City to Consider Exemption From Vending Restrictions

The Anaheim City Council is expected today to again address the problem of street vendors--this time dealing with the issue of whether catering trucks at industrial sites should be excluded from proposed restrictions.

In a report to the council, City Atty. Jack White said that granting such an exemption--as requested by Orange County Food Service--”could be perceived as giving favorable treatment to one segment of the business community.”

Last week, the council delayed its vote on a law that would regulate street vendors after the Anaheim catering firm asked for the exemption because the law would eliminate service to at least 144 of the 960 businesses that the firm’s trucks visit daily.

The council’s postponement was called an example of “a double standard” by Amin David, president of Los Amigos of Orange County. Amin said the council acted quickly on the Anaheim firm’s request but ignored requests from Latino truck vendors who formed an organization, collected signatures of support from the community and proposed a set of compromises earlier this year.

In his report to the council, White listed two reasons to grant an exemption to industrial catering firms: The trucks constitute less of a hazard because they stop less frequently and at prearranged locations, and if the council wants to grant an exemption, “I believe, our office could legally defend such distinction in the ordinance.”

But White also listed six arguments why the council should not grant the exemption, among them:

- “The purpose of the proposed ordinance is to protect the public health and safety by regulating all vehicles which vend upon public streets and exempting catering truck operators would ignore a significant number of vehicles which currently contribute to this problem.

- “Requiring catering truck operators to comply with the ordinance would create no greater hardship upon such caterers than would exist for any other person or entity required to comply with the ordinance.”

In a memorandum to White, Code Enforcement Supervisor John Poole stated similar reasons for adopting the ordinance as currently proposed.

“It appears inconsistent to require one group of street vendors to have liability insurance and comply with regulations and grant another group an exemption from these requirements, even though both groups sell food products on the public street,” Poole wrote.

The vending issue first arose late last year when code enforcement officials began cracking down on street vendors in predominantly Latino neighborhoods such as Chevy Chase. An increasing number of residents had complained that street vendors cause noise, litter and traffic congestion.