Fireworks sales will be allowed in four Sonoma County cities
Four Sonoma County cities -- Rohnert Park, Petaluma, Sebastopol and Cloverdale -- will sell fireworks in July.
PD FILEPublished: Friday, May 8, 2009 at 11:36 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, May 8, 2009 at 11:36 a.m.
There still still be fireworks to buy and places to go to see the bigger bombs bursting in air over the Fourth of July. But the number of opportunities is shrinking in Sonoma County.
The sales and use of legal fireworks in Rohnert Park would be shortened by a day under an ordinance the city is expected to adopt Tuesday.
Rohnert Park, one of four cities in which legal fireworks are still allowed, would permit sales and use for five days, instead of six.
It’s a compromise between those who dislike the noise and fear the fire danger, the non-profits who use sales to generate money for their causes and those who like fireworks to celebrate Independence Day, said Vice Mayor Gina Belforte.
“I have animals, but I don’t want to take away what the day means. I don’t want to lose sight of our history,” Belforte said.
The legal fireworks would be allowed from June 30 through July 4, with penalties ranging from $250 to $750 for violations, according to the ordinance. The use of illegal fireworks would carry a $1,000 fine.
The proposed ordinance initially limited the use of legal fireworks to July 4, but that was considered unworkable if the fireworks were being sold for five days.
Petaluma, Sebastopol and Cloverdale are the only other areas of Sonoma County allowing the sale and use of fireworks.
Public fireworks displays have been dropped by the city of Windsor because of financial problems, but appear to be on tap for other venues.
In Healdsburg, the annual July 4 fireworks are staged by American Legion Post 111, which doesn’t charge admission, but passes a donation bucket through the crowd.
“We would hate to see it go, this is a great holiday, Independence Day,” said post spokesman Bud Simmons. “We do usually recoup most of our expense through the generosity of the public.”
Simmons said the cost this year will be between $25,000 and $30,000, an expense that keeps climbing because of the cost of the pyrotechnics and liability insurance, Simmons said.
Santa Rosa’s display at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds is being saved by the Santa Rosa Active 20/30 Club, Police Officers Association and the Firefighters local after public agencies withdrew financial support.
There will also be firework displays in Petaluma, Sonoma, Cloverdale, Sebastopol and Bodega Bay.
The Windsor City Council on Wednesday decided to discontinue its display because of the $28,000 cost.
Sonoma State University will not hold its display for the second consecutive year, citing financial issues.
“It has to do with the conditions of the budget for the campus, compounded by the economy,” said Floyd Ross, director of the Green Music Center. “We just decided we just couldn’t do it.”
Ross said the last estimate put the cost at $35,000.
All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.
Comments are currently unavailable on this article