More than a year has passed since the Solvang City Council was slated to discuss extending the business license term for animal-drawn conveyance from one year to five years.
During the May 24 Solvang City Council meeting, the council—Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Orona, whose family owns Solvang Trolley, recused herself—revisited the matter and unanimously approved the change. The new length of the license period will go into effect 30 days from the approval date.
According to a staff report, a longer licensing period would give the city flexibility in setting the term for animal-drawn conveyance licenses, thereby lessening the burdens of administering the licensing program while still allowing for periodic oversight.
Typically, before the City Council can issue or renew a license, a public hearing is required to complete the license or renewal application.
Currently, Solvang Trolley is the only business impacted by the change.
Sal Orona, owner of the Solvang Trolley, thanked the council for its research and report on the license renewal period and requested that the council allow him to expand his route to Mission Drive.
“We want [to go] another route that’s wider because it gives us a better idea on improving our service. The summer season is coming, that’s our busy season,” Orona said.
The trolley operates Friday through Monday from noon to 6 p.m. during the winter and Wednesday through Monday from noon to 6 p.m. during the summer. It doesn’t operate under heavy rain or when the temperature reaches 95 degrees. The current pickup and drop-off locations are on 2nd Street, at the corner of Copenhagen Drive.
City manager Xenia Bradford said the current carriage route has been modified “somewhat from the time when Copenhagen Street used to be open because of the street closure” due to the pandemic and the parklets that were established.
Orona’s request comes after he asked the council in April to review his company license to include two additional electric trolley vehicles to service his customers. The council ultimately approved the addition, but is creating an ordinance to regulate the speed of the electric trolleys at its June 14 council meeting.
When Orona addressed the council on May 24, he mentioned that with the current outdoor seating arrangements—including parklets—it hasn’t been easy to maneuver his vehicles.
The council did not make a change to the trolley route but said it would consider it at a later date.
This article appears in Jun 3-10, 2021.