California's Safe Sidewalk Vending Act (SB 946) preempts most local bans on sidewalk vending, allowing only objective health, safety, and welfare regulations.
California's Safe Sidewalk Vending Act, codified at Government Code sections 51036-51039, sharply limits how cities and counties can restrict sidewalk vendors. Local jurisdictions may not prohibit sidewalk vending in residential or commercial areas as a categorical matter. They may impose objective health, safety, and welfare regulations such as time, place, and manner restrictions, but must allow vending in most locations. Outright bans, perceived economic competition concerns, and most permit caps are preempted. SB 972 (2022) further amended the Retail Food Code to ease vendor compliance with safety standards. Violations of the act can be enforced only as administrative citations, not criminal penalties.
Cities enforcing prohibited bans face injunctive relief and attorney fees. Vendor citations exceeding allowed amounts must be reduced. Criminal enforcement against vendors is preempted.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Modesto, CA
Modesto's noise ordinance expressly exempts aircraft and railroad operations; aircraft noise around Modesto City-County Airport is governed by federal FAA ru...
Modesto, CA
Modesto's noise ordinance (MMC Title 4, Ch. 9) bans 'loud and raucous noise' citywide, including from industrial operations. Certain continuous industrial ac...
Modesto, CA
Modesto has no blanket overnight parking ban. The default rule is the 72-hour storage limit (sec. 3-2.1002). Residential Parking Permit Zones under Article 1...
Modesto, CA
Modesto zoning permits standard residential fence materials (wood, vinyl, masonry, ornamental metal, chain link). Barbed wire, razor wire and electrified fen...
Modesto, CA
Modesto's zoning ordinance limits a residential dwelling unit to two dogs (5+ months old) and three cats (3+ months old). Larger numbers, exotic animals, or ...
Modesto, CA
Modesto Municipal Code § 10-3.202 allows up to 12 domestic fowl (hens only - no roosters), plus 2 pygmy goats and 2 miniature potbellied pigs (no boars), per...
See how Modesto's vending zones rules stack up against other locations.
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