It's been nearly a year since Grover Beach city leaders approved a fireworks ordinance that would fine people $1,000 per illegal firework. However, some of those fines from last year's Fourth of July are still unpaid.
Now, the City is changing the ordinance to better enforce it.
Eight Grover Beach residents still owe thousands of dollars to the City for setting off illegal fireworks last year.
Wayne Embrey has lived in Grover Beach for almost two decades. He said he's disappointed in the City's limitations of the fireworks but understands that when you live in a city, you agree to its terms.
"Today, people are struggling to even survive," Embrey said. "I have been really fortunate because my wife and I set ourselves up for the long run, but a lot of people, they can't make it. The thousand-dollar fine was so absurd that they just couldn't handle it. I don't blame them for not paying."
The Social Host Ordinance charges property owners $1,000 per illegal firework set off at their site. The ordinance was adopted by City leaders in May 2025.
On the Fourth of July in 2025, the City of Grover Beach issued 12 citations for violations of the ordinance. Only three were paid in full, while five citees made partial payments, one citation was dismissed and three citees never responded to the violations.
However, it is set to change on June 11 because of a daily late fee that turned the unpaid fines into $128,000.
City Manager Matt Bronson said there are always growing pains with new ordinances.
"That number was staggering and really caused us to go back and take a look at the intent of the ordinance," Bronson said. "The intent of the ordinance is to minimize and prevent illegal firework activity from taking place. It's not to generate $128,000 of fee revenue that is unpaid."
The revised ordinance approved by the City Council last week will be modified into a tiered fine system. For a range of one to 10 fireworks set off, a total $1,000 fine will be issued. Ten to 20 fireworks will be a $3,000 fine, and more than 20 fireworks will be a $5,000 fine.
Some people cited last year are set to get a $1,200 refund on late fees due to the change.
The review process for the ordinance will also be changed. The police department will be able to review the citations within 10 days of an alleged violation and late fees will not be given during the review process.
Bronson said most of the money brought in from added fees goes straight to the State Fire Marshall's office.
"Last year, we collected $7,500 total," Bronson said. "So 65% of that went to the state. The balance stayed here. That's not a significant revenue source. We didn't propose the ordinance, council didn't adopt it to generate revenue for the city."
Bronson said the real purpose of the ordinance is to reduce firework activity and improve the city's safety.
"I can understand the safety aspect of it because people with wooden roofs, the shingles and the shake roofs, it's very dangerous for them," Embrey said. "But for people with composition roofs, it's not really a big issue."
When the new fee structure goes into effect, fines for illegal fireworks will still be issued year-round.
