Mobile food vendors could be permitted in Fresno City parks

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- On Tuesday, dozens gathered at the Jaswant Singh Khalra Park in Fresno to show support to small business owners.

City council members Luis Chavez and Miguel Arias announced a plan for mobile food vendors to expand their business to Fresno city parks.

"We may have up to 750 mobile food vendors in our 1500 acres of park space in the city of Fresno," said Arias.

They said the change will make Fresno a leader in appreciating mobile food vendors.

On Thursday, the city council will vote on the plan. If approved, it would be the first time Fresno has legalized mobile food vending in our parks.

Council member Chavez said he got to know mobile vendors in Fresno, and he explained there was a disconnect between them and the city.

"Whether it was ticketing them. Whether it was kicking them out of parks, kicking them out of public facilities. Or sometimes even confiscating their merchandise and dumping it- that is no longer the case," said Chavez.

But he said now is the time to show them support.

"The city of Fresno embraces you; we respect you; we honor you and want to make sure we expand that entrepreneurial spirit that we've had in our community for a very long time,"

Officials said there are some guidelines vendors will have to follow in order to conduct business in Fresno parks.

"One, you have to have a county health permit. Two, a city business license. We won't allow any kind of carts that are mechanical," said Arias.

In addition, vendors will not be allowed to prepare food on-site or offer dining options to customers.

In the coming months, officials said, they hope to secure city funds to find a commercial kitchen for mobile vendors to prepare their food.

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