BEVERLY HILLS—The city of Beverly Hills passed an urgency ordinance that complies with the the newly signed California state law that requires cities to allow sidewalk vending. The new law goes into effect on Tuesday, January 1, 2019.
Governor Brown signed Senate Bill 946 on September 17, 2018. The law requires local jurisdictions to support and facilitate sidewalk vendors. Sidewalk vendors are defined by Senate Bill 946 as a person who sells food or merchandise from a push-cart, display, pedal-driven cart, wagon, showcase, rack, or other non-motorized conveyance, or from one person upon a public sidewalk or other pedestrian path.
“This bill would prohibit a local authority, as defined, from regulating sidewalk vendors, except in accordance with the provisions of the bill. The bill would provide that a local authority is not required to adopt a new program to regulate sidewalk vendors if the local authority has established an existing program that substantially complies with the provisions of the bill,” states Senate Bill No. 946.
The bill prevents local authority to require sidewalk vendors to operate within specific parameters, unless the vendor is going against objective health, safety, or welfare concerns. The intent of the legislation, as listed by the city of Beverly Hill’s website is to:
- Create entrepreneurial and economic development opportunities for immigrant and low-income communities
- Increase access to desired goods, such as culturally significant food and merchandise
- Contribute to a safe and dynamic public space
- Promote the safety and welfare of the public by encouraging local authorities to support and properly regulate sidewalk vending and the legislation also decriminalizes sidewalk vending.
The city of Beverly Hills passed the ordinance to ensure the city is in compliance with state law.
