2010-856- Transient Vendors in Jacksonville

[Noone]

Is this good legislation?  I'd say no.

A one mile ban of any transient vendor.

This may soon become law in the largest city in the country landwise with the only exception being Downtown Jacksonville.

[ChriswUfGator]

What? Banned from where?

[Ralph W]

Bill Type and Number: Ordinance 2010-856
Introducer/Sponsor(s): Council President Webb
Date of Introduction: November 9, 2010
Committee(s) of Reference: R, RCD
Date of Analysis: November 11, 2010
Type of Action: Ordinance Code amendment
Bill Summary: The bill amends Ordinance Code Chapter 250 â€" Miscellaneous Business Regulations â€" to prohibit transient merchants from locating within 1 mile of a permanent established business that sells the same types of products or services and to prohibit transient merchants from selling products not permitted in the zoning district where the transient merchant is located. The new regulations do not apply to permitted downtown sidewalk vendors who are regulated by another Ordinance Code section.
Background Information: The preamble to the bill states that transient merchants provide unfair competition to established, fixed merchants because they do not bear property ownership or lease costs (property taxes, insurance and maintenance) or utility expenses and that this competition is detrimental to the City’s economy.
Policy Impact Area: Transient merchant regulation
Fiscal Impact: Undetermined
Analyst: Clements

[jandar]

This seems to not affect the hot dog vendors downtown, but what about a trailered BBQ stand at football games, or the obvious fell of the back of the truck tshirts and hats vendors at Jags games...

[thelakelander]

This would affect the guys with carts anywhere outside of downtown.  This means the guys with carts in places like Five Points, San Marco and Home Depot parking lots would not be allowed to continue to operate.  Personally, I'm not a fan of this ordinance.  Sometimes it feels like Jax is the biggest small city around.

[sheclown]

What about Christmas Tree stands?  Farmers who sell their goods out of the back of their trucks?

This will be interesting.

[Julian]

I'm having a hard time understanding the logic behind something like this. Unfortunately, I work in an office park on the southside,on a 30 minute lunch break there's a shopping center with every fast food chain in it, however each one will have about 20 to 30 cars in line. There's a hot dog cart a block away from my building that has usually no wait. It seeems to me all this does is protect these national food chains, which would be the majority in the area that will be affected. Another great idea from our city leaders.

[sheclown]

Not a fan, either.

I understand the frustration, especially in this economy, of small business owners.  It is the "within a mile" statement that bothers me.  A hot dog cart won't be able to be within a mile of a Gate gas station (which sells hot dogs as an after thought), but does this mean it can be near a McDonalds which does not sell hot dogs?

Christmas Tree stands can't be within a mile of a Lowes?

A farmers stand can only be set up if he is selling fruit in season --

[Ralph W]

Quote: "The preamble to the bill states that transient merchants provide unfair competition to established, fixed merchants because they do not bear property ownership or lease costs (property taxes, insurance and maintenance) or utility expenses and that this competition is detrimental to the City’s economy."

I've heard that the cost of operating one of these transient, especially food, businesses is NOT cheap. They have to jump through a bunch of hoops to just open. They have to buy their business property (cart, etc.), are subject to inspections from the food police, pay a fee to the city for their business license(s), pay maintenance on their equipment, pay liability insurance, collect and remit sales tax, pay for the fuel to keep the food at the proper temperature while on site and to prepare off site, pay income and self-employment taxes and stand out in the weather hoping to make a sale every day at a location deemed appropriate by the folks who have probably never (he, he) eaten at anyplace less than Ruth's Chris Steak House

Next up for the tops dogs will be the banning of garage or yard sales because there might be a conflict with nearby fixed merchants. And, we all know that not one business license or sales tax dollar is collected, not one extra dollar of insurance is paid and there certainly is no maintenance cost for a tarp and a few card tables.

[Springfielder]

And this is yet another senseless ordinance that Webb wants to push through, hurting the vendors. Are you telling me that there's nothing of a serious matter that our council members should be spending their time working on? It's things like this that hurt our city, not help.

[Noone]

Again is anyone on this forum participating in the recent JCCI study Recession, Recovery, and Beyond?

Defer the legislation until the study is complete.

What is the position of the Chamber on this? 

Another created city council and mayoral campaign issue.

"Lets get to Work." Just not in Jacksonville.

I'll be asking my councilman to attach an amendment that would allow for the extention of the exemption to include the Promised 680'Promised Downtown Public Pier AKA Bay St. Pier Park so that it could have the ability to have a Hot Dog Cart (Food Container) for the people of Jacksonville.

[danno]

It wouldbe very tricky if you were operating an ice cream truck..  Every covienence store in town sells ice cream!

[Captain Zissou]

I think this legislation is stupid.  If a taco truck beats out your Mexican restaurant, you're doing something wrong.  Same thing for hot dog carts.  No restaurateur should feel threatened by a street vendor if they believe in their product. 

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

I think this legislation is stupid.  If a taco truck beats out your Mexican restaurant, you're doing something wrong.  Same thing for hot dog carts.  No restaurateur should feel threatened by a street vendor if they believe in their product. 

Agreed.  No body goes 'out to dinner' only to hit up the closest hot dog cart. 

The only business that I see this affecting is A&W, and I go there for the root beer on tap anyhow.

[Miss Fixit]

Food Trucks - tacos, cupcakes, coffee, etc - are hot in every hip city (New York, Austin, even little old Asheville North Carolina) in America.

Of course Jacksonville would put a stop to such nonsense, bending over backwards to make certain our complete lack of hipness continues into the next decade!