Garden Grove to Consider Fireworks Ban

The Garden Grove City Council will face a trio of controversial topics Tuesday night, when it considers a ban on “safe and sane” fireworks, renewal of peep show permits and an increase in water rates.

The city decided to consider the fireworks ban after the Orange County Grand Jury and the city’s Neighborhood Improvement and Conservation Commission recommended that fireworks be outlawed.

Garden Grove is one of six Orange County cities that allow them. The others are Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Fullerton, Orange and Santa Ana.

Garden Grove fire officials have come out in support of the ban.

“Fireworks are dangerous whether they’re ‘safe and sane’ or illegal,” said Fire Marshal Bernard Helmos.

Among the groups expected to attend the meeting is Norwalk-based Freedom Fireworks, which opposes the ban. “You can’t have an entirely risk-free society,” said Tom Peters, vice president of the company.

In addition, some youth sports and civic groups that raise funds through the sale of fireworks are expected to send representatives to Tuesday’s meeting.

The council will also consider a move that could shut down most of the city’s peep shows. Garden Grove is home to seven such operations--in which video booths show snippets of X-rated movies for a quarter--most of them on Garden Grove Boulevard.

A hearing officer recommended that four of the businesses be denied permits, that one be granted a permit, and that two be granted permits provided they comply with tough city building regulations that could cost operators thousands of dollars.

City Atty. Stuart Scudder said that city code requirements, which include fireproof walls between viewing booths and no doors on booths, are necessary for safety and to combat sex crimes in and around the peep shows, most of which are in adult bookstores.

Peep show operators say that the regulations are calculated to drive them out of business.

The council will also consider raising water rates by 16.5 cents per 100 cubic feet of water. City officials said the monthly bill for a typical family in a single-family home would rise from $7.50 to $8.99.

The council earlier rejected a rate hike of 20 cents per 100 cubic feet. If the latest effort is approved, the increase would take effect in mid-December.