Vending Carts
Sidewalk Vending is governed by City Ordinance and is
available online. To read the code,
click here and go to Section 5.65.010.
Key points about sidewalk vending
1. A Sidewalk vending cart means a mobile device or push
cart (5.65.010).
2. Items approved for sale from sidewalk vending carts shall
be limited to the following (5.65.100):
Food for immediate consumption, including beverages;
Inflated balloons;
Fresh cut flowers;
Daily or monthly news publications.
3. A separate application is required for each location
(5.65.050).
4. The permit is valid for one cart only (5.65.080).
5. Vending carts on private property are subject to the same
size and operational restrictions as those in the public
right of way (5.65.220).
Vending cart setup and location restrictions
1. You may not set up within ten feet, fifty feet in the
Secondary Central Business District, of the intersection of
the sidewalk with any other sidewalk or mid block crosswalk.
2. You may not reduce the clear, continuous sidewalk width
to less that four feet.
3. You may not set up within five feet of a door or window.
4. You may not set up within five feet of any handicapped
parking space, or access ramp.
5. You may not set up within ten feet of any bus stop.
Design requirements
A. The area occupied by the mobile device or pushcart,
together with the operator and any trash receptacle, cooler
or chair, shall not exceed thirty-four square feet of
sidewalk space.
B. The mobile device or push cart shall not exceed three
feet in width and eight feet in length including hitch.
C. The height of the mobile device or push cart, excluding
canopies or umbrellas, shall not
exceed five feet.
D. Umbrellas or canopies shall be a minimum of seven feet
above the sidewalk if they extend beyond the edge of the
cart.
E. Umbrellas or canopies shall not exceed sixty square feet
in area.
F. The mobile device or push cart shall be on wheels and of
sufficiently lightweight construction that it can be moved
from place to place by one adult person without any
auxiliary power. The device or cart shall not be motorized
so as to move on its own power.
G. The vendor shall be limited to three coolers (stacked),
one water container, one trash receptacle and one chair
external to the cart. Coolers shall not exceed 3.75 square
feet each in size.
Operational regulations
A. All persons operating under a sidewalk vendor regulatory
permit issued by the city shall comply with the following
regulations:
1. Display in a prominent and visible manner the business
license issued by the city under the provisions of this
chapter and conspicuously post the price of all items sold;
2. Pick up any paper, cardboard, wood or plastic
containers, wrappers, or any litter in any form which is
deposited by any person on the sidewalk within a 50 foot
radius of the place of conducting business; and clean up all
residue from any liquids spilled upon the sidewalk within
said 50 foot radius. Each person conducting business on a
public sidewalk under the provisions of this chapter shall
carry a suitable container for the placement of such litter
by customers or other persons;
3. Obey any lawful order of a police officer to move
temporarily to a different location to avoid congestion or
obstruction of the sidewalk or to remove the vending cart
entirely from the sidewalk, if necessary, to avoid such
congestion or obstruction;
4. Conduct no sidewalk vendor business at a location other
than that designated on his/her permit;
5. Make no loud or unreasonable noise of any kind by
vocalization or otherwise for the purpose of advertising or
attracting attention to his/her wares;
6. Except for the day of the Days of '47 parade, leave no
permitted cart or device unattended on a sidewalk nor remain
on the sidewalk between midnight and six a.m. of any
twenty-four-hour period;
7. Conduct no business in violation of the provisions of any
ordinance or mayor's executive order providing for a special
event, as defined by Section 5.65.010.
