PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
MEMORANDUM
Public Works Engineering
DATE: March 13th, 2024
TO: Gary Merk, Frank Assumma, Erik Lue
FROM: Nathan Mustafa – City Engineer
CC: Mike Futrell, Kris Martinez, Phaedra Norton, Larry Gonzalez, Jack Liu, Gilbert Hernandez, Jennifer Lilley
RE: Enforcement of Mobile Food Vending Vehicles Near Driveways
Chapter 5.36 of the Riverside Municipal Code (RMC), Regulation of Mobile Food Vendors, regulates the type of vending and the time, place and manner of vending from vehicles upon the street in order to promote public safety. Authority for these regulations is granted to the City of Riverside by Section 22455 of the California Vehicle code.
RMC 5.36.070 currently restricts vending vehicles from parking within 100 feet of intersections, traffic signals, and marked or unmarked crosswalks when making or attempting to make a sale. RCM 5.36.070 further restricts mobile food merchants from operating in a manner that blocks or obstructs the free movement of pedestrians or vehicles and provides the Director of Public Works with the authority to create no parking zones deemed necessary for the safe passage of pedestrians and vehicles.
In response to field observations and public safety concerns shared with the City, the Public Works Department has determined that effective immediately mobile food vending vehicles shall be restricted from parking within 50 feet of any commercial, industrial or residential driveway. This restriction is to be enforced under RMC 5.36.070 / CVC 22455 by Code Enforcement and the Riverside Police Department. Parking Services officers in the field observing a potential violation will inform either Code Enforcement or RPD of the observed concern. An exhibit of the 50’ driveway restriction zone is included as an attachment.
Procedure:
• Code Enforcement will engage mobile food vendors currently registered within the City to inform them of the 50’ driveway restriction, and will update registration materials and the City’s webpage to inform new registrants. • Through April 30
th, 2024, food vendors in violation of this direction should be provided with a first-time warning and required to relocate, failure to do so shall
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
result in a tow. Enforcing officers will have an option to issue a citation on sight if a vehicle is confirmed as a second time offender prior to April 30th, 2024. • Beginning May 1st, 2024, food vendors in violation of this direction will be required to relocate and be issued a citation. Failure to relocate shall result in a tow.
• The 100’ restriction of parking near intersections and crosswalks remains in effect.
FIGURE 1: Restriction of Mobile Food Vendor Vehicle Parking Near Driveways