Council to move proposed ban on mobile vendors in rights-of-way to voting session after complaints

Noah, a city staff member presenting the item, said the amendment to Syracuse City Code §5.35.60 is intended to make clear that selling in public rights-of-way on publicly owned land requires a city business license and written permission from the landowner.

"We just wanna make it super clear that you cannot sell anything in the city on the in the right of way, especially publicly owned land, without a business license," Noah said, citing complaints in one particular right-of-way and safety issues near roundabouts.

City staff and council members described a recent incident during the "pumpkin walk" in which an out-of-town vendor set up in a shared school parking lot and repeatedly tried to sell to people in line. Council members asked whether the city could trespass vendors, issue civil citations for conducting business without a license, or impound goods; staff said options include trespass citations and civil citations, though mobile food vendors with reciprocal state registration may still be able to sell if they have health licensing and written permission to use the location.

Collins, who drafted the agenda language, said the item is multi-departmental and has legal and enforcement aspects. Council members asked whether officers or code enforcement could require vendors to show written permission or business licenses; staff said requiring written permission as part of the ordinance would cover most problem cases.

The council agreed to move the proposed prohibition on mobile vendors in rights-of-way to a future voting session for formal action.