a little bit torn about it after hearing all the comments,” noting she has a son with autism and her father is a veteran who suffers from PTSD. She also suggested going “a step further” in the future with a ban on all fireworks, but opted to vote in favor of the show.

    Councilwoman Lopez-Taff, who voted in support of the show, also said she was “torn” after hearing input from the public.

    “I really do feel that a community event is important, this is our 25th year of cityhood, she said. “I think it is right and proper to allocate funds for a fun community gathering around a patriotic event, so maybe fireworks are not the answer, but I believe community gathering is always a good idea.”

    The city’s mayor appeared most swayed by public input, saying: “My personal feeling is I think the fireworks display would be fine, but I’m gonna listen to the folks in the city and say ‘yea, probably can’t support the fireworks portion of this.’”

    Vice Mayor Daniels said while he shared concern for those with PTSD, he noted the city’s 20-minute show would pale in comparison to several weeks of loud, illegal fireworks that are known to occur every year.

    “This is way less than 1% of the budget and will probably result in the largest amount of Citrus Heights residents coming together in a community event,” said Daniels.

    Want to share your thoughts on the city’s plans for a fireworks show and patriotic event? Click here to submit a letter to the editor.

  • Citrus Heights council to vote on making fireworks ordinance permanent

    Citrus Heights council to vote on making fireworks ordinance permanent

    Sentinel staff report–
    Following an “overwhelming” number of fireworks calls last year, the Citrus Heights Police Department is requesting the City Council make a temporary ordinance passed last year permanent.

    The urgency ordinance passed in June last year and bans the discharging of legal fireworks between the hours of 11 p.m. and 9 a.m., as well as allowing for “social hosts” of locations where fireworks are discharged to be cited. The ordinance also details a $750 penalty for violations and $1,000 fines for repeat violations, as well as requiring all fireworks stands to post a notice about the new ordinance.

    As a last-minute urgency ordinance passed just prior to the Fourth of July last year, the law was only in effect for 45 days and then extended for a maximum of 10 months and 15 days. It is now set to expire on June 23, prompting the Police Department to recommend the City Council make the ordinance permanent with a formal vote at the upcoming meeting on April 14.

    From last year: Citrus Heights PD can now cite landlords, renters where illegal fireworks are set off

    Previously, authorities have only been able to cite the person who actually discharged an illegal firework, whereas hosts of events where fireworks are discharged can now be cited. Police said officers in the past have often been unable to document sufficient evidence to prove who actually ignited the firework, making the “social host” regulations a useful tool for cracking down on illegal fireworks.

    Hosts are defined as owners of private property, or “any person who has the right to use, possess, or occupy public or private property under a lease, permit, license, rental agreement, or contract; or any person who hosts, organizes, supervises, officiates, conducts, or accepts responsibility for a gathering on public or private property.”

    The ordinance specifies that a host does not need to have been present at the event in order to be deemed responsible for response costs, stating: “This chapter therefore imposes vicarious as well as direct liability upon a responsible person.”

    Additionally, the ordinance says repeat violators “may be liable for response costs incurred in responding to the unpermitted discharge or illegal storage of fireworks.” Response costs are defined as “those reasonable and necessary costs directly incurred by public safety personnel for a response to an unpermitted discharge or illegal storage of fireworks,” including salaries and benefits paid to public safety employees.

    Hosts are also exempt from responsibility if they initiate contact with police or fire officials “to assist in removing any person from the property or terminating the activity in order to comply with this chapter” as long as the request was made prior to a complaint being lodged about illegal fireworks.

    See draft ordinance: click here

    Fireworks labeled “safe and sane” are not banned by the ordinance and would continue to be able to be bought, sold and discharged in Citrus Heights.

    The council will consider permanently adopting the ordinance on April 14. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at City Hall, with participation via Zoom also allowed.

  • Citrus Heights has 20 fireworks stands. See which nonprofit is behind each one

    Sentinel staff report–
    Want to support a local nonprofit with your purchase of fireworks this year? Sales of “safe and sane” fireworks are often one of the biggest annual fundraisers for various nonprofits, with sales legally allowed to begin Monday at noon and continue through July 4.

