A STRONG SHOWING by street vendors and their supporters at a recent meeting of the Stockton City Council has succeeded in pushing back a proposed ordinance that would impose fees, rules and penalties on those who make a living from selling food and merchandise outdoors.
The council voted unanimously at its May 13 meeting to push off further consideration of the measure until May 27 and require more town hall-style events around the city to gather additional comment from vendors and those who live near their operations.
The move buys more time for street vendors to try to work through some of the more delicate details in a plan that has been kicked around since March.
In comments to the council, vendors and their supporters raised concerns about a lack of restrooms for customers, proposed restrictions on the use of generators and canopies and the need to inform non-English-speaking sellers of the potential rules. Some voiced fear they will be forced to move from one of the top vending locations in Stockton: Angel Cruz Park on North El Dorado Street.
City staff said the ordinance is necessary to comply with state laws that in recent years broadened acceptance of street vending. The council was told that Stockton’s current ordinance doesn’t allow selling in parks, even though that happens anyway.
Despite potential benefits, councilmembers said, street vending in parks presents problems that impose costs on the city, such as trash disposal, the trampling of nearby landscaping, and traffic and parking congestion.
As proposed, the new law would impose a $60 licensing fee and background checks on vendors and fines starting at $100 for a first violation and ranging up to $1,000 for multiple ones.
Part of the city’s culture
Councilmembers were sympathetic to the concerns that were raised. “This is not about closing down vendors,” Councilmember Michele Padilla said.
They also acknowledged that vending plays a key role in showcasing the city’s cultural diversity.
“In my district, the street vendors are a very important park of the culture and the cultural fabric,” Vice Mayor Jason Lee noted.
“This is not about closing down vendors.” Councilmember Michele Padilla
Mayor Christina Fugazi said she would like to see some changes to the proposed ordinance update. She recommended no penalties for a first offense and advocated for thorough translations of the rules to reach the city’s diverse group of vendors — regardless of their primary language. She also questioned whether the ordinance is comprehensive enough to cover the wide variety of vendors who set up tables with their wares for sale, like those hawking cellphones.
More than a dozen vendors and supporters told the council that regulations would create problems for sellers, who are often poor and people of color. They accused the council of rushing through the ordinance without taking time to gather more comment.
Lee said the concerns were heard. “This is what democracy looks like,” he said.
This story originally appeared in Stocktonia.