October 24, 2017
Spotting an ice cream truck cruising Avalon, New Jersey, may be a thing of summers past, as the borough’s council is considering banning them from the shore town.
According to the Press of Atlantic City, the council may restrict the sale of ice cream and other items on the beach by banning so-called “peddlers” and “hawkers.” In addition to ice cream trucks, the ordinance would apply limitations to pushcarts that use bells and whistles to get attention.
“Through the years we’ve received quality-of-life complaints,” Scott Wahl, borough administrator of Avalon, told the Press of Atlantic City.
“We are always looking at how we can provide better service, and we’ve had conversations with many other towns on how they do this.”
Complaints surrounding the ice cream trucks and similar vendors include claims that the trucks are a safety hazard for pedestrians and cause noise pollution, disrupting vacationers and residents.
The new ordinance would come with some allowances, though: Veterans and firefighters who have obtained a license from the borough would still be allowed to sell on the beach from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. within certain street parameters.
In Ocean City, the sale of ice cream and other goods on the beach is illegal. Brigantine has followed the reverse pattern proposed by Avalon: After an initial crackdown prohibiting sales on the beach in 2011, recent policy changes have allowed ice cream to be sold there once more.
