THOUSAND OAKS : City OKs $250 Fee for Street Vendors
Responding to merchants who complain that street vendors unfairly undercut their prices, the Thousand Oaks City Council on Tuesday voted to levy a $250 annual fee on roaming peddlers.
The $250 will buy vendors a license, a city-issued identification decal and the right to hawk wares from public streets. By charging for the use of city streets, council members hope to level the playing field between vendors--who enjoy low overhead costs--and owners of traditional businesses who pay rent.
To calculate the annual charge, city staff tried to figure out how much vendors would pay if they were to rent street space from a real estate broker.
The City Council last month approved a tough law that bans vending in residential neighborhoods and requires all street peddlers to stay at least 100 feet from the nearest intersection or 500 feet from a freeway ramp.
The ordinance also prohibits door-to-door solicitors after dark, except those selling newspapers or representing nonprofit political or religious groups.
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