Sidewalk vendors set up to sell food in Santa Barbara. The city created a task force in response to a growing number of these types of businesses setting up, because many of them do not have permits and are often violating fire codes and food safety rules, according to the City Attorney's Office. (John Palminteri / KEYT.com photo)
Sidewalk vendors set up to sell food on the 600 block of State Street in downtown Santa Barbara. The city created a task force in response to a growing number of these types of businesses setting up, because many of them do not have permits and are often violating fire codes and food safety rules, according to the City Attorney's Office. (John Palminteri / KEYT.com photo)

In response to a growing number of unpermitted sidewalk vendors, the city and Greater Santa Barbara Hispanic Chamber of Commerce held a meeting this week to discuss concerns including food safety, fire code violations and blocking the public right-of-way.

A sidewalk vending task force was formed by the city last month, and members of the task force fielded questions during the meeting at Casa Azteca on State Street.

Most sidewalk vending was illegal in the city before a 2018 state law went into effect, the Safe Sidewalk Vending Act, which cites “important entrepreneurship and economic development opportunities to low-income and immigrant communities.”

Primary areas of concern discussed were health code and food safety violations, fire code violations, and obstructing the right-of-way including sidewalks, bike lanes and streets.

The task force is addressing “the more egregious and dangerous vendors” that have been operating without permits, according to the city, which means large, outdoor restaurant-style vendors using large open flames and propane tanks.

Sidewalk vendors set up to sell food in Santa Barbara. The city created a task force in response to a growing number of these types of businesses setting up, because many of them do not have permits and are often violating fire codes and food safety rules, according to the City Attorney's Office. (John Palminteri / KEYT.com photo)
Sidewalk vendors set up to sell food in Santa Barbara. The city created a task force in response to a growing number of these types of businesses setting up, because many of them do not have permits and are often violating fire codes and food safety rules, according to the City Attorney’s Office. (John Palminteri / KEYT.com photo)

An enforcement team includes staff from the county’s Public Health Department and the city fire and police departments.

Assistant City Attorney Denny Wei said at the meeting that the city is pursuing litigation as well: two investigations have been completed and two criminal cases have been filed in court.

“[These vendors] are facing criminal charges that could result in incarceration, and if they don’t appear in court, it could result in warrants for their arrest,” Wei said.

Vendors’ equipment cannot be confiscated, however, according to city officials, as they do not qualify as contraband.

Barbara Andersen, senior assistant to the city administrator, said enforcement efforts will also be focused on identifying the operator overseeing the network of vendors.

“These are not independent operators, this is a broader network. If we were to move out and seize the equipment tonight, they will be back up with the same equipment, however many days later, in the same place or different places throughout the city,” Andersen said.

City staff members are also working with smaller, local vendors who want to get permitted, they said at the meeting.

“Right now we are tracking 12 different locations. We’ve added two more locations over the weekend,” Andersen said. “This is a top priority for the city administrator’s office, for our elected officials, and we are increasing the number of resources that are being dedicated to this over time,” Andersen said.

There will be additional community meetings on this issue, KEYT reported.

More information on the city’s sidewalk vending rules and permitting process is available here.

Sindhu Ananthavel is a Noozhawk contributing writer and UC Santa Barbara student.