According to the report by Community Services Director John Keisler, “Links Entertainment contacted staff and felt that a verbal approval had been given and considerable expenses creating a model, personnel and time had been spent on the location for filming. City staff expressed concern that no Filming Application had been received nor fees paid by noon of Nov. 29, and that no filming permit would be issued.”Links Entertainment officials contacted Mayor Jim Garfield and City Manager Peter Cosentini requesting an emergency council meeting to consider the issue.“Filming in the Central Business District is a sensitive issue, especially during the holiday shopping period, Thanksgiving through New Year's,” noted Keisler’s report. “The City Council passed the Holiday Season Ban due to the complaints of central business owners who stated that their business suffered due to filming operations. I have required Links Entertainment to obtain the approval of the central business district merchants affected by the filming.”
City Council: Waiver granted for
central business district holiday filming
December 10, 1999
Santa Paula City Council
With the holiday season came the lifting of a moratorium on filming in the main business district when last week the stately edifice of Santa Clara Valley Bank was star of a commercial.
The City Council had met in a brief emergency session on Nov. 30th to allow the filming by Links Entertainment to use the exterior of Santa Clara Valley Bank, located at 901 E. Main St., for the one-day shoot.Links Entertainment dodged the moratorium bullet after the filming liaison, Tom Hilley, had worked with the Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce, Santa Paula Downtown Merchants Association and the city to smooth the way for the council waiver.The city received filming permit fees of about $760.In previous years the City Council had banned filming in the downtown after merchant complaints of adverse business impacts: the moratorium area is Main Street from 8th to 11th streets, and on 10th Street from Ventura Street to Santa Barbara Street. The ban is in effect from Thanksgiving until Jan. 1st.Exemptions may be granted for interior shooting or location shooting in the periphery area of the Central Business District itself, according to the moratorium.
