GALT, CA (MPG)  - The Galt City Council voted on April 15 to introduce an updated ordinance aimed at curbing illegal fireworks use, giving officials more authority to enforce penalties and hold property owners accountable.

The ordinance is designed to reduce the risks associated with illegal fireworks, particularly during the busy Fourth of July season.

“One of the specific reasons we are doing this is to really define clarity for regulations, requirements, enforcement, and penalties and really to update it,” said City Code Enforcement Supervisor TJ Guidotti. He noted that the existing regulations had become outdated, with references to the City of Galt fire department, which no longer exists.

The ordinance is intended to target illegal fireworks, not the “safe and sane” fireworks that are legally sold for fundraising purposes by nonprofits and school groups. According to Guidotti, the goal is to reduce the risk posed by illegal devices, which can be far more dangerous and damaging.

“It’s really about reducing the risk and reducing the impact of illegal fireworks, not legal fireworks,” Guidotti said.

One of the most significant changes in the new ordinance is the imposition of liability on the “host” of any illegal fireworks display. The host will now be held responsible for each individual firework device found at their location. Hosts could face fines of up to $1,000 per device, with a full investigation conducted to ensure that the property owner or event host is liable.

Galt Police Chief Brian Kalinowski explained that the city’s approach will mirror that of nearby Elk Grove, which has already made significant strides in tackling illegal fireworks. Kalinowski said that Elk Grove’s police department had begun using drones as part of its “Drone as a First Responder” program, which has been instrumental in monitoring illegal fireworks displays.

“Using drones to monitor illegal fireworks use, we’re able to track suspects and vehicles involved in ongoing crimes,” Kalinowski said. “This gives us the ability to go back later and administratively cite those who are discharging fireworks.”

In Elk Grove, authorities used drones to capture illegal fireworks activity during last year’s Fourth of July celebrations, issuing $240,000 in fines, including a $100,000 penalty to one homeowner.

Kalinowski expressed interest in implementing a similar drone program in Galt to help track illegal fireworks usage.

“We get stripped out pretty quickly with our capacity to respond,” Kalinowski noted. “Using emerging technology, other than sworn staff, and the host ordinance are the three moving pieces for us that take this home.”

Under the new ordinance, the use of fireworks will be banned outside of June 28 and 11 p.m. on July 5. Safe and sane fireworks may only be sold with a city-issued permit and state-issued license. Violations of the ordinance will result in civil citations, with fines of $1,000 per violation. 

Any fireworks found in violation of the ordinance, including safe and sane fireworks, will be confiscated and destroyed by the Cosumnes Fire Department.

Mayor Shawn Farmer expressed strong support for the ordinance, citing his own concerns about fire safety. He recalled a friend losing their home due to a fire potentially caused by illegal fireworks.

“Where I live, it’s like Fallujah at night on the Fourth of July,” Farmer said. “If you guys can use drones to crack down on that, I’m all for it. There are dry fields back there and all of our neighbors are just on pins and needles for a fire that night.”

Council Member Bonnie Rodriguez voiced concerns about the ordinance’s impact on landlords, questioning how tenants who use illegal fireworks could be held accountable. Kalinowski said homeowners could still be held liable if their tenants use illegal fireworks on their property. The city would encourage landlords to enforce compliance with their tenants, including making tenants pay the fine if a violation occurs.

“The pathway to solving that problem is ensuring you get compliance from your tenant,” Kalinowski explained. “If you received a fine, you would expect that your tenant, to continue residency, would pay the fine.”

The city also plans to run an education campaign to promote awareness of the new rules. Kalinowski pointed out that the city would follow due process when issuing citations, allowing property owners to appeal fines in the same way a traffic ticket could be contested.

“It’s like if you got a traffic ticket,” Kalinowski said. “There is due process that you are available to appeal that citation.”

City Manager Chris Erias emphasized that the goal is always to go after the true perpetrators of illegal fireworks violations rather than targeting property owners first.

“We have always had an approach of trying to work with the folks directly responsible,” Erias said. “The last resort is always to go then to the property owner.”

Council Member Tim Reed expressed full support for the updated ordinance, noting the importance of preventing the dangers posed by illegal fireworks.

“Anything we can do to help these guys do their job on the Fourth of July, we should be doing it,” Reed said.

Farmer concluded by making it clear that the ordinance is intended as a deterrent.

“If you hear that the Galt City Council is going to start cracking down on illegal fireworks, well yeah, you did not read that wrong,” Farmer said. “If you want to celebrate, celebrate with legal fireworks. If you want to take a gamble, you’re going to reap the repercussions.”