The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors took a significant step on Tuesday, tentatively approving two ordinances aimed at regulating sidewalk food vendors, marking a crucial development in the ongoing efforts to establish comprehensive guidelines for this integral part of the county’s cultural and economic landscape.
The first of the approved ordinances outlines health permit requirements for “compact mobile food operations,” encompassing smaller setups run from carts or other non-motorized equipment.
The ordinance applies to all vendors in the county, with the exception of Pasadena, Long Beach, and Vernon, which have their own health departments. Long Beach recently approved its own sidewalk vending ordinance.
Under the county’s health permit ordinance, operators must pay an initial fee ranging from $508 for low-risk operations selling pre-packaged food to $1,186 for higher-risk vendors preparing and selling hot food, such as taco stands or hot dog carts.
Annual fees, ranging from $226 to $1,000, depending on the type of vending, are also required.