WILLITS, CA., 12/11/25 –The Willits City Council has given final approval to a street vending ordinance that will enforce specific rules for vendors in the city.
On Wednesday evening, the City Council meeting was met with a packed house of community members and local business owners to discuss the ordinance, which was unanimously approved by the council.
The move to modify the city’s street vending policy aligns with California’s Senate Bill 946, a sidewalk vending act passed in 2018 that decriminalized street vending and restricts local governments from entirely banning sidewalk vending.
Swetha Hiranya Venuturupalli, senior city planner for the city of Willits, spoke about the ordinance guidelines that aim to streamline where vendors can operate, what types of permits are required, and the hours they are allowed to be open.
The ordinance focuses on different kinds of vendors, such as mobile vendors and street vendors. The ordinance defines a mobile vending unit as a motorized food truck or trailer. A street vendor is a person who sells food or merchandise from a pushcart, stand, display, pedal-driven cart, wagon, or other non-motorized units.
One of the guidelines in the ordinance states that mobile and street vendors must not infringe on the public right of way. Vendors can operate in Willits as long as they have permission from a privately owned, nonresidential property, such as the parking lot of a bank or other local businesses.
Mobile vendors are restricted from operating in residential areas. Sidewalk vendors are allowed to operate in residential areas but cannot stop for more than 10 minutes.
Maria Fierro, who recently opened a business called Jalos Market in Willits, spoke about her grocery store’s plan to open a mobile food cart.
“We want to open the Jalos food truck next year,” Fierro said during the meeting.
Fierro added that she would like to have her food cart open past the hours of 9 p.m., which was originally prohibited in the ordinance. After Fierro addressed this at the meeting, the City Council and staff decided to alter that section of the ordinance to allow mobile vendors to operate until midnight on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
One of the rules in the ordinance also states that mobile vendors are restricted from operating within 100 feet of Main and Commercial streets. Mobile vendors cannot operate within 350 feet of elementary schools or within 400 feet of middle and high schools.
For street vendors, also called sidewalk vendors, no more than two stationary carts may operate on one block. Street vendors cannot vend within 300 feet of a city-approved event, and cannot vend within 500 feet of K-12 schools between the hours of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Ukiah City Council also discussed amendments to its vendor policy at its meeting on Nov. 19.
The approved street vending ordinance will be implemented Jan. 9, 2026.
The Willits City Council meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at Council Chambers, 111 E. Commercial St. Meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. Public comments can be emailed to council members or by calling (707) 459-4601.