The bells and music of ice cream trucks may soon be silenced in the Jersey Shore town of Avalon.
That's what the tourist town's governing body planned to vote on Wednesday in an ordinance that calls the trucks "disruptive of the peace and enjoyment that all residents and visitors are entitled to enjoy."
Okay, so maybe the jingles are a little dated. Maybe some of the songs even can be a bit odd. But disruptive of the peace and enjoymment of all? Some residents aren't happy with the proposed ban, which goes beyond ice cream trucks and into other realms of salesmanship one could be forgiven for associating with the 1950s.
"Deal with it. It’s part of summer," Avalon resident Lorien Porrini said. "Kids love it. They wait for the truck."
Also banned by the Avalon Council would be "peddlers" and "hawkers." Because it's fun, here's how the ordinance defines the two:
- Hawker shall mean any person who sells by outcry.
- Peddler shall mean a person who travels about with goods, wares, and merchandise for retail sale, rental or distribution from a vehicle or any other means of conveyance.
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The Council postponed a vote on the bill. It is unclear if or when it will be up for consideration again.
Prior to the postponement, Avalon business administrator Scott Wahl said the ordinance comes after years of displeasure by residents.
"We've received many, many complaints through the years and they keep increasing every summer," Wahl said.
He said the trucks also present a traffic problem when they camp out for customers along the beach in the summer tourist season and are dangerous as well.
"It is impossible for the trucks to safely turn around while there are kids in the street," he said.
As part of the proposal, Wahl said ice cream vendors would be allowed to operate on the beach, with well-labeled carts and without bells and whistles.
