Cairo introduces mobile-vending and peddlers ordinances to centralize vendors at Davis Park

City staff formally introduced two linked ordinance proposals to regulate mobile food vendors and peddlers within Cairo.

The proposed amendment to section 14-160 of the municipal code would clarify mobile-vending operations, align requirements with the Georgia Department of Health and create Davis Park as a central location for vendors. The city manager said the change is not retroactive: existing permit holders would remain under current permits until renewal, at which point they would be subject to the new rules. Staff reported five active mobile vending permits and said permit fees would remain $500 annually, with a $250 fee for one-day special events.

A separate peddlers and itinerant merchants ordinance was introduced to create a formal licensing process for door-to-door sellers and transient merchants in commercial areas, set hours of operation, require identification and application information, and establish penalties for violations. Staff clarified peddlers licenses would typically cover prepackaged or processed goods (snacks, produce or crafts) and would not apply to cooked-food operations — which are governed by the mobile-vending ordinance.

Council members discussed the proposed hours and suggested an earlier start time (e.g., 7 a.m.) to accommodate vendors; staff indicated that start times can be amended in the draft. Staff emphasized the code-enforcement benefits of concentrating vendors at a designated site and said Davis Park would be improved with lighting, restrooms and trash receptacles to support a vendor hub.

No action was required at introduction; staff asked council to review the drafts and provide comment ahead of future adoption votes.