SR-6-G (113)
CCS SEM MdeH hs/wpwm!councll/July4 Santa Momca, C51a' "
May 10, 1994 ~
STAFF REPORT MAY 1 0 199't
TO Mayor and City Council
FROM City Staff
SUBJECT RECOMMENDA nON TO APPROVE 4TH OF JULY FESTIVITIES AS
PART OF REOPE.'\"Il\G OF PALISADES PARK
INTRODUCTION
This report proVides mformatlOn on costs and operatlOnal Issues associated With the Dawn's Early
LIght fireworks event and suggests that CouncIl approve a commumty celebratIon for the reopenmg
of Pahsades Park
BACKGR01Thi'D
Due to budgetary constramts as well as publIc safety and operatIOnal concerns, the 1992 and 1993
July 4th Dawn's Early LIght fireworks displays were not held Dawn's Early Light was IllItlally
planned as a replacement for traditIonal fireworks on the evemng of July 4th because the mghttune
event had become a major regIOnal attraction posmg severe pubhc safety problems
Despite the early hour, Dawn' s Early LIght Itself ultlmately attracted crowds estImated at 250,000
from around the regIOn and necessitated full deplo).ment of police officers over 2 days because of
the event" s scope Costs for Dawn's Early LIght m 1991 mcluded Increased overtIme deployment
for the beach. PIer, and Promenade begmnmg on the evenmg of July 2nd and contmumg through the
evenmg of July 4th Full deployment was reqUIred No sIgmficant mcrease III revenue was
generated dUrIng the 2 hours of the fireworks show ?\et beach parkmg revenue of $11,520 offset
some C rty expenses MAY 1 0 199't
6 'li
.~
When the City Council conSIdered remstltutmg the program for July 4, 1993, It was estImated that
- ------ --- -
$44,000 would be reqUIred m pohee costs alone AddItIOnal event costs Included $15,000 for
ftreworks, $6,000 In CIty overtIme for beach preparation and clean up, and $15,000 for a symphony
concert Added FIre Department costs were nom mal ThIs brought the total estImate for 1993 to
$80,000
DISCUSSION
Instead of remstItutmg a costly regIOnal July 4th event WIth slgmficant publIc safety ImphcatIOns,
staff proposes an afternoon commumty celebratIon for the re-dedlcatIon and re-opemng of the
southern sectIOn of Palisades Park on l\:londay, July 4 ThIS celebratIOn would afford the
commumty a chance to observe the Fourth of July holIday m a manner which would not attract the
large crowds from outsIde Santa MonIca which have created problems m past years
The Commumty and Cultural ServIces Department proposes to contract WIth Commumty Arts
Resources (CARS), the Santa ~lomca-based producers of the hIghly successful 1992 and 1994 Santa
MOnIca FestIval The July 4th observance would take advantage of the geography ofPahsades Park
encouragmg VISItors to stroll from one end to the other by locatmg small groups of mUSICIanS and
other performers along the park's path A central area would be sIted from WhICh the CIty CouncIl
and RecreatlOn and Parks CommIssIoners would declare the park offiCIally open
ThIS event would be planned to appeal to all Santa )"'lolllca reSidents, Includmg farmhes and semor
CItIzens Performmg artIsts could mclude classICal and folk mUSICians. dancers, Jugglers, barbershop
quartets and other performers tradItIonally assocIated With Fourth of July celebratIOns The Fourth
of July would be celebrated \\'lthm the commul1lty not as a productIon spectacle, but rather as an
mtImate event III the park The PIer RestoratIOn Corporatton IS supportIve of thIS type of event on
July 4th weekend
The commumty WIll contmue to enJoy the small scale fireworks display at Santa MOllica College
2
planned this year for Sunday. July 3rd The combmatlOn of the College and CIty celebratlOns Will
provIde City reSIdents With a festIve July 4 weekend
BUDGET IMP ACT
ThIS event would represent a major savmgs o\er prevIous regIOnal fireworks spectaculars whIle
provIdmg the cItlzens of Santa MOlllca With a smaller scale but hIgh quallty event If Santa MODIca
produced "Oa\'>'O' s Early LIght" agam 111 1994. cost eshmates are as follows Pohce Costs, $50,000,
Beach Mamtenance, $15,500, FIreworks. 515.000. Symphony concert. $15,000, FIre Personnel
$350 00. for a total of 595.850
Costs assocIated With the commumty celebratIon of the reopenmg of Pahsades Park would total
approXImately $8,000, mcludmg $3.000 to producer and artists, $4,000 m pollee aSSIgnments,
$1000 for park clean up and nommal costs for FIre Department and mamtenance aSSIstance
Funds are aVaIlable for the proposed celebration 111 nondepartmental account 01-700-274-00000-
7785-00000 upon Council authonzatlOn
RECorvlMENDA nON
The current budgetary SItuatIOn and publIc safety concerns suggest that a cDmmumty event as
opposed to a regIOnal July 4th celebratIon 15 most appropnate Staff recommends that CouncIl
endorse the proposed afternoon community event 111 Palisades Park and authonze staff to proceed
WIth event plannmg and preparatlon
Prepared by Susan McCarthy
DIrector, Cultural and RecreatIOn SerVIces
y!ana LUIsa de Herrera
Cultural Arts Adnlllllstrator
3