Committee recommends changes to proposed mobile vendor ordinance

GENTRY -- The economic development committee on Thursday reviewed a number of proposed changes to the ordinance regulating mobile food vendors in Gentry.

Among suggestions was the removal of the $50 annual permit fee for mobile food vendors to operate on public property at special events. It was suggested that the permit fee not be charged for the special event vendors because the sponsoring non-profit agencies also collect a fee from the vendors to do business at the events.

Together with the above change would be a delegation of authority to the sponsoring event agency to ensure that vendors have and display a valid permit from the Arkansas State Board of Health to operate a retail food establishment and that event vendors follow the city's rules and regulations for mobile food vendors.

Also recommended for change was the removal of a $3 per day charge for a limited permit to do business on public property and the additional requirement that vendors obtain a $50 annual permit. Limited permit holders operating on public property would also be subject to city rules and regulations and would be required to have and display a State Board of Health permit to operate a retail food establishment.

Of concern to some in attendance was the possibility that some mobile food vendors might operate indefinitely on public property, or that they might be upset if they were only permitted to operate a few days after obtaining an annual permit.

Limited permit holders operating on private property would also be subject to city rules and regulations and would be required to have and display a State Board of Health permit to operate a retail food establishment.

"Do we want permanent mobile vendors on commercial property?" asked councilman James Furgason.

Mike Parks said he didn't think local business would be sufficient to support a permanent mobile food vendor at the present time, so it would be likely that vendors would not choose to operate permanently on a local property.

Suggested rules for vendors included restricting outside storage of items related to the business; not allowing customer seating for mobile vendors operating on a limited non-event permit on public property; requiring trash cans with lids and swinging doors; proper disposal of trash and water, with no use of public trash recepticles and no dumping of gray water on the ground; not permitting mobile vendors to connect to public utilities; restricting hours of operation; requiring vendors to have a tax identification number and to report all taxes to the proper regulating authorities.

The rules would also give to the police department and fire marshal the authority to shut down a mobile vendor if they deemed the operation was causing a safety hazard or a public nuisance.

Discussed in relation to mobile vendors operating at estate sales was the concern that the business not block sidewalks or impede traffic on public streets.

Suggested for review and future action was determining public space available for mobile food vendors, keeping in mind the need for space for farmers' market vendors, too; perhaps making all occupational licenses $25 rather than basing it on the number of employees; and creating a standardized release form for vendors doing business on private property.

General News on 02/18/2015