    In Citrus Heights, there are a total of 20 licensed fireworks stands this year, according to the city. A purchase from one location may help a local little league, while making that same purchase a few blocks up the street could support police or a local church.

    The following is a list of locations and the name of the organization in charge of the stand, as provided by the City Clerk’s office:

    • Antelope Road Christian Fellowship: 7951 Antelope Rd.
    • Bella Vista High Band Boosters: 5425 Sunrise Blvd.
    • Church of the Harvest: 7951 Auburn Blvd.
    • Cobra Baseball Club:
      • 6916-6920 Sunrise Blvd.
      • 8001 Greenback Ln.
    • Citrus Heights Police Officers Association: 7027 Sylvan Rd.
    • First Apostolic Church: 7400 Greenback Ln.
    • Friends Church: 7070 Woodmore Oaks Drive
    • Job’s Daughters Bethel: 8421 Auburn Blvd.
    • Knights of Columbus: 7817 Old Auburn Rd.
    • Royal Stage Christian Performing Arts
      • 6400 Antelope Rd.
      • 7147 Greenback Ln.
    • Sunrise Little League: 7601 Sunrise Blvd.
    • SOAR Neighborhood Assoc: 7901 Greenback Ln.
    • Tabernacle Baptist Church: 6425 Antelope Rd.
    • Byers Gymnastics: 7000 Sunrise Blvd.
    • Citrus Heights Little League: 7548 Old Auburn Rd.
    • Jesus Name Lighthouse: 7412 Van Maren Ln.
    • Romanian Christian Fellowship:
      • 8144 Auburn Blvd.
      • 7920 Old Auburn Blvd.

    An urgency ordinance passed by the Citrus Heights City Council on Thursday prohibits setting off fireworks after 11 p.m., including those labeled “safe and sane.” The ordinance also allows authorities to cite landlords and those deemed “social hosts,” if illegal fireworks were discharged on the property.

  • 2017 CHPD stats show drop in fireworks calls, despite ‘war zone’ on streets

    Fireworks, calls for service, Citrus Heights
    Citrus Heights police reported a drop in fireworks-related calls for service in 2017. // Source: CHPD

    Police said calls for service related to fireworks surrounding the July 4 holiday this year dropped significantly in Citrus Heights compared to 2016 — although many residents, including the mayor, said sounds and sights of illegal fireworks seemed more numerous this year.

    “It did seem like there were more this year,” said Mayor Jeff Slowey, following a presentation by Patrol Operations Commander Daman Christensen during the city council’s July 13 meeting. “But at the end of the day, there was some pretty cool fireworks out there,” he said with a smile.

    The Citrus Heights Police Department annually tracks calls related to fireworks from noon on June 28 through July 5 at 10 p.m., the time period authorized by the city municipal code for the sale and igniting of “safe and sane” fireworks. In 2014, the department reported receiving 139 calls for service regarding fireworks, 126 calls in 2015, and then more than double that number last year — with 306 calls for service reported in 2016.

    This year, there were 188 calls for service related specifically to fireworks that resulted in the confiscation of 70 pounds of illegal fireworks, according to Commander Christensen. Of the 188 calls, police said about a third could not be located, another third resulted in officers checking the location but finding no issues, and in 58 cases officers found evidence of illegal fireworks.

    Showing a photo to the council of a trunk full of seized fireworks, Christensen said the confiscations were conducted without issue, with illegal fireworks given up voluntarily.

    Police Chief Ron Lawrence said in addition to calls, “we certainly have seen the aftermath complaints on social media about loud explosions.” However, the chief said enforcement of the city’s fireworks ordinance, which bans aerial and explosive varieties of fireworks, is difficult for officers.

    “The enforcement of this becomes a real challenge because when we get complaints of fireworks in progress, more often than not, by the time we arrive, they’ve already been expended,” he told the council. “And then if those are still in progress, there’s typically 20 or 30 people standing around watching so we have to prove who actually did the ignition.”

    “Sometimes we’re successful, sometimes we’re not,” said the chief. He later told The Sentinel no citations were issued, but said the department is “very successful at confiscating” illegal fireworks when people are found in possession.

