The push to legalize sidewalk vending in the City of Angels moved closer to its goal.  Last week the Los Angeles City Council adopted a motion approving in concept legalization and regulation of street vending.  The motion directs the City Attorney to draft an ordinance to decriminalize vending and authorizing the board of public works to issue permits for stationary sidewalk vending in commercial and industrial zones, with a maximum of two vendors per block face, and limited mobile vending in residential zones.

The approach is not perfect.  The two vendor per block face limit seems arbitrary.  It is doubtful that the City would consider limiting storefront retail businesses to two per block face in commercial zones.  Concerns about sidewalk congestion can and should be addressed with less ham-handed approaches.

Despite blemishes, this is an important step.  It has been more than 20 years since the City Council last took action toward legalizing sidewalk vending.  That last effort resulted in an ordinance that made possible the creation of legal vending districts.  The process to do so was so complex and choked with red-tape, though, that only one district was ever created.  It could never accommodate all the vendors (and their many customers) who wanted to participate, and fizzled out after a few years of operation.

By starting with the premise that the entire City should be open to sidewalk vending, the City Council’s action holds the promise of success.