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Temple City council discusses drone shows and alternatives to private July 4 fireworks
Summary
Council members praised low fireworks calls over July 4 and discussed studying drone shows and other community events as alternatives to private fireworks; staff said the county would need to be involved and that drone budgeting appears in the 26-27 budget.
Temple City council members on July 7 discussed options for reducing illegal and hazardous private fireworks after a relatively quiet Independence Day weekend.
City Manager Brian thanked sheriff deputies and community-service officers for keeping calls low and said officials reported only one minor incident (damage under $5,000). "It was one of our lightest years in terms of calls for service," he said.
Councilmember Sternquist described a San Dimas drone show that replaced fireworks and urged the city to study a similar, sponsored event as a community-building alternative. "When I saw this event, I thought, why haven't we been doing something on the July 4?" Sternquist said, noting the potential for sponsorships to offset costs.
Brian said drones are under consideration in coordination with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and noted the council has budgeted for drones in the 2026-27 budget cycle; he added that any implementation would require coordination with county partners and further staff study. Councilmembers also discussed how an alternative event could affect youth organizations that raise money from fireworks booths and whether sponsorships or other revenue could offset lost fundraising.
Council asked staff to explore logistics and report back; no formal policy decision or vote was taken.
