La Jolla Street Vendors, exploring the unique challenges to La Jolla.

Ron Jones 0:07  

We welcome you to the very first edition of the La Jolla Insider’s video, we’re gonna be talking about a few things that might be of interest to you. And what is of interest to us. Good morning, Mike what’s on your mind?

Michael Mazaika 0:26  

Ah, there’s so much going on in La Jolla. But how about at the top of my list? Street vendors in La Jolla?

Ron Jones 0:36  

Oh, yeah. The street vendors, we’ve been having an issue with the street vendors for years. And it’s been an objection by a lot of merchants, Zimbabwe. And because of these tweets, merchants, do a pop-up shop. And they start Hawking their wares. And started with T shirts primarily some years ago in support of the lady said of the seals, at the cove fields. The pinnipeds have been a great draw for tourists to Bitcoin for quite a while, much