ITEM 6-G

City Council Meeting: June 9, 1992

                          STAFF REPORT

TO:           Mayor and City Council

FROM:         City Staff

SUBJECT:      RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE  SANTA  MONICA  COLLEGE'S
              CELEBRATE AMERICA FIREWORKS DISPLAY

INTRODUCTION

This report recommends that the City Council approve Santa Monica
College's  request  for  their  "Celebrate  America"  concert and
fireworks program on July 3, 1992.

DISCUSSION

At its meeting of October 11, 1983, the City Council  established
the  policy  that Council approval would be required for non-City
sponsored fireworks events.

The "Celebrate America" concert and fireworks program is proposed
to  be  held  on  July  3, 1992 in the Santa Monica College (SMC)
stadium from 6:00 p.m. to  10:00  p.m.   SMC  plans  to  end  the
celebration with a ten (10) minute fireworks display beginning at
9:30 p.m.

City staff has met with SMC staff to discuss  concerns  expressed
by  residents  last  year  regarding  notification,  parking  and
traffic issues and firework noise associated with the event.  SMC
mailed  over 6,000 newsletters to Santa Monica residents inviting
them to attend a community meeting on May 30, 1992 to comment  on
the  "Celebrate  America" fireworks event.  Shortly thereafter, a
postcard notice was mailed by SPAN to SPAN members and  neighbors
reminding them of the community meeting.

SMC and City staff attended the meeting scheduled for 9:00  a.m.,
May  30,  1992.  No one from the public appeared, and the meeting
was adjourned at 9:30  a.m.   The  College  received  one  letter
expressing concerns about the event and the lack of communication
with the neighboring residents.

Two  years  ago  the  fireworks  program  was  held  at  the  SMC
Amphitheater.   The  Amphitheater  site  was  too small for large
audiences  and  close  to  residential  housing.    Parking   was
primarily  off  site  street  parking.   Last year, the event was
moved to the SMC Stadium which proved  to  be  better  suited  to
handle the large number of local residents.  However, parking and
traffic was still somewhat of a problem  since  the  new  parking
structures  had  not  been  completed.   This  year  the  traffic
circulation will be improved with  the  utilization  of  the  new
parking  structures.   Campus police will assist with parking and
traffic control.  Most of the traffic will exit on Pico Boulevard
rather  than  on  the residental streets.  The Campus Police will
also monitor the gates to insure that alcohol and  fireworks  are
not brought into the SMC Stadium.

SMC staff have made efforts to mitigate the noise associated with
the  fireworks.  They have selected smaller sized firework shells
which reduce the sound of  the  fireworks.   Also,  the  firework
fuses  are  electronically  charged  which also reduces the noise
factor.

The City's Event Management Team has reviewed the details of  the
event  and  given  the College conceptual approval to conduct the
event contingent upon City Council's approval of the fireworks.

BUDGETARY/FINANCIAL IMPACT

There is no budgetary/financial impact with this request.   Santa
Monica  College  will pay all related costs for fire, police, and
other city services.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Staff recommends that City Council approve Santa Monica College's
request for fireworks for the "Celebrate America" concert program
on July 3, 1992.

 Prepared by: Suzanne Ota
              Asst. Director, Cultural and Recreation Services

              Annette Morales
              Administrative Analyst