Say goodbye to late night sweet treats at Torrance’s Sleepy Hollow holiday lights

Some neighbors in Torrance’s Sleepy Hollow are mourning a holiday tradition — selling hot chocolate from their front yards.

The decorative, string-light lined community draws visitors from all over, bringing long lines of cars and crowded sidewalks. But residents are no longer allowed to sell festive drinks or small snacks once the sun goes down, or anywhere outside their home.

This fall, the Torrance City Council expressed concerns about safety and cost around the popular attraction, rejecting a move that would’ve allowed front yard food sales citywide until 9 p.m. in December.

James Casale, who’s lived in Sleepy Hollow (officially known as Seaside Ranchos) for nearly 20 years, used to sell churros from a “Churro Tron,” homemade cookies, and drinks with his family.

But now, his small stand has a sign that reads “this local tradition has been banned by the Torrance City Council,”and he told LAist it’s a shame.

“ We have a lot of new families in the neighborhood and those kids are not going to be able to have the same experiences that our kids have had,” he said. “I think tradition is very important to us, and I'd like to see it continue. Unfortunately, I don't see how this can be resolved.”

How we got here

The Torrance City Council considered amending the Cottage Food Pilot Program, which allowed residents of Sleepy Hollow to sell food items from their driveway between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The sellers also needed a city business license and have registered with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

That program expired more than two years ago and wasn’t renewed.

The 2022 season was treated as an educational period, and the city ended up making an exception the following year that allowed food sales within front yards from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Currently, people are allowed to sell food directly from their homes between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. A proposed ordinance that would have allowed front yard food sales until 9 p.m. during December was rejected by the City Council during its Sep. 24 meeting.

Cars driving through the Sleepy Hollow neighborhood in Torrance.

(

Tiffany Ujiiye

/

LAist

)

Officials estimated it would have cost the city nearly $200,000 to support this year’s event, mostly for traffic control and code enforcement, which Councilmember Bridgett Lewis said is “ludicrous.”

“ I just can't sit here and justify spending 200 grand on a non-city sanctioned event,” she said.

Councilmember Jon Kaji said the holiday lights has  morphed into an attraction that outstrips the city's ability to control and properly manage it. He added that the neighborhood becomes so crowded it's “dangerous.”

“ We have to bring down the hammer at some point, and I think that point is now,” he said.

Councilmember Aurelio Mattucci, on the other hand, supported the move. He said the 5 p.m. cut-off punishes homeowners in a neighborhood that lights up after dark.

Mattucci didn’t immediately respond to LAist’s request for an interview.

What visitors and homeowners say

Casale has been bombarded with questions about the sweet treats he used to sell, even before the big Christmas rush, so he decided to make a statement with the sign on his stand.

 James Casale uses his former food stand to make a statement.

(

Tiffany Ujiiye

/

LAist

)

He has fond memories of handing out hot chocolate with his now-grown daughters, who he said would use some of the sales to raise money for their soccer teams, Girl Scouts, and color guard.

“ I hate to see this tradition go away because it was really spectacular for my kids growing up,” he said.

Casale acknowledged that Sleepy Hollow has had issues with outside vendors setting up in people’s driveways and evading code enforcement officers, which he said detracted from the “wholesome” and “magical” event.

And although he still enjoys seeing the lights, the ukulele orchestra, and drum line down the street, he’s disappointed by the city’s decision.

“ It's just really sad to me,” he said.

Mona Sullivan, who lives in Palos Verdes and stops by Sleepy Hollow almost every year with her family, told LAist she understands why homeowners might be upset, but she almost couldn’t make it down the block last season.

“As a person who walks through the street, it's dramatically more peaceful,” she said. “It doesn't feel like Disneyland, it just feels like a more personal, peaceful [experience].”

How enforcement works

People are not allowed to sell food from outside their home, or from their home, between the hours of 5:01 p.m. and 8:59 a.m., city officials confirmed to LAist.

People could be cited for selling in those unpermitted hours or outside the home, such as from an attached garage or driveway. The first citation would be $100, the second would be $200, and any additional citations would be $500.

“ What that means is when code enforcement goes out there, anybody who is vending from their home, they will be cited and told they will continue to be cited as long as they are vending,” said Michelle Ramirez, community development director, at the Sep. 24 council meeting.

Stationary vendors are not allowed within residential areas. And roaming vendors are banned in areas with narrow sidewalks, which city officials noted applies to Sleepy Hollow.

Those vendors could be asked to leave the area. If they stick around, and a code enforcement officer is able to get their identification information, they would be cited.

You can find more information about the holiday lights here, including frequently asked questions about food sales and parking restrictions.