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Plain City to rework mobile‑vendor ordinance after implementation hiccups
Summary
Council members said they will reconsider parts of the recently enacted mobile‑vendor rules after registration issues and policy bumps; staff recommended pausing fees, moving the rules out of the zoning code toward business regulation, and clarifying safety and fee provisions.
Plain City Council on May 12 opened a discussion about the village’s recently adopted mobile‑vendor ordinance and said staff will revisit portions of the code after encountering implementation issues since the ordinance’s codification two weeks earlier.
A village staff member told council registration is ongoing and the village is not charging vendors fees for the current registration cycle while staff reviews the ordinance. The staff presentation noted several operational questions: whether the rules belong in the zoning code or in the business regulation code (staff favored the latter), how to handle electric cords and safety coverings for vendors using temporary power, and how to structure fees — the prior draft included a $200 per‑location fee and councilmembers raised the idea of an annual cap for vendors who operate at multiple sites.
Council members emphasized they do not want the fee structure to be a revenue generator; rather, they want a small fee sufficient to provide an enforcement mechanism if vendor actions cause problems. Council also asked staff to solicit feedback from mobile vendors to identify practical issues and to consider exemptions or lower fees for small operators who attend short‑duration events.
Council did not repeal the ordinance at the May 12 meeting; instead staff will rework the draft language, clarify registration and fee structures, add safety guidance for electrical hookups, and return the revised proposal to council for further action.
