Thousand Oaks : City Delays Placing Limits on Vendors

The Thousand Oaks City Council has postponed adopting an ordinance that would limit vendors in the city, to allow time to see if a similar Anaheim law banning vendors in residential areas survives a court challenge.

Discussing its own proposed ordinance Tuesday, council members sometimes differed on restrictions in residential areas, nighttime limitations on vendors and exemptions for catering trucks. They concluded the discussion by asking city staff for additional research.

Councilman Alex Fiore said he would support door-to-door solicitation in the city, but only during daylight hours. He also urged a common-sense approach to any new law. “I certainly would not want to prohibit the little tots who sell lemonade on the curb outside of their houses,” he said.

Councilwoman Elois Zeanah came out strongly against any vendors in residential areas. “The residential character as planned for family lifestyles in Thousand Oaks is supposed to offer a tranquil atmosphere and street vending has the potential for becoming a nuisance,” she said Wednesday. Some residents agreed with Zeanah at Tuesday night’s meeting.

“I’ve got three different ice cream trucks that play ‘Pop Goes the Weasel’ 12 hours a day, all day in the summertime,” said resident Ken DeVries. “I would like to see them out.”

But City Atty. Mark Sellers said it may be illegal under state law to completely ban all vendors from residential areas--a question the Anaheim case will probably answer.