Council rejects second reading of ordinance regulating mobile vendors; cites enforcement and clarity concerns

The Watertown City Council voted down a second reading of an ordinance on July 21 that would have formalized a permit and rules for mobile food vendors, food trucks and similar transient merchants on public property. The motion to adopt the revision was made by Councilman Peters and seconded by Councilman Allen; the roll-call vote recorded a majority of nays and the motion failed. Why it matters: The proposed ordinance was intended to replace an older transient-merchant framework and create a right-of-way permit tailored to mobile vendors, with the stated goals of keeping sidewalks passable, protecting adjacent businesses and clarifying when vendors need City Park & Recreation approval to operate in parks. Council members said the draft still left too many unresolved operational and enforcement issues and could unintentionally make it…