Unpermitted food stands set up on sidewalks, in alleys, or past curfew hours in unincorporated Pierce County could soon cost their operators far more than a warning. A newly introduced county ordinance would let the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office seize vending equipment outright and charge violators with crimes carrying up to 364 days in jail and thousands of dollars in fines.
Pierce County Councilmember Dave Morell proposed Proposed Ordinance O2026-564, establishing a new chapter of county code, Chapter 8.13, titled Mobile Food Vending Units, according to the Pierce County Council. The measure targets unpermitted non-vehicle vendors, meaning stands, carts, tents, booths, and kiosks, operating in unincorporated parts of the county. Licensed, motorized food trucks would continue to be regulated separately under existing health department and city programs, per the same account.
The county’s Public Safety Committee has scheduled a public hearing on the ordinance for Monday at 1:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers in Tacoma, with both in-person and remote public comment allowed, the council’s announcement notes.
What the Ordinance Would Actually Ban
Under the draft rules, unless their permits allow otherwise, unpermitted vendors in unincorporated Pierce County would be barred from operating between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., setting up on public streets or sidewalks, placing equipment within five feet of an alley or driveway, or blocking traffic, utilities, or street fixtures, the county’s notice states. Those restrictions address public-safety and food-safety concerns…