The Ocean Shores City Council has tabled a proposal that would have allowed a limited number of vendors on the beach for a six-month trial period this year.

The move effectively ends any chance the vending would be approved in time to fulfill a request by Beach Blast promoter Dennis Irby to allow for vending on the beach, including a beer garden and sponsor sales booths, for a proposed July 8-9 beach volleyball event.

Beach vending has largely been banned by the city and opposed by local businesses, with several members of the business community speaking against changing the policy, even for the proposed trial period.

The new proposal for a trial period was drafted by Mayor Crystal Dingler to allow for “limited vending on the Pacific Ocean beach in conjunction with a Special Event permit (excluding activities such as swap meets, outdoor sales, exhibits or other activities at which food sales, rides, concessions and other sales are the primary activity) specifically approved by the Mayor and Washington State Parks.”

The period would have been limited to between May 1, 2017 through October 31, 2017.

The limited vending would be defined as the following: “1) T-shirts and other items with the event logo, 2) a beer or a wine garden with all State Liquor Control Board approvals, 3) no more than one (1) food truck as approved by the State Health Commission, 4) sales of water and packaged snacks as required to be available for a permitted sports event, 5) sports clothing and paraphernalia related to the permitted sport, or as otherwise approved by the City.” The proposal also includes a penalty for littering on the beach.

The permit would have to accompany any request for beach vending during that period. Dingler said she has been advised the city can limit what vendors are allowed to sell; one proposal is for allowing a food truck to operate as a vendor, and that could be limited to a locally based food truck.

Irby in an email to North Coast News last week said he was in the process of obtaining permits for the volleyball event from the state, which also controls activity on the beach.

“Currently we have approval to move forward from Department of Fish & Wildlife, the state Parks Department and as of Thursday, the City of Ocean Shores. The actual permit process is lengthy and takes time.,” Irby said.

Irby, however, did not appear at Monday night’s council meeting, in which Dingler announced that the deadline had likely passed for Irby to bring a professional or top-flight beach volleyball event to Ocean Shores this summer.

The council also had several additional questions about the trial period that was proposed, and voted to table it 4-3, with members Holly Plackett, Jackie Farra and John Lynn voting against the move.

Plackett called for a “carefully crafted pilot project” that would allow for some limited beach vending: “We really do need some fresh approaches.”

But several business owners told the council that any beach vending detracts from their own business, especially in the busy summer months.

“We stay open and support the employees who live in the community, and support the community itself,” said Sharky’s owner Scott Chapin. “That’s not going to happen if you get beach vending.”

Andy Sias, who owns the two kite shops in Ocean Shores, fought back emotion when he declared to the council he was “fighting with you” over the issue of beach vending.

“I want more events. I want more tourism,” Sias said, noting he annually puts on the Festival of Colors kite event in June. “… What we don’t need is out-of-town traveling vendors that pop in, scrape that cream and then split.”

Dingler acknowledged such a change in city policy requires careful consideration and said she had gone “as far as I can go” in crafting a proposal.

Councilman Gordon Broadbent said he was all for events on the beach but against allowing for a beer garden or any alcohol consumption. Councilman Jon Martin wanted to continue looking at the issue, but only with local businesses involved in the process from the outset.

And Bob Peterson also voted to table the issue, questioning if “we’re getting into bed with the wrong promoter” in trying to accommodate the volleyball event this year.