TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Brian D. Bordona, Director of Planning Building & Environmental Services Department
REPORT BY: Akenya Robinson-Webb, Code Compliance Manager
SUBJECT: Request to amend Napa County Code Section 5.40 - Peddling and Soliciting
RECOMMENDATION
title
Introduction and intent to adopt a Napa County ordinance amending Chapter 5.40 (peddling and soliciting) of the Napa County Code to conform to California Health and Safety Code requirements and to clarify the requirements. (No Fiscal Impact; Discretionary)
body
BACKGROUND
The Planning, Building, and Environmental Services Department (PBES) has experienced a noticeable increase in citizen complaints related to sidewalk vending activity in the unincorporated areas of the County. Sidewalk vending typically involves transient vendors selling items such as fruit, food, flowers, or other merchandise on sidewalks or within the public right-of-way. Vendors often operate without necessary health permits, creating significant public health risks due to the lack of food safety standards, sanitation controls, and proper food handling practices. Additionally, these operations can obstruct the right-of-way, create litter, and pose safety hazards for pedestrians and traffic. Enforcement is essential to protect public health, ensure fair competition for permitted vendors, and maintain the overall cleanliness and safety of public spaces.
On September 17, 2018, Senate Bill 946 (Sidewalk Vendors) was signed into law. SB 946 was intended to de-criminalize sidewalk vending by reducing penalties for violation of local permitting programs. The law requires local authorities with an existing sidewalk vending ordinance to substantially comply with the bill's provisions as codified in Government Code Chapter 6.2 Sections 51036 - 51039, which include:
? Adopting additional regulations governing the time, place, and manner of sidewalk vending, provided these requirements are directly related to objective health, s...
Click here for full text