At the City of Duarte’s regular meeting on April 8 the Duarte City Council updated the Duarte Municipal Code (DMC) to regulate the sale, possession, and use of all fireworks within the city.
In the General Municipal Election on Nov. 6, 2018, residents voted on Measure F, which was designed to prohibit the sale and use of fireworks. The measure ultimately passed and resulted in prohibiting all sales and use of fireworks in Duarte.
Since the adoption of DMC Chapter 15.05, “Fireworks,” the possession, sale, and use of fireworks and dangerous fireworks have continued to increase within the city’s limits, posing a serious risk to the public’s safety due to the potential for severe bodily injury, property damage, and fire concerns.
The recently approved Ordinance No. 25-02 amended DMC Chapter 15.05 to clarify processes and procedures, and improve city enforcement of violations of the DMC related to possession, sale, and use of all fireworks. What you need to know:
- All fireworks are prohibited in the City of Duarte, including safe and sane fireworks.
- The sale, use, and/or possession with intent to use safe and sane fireworks within the city are prohibited
- Intent to use safe and sane firework(s) may result in fines. Enforcement officers will consider a variety of factors, including location, time and date of possession, possession of ignition sources, possession or presence of previously discharged fireworks, and past violations when determining intent.
- Fines for fireworks violations can be up to $10,000 for dangerous fireworks, in alignment with state law.
To read the updated chapter, visit library.municode.com.
