Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Clerk’s Office

TO:	David L. Corliss, City Manager
FROM:	Jonathan Douglass, Assistant to the City Manager/City Clerk
DATE:	June 18, 2013
RE:	Street Vendor License Application – Cryss and Dron’s Tropical Sno

Please place this item on the June 25, 2013, City Commission meeting agenda.

ACTION:      Approve a street vendor license for Cryss and Dron’s Tropical Sno, at the northeast corner of 10^th Street and Massachusetts Street.

The City Code allows street vendors (perhaps more appropriately named sidewalk vendors) to sell food or flowers from certain locations downtown between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. after receiving a street vendor license from the city. The eligible locations are the public sidewalks at:

• Either southwest or northeast corner of 7th and Massachusetts Streets;
• Either southwest or northeast corner of 8th and Massachusetts Streets;
• Either southwest or northeast corner of 9th and Massachusetts Streets;
• Either southwest or northeast corner of 10th and Massachusetts Streets;
• West side of the 800 block of Massachusetts Street near the center block cross walk area.

There are currently two licensed street vendors, and they are located on the northeast corner of 9^th and Massachusetts, and the southwest corner of 10^th and Massachusetts. Only one street vendor can be licensed at each location at one time. The requested location for Cryss and Dron’s is currently available.

The City Code requires street vendor license applicants to seek signatures of approval from all businesses within 75 feet of their proposed location, and to submit such signatures to the City Clerk’s Office with their license application. The City Code does not necessarily require that all businesses within 75 feet of the proposed location actually approve before a license can be issued. The allowable street vendor license locations in downtown are all within the public right-of-way, which is owned and regulated by the city. In the case of street vendor licenses, the City Commission makes the final determination of whether a street vendor will be allowed at a certain location. In this case, the businesses within 75’, Red Lyons Tavern and Replay Lounge, registered their approval of the permit.

There is one unique aspect to Cryss and Dron’s Tropical Sno that I feel should be brought to the City Commission’s attention. The vendor would operate from a fold out table with perhaps a small tent/canopy overhead, rather than the traditional self contained cart or stand we typically have seen with street vendors. The City Code mentions a “cart of stand” in a few sections pertaining to street vendors, but does not actually define “cart” or “stand.” The size of the cart or stand is restricted, and the proposed set up of Cryss and Dron’s Tropical Sno fits within those restrictions. Because it is a temporary installation it also met historic resource review guidelines.   

ACTION:      Approve a street vendor license for Cryss and Dron’s Tropical Sno, at the northeast corner of 10^th Street and Massachusetts Street.