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1 RiversideCA.gov
1 RiversideCA.gov
UPDATE ON EDUCATION AND ENFORCEMENT
EFFORTS RELATED TO SIDEWALK VENDING
AND FOOD TRUCK ORDINANCE
City Council
April 11, 2023
Community & Economic Development Department
RiversideCA.gov
2 1. Senate Bill 946 establishing si dewalk vending regulations in the State of California was adopted in January 2020.
2. Riverside Municipal Code Chapter 5.38 was amended in December 2021 to comply with new State Law and regulates sidewalk and pedestrian vending activity.
3. Shortly thereafter, City Council adopted amendments to the Mobile Vending (Food Truck) ordinance – RMC 5.36 –
significantly broadening allowances for food truck operations throughout the City.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
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3 On February 21, 2023, Councilmember Perry
requested an update on sidewalk vendors and
food trucks be presented to the City Council.
BACKGROUND
RiversideCA.gov
4 IMPLEMENTATION:
1. Extensive community and stakeholder outreach
2. Initial education “blitz” – Marketing materials, brochures, etc.
3. Continued education efforts and directed enforcement at problem locations
- Written warnings followed by citations
4. Partnership with Riverside County Environmental Health and Riverside Police
DISCUSSION
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5 DISCUSSION
5. Sidewalk Vendor Outreach Team:
- Educate and facilitate compliance
- Schedules vary and includes weekend, evenings,
special events
- Bilingual English/Spanish
- Actions range from education and outreach to written
warnings, administrative citations and summary
abatement of unsanitary perishable food items
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6 DISCUSSION
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7 DISCUSSION
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8 STATISTICS
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9 STATISTICS
0 20
40 60
80 100
120
140
160
180
WARD 1W A R D 2W A R D 3W A R D 4W A R D 5W A R D 6W A R D 7 311 COMPLAINTS BY WARD
Jan 22‐July 22 July 22‐Feb 23
WARD Jan 2022 – July 2022 July 2022 – Feb 2023
1 12 27
2 81 4
3 20 41
4 17 29
5 15 30
6 34 136
7 13 35
RiversideCA.gov
10 STATISTICS
Total
Sidewalk vendors
Number of reactive and proactive sidewalk
vendor contacts combined
2,195
Administrative citations issued to sidewalk
vendors
271
Food trucks
Total number of food truck cases Citywide 8
Administrative Citations issued to food trucks 0
Sidewalk vendors and Food trucks
Approximate amount of
unpermitted/hazardous food abated
28,000 pounds
Number of joint City/County enforcement
operations
10 9
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11 OBSERVATIONS
1. Majority of unpermitted vendors are stationary taco vendors from Los Angeles or surrounding areas – not Riverside.
2. Many vendors connected to one operator who “opens”
several locations at a time in Riverside.
3. Operators have been coached not to cooperate with City officials.
4. Some vendors appear to be making an attempt to adjust to enforcement methods, employ lookouts and have a
roaming “replenishment” truck to avoid food confiscation.
RiversideCA.gov
12 CASE STUDY #1
Festival of Lights:
538 vendor contacts
7 food vendors
19 citations
8 food trucks
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13 CASE STUDY #2
Forest and 14th St. (Ward 2)
Taco stand ceased operating at
this location
RiversideCA.gov
14 CASE STUDY #3
Streeter and Arlington (Ward 3)
Taco stand owner converted to
fully permitted and legal food
truck
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15 CASE STUDY #4
Iowa and Massachusetts (Ward 1)
Taco stand owner converted to
fully permitted and legal food
truck
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16 CASE STUDY #5
Van Buren and Challen (Ward 6)
Taco stand owner converted to
fully permitted and legal food
truck
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17 CASE STUDY #6
12321 Magnolia (Ward 7)
Staff located an unpermitted
commissary serving sidewalk vendors.
Joint inspection with RivCo Health found
numerous violations. Citations were issued,
3500 lbs. of food confiscated, and tenant has
been evicted.
RiversideCA.gov
18 CASE STUDY #7
Chicago and 12th St. (Ward 2)
L.A based taco stand
$27,900 in fines issued to date (27 cites)
3315 lbs. of hazardous food abated
Owner remains non-compliant
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19 CASE STUDY #8
7600 Arlington (Ward 6)
L.A. based taco stand
$16,500 in fines issued (19 cites)
3500 lbs. of hazardous food abated
Owner remains non-compliant
RiversideCA.gov
20 CASE STUDY #9
Cypress and Harold (Ward 6)
L.A. based taco stand
$26,400 in fines issued (18 cites)
3470 lbs. of hazardous food abated
Owner remains non-compliant
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21 CASE STUDY #10
Wells and Noble (Ward 6)
L.A. based taco stand
$7,100 in fines issued (8 cites)
1700 lbs. of hazardous food abated
Owner remains non-compliant
RiversideCA.gov
22 Cross-Cutting Threads
1. Community Trust – The ordinances were vetted through robust public comment in 2021 and 2022 by way of two community roundtable meetings, several Council Co mmittee Meetings and City Council meetings. These meetings were conducted in both English and Spanish as will the subject meeting. Code Enforcement responded to 672 complaints as well as proactive enforcement and education to over 1,500 sidewalk vendors.
2. Equity – Sidewalk and mobile vending can serve as a means to provide income and/or deliver food to underserved or socio-economically disadvantaged segments of the community. It also creates opportunities for existing brick and mortar establishments to branch o ut and expand their business footprint. Further, the Code Enforcement Division developed a careful approach to applying these new laws that included community and stakeholder engagement, an initial public education and ou treach phase, creation of informational brochures in both English and Spanish, and finally, more focused enf orcement on habitual offenders and problem locations.
3. Fiscal Responsibility – Sidewalk and food truck vending activity in the City of Riverside can generate additional sales tax and permit fee revenue. In addition, it can poten tially attract additional visitors to areas such as the Downtown Entertainment District by providing additional dining options, thereby further increasing sales tax revenue for area businesses.
4. Innovation – The “street food” culture is a growing trend in many progressive areas of the country. Providing a regulatory framework that encourages this entrepreneursh ip while still safeguarding the public’s health, safety and welfare would place Riverside among those model cities that are beginning to incorporate this “street food” culture into their downtowns.
5. Sustainability & Resiliency – Sidewalk and mobile vending in Riversi de can offer additional food options across the City, as well as, deliver dining options to underserved areas. Sidewalk vending can provide a means of income to new entrepreneurs and existing businesse s, especially during periods of economic downturn.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
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23 RECOMMENDATION
That the City Council receive and file an update on education and enforcement efforts related to the City’s Sidewalk Vending and Food Truck Ordinances.
23