Janesville, WI Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)

Section 12-166(k)(1)f applies specifically when an organizer plans to host more than one mobile food vendor at a special or civic event on private property, such as a festival or street fair. The organizer must notify the Building and Development Services Division before the event takes place. That triggers a site plan review under § 42-249 to confirm the event complies with the outdoor display of merchandise standard in § 42-466(a)(4), and the organizer pays whatever plan review fee the City Council has set in the fee schedule.

This notice and review requirement sits alongside the general vendor licensing rules in § 12-166, meaning each individual mobile food vendor at the event must still separately hold a valid City license and required health permits under § 12-166(d)-(e) unless the event qualifies for the Recreation Division-approved special-event exemption in § 12-166(c)(3), which covers vendors selling exclusively at an approved farmer's market or youth sports facility event. Events at City-controlled locations, like the Janesville Farmer's Market or the Youth Sports Facility, additionally require approval from the leaseholder and the Recreation Director before an outside mobile food vendor can operate there, § 12-166(k)(1)o.