There has been a surge of unauthorized outdoor food vendors, cooking over open flame in Santa Barbara and elsewhere. This has prompted a number of folks to wonder what, if any, the laws are and what, if anything, is being enforced. Briefly, all vending businesses must have a City Business Tax Certificate and, if serving consumables, must have a County Health permit as well. In no circumstance is cooking over an open flame in public allowed.
Teams of Fire, Police, and, when possible, County Health officials are responding, citing, and, occasionally, bringing criminal charges against these offending facilities. Everything that can be done to ensure compliance with the law is being done.
The vendors are nimble, well-financed, often very defiant and, in general, not from here. We are certainly not the only agency facing this issue as evidenced by my last conversation with folks in Sacramento.