Council directs staff to revisit mobile food-vendor rules; vendors say seating and shade are essential

The Los Banos City Council voted May 7 to have staff review and return recommendations for changes to the city’s mobile food‑vending ordinance, after multiple mobile-vendor operators and nearby business owners urged the city to permit temporary seating and shade.

Why it matters: Vendors and customers told the council that short‑term seating improves accessibility and the customer experience, especially for working‑hour lunches and for patrons with mobility limitations. Vendors said they would continue to comply with health and safety rules and remove temporary furnishings at the end of each business day.

The council member who requested the discussion, Councilmember Marcus Chavez, said the most frequent vendor requests were for “tables and chairs and, as well as tents. It is the Central Valley — it gets very hot.” The council’s action sends the ordinance back to staff for a comparative review of policies in other California cities and for proposed local amendments.

Mobile-vendor operators and business owners spoke during public comment. A written submission from Nineveh Villegomez, who identified themself as “owner of a local taco truck located next to City Hall,” said seating turns a quick sale into “a brief moment of comfort and connection” for working customers and urged the council to “support small business owners like ours.” Ivan Gonzalez, identified as owner of La Jaliciencia 2 station at 402 Washington Avenue, said the current rule harmed customers with limited mobility and described having received a citation after providing a chair for a customer.

Public speakers and council members discussed broader issues including enforcement against illegal vendors, fee levels for permits and compliance with recent state guidance on street vendors. One public commenter noted that other Central Valley cities allow temporary seating and said fines and permit fees in Los Banos “are excessive and should only cover administrative costs.”

Action and next steps: The council voted to direct staff to review the ordinance and return with recommended updates to temporary seating, shade, and related fee structures. The review will include consultation with public safety and health departments to ensure any changes meet food-safety, accessibility and public-right‑of‑way requirements. Staff will present options for council consideration at a future meeting.