Mono County Municipal Code Ch. 10.18 Regulation of Fireworks

Except as expressly allowed in Sections 10.17.020, 10.17.030 and 10.17.040, the use or discharge of fireworks, as defined in the Health and Safety Code Section 12511, including safe and sane fireworks as defined in Health and Safety Code Section 12529, is prohibited within the unincorporated area of the county.

(Ord. 03-04 § 1 (part), 2003.)

Public displays of fireworks are defined in Health and Safety Code Section 12524 are allowed in the following areas and at the following designated times and dates:

A. Bridgeport. A public display of fireworks that complies with all of the requirements of the Health and Safety Code is authorized on the Fourth of July between the hours of four p.m. and ten thirty p.m. at the location where fireworks displays have historically taken place in Bridgeport, provided that the property owner, lessee, or occupier approves of and authorizes such use. That location is Assessor's Parcel Number 08-070-30, located immediately adjacent and to the west of the Bridgeport Airport. However, if conditions at that location are determined by the chief of the Bridgeport Fire Protection District to be unsafe for the discharge of fireworks at the date and time specified herein, the chief may suspend, terminate or limit the exception granted by this section by notifying the entity sponsoring the fireworks display, the property owner, lessee or occupier and the Mono County sheriff at any time preceding or during the display.

B. Crowley Lake. A public display of fireworks that complies with all of the requirements of the Health and Safety Code is authorized at Crowley Lake at the location where fireworks displays have historically taken place on the Fourth of July between the hours of four p.m. and ten thirty p.m. provided that the property owner, lessee or occupier approves and authorizes such use. That location is within Section 23, Township 4 South, Range 29 East, Mt. Diablo Base and Meridian. However, if conditions at that location are determined by the chief of the Long Valley Fire Protection District to be unsafe for the discharge of fireworks at the date and time specified herein, the chief may suspend, terminate or limit the exception granted by this section by notifying the entity sponsoring the fireworks display, the property owner, lessee or occupier and the Mono County sheriff at any time preceding or during the display.

C. Other Designated Areas. A public display or fireworks that complies with all of the requirements of the Health and Safety Code is authorized on the Fourth of July between the hours of four p.m. and ten thirty p.m. in any area specifically designated by the chief of the fire protection district having jurisdiction, provided that the owner of the designated area consents to and authorizes the public display of fireworks on the property and the fire protection district whose chief has made the designation provides supervision and control of the public display. The chief of the fire protection district shall make the designation by posting a sign so indicating in the designated area, by notifying the Mono County sheriff of the designation, and by providing any other notice to the public that the chief deems necessary.

(Ord. 03-04 § 1 (part), 2003.)

The use or discharge of safe and sane fireworks as defined by Health and Safety Code Section 12529 is allowed in the following areas at the following designated times and dates:

A. Chalfant Community Park. The use or discharge of safe and sane fireworks is authorized within Chalfant Community Park on the Fourth of July from four p.m. to ten thirty p.m. However, if conditions at Chalfant Community Park are determined by the Chief of the Chalfant Valley Fire Protection District to be unsafe for the discharge of fireworks at the date and time specified herein, the chief may suspend, terminate or limit the exception granted by this section by posting a sign at the park so indicating and notifying the Mono County sheriff of the resulting prohibition.

B. Bridgeport. The use or discharge of safe and sane fireworks is authorized to all locations within the district boundaries of the Bridgeport Fire Protection District, except within the Twin Lakes drainage west of 1000 Twin Lakes Road (the clinic building) on the Fourth of July from four p.m. to ten thirty p.m. provided such use is approved and authorized by the owner of the property where the use occurs. However, if conditions within the district (or within any part of that district) are determined by the chief of the Bridgeport Fire Protection District to be unsafe for the discharge of fireworks at the date and special time specified herein, the chief may suspend, terminate or limit the exception granted by this section by posting a sign in each post office located within the district and at the Mono County courthouse indicating those portion(s) of the district where the use and discharge of safe and sane fireworks has been prohibited and notifying the Mono County sheriff of the prohibition.

C. Other Designated Areas. The use or discharge of safe and sane fireworks is authorized on the Fourth of July only between the hours of four p.m. and ten thirty p.m. within any area specifically designated by the chief of the fire protection district having territorial jurisdiction over that designated area provided that the property owner, lessee or occupier consents to and authorizes the use and discharge of safe and sane fireworks on the property and the fire protection district whose chief has made the designation provides supervision and control of the use or discharge. The chief of the fire protection district shall make the designation by posting a sign so indicating in the designated area, by notifying the Mono County sheriff of the designation, and by providing any other notice to the public that the chief deems necessary.

(Ord. 03-04 § 1 (part), 2003.)

Upon the request of any person, the board of supervisors may in its sole discretion approve the use or discharge of fireworks, including both safe and sane fireworks and public displays of fireworks, at dates and times other than those specified above if the following conditions are met:

A. The chief of the fire district having territorial jurisdiction over the property on which the use would occur has approved of the use or discharge of fireworks at the proposed date and time;

B. The owner, lessee or occupier of the designated area has consented and authorized the use and discharge of fireworks on the property;

C. The chief approving of the use retains the authority to revoke his authorization at any time if the conditions at the time, date and designated location have changed such that he believes that it has become unsafe for the discharge of fireworks; and

D. The fire protection district whose chief has approved of the use supervises and controls the fireworks activities.

(Ord. 03-04 § 1 (part), 2003.)

The sale of safe and sane fireworks as defined in Health and Safety Code Section 12529 shall be prohibited within the unincorporated areas of Mono County, unless permitted in writing by the chief of the fire protection district having territorial jurisdiction over the property on which the sale will occur.

(Ord. 03-04 § 1 (part), 2003.)

Any violation of the ordinance codified in this chapter shall be a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to five hundred dollars, imprisonment up to six months or both. Each sale, use or discharge prohibited by the ordinance codified in this chapter shall be a separate offense.

(Ord. 03-04 § 1 (part), 2003.)

If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase in the ordinance codified in this chapter is for any reason held to be invalid by decision of a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of the ordinance codified in this chapter. The board of supervisors declares that it would have passed the ordinance codified in this chapter, and each and every section, subsection, sentence, clause or phase without regard to whether any portion of the ordinance codified in this chapter would later be declared invalid.

(Ord. 03-04 § 1 (part), 2003.)