The Capitola City Council voted to direct staff to work with the Monti Foundation to obtain a California Coastal Commission coastal development permit for the Monti Foundation fireworks show, tentatively scheduled for Oct. 12, 2025, and to consult the city’s Commission on the Environment on environmental analysis tied to the permit.

The council’s action follows a staff presentation that described the show’s history, the permitting path and environmental and logistical concerns. Staff told the council the event typically draws about 10,000 attendees, has raised roughly $300,000 for local projects to date, and is launched from the Capitola Wharf — which places the display over coastal waters and means a Coastal Commission permit is required.

City staff described the Coastal Commission process as lengthy and likely to require an alternatives analysis, coordination with other agencies including the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and the U.S. Coast Guard, and additional hearings. Staff said a statutory CEQA exemption exists for temporary fireworks events but that the Coastal Commission frequently conditions permits based on environmental analysis.

Supporters of the event told the council the fireworks are a long-running local tradition that funds youth and park projects. Michael Monti, vice president of the Monti Foundation, said the foundation has run similar shows for decades and emphasized the foundation’s cleanup and safety efforts: “We take good care of this, and we wanna continue the show and just have it be available for the grandness and the spectacle that it is,” Monti said.

Opponents raised concerns about debris, marine pollution and chemical contamination, and questioned whether cleanup efforts are sufficient. “The litter down there was inches thick,” said resident Dave Peyton, recounting his observations after previous shows. Other speakers from mobile home communities and environmental groups described recurring debris on nearby properties and in kelp beds.

Staff estimated the Coastal Commission application and review would take several months and said Monti Foundation would likely fund the consultant and permit fees needed for the alternatives analysis. The city would contribute staff time for coordination; police and public works costs for the special event permit would be billed through the special-event permitting process.

Councilmember [name withheld in transcript] made the motion to direct staff to coordinate with the Monti Foundation to obtain the Coastal Development Permit and accepted a friendly amendment to consult the Commission on the Environment on the environmental analysis. The motion passed on an affirmative vote of the council.

Next steps identified by staff included beginning outreach with the Coastal Commission, preparing a consultant scope and schedule, and coordinating other agency permits. The council emphasized the decision to seek a permit does not itself authorize the event; the city’s special-event permit and any final conditions would still require separate city approvals.

The council will revisit the item as permit work, environmental analysis and interagency coordination proceed.