WATSONVILLE—Watsonville police will start handing out fines to tenants and property owners for illegal fireworks if there is evidence that they were bought, sold or set off at the property, the department announced Tuesday.
Before the move, an officer needed to catch someone in the act of setting off the illegal firework. Now, debris of an illegal firework, or a neighbor’s video of an illegal firework being set off at a property will be enough for an officer to give a citation.
People using illegal fireworks face a $1,000 fine per violation.
The move is expected to strengthen officers’ ability to fine people for the noisy pyrotechnics. It mirrors so-called “social host” ordinances that have been implemented in various California cities also struggling to quell illegal fireworks.
To report illegal fireworks within city limits, residents are asked to call 831-471-1511.
