Heard this story from a friend who was recently at Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Apparently there is an official municipal law that requires anyone wishing to wear high heels higher than two inches with a base of less than one square inch on public streets or sidewalks to obtain a free permit from City Hall. While it sounds like a practical joke locals might want to make with clueless visitors, there is in fact such a law.
It wasn't enacted as a fashion restriction, but to protect the city from lawsuits due to tripping hazards caused by uneven sidewalks, often the result of large tree roots pushing up pavement. While the law is real and still on the books, it is virtually never enforced by local police. My friend like many visitors got the permit as a quirky souvenir. I've never been but the place looks lovely in the pictures. Since I don't wear any kind of high heels at all, should be all smooth sailing to visit sometime. Interestingly, Altas Obscura does not list the high-heel permit collection.
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