City Council passes controversial vending, peddling, soliciting regulation

Athens City Council passed an ordinance Monday evening to regulate vending, peddling and soliciting, which received backlash from the community. 

Introduced by Councilmember Jeffrey Risner, Ordinance 0-114-21 would increase penalties for those caught without a vending license. The penalties include harsher fines and possible jail time.

This ordinance became controversial after Hot Shots Food Truck owner James Wanke expressed his disapproval of the proposal at last week's council meeting.

Wanke voiced his concern about the ordinance and the effects he claims it would have on small business owners who are trying to survive the pandemic as well as its impacts on the local economy. 

Although Wanke said he faces no issue with a lack of customers, it’s the challenge of a vending license policy that may put his business in jeopardy.

“Not because of a lack of business, but because of a lack of access and the inhospitable policies, which make mobile vending all but impossible to maintain in Athens, which should rightfully be seen as a stain on Athens’ reputation as being seen as a city that supports local business,” Wanke said. 

Despite Wanke’s plea to the council members, the ordinance was passed 9-1.

“I would like to see it supported, but I’m not sure that the proposed changes in front of us tonight impact their ability to do their vending in the city of Athens,” Councilmember Sam Crowl responded to Wanke.

Councilmember Chris Fahl added that the ordinance also would help regulate peddling and not just vending.

“We talk about vending, but there is also vending and peddling. I am not sure that people really understand the difference between those different levels in this particular ordinance,” Fahl said.

With the passing of the proposed ordinance, Wanke fears the worst. 

“When faced with the slow but inevitable closure of my business, my decision was to not go silently into the night like all of the recent vendors who have all recently perished into the night in our town,” Wanke said, defending his fight against the proposal.