More upcoming regulations for sellers of ocean sidewalks

Savers of sidewalks have proliferated from the Oceanside pandemic, where the municipal council approved new penalties on Wednesday in order to brake what some have said has become a public health problem.

“This is a very important problem for us,” said Kim Heim, of the company group of the Center-Ville mainstreet Oceanside. “We have been fighting on illegal sale in the city center for almost four years.”

Many sellers do not have a commercial license, no health license and no food management training, Heim said. When they are contacted, they did not offer any name, no address and no identification.

“These are people who operate in the shadow of business, and yet they endanger our audience,” he said. “We really have to control this.”

Kirk Mundt, the director of the application of city codes, said that the sidewalk sale in the city center has become “free for everyone” which needs more regulation.

At the request of Mundt, the Council unanimously approved an updated order to establish fines and allow the immediate confiscation of the equipment if necessary. The council will again examine the updated prescription in a few weeks and, if it is approved a second time, it will take effect 30 days after that.

The sellers sold hot dogs heated with a propane grill on the pier on the edge of the occent even if the sale is prohibited, said Mundt. When asked to leave, operators go, but will often come back the next day.

Sellers generally do not have refrigeration, no water for hand washing and no easy access to the toilet, he said.

“We have noticed, especially recently, an influx of sellers … coming from other cities,” he said. Some come from Vista or to Los Angeles, and they operate without the required licenses.

Complaints have also been heard by owners of restaurants and operators in the city center of brick and mortar buildings that sellers unjustly undermine their business.

Within the framework of the existing prescription of the city, there are no penalties for violations and food sales equipment can only be put on a pound after being unattended for more than 30 minutes.

The modified prescription fixes a penalty of $ 100 or more for violations. It also allows the city to immediately enter the equipment and revoke the owner’s sales license.

“Our intention is to issue at least two additional written warnings in English and Spanish before retaining any equipment,” said Mundt, although in some cases, such as sellers grilling hot dogs on the pier, the equipment could be taken immediately.

“Things have really become uncontrollable, especially at the throw,” said Mayor Esther Sanchez.

“People are not allowed to be on the pier selling food with open flames and no license,” she said.

“My big concern is the problem of health,” said Council Rick Robinson, adding that the costs of $ 61 billed for the impoundment equipment seemed “a little light”. Mundt said the costs could be adjusted upwards.

The member of the Council Jimmy Figueroa said that the problem was “a sensitive subject” for him because he remembers with emotion to buy shaved ice and other treats of the sellers of ocean street street as a child.

“There are people who are just trying to reach both ends,” said Figueroa, and he encouraged city employees to work with partners such as mainstreet or Miracosta College on programs to educate street vendors and improve their services.

Board members have also suggested that there should be an easy way to authorize sales of legal sidewalks for special events or non -profit fundraising.

Oceanside has issued a total of 10 sidewalks distribution licenses, five of which allow food sales, according to a city report. Others sell crafts, clothes, flowers and jewelry.

Street musicians and other “buskers” are not addressed in the prescription and are not required to obtain a permit, said a city official.

Originally published: March 30, 2025 at 5:00 a.m.