A plea for beach fireworks

Jenny Marder

A group of residents refuse to take no for an answer when it comes to

Independence Day fireworks on the beach.

Though a proposal to hold a fireworks display at the city beach

has already been denied by the City Council twice, Councilwoman Pam

Julien Houchen will bring the measure back at the Feb. 17 meeting --

this time armed with a more convincing argument and stronger support.

The four council members who voted against the proposal on Jan. 19

said that they feared a repeat of the riots that swept through Surf

City in the 1990s.

Supporters have since taken steps to improve safety, have mapped

out an exact location and have secured backing from influential

hotelier Steve Bone, owner of the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach

Resort & Spa and the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort.

Proponents are convinced that a show at the beach this year would

not result in civil unrest.

“I think public safety can do a wonderful job,” Houchen said. “I

don’t think we’re attracting the rowdy element. I think it will be

about families.”

Since the plan’s rejection in January, the Fourth of July board

has secured funding for beach lighting, which Houchen has claimed

will minimize safety hazards. This proposal also details the exact

location of the fireworks show. Fireworks would be shot from a barge

off the beach in between the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort &

Spa and the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort.

“This is a different Huntington Beach,” Houchen said. “We’ve grown

up quite a bit. That was then and this is now.”

But those adamantly opposed remained unconvinced.

“It addresses [safety concerns] somewhat, but as far as I’m

concerned, not enough,” Councilman Dave Sullivan said. “I have the

same concerns that it’s putting too much of a strain on police. I

will still be voting against it.”

Fourth of July Parade Committee Chairwoman Pat Stier was

confident, however, that the measure would ultimately pass.

“I don’t see many problems left,” Stier said. “I think the City

Council is listening, and I commend them for reconsidering it.”

Stier was hoping that Mayor Cathy Green could be swayed to cast

the swing vote in favor of the fireworks show.

Green said she was still undecided, but if they could convince her

it would be safe, she would cast a yes vote.

“If all of the safety concerns can be met, then why not?” Green

asked. “But I just don’t know if it’s possible or not. I need to see

what they’re going to bring back.”

Green said that lighting would help, but that she was still unsure

that the police could handle the crowd. Stier said she expected the

event to draw about 10,000.

“If Long Beach, Dana Point, Newport Beach, Santa Ana, Boston and

Seattle ... if they can all do a fireworks show, what makes people

think our city can’t?” resident Barry Williams asked.

“The town has changed, it’s matured,” Williams said. “What’s wrong

with just giving us a chance?”

* JENNY MARDER covers City Hall. She can be reached at (714)

965-7173 or by e-mail at jenny.marder@latimes.com.