Council sets fireworks permits at 12 and reserves permits for local high schools

The Orange City Council on Monday amended and readopted its safe-and-sane fireworks resolution (referenced in the meeting as resolution 11597), setting the annual number of vendor permits at 12 and reserving opportunities for four local high schools.

Councilmember Bilodeau moved to set the number of permits at 12 per year; Mayor Pro Tem Bilodeau made the motion and Councilmember Dimitrio seconded. The council approved that motion with five votes in favor and one vote against (Councilmember Barrios).

Council then debated a provision to automatically allocate permits to the four high schools within the city. The initial listing mentioned Orange High School, a mistaken reference to Villa Park (later corrected in discussion), Richland/El Modena and Orange Lutheran High School. After discussion, the council approved the set-aside provision on a recorded vote of 4–2, with Mayor Slater and Councilmember Barrios voting no on that specific allocation.

Finally, the council voted to adopt the resolution modifying the application, lottery process and number of permits (incorporating the two prior modifications). The clerk recorded the final vote as five in favor and one against (Councilmember Barrios).

Councilmembers discussed concerns about fire-risk mapping and liability during public comment; staff and the city attorney pointed to CAL FIRE and CPUC maps and committed to follow up on boundary questions raised by residents.

The resolution also preserves an after-action review and a re-evaluation of the permit program in the following year, per council direction.