Sidewalk Vendors

The city of San Diego took many months to implement new state rules on regulating sidewalk vendors. While other cities rapidly approved regulations that accommodated vendors as well as protected the public right of  way, the San Diego City Council approved nothing and let loose an invasion of vendors, both licensed and unlicensed, that descended on beaches, parks and business zones. Perhaps the worst concentration occurred on El Prado in Balboa Park, where dozens of vendors took over pedestrian walkways and plazas and turned the center of the park into a virtual swap meet and garage sale that had nothing to do with this national historic landmark. Finally in 2022 the council approved new rules but now has to wait untold months before the California Coastal Commission acts on applying the rules in beach communities. The city acted but that does not excuse it tardiness and subsequent disruption of places that the public loves. Everyone wants to encourage small business and entrepreneurship, but operating a business carries with it licenses, rules and best practices. That’s part of going into business and this vendor experience shows that there are serious consequences for not abiding the rules every other business must follow.