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Snohomish County officials cite health, safety and fairness concerns over unpermitted roadside food stands
Summary
Health officials told a county committee that unpermitted umbrella carts and canopy taco stands pose sanitation and safety risks, have surged in recent years and are difficult to police; the county will convene local partners in February while awaiting state legal guidance on disposal and seizure authorities.
Tony Collinas, a health‑department presenter, told the Snohomish County Council Health and Community Services Committee on Jan. 27 that unpermitted umbrella carts and 10‑by‑10 canopy stands selling tacos and other foods create “a primary risk… around lack of sanitation,” with no handwashing, limited cold storage and cross‑contamination hazards.
Collinas said the county issues roughly 3,600 routine food permits and about 1,200 temporary event permits; inspectors handled more than 1,000 complaints last year across routine and temporary operations and have closed more than 40 unpermitted stands since May 2025. He described repeated night‑time reopenings of closed stands and said inspectors often pair after‑hours responses with law enforcement for staff safety.
Why it matters: Council members and members of the public said the stands create public‑health and traffic‑safety risks, including exposed…
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