Charlotte City Council’s Safety Committee voted Monday to push for a citywide prohibition on street vending. They want criminal charges available for those who break the rules again and again. The full City Council must weigh in.
Street vending is already banned in NoDa and most of Uptown Charlotte. Elsewhere in the city, vendors can set up shop without permits. This new ordinance would shut down vending operations everywhere.
City leaders have wrestled with this question for over a year now. Right now, anyone caught vending illegally faces a $500 fine, but city officials told committee members enforcement has proven difficult and many vendors simply ignore the fines…