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Solvang council backs first reading of code changes to regulate sidewalk queuing and commercial solicitation, asks staff to clarify bicycle and holiday rules
Summary
Council introduced code updates to regulate queuing (lines) in the public right-of-way, strengthen solicitation rules, and create an encroachment-permit pathway for businesses; staff will clarify bicycle language and allow limited holiday decorations in follow-up edits.
Councilmembers on Tuesday heard a detailed staff presentation on proposed edits to chapter 8-3 of the Solvang Municipal Code to address queuing, sidewalk obstructions and commercial solicitation.
Staff said the proposal has two primary aims: (1) allow code enforcement to work with businesses to manage queuing by permitting encroachments on the public right-of-way with conditions that preserve pedestrian and ADA access, and (2) provide stronger tools to regulate aggressive commercial solicitation while preserving space for free expression. The code edits also clean up cross-references and replace an older "Central Business District" definition with the Village Mixed Use (VMU) term used elsewhere in the code.
Council members asked practical questions about implementation. City staff said encroachment permits typically take "a couple of weeks" to process, would carry a standard administrative fee (staff estimated "a couple hundred dollars"), and in many cases the city would encourage businesses to use technological solutions (text/fob notification) or negotiate private property solutions before seeking encroachment permits. Staff emphasized a collaborative approach rather than immediate citations.
Councilmembers flagged ambiguous wording that, as written, could be read to prohibit bicycles from public streets; staff and council agreed to clarify section 8-3-9(e) so the intent—to prohibit riding bicycles on sidewalks but allow bicycles on streets—would be clear. The council also asked staff to clarify section 8-3-2(a) to permit limited-duration holiday decorations.
A business representative told the council that some sidewalks (for example, Mission Drive in front of Brecky's) are quite narrow — "6 and a half feet" in one example — and said a one-size-fits-all approach would not work. The representative urged year-long or seasonal encroachment solutions for certain businesses rather than an on-call permitting model.
Council agreed to introduce the ordinance for first reading and directed staff to return with cleanup language on the bicycle and holiday-decorations points and any other necessary clarifications.
