Council tables new mobile‑food fee schedule after farmers market and vendors raise concerns

The Common Council tabled a proposed mobile‑food and peddling fee schedule after market organizers and individual vendors raised concerns that the new rules could impose higher costs on farmers and small sellers.

City staff told the council the proposal would replace the prior $1,000 farmers‑market tenancy arrangement with a registration system in which vendors and peddlers pay an annual $100 fee; staff said the fee was set after an internal analysis to be “rationally related to the work being done by the city.” Staff also noted a legal review that fees must reasonably match municipal costs.

Tom Wells, president of the Gonzales Commerce Market, and other market representatives told the council many market vendors are small producers who currently pay no or minimal fees and that a $100 annual charge per person could substantially raise costs for sellers. At least one market leader said many market vendors do not earn large sums and asked the city to preserve the market’s prior arrangement or delay implementation.

Staff explained operational differences between annual mobile‑food truck permits (which can come with a DOH annual permit) and temporary food vendors who must obtain a DOH permit per event; staff said temporary vendors would still need event‑by‑event permits even if the fee schedule is adopted. The city clerk’s office offered to register vendors now and delay collecting fees while staff returns with details and vendor input.

Council members agreed to table the resolution and asked staff to convene further discussions with the farmers market and affected vendors. No fee change was adopted at the meeting.