BEVERLY HILLS—On September 18, the Beverly Hills City Council announced its intention to uphold a law that became effective on October 6, 2004, restricting the sale or possession of Silly String during Halloween.
Beverly Hills Mayor, Julian Gold told NBC that, “This is not driven by our theoretic concerns. This is driven by our experience. There are several events, maybe more than just several, in front of Witches house related to the use of shaving cream and silly string and Nair [hair removal product] where members of the public and kids in particular, got injured.”
According to American Legal Publishing, Under Public Hazards Article 6 of Municipal Code Section 11.01 9a) “No Person shall possess, use, sell or distribute Silly String at, within or upon any public or private property that is either within public view or accessible to the public, including, but not limited to, public or private streets, sidewalks.”
In Section 56.02 Silly String Hollywood Division during Halloween describes Silly String as follows:
“Silly String shall mean any putty-like substance that is shot or expelled in the form of string from an aerosol can or other pressurized device, regardless of whether it is sold under the name ‘Silly String’ or any other name.”
The area this law pertains to is called the “Hollywood Division.” As stated, the law says,
“Hollywood Division shall mean the area defined by the Los Angeles Police Department as the Hollywood Division, the geographical boundaries of which include all of that portion of Los Angeles City bounded and described as follows: Beginning at the point of intersection of Beverly Boulevard and Normandie Avenue, and proceeding northerly along Normandie Avenue to Franklin Avenue, and proceeding westerly along Franklin Avenue to Western Avenue, and proceeding northerly along Western Avenue to Fern Dell Drive, and continuing northerly along Fern Dell Drive to its terminus, and proceeding due north through Griffith Park to Forest Lawn Drive at its intersection with Zoo Drive, and proceeding westerly and southwesterly along Forest Lawn Drive to Barham Boulevard, and proceeding southerly along Barham Boulevard to United States Highway 101, and proceeding southeasterly along U.S. Highway 101 to Mulholland Drive, and proceeding westerly along the various curves and courses of Mulholland Drive to the Crest of Ridge, and proceeding southerly following the Los Angeles City line along the eastern border of the Trousdale Estates area of the City of Beverly Hills to the northeast corner of the City of West Hollywood, and proceeding easterly following the Los Angeles City line bordering along its various curves and courses of the northern border of the City of West Hollywood to the eastern border of the City of West Hollywood that is to the east of La Brea Avenue, and proceeding southerly along the Los Angeles City line to Romaine Street, and proceeding westerly following the Los Angeles City line along its various curves and courses to the intersection of Romaine Street and La Cienega Boulevard, and proceeding southerly following the Los Angeles City line along its various curves and courses to Beverly Boulevard, and proceeding easterly along Beverly Boulevard to La Brea Avenue, and proceeding northerly along La Brea Avenue to Willoughby Avenue, and proceeding easterly along Willoughby Avenue to Hudson Avenue, and proceeding southerly along Hudson Avenue to Melrose Avenue, and proceeding easterly along Melrose Avenue to Gower Street, and proceeding southerly along Gower Street to Beverly Boulevard, and proceeding easterly along Beverly Boulevard to Normandie Avenue.”
The verbiage of the law states that, “Halloween, shall mean the 36-hour period from 12:00 a.m. on October 31st to November 1st of each year.”
By Sharon