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Gilroy council directs immediate enforcement of food‑truck rules, pauses pilot decisions
Summary
Facing downtown businesses’ concerns about parking and pedestrian access, the Gilroy City Council on May 5 directed the city administrator to begin enforcing existing mobile‑vending and business‑license rules immediately and asked staff to return with proposed pilot program details for downtown operations.
The Gilroy City Council on May 5 directed the city administrator to begin enforcing existing regulations covering mobile vending and business licensing while staff refines a proposed food‑truck pilot for the downtown area.
Staff presented a proposed update to Chapter 16A (mobile vending) and options for a pilot that would permit food trucks in specified downtown locations (the Fifth Street lot adjacent to Gardner Health Center, portions of Eagleberry Street and selected parking lots adjacent to Gourmet Alley) under a city resolution. Staff also outlined permitting differences between mobile vending and sidewalk vending, the county health permit requirements and a suggested timeframe and fee structure for temporary vending permits.
Councilmembers and downtown business representatives expressed concerns primarily about the loss of parking, the need for clear time and place rules (the draft resolution suggested May–October Thursdays–Sundays 5 p.m.–10 p.m.) and about private‑property cases in which property owners have allowed unpermitted vendors. Several councilmembers urged better signage and firm limits on Monterey Street (Council direction included discouraging food trucks on Monterey for the downtown corridor).
After public comment and council discussion, the council passed a motion directing the city administrator to enforce existing mobile‑vending, sidewalk‑vending and business‑license requirements immediately and to prioritize enforcement where unpermitted activity affects public parking and pedestrian safety. The roll‑call vote was unanimous.
Council also asked staff to return with a clearer pilot resolution and operational details, including proposed hours, permitted locations, restroom/handwashing requirements for vendors operating longer than an hour, and how the pilot would affect existing private parking. Council members said they wanted staff to bring back a draft resolution quickly so that any pilot could be considered before summer activity increased in downtown.
The council emphasized that private property permission alone will not exempt vendors from city permitting requirements; unpermitted vendors on private property remain subject to enforcement.
