ESCONDIDO, Calif. (KGTV) — The Escondido City Council voted Wednesday to approve the first reading of an ordinance that would increase fines for illegal fireworks from $100 to $1,000 per incident and allow police and fire departments to use drones for enforcement.
All fireworks are currently illegal in Escondido. The new ordinance would also classify violations as a misdemeanor and allow the city to recover costs for personnel on scene and disposal fees.
Heather Middleton, a local dog owner, said her dog Coco has struggled with the sounds of illegal fireworks in her neighborhood for years.
"When she turned about 4, it started getting worse and worse. Just completely fell apart, and every year it just gets worse and worse, and even now a little boom will send her running," Middleton said.
Middleton said she hopes the ordinance will make a difference for her pets.
"I'm hoping that it will calm down in our area. That people will listen to the rules and that he won't suffer that same effect she does," Middleton said.
Mayor Dane White said the ordinance is aimed at addressing illegal fireworks during holidays like July 4th and New Year's, though he acknowledged enforcement challenges.
"I think we're going to have to wait and find out to see how effective it is. This is one of those things that's very, very difficult to enforce regardless because you need eyewitnesses to whoever lit it off, but this does make it somewhat easier, and I do think that in the case of those people that it's a constant problem in their neighborhoods. This will at the very least serve as a deterrent," White said.
A city official described the scope of the changes under the new ordinance.
"The change is it's now a misdemeanor. The fines are increased. We have the ability to have cost recovery for personnel that are on scene, also for the disposal fees," the official said.
The ordinance still requires a second reading before it becomes law. White said the goal is to have the ordinance in place before July 4th.
We first reported on the ordinance in April when a city council subcommittee debated the rules.
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