BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
3)
Agenda
March 4, 2025
SUPERVISOR HARTMANN
HEARING - Consider recommendations regarding the formation of a Task Force to address
unlawful roadside and sidewalk vending, as follows: (EST. TIME: 1 HR. 30 MIN.)
a) Direct County staff to select members and convene a regional Task Force, comprised of
but not limited to: representatives from relevant County departments (Environmental Health,
Public Works, Sheriff, County Fire, and District Attorney); local city representatives,
including the City of Santa Barbara, City of Santa Maria; and key stakeholders, including
California Highway Patrol, Caltrans, Fish and Wildlife, and County of Ventura, with the goal
to collaborate, strategize, and share resources and best practices to address unlawful roadside
and sidewalk vending;
b) Direct County staff to conduct a comprehensive review of the County Code for the Board’s
consideration including but not limited to adopting additional time, place, and manner
restrictions on sidewalk vendors that are directly related to objective health, safety, or welfare
concerns, including:
i) Limiting hours of operation that are not unduly restrictive and provided that, in
nonresidential areas, any limitations are not more restrictive than limitations on hours of
operation for other business in that area;
ii) Requirement to maintain sanitary conditions;
iii) Requirement to ensure compliance with the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 and
any other disability access standards;
iv) Requirement to obtain a local permit or business license;
v) Requirement to possess any additional required state or local agency licenses or permits,
such as a valid California Department of Tax and Fee Administration seller’s permit;
vi) Requirement to comply with any other generally applicable laws; and
vii) Requiring the vendor to submit to the County information about their operations in
accordance with Government Code Section 51038(c)(8);
c) Report back to the Board with findings, proposed ordinances or resolutions, and
implementation plans, including potential resource needs for enforcement and education
efforts including a strategy for hazardous food and equipment impoundment;
d) Recommend that County Fire utilize its current authority to regulate sidewalk vendors, as
may be applicable, by enforcing County Code Chapter 15 Fire Prevention that adopted the
2022 California Fire Code. This enforcement may include Open Flame restrictions (Section
308), Outdoor Assembly Event limitations (Section 3106), or Tents, Temporary Special
Event Structures and Other Membrane Structure operations (Section 3107);
e) Direct County staff to develop and disseminate public messages to discourage the public
from patronizing unpermitted food operations and to inform the public of health risks of
consuming food from unverified sources;
f) Direct the County Legislative Committee and state lobbyists to monitor, report, and share
relevant information as pertains to other jurisdictions’ handling of this issue and to write a
letter to our state legislative delegation informing them of the many unintended local
consequences of SB 946 and SB 972; and
