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City seeks permission to launch Fourth of July fireworks from Memorial Park; commission designates member to approve final plan
Summary
Charles Wall, City of Hollister parks director, asked the commission for permission to fire a Fourth of July fireworks display from the south end of Memorial (Veterans) Park; the commission authorized one member to approve the plan once public‑safety sign‑offs and league agreements are secured.
The City of Hollister asked the San Benito County Parks and Recreation Commission for permission to use the southerly area of Memorial (Veterans) Park as a launch site for an Independence Day fireworks display, and commissioners gave conditional direction for staff to continue planning while involving public‑safety agencies and park stakeholders.
Charles Wall, director of Hollister Parks and Recreation, said the city is seeking a location that can safely accommodate a fireworks display linked to the Hollister Independence Rally and that the southerly portion of Memorial Park near Sunnyslope School appeared to be the widest, safest firing area. Wall said the airport was not a viable option this year because of staffing and runway‑lighting work.
Commissioners and stakeholders raised standard safety questions: resident notification for adjacent homes; fire‑department and police staffing for an outdoor public display coincident with the rally; ambulance and EMS staging; whether vehicles or heavy equipment would be driven on fields; and whether any seating or vending options would damage newly seeded turf. Tremors representatives stressed that July is a month they typically close fields for aeration and reseeding and asked that contractors not drive on turf so new seed and irrigation are not damaged.
City staff said the fireworks company and the fire department had reviewed the proposed firing area and that fire personnel would be on site during the display. Wall said the city would obtain event insurance and the required event permits; public‑safety agencies are part of the permit review and must sign off before the event could proceed.
Multiple league leaders and volunteers supported using park space for viewing and vending, while asking the city to coordinate carefully so league operations and field maintenance are not harmed. Sean and Jared Penzel (Babe Ruth), Gina Noddy (Hollister Heat) and Tremors representatives discussed configuration options including using some fields for spectator seating and keeping firing operations in a fenced safety zone.
The commission opted not to require a full special commission meeting on a tight timeline. Instead the commission voted to designate Commissioner Maria Spandry as the parks commission representative authorized to sign off on the fireworks plan if all of the following conditions are met: (1) the City of Hollister secures required event permits and insurance; (2) the fire chief and law enforcement sign off on the safety plan; and (3) affected park tenants and user groups (Babe Ruth, Hollister Little League, Hollister Heat, Tremors) review and agree on field‑use and staging arrangements. The motion to authorize Spandry to sign off passed 4–0.
Commissioners also asked staff to prioritize completing a secondary park entrance and to coordinate staging so that spectator areas, parking and emergency access are clearly demarked. The commission and city officials discussed a May check‑in to confirm permit timelines and stakeholders’ agreements; staff offered to route final bids, permits and a draft safety plan to Commissioner Spandry for review and signature to avoid delaying the city’s event schedule.
Ending — Next steps: City staff will continue permit work and coordination with fire, police and leagues; Public Works will prioritize the second driveway and circulation changes as feasible; staff will provide documents to Commissioner Spandry for final sign‑off if the safety and tenant‑agreement conditions are met.
