These new rules could soon impact Stockton street vendors
STOCKTON — A warm spring day typically means more sales for the dozens of street vendors around Stockton. But now, their business could soon take a hit with new rules and new fees.
"The ordinance is to align with Senate Bill 946 and 972 so just to get in line with their guidelines when it comes to enforcement of street vendors," Stockton Police Services Manager Almarosa Vargas said.
Monday, the city's Legislation and Environmental Committee heard from the Stockton Police Neighborhood Services Division on how to stay aligned with two state laws which could now force vendors to follow new rules and pay new fees.
"It's going to provide a venue for licensing, so a path for our current street vendors to obtain a license with certain requirements, while also balancing the safety and health of the community," Vargas explained.
Some of these new rules include where vendors can sell, hours of operation, sanitation and food handling. It will also require vendors to get new permits that include a $60 public property use fee.
Fines for violating these new rules could range from $100 to $1,000.
The city wants to emphasize they're not against food vendors, rather they want to keep them and the entire community safe.
"The issue is that if we're going to have street vendors, we need to make sure that they're following the rules, the health standards and the rules of the city," Stockton City Council Member Michele Padilla said.
Some of the main concerns for code enforcement and the city is traffic safety and the overall well-being of public parks.
"We need to make sure that everyone's safe when it comes to traffic, everyone's safe when it comes to public health, the food, and then we need to make sure that our city infrastructure is being maintained," Padilla continued.
No action was taken at Monday's meeting.
