AGENDA TITLE:
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Receive Presentation Regarding Updated Safe and Sane Fireworks Application Process for 2025 Fireworks Season (FD & CLK)
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MEETING DATE:
March 5, 2025
PREPARED BY:
Olivia Nashed, City Clerk
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RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Receive Presentation Regarding Updated Safe and Sane Fireworks Application Process for 2025 Fireworks Season.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Fireworks Vendor Application process was challenging last year. City Council requested that a review of the application process and changes to improve the process for the future. The Fire Department, Public Information Officer, City Attorney’s Office and City Clerk’s Office coordinated to improve the process for wholesalers and the local non-profit organizations that benefit from the annual sales. Changes that will be implemented this year include:
1. FIREWORKS SEASON WORKSHOP: Staff will conduct a joint Fireworks Sales Workshop on Monday, March 3rd, at Carnegie Forum, from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. The flyer for the workshop was published on the City’s Fireworks webpage, the Fire Department’s Facebook page, and the City’s main Facebook page. Fire Department staff contacted local non-profits that participated in the Fireworks lottery in prior years to inform them of the workshop and invited them to attend. The City Clerk’s Office contacted the wholesalers to do the same.
2. REVIEW PERIOD FOR ALL APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS: An application review period will be implemented for the 2025 process. Once the application submission window opens (March 3rd), all applications submitted for the Fireworks Lottery will be reviewed for completion by the Fire Department and the City Clerk’s Office within 48 hours of submission. The opportunity for application review will ensure non-profits have sufficient time to submit any missing paperwork or supplemental information needed by the end of application period, March 31st. Another 48-hour review period will be implemented for the 6 non-profits applications that are successful in the lottery, and the 6 alternate non-profits that are on standby if any of the successful lottery non-profits do not submit a complete application within the time frame stated in LMC Section 9.13.060.
3. EXTENDED APPLICATION SUBMISSION WINDOW: LMC Section 9.13.060 states that “The fire chief shall notify all applicants by the third Monday in April regarding the results of the lottery…” The section further states that successful lottery/prospective permittees have until the close of business on the third Monday in May to submit their final paperwork for the Fireworks sales permits. To provide the successful lottery/prospective permittees and their wholesalers with as much time as possible to collect and submit the required documentation to the City, the Fireworks Lottery will be held on Friday, April 11, 2025, at Carnegie Forum, at 4:30 p.m. This will provide the successful lottery/prospective permittees with an application window of April 14, 2025, at 7:30 a.m. to May 19, 2025, at 5:30 p.m., to submit their application and supporting documentation to the City Clerk’s Office.
If any successful lottery/prospective permittee fails to submit their paperwork by the deadline of May 19, 2025 at 5:30 p.m., the Fire Chief shall give notice by Wednesday, May 21, 2025, to the requisite number of substitute lottery applicants that they have until Monday, June 9, 2025, at 5:30 p.m., to submit paperwork as required by subsection C of Section 9.13.040.
During last year’s Fireworks season, the City Council requested review of the Ordinance to determine if changes were necessary incorporate modifications that would improve the clarity and efficiency of the Fireworks application, lottery, and permitting processes. Staff determined that improvements to the process are permissible within the current construct of the Lodi Municipal Code. City staff will assess the effectiveness of the updated process throughout the 2025 Fireworks season to ascertain strengths and limitations of the administrative updates. If additional changes are necessary, modifications to the Lodi Municipal Code can be brought forward to the City Council.
STRATEGIC VISION:
7H. Public Safety: Address strategic safety problem areas in the community.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Not applicable.
FUNDING AVAILABLE:
Not applicable.
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Ken Johnson
Fire Chief
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Olivia Nashed
City Clerk
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Katie O. Lucchesi
City Attorney
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Scott R. Carney
City Manager