REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action to Adopt Ordinance No. 2062 Amending the Santa Clara City Code to Create a Limited-Term Pilot Project Regulating Vending Upon Certain Public Sidewalks and Pedestrian Paths Surrounding Levi's Stadium on Event Days
Report
BACKGROUND
At the July 18, 2023 Council meeting, proposed Ordinance No. 2062 was passed for the purpose of publication. Pursuant to City Charter Sections 808 and 812, a summary of proposed Ordinance No. 2062 was published to the Santa Clara Weekly on August 9, 2023, and copies were posted in three public places.
DISCUSSION
SB 946 prohibits California cities and counties from banning sidewalk vendors from operating on public sidewalks or other pedestrian pathways and prohibits cities from regulating sidewalk vendors unless cities establish a permitting system that is consistent with the provisions of SB 946. SB 946 also requires that any restrictions placed on sidewalk vendors be directly related to objective health, safety or welfare concerns. Local jurisdictions that wish to regulate sidewalk vending are required to first adopt a program with regulations consistent with SB 946. The new state law was explained in detail at the April 18, 2023 Council meeting.
During the past event season, the Police Department experienced a drastic increase in the number of unpermitted food and merchandise vendors within the immediate footprint of large-scale stadium events. This increase has caused several health and safety concerns. As currently written, the City Code and regulations do not align with SB 946 and, consequently, the City's ability to address these health and safety concerns would be limited without first updating the City Code.
Following Council's direction at the April 18th meeting, staff prepared ordinance amendments outlining a pilot project prohibiting sidewalk vending on certain enumerated streets surrounding Levi's Stadium on event days. These ordinance amendments were introduced and passed on July 18...
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