CityofSantaBarbara
November 22, 2021, 9:04 am
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11 Comments
Source: City of Santa Barbara
A City Council Ordinance Committee meeting is scheduled on December 7 to review an updated sidewalk vending ordinance.
The committee will consider recommending City Council adopt an ordinance that will provide a clear path for entrepreneurs and microenterprises to lawfully conduct sidewalk vending.
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Sidewalk vendors quickly got out of control in the past few years. This needs very strong restrictions because without enforcement we will see the excesses that were starting to over take this city from unpermitted Fiesta junk sprawled across sidewalks to the card-table and chair set ups in residential street corners selling all sorts of gimcrack. No such thing as general permission for “sidewalk entrepreneurs or micro enterprises” because they have already abused far too many sidewalks and street corners in town. Makes it hard to even control a kid’s lemonade stand, but the downside consequences of what we were starting to see in this town need to be strictly limited right now.
I don’t mind the sidewalk vendors so much, but in my neighborhood the customers throw their trash on the sidewalk where I have to pick it up. Mostly Jr High kids. Probably can’t do anything about that except get rid of the vendors?
None of this anywhere in the city, except (maybe) along a small strip of Cabrillo on the weekends to cater to the tourists, and only if it’s heavily regulated and taxed like every other aspect of our city’s business requirements.
There should NOT be a bifurcated market where we ignore health, safety and tax laws. Everyone must be treated equally. And in this case, forced to deal with the laws, regulations and stupidity that the City of SB holds over every other business venture…
Finally! And at least they are requiring that they are 500′ from any schools. I hope the Health Dept. requirements are stringent. But my prediction is that, like so many SB laws, they’ll be a paper tiger with no enforcement.
Really, why don’t they meet to discuss ordinances to deal with the homeless impacting health and safety by defecating/urinating on our streets/sidewalks and even personal proerty, littering, sleeping on the sidewalks, disturbing neighborhoods, the list goes on?? Why aren’t they worried about protecting the public from exploitation? Oh because they can’t make $$$$ of those people. What a bunch of BS.
Andrea, so you must hate people with no houses. I live and work in the heart of downtown and the things you listed are few and far between. Also, there are only two public restrooms downtown. that’s just two for every single person downtown. that initself is a problem. they sleep on the sidewalks way past the time you’re in your cozy bed. They are up at 6-730asm with the police truck aka wake up patrol every morning. downtown ambasadors and police walk the beat. i know this. my desk faces state street and I see them actively taking care of all of the situations you’ve listed. stop wanking about homeless. unless you have a solution. Also, this meeting is about side walk vendors. not homelessness. that is an entirely different meeting and agenda. kinda weird that you have to have that explained to you…
Zero – vagrants need to fix their problems themselves. They owe themselves the duty of shelter and food for themselves, choosing only areas they can provide both No point demanding someone else fix things for them. We all stop this vagrant train wreck once we start blaming them, intead of other people for poor choices they keep making. These are problems of their own creation and no one else’s. If they cannot make better choices due to their own personal impairments, then the state must step in and provide institutionalized care facilities for their own safety and well-being.
A box on wheels is not a
“Micro-enterprise”..it’s a hustle that
“Newbies” must perform for their board.
Only the head person makes money.
Plus..we will have every “Newbie”
from here to L.A., selling from carts with bike horns because SB is prime territory.
Every legitimate business person in this city deals with business licenses, and many of us pay very high fees to the health department for inspections and oversight. The sign commission and landmarks committee all hover over us and justify their existence by micromanaging our storefronts. AND we pay RENT to have legit locations where we operate those businesses. Our tax dollars support the massive nanny state that is government. Do I support allowing scofflaws to flaunt health codes, serve food prepared in questionable circumstances, operate under the tax laws? Hell no. I can see it now, a push cart from one of the marijuana dispensaries down at the beach catering to the tourists with pre-rolled joints. All or nothing, I say. Why make a special exception for liquados and churros and bouquets? Either enforce the law or let it rip and open it up to everyone to be an entrepreneur and flog their wares in the mercado of the streets.
Because there are two Santa Barbara’s. One for the law abiding residents who pay taxes, follow the law and the rules and are held to account when they dont. And the other that does what it wants, where it wants, when it wants and has the full unbridled support of the City, the police and of course, this site…
If you’re a legit business or operator, you have to pay. If you’re not, you get special application of law and rules and of course, access to countless funds and programs that remove any responsibility for your actions or your decisions…
I know I am not alone when I say that we law abiding, tax paying citizens are super tired of this dichotomy as its not only flagrantly biased, it’s insulting to those of us who have moral fiber and were raised to follow the rules and the law.
Don’t pay your fees or follow the rules or the law? If you’re a legit business, you get fines and hassles, restrictions and maybe even criminal charges. If you’re a cheater? Nothing, not a single thing happens as a result.
Exactly this.