In a last-minute emergency City Council hearing at 5 pm on Monday, June 28, Old Ranch Country Club was heard for an urgency ordinance to allow their fireworks show on Saturday, July 3.
The hearing was necessary because the Municipal Code prohibited fireworks in Seal Beach.
After several prominent community members came forward to advocate for Old Ranch, both prior to the meeting and during, the council in a 4-0 decision approved the new ordinance.
By law, an urgency ordinance requires four votes.
Still pending are the special events permit and Federal Aviation Administration clearance required due to proximity to the Joint Forces Training Base runway.
The ordinance allowing the fireworks show has a built in “sunset clause” that would automatically expire after 2010.
City Attorney Quinn Barrow designed the ordinance to encourage the council to take up the issue in the upcoming year and to provide future direction.
District 3 Councilman Gordon Shanks admonished the country club for not following the special events permit process and to be more courteous to city staff in the future.
Councilman Gary Miller, who represents District 4—College Park East and Town Center—said he was pleased that Old Ranch was bringing it back and hoped that they would in the future have the event actually on July 4. Miller’s district includes the country club. Miller also indicated how important it was to have the JTFB involved in the planning process moving forward.
Staff and Council apparently worked overtime to bring it all together, particularly Assistant City Manager Jill Ingram and Director of Planning Mark Persico
“It is clear that there was political will on the part of the community, both business and residential, to bring back what was a much beloved fireworks display,” said Gina Phillips, College Park East resident and member of the board of directors of the Chamber of the Seal Beach Chamber of Commerce. For more information contact Old Ranch County Club at (562) 596-4425.
Seth Eaker is the president of the Seal Beach Chamber of Commerce.