    Seizure is authorized by the city’s municipal code, which allows for authorities to seize “all fireworks offered or exposed for sale, stored or held in violation of this article when such violation creates and imminent threat to public health or safety.”

    Christensen said as a preemptive move, CHPD had assessed problem areas in the city in 2016 and identified 23 problem addresses or intersections. Officers went to the locations on the weekend preceding July 4 and attempted to contact residents to inform them of the city’s fireworks ordinance.

    Christensen said the days surrounding July 4 are traditionally “a busy couple days for us,” due to the additional call load. The department on average receives about 240 calls for service per day, amounting to a total of 88,500 last year.

    To handle the extra load, the commander said five additional officers were on duty on July 3 and six additional officers on July 4. Grant money also allowed for an arson investigator from Metro Fire to be partnered with officers this year on July 3-4.

    Council member comments
    “So where do all these confiscated fireworks go?” Mayor Slowey questioned during the presentation. “Just didn’t know if there was a party that we all didn’t get invited to,” he said with a chuckle, adding that he was sure the fireworks were disposed of properly.

    Commander Christensen said confiscated fireworks are taken by the arson investigator, but did not elaborate further. According to a State Fire Marshal spokesman who was interviewed by CBS 13 last week, confiscated fireworks in California are packaged and shipped out of state where they are “destroyed safely.”

    Other council member comments during the meeting were not as lighthearted as the mayor’s remarks. Vice Mayor Steve Miller said illegal fireworks keep him from going out with the family each year because of his dog’s reaction to the noise. “It just sounded like a war zone at times,” he said.

    Councilwoman Jeannie Bruins said she was “kind of aghast” when she originally moved to Citrus Heights from Los Angeles County, where all fireworks were banned. “Safe and sane is one thing, but people get hurt from those too,” she said, calling into question whether fireworks displays outside of professional shows should be allowed in the future.

    “I think it’s a problem,” said Bruins. “Even though our call numbers are down this year, I think the impact on the public is growing every year.”

    Related: “2017 Citrus Heights Police Logs: fireworks, neighbor trouble, grand theft, shoplifters”

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  • Residents Celebrate Independence Day Across Citrus Heights

    FireworksResidents of Citrus Heights exercised their freedom to celebrate the nation’s 238th birthday in a variety of ways, from setting off fireworks in the street outside their homes, to barbequing with family, to reading the Declaration of Independence, to watching the new “America” documentary at the Greenback theater.

    Although City Hall was closed in recognition of the day, Citrus Heights Police Officers were on the job, responding to calls of illegal fireworks in conjunction with Metro Fire, according to a post on the Department’s Twitter feed.

    Near the heavily trafficked Sylvan Corners, a volunteer group from New Hope Street Ministry took the opportunity to fund raise by selling fireworks at a TNT booth — spending the evening at the Corners until the 10 p.m. deadline the group said the county imposes on fireworks sales.

    Through a deal with TNT, Pastor Patrick Cornell said his group makes 50 percent profit on all sales, which resulted in nearly $7,000 being generated for his ministry last year.

    Although most residents had at least a portion of the day off work, the big screens were running all day at the Century 16 theaters on Greenback Lane.

    After cancelling plans to watch fireworks at Cal Expo due to smoke from a nearby fire, 20-year Citrus Heights resident Charles Baldwin spent the evening with friends watching “America: imagine the world without her,” a controversial documentary film released in theaters this week.

    “Even though we didn’t see the fireworks for real, the fireworks were on the big screen,” Baldwin said, referring to the fireworks shown on screen at the end of the movie — or perhaps referring to the “explosive” portions of the film, like its critique of President Obama’s healthcare plan, and the National Security Agency’s spying program.

    An assistant manager with the Greenback Lane theaters said the film “fit the time” for being released near the 4th of July, and that ticket sales had been doing “pretty well” for being an independent film.

    Although Citrus Heights has no parade on July 4, its annual Red, White & Blue Parade is held each year towards the end of June. The parade originally had its roots in the birthday of the City in 1997, but has since taken on a more patriotic theme that many tie in with Independence Day.

    —

    The Sentinel asks: How did you celebrate the 4th of July? Post a comment below!