Alhambra Mayor Katherine Lee (Photo- Video Screengrab)
Fireworks rules, food trucks, firearms sales, and increased funding for historic preservation consultants and the Chamber of Commerce all on the agenda.
By Melissa Michelson
The City Council in Alhambra was in session for six hours on the night of Monday, April 14, as they made decisions on food trucks, firearms sales, fireworks, speed bumps, and increased funding for the Alhambra Chamber of Commerce and historic preservation consultants.
Fireworks
The first 30 minutes of the April 14, 2025, Alhambra City Council meeting were devoted to public comment, during which students and parents spoke in favor of keeping the current rules on fireworks sales in the City. State fire code bans the sale and use of illegal fireworks, but in Alhambra, “safe and sane” fireworks are sold between June 28 and July 6—and there are no restrictions on when during the year those fireworks can be set off.
Revenue from firework fundraising supports school extracurricular programs. The City Council had planned to vote at the end of the meeting on whether to add the topic of firework sales to a future agenda. Councilwoman Adele Andrade-Stadler had planned to propose banning “safe and sane” fireworks, similar to policies in nearby cities. Mayor Katherine Lee had hoped to restrict fireworks use to July 4 only.
However, at 11:45 pm, Andrade-Stadler withdrew her request. Councilwoman Noya Wang expressed that she didn’t want to make any changes to the current rules on “safe and sane” fireworks. Without Council support, Mayor Lee’s proposal was also dropped, and the topic was not added to a future agenda.
Zoning Code Updates, Firearm Sales Buffer Zone, and Food Truck Permits
The City Council unanimously approved several zoning code updates proposed by staff. One change is the removal of definitions for “High Quality Transit Corridor” and “Major Transit Stop,” terms relevant to high-density housing development.
Staff also proposed creating a buffer zone for firearm sales. Under the plan, gun shops would be limited to Alhambra’s industrial zone—home to businesses like Costco and Home Depot—provided they are not located within two blocks (or 600 feet) of another gun shop or certain sensitive properties such as schools, parks, or residential areas. Staff initially proposed a 1,000-foot buffer, but that would leave no available sites in the industrial zone. No council members proposed an alternative buffer distance.
As for food trucks, the process for obtaining permits was formalized into city law. Previously, food truck permits were managed informally through the City Manager. Now, vendors can apply for one-year permits, provided the truck is located at least 300 feet from another food truck or a brick-and-mortar restaurant.
Traffic Calming Measures
Several residents spoke in support of adding speed humps to Alhambra’s residential streets. The council acknowledged the long-standing need for traffic calming measures. Moving forward, residents will be able to apply for features like speed humps, streetlights, or crosswalks, but must first obtain approval from their neighbors. The Council suggested a 67% approval threshold, and emphasized that tenants—not just property owners—should be included in the process.
Increased Funding
The City Council approved an additional $40,860 for Historic Resources Group (HRG) to present the Historic Preservation Ordinance to the Planning Commission and City Council. This brings the total payment for Phase 2 and 3—covering a windshield survey of properties and the ordinance—to $317,340, up from the original $276,480. The City had previously paid HRG $48,175 for Phase 1, which involved creating the Historic Context Statement.
The Council also increased annual funding for the Alhambra Chamber of Commerce from $120,000 to $144,000 to help cover the Chamber’s expenses for hosting the Lunar New Year event. The result of the April 14, 2025, vote was 4 in favor of giving the Chamber of Commerce an additional $12,000 per month through June 2027, and 1 opposed — with Mayor Katherine Lee casting the dissenting vote.
The video of the Alhambra City Council April 15 meeting can be found at this link.
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