Food sales no longer allowed at Sleepy Hollow holiday lights after 5pm – Daily Breeze

Thousands of people flock to the Sleepy Hollow neighborhood in south Torrance each year to stroll through streets lined with dozens of homes illuminated for the holidays.

But changes are coming.

Residents who previously warmed up chocolate or grabbed popcorn as a snack from their front yards during a chilly evening will no longer be able to do so after 5 p.m., following a decision by the City Council this week under a proposed ordinance that will later be extended. food sales may fail until 9 p.m.

At this week’s meeting, the City Council also expressed concern that it would cost the city approximately $200,000 to support the event. While the city will continue to meet public safety obligations through the 2024 holiday, it will look for ways to reduce costs next year.

“$200,000 for an out-of-city sanctioned or sponsored event is a ridiculous amount,” said Council member Bridgett Lewis.

The Cottage Food Pilot Program began in 2019, allowing residents of Seaside Ranchos, also known as Sleepy Hollow, to sell approved food in their driveways after purchasing a Torrance business license fee and registering through the Los Angeles County Department of Health. This program expired in January 2022 and was not renewed.

In May 2023, The city passed an ordinance allowing city departments to issue citations for municipal code violations. The Department of Community Development provided code enforcement officers with the ability to identify violators in the neighborhood during the 2023 holiday season, according to Jamie Le, assistant to the city manager.

During the 2023 holiday season, the city manager made an exception allowing food sales on property owners’ front lawns from 5 to 9 p.m. daily from Dec. 8, 2023, through Jan. 1, Le said.

Currently, direct sales are only allowed from homes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in December, Le said. A new regulation that allows sales to be extended until 21:00. It failed at the council meeting on Tuesday, September 24.

But the expansion would include the entire city, not just the Seaside Ranchos neighborhood, which was a step too far for Councilwoman Sharon Kalani.

“That makes this a citywide opportunity,” Kalani said. “We don’t have the staff to check all this.”

Council member Aurelio Mattucci was the only supporter of the extension.

“Most activity will occur after dark,” Mattucci said, and halting sales amounts to “punishing homeowners.”

“I want to let people sell their hot chocolate from their driveway,” he added. “I mean, the best thing about going to that neighborhood is that you get your hot chocolate when it’s dark and cold, not at 5 p.m.”

Community Development Director Michelle Ramirez said the first donation for homeowners is $100, the second is $200, and the third and beyond is $500.

The city estimates it will cost approximately $200,000 to support the event for 22 days this holiday season; Approximately $182,000 will go to traffic control, bicycle detailing and rule enforcement.

Councilman Jon Kaji criticized the spending.

“I’m tired of it, and I think as a council and as a city we need to put the hammer down at some point, and I think that point is now,” Kaji said. he said. “I haven’t been to this event for a few years because it’s too crowded and, in my opinion, dangerous.”

But Mattucci. He said the city benefits from visitors helping offset some of that expense.

“There are more people in the neighborhood, pumping gas, hanging around our restaurants,” Mattucci said. “We are always trying to attract people to our city.”

The council directed city staff to look at ways they could reduce or eliminate the costs, including potentially creating a housing improvement district or homeowners association to cover some of the costs, or even shortening the dates the light show will air, which is usually from Thanksgiving . until after the new year.

“I think it would be right to say that we will get through this year,” said City Manager Aram Chaparyan, “but if we need to warn the society and the neighborhood based on the sensitivity of the municipality, this is not a cost we can bear.”