Laguna Beach puts a pin in balloons

An ordinance restricting the sale and public use of balloons in Laguna Beach went into effect on New Year’s Day.

The city is promoting a “balloon-free Laguna Beach” on its website, a reminder of the action taken by the City Council in the first quarter of 2023.

A grace period was extended for implementation of the ordinance following its adoption on Feb. 21. As of Jan. 1, a handful of regulations went into effect regarding the sale and use of balloons by individuals and local businesses.

Balloons are prohibited at city-sponsored events, on city-owned property and in public areas. A person should not intentionally release a balloon into the air.

No business located within the city limits may sell or distribute balloons, although they may be purchased from businesses outside of Laguna Beach for private events in town. That provision allows for balloons on commercial and residential properties.

Local businesses are encouraged to phase out balloons from their inventory and to inform customers of the changes. A notice published online by the city also urged businesses to train staff to be knowledgeable about the ordinance as they seek compliance.

Penalties include a fine of up to $100 for the first violation, a fine not to exceed $200 for a second offense within one year and a fine of up to $500 for a third violation in that time frame. A business license could be revoked for additional violations.

The action was first proposed with environmental and public-safety issues in mind. Proponents of the ban argued that balloons could be harmful to marine life and other plants and animals when they end up in their habitats.

The ordinance referenced the Ocean Conservancy in stating that balloons are dangerous debris items, as they can be mistaken by animals for food.

Additionally, Southern California Edison reported 802 balloon-related power outages in 2022. The incidents resulted in an interruption of service for 1.1 million customers.

State law already required that balloons made of electrically conductive material filled with a gas lighter than air be attached to an object of sufficient weight to keep them from flying away at the time of distribution.