SANTA ANA : New Law Restricts Mobile Food Vendors

The City Council has given preliminary approval for an ordinance regulating mobile food vendors and defining dozens of health, traffic and safety guidelines vendors must meet.

The council approved the new law at its regular meeting Monday. The ordinance will go into effect 30 days after it receives final approval, which is expected at the council’s Dec. 5 meeting.

New rules forbid food vendors from conducting business within 500 feet of school property, playgrounds, parks, recreation facilities or any other vending vehicle. Other rules require vendors to ensure that customers approach the vehicle from the right-hand side of the street, away from traffic. Further, all vendors must have city permits to do business.

The ordinance states that violators will be issued citations.

Other rules include requiring vendors to meet sanitation standards, be properly insured, and refrain from parking on public property unless they obtain a permit or are serving food to employees for 30 minutes or less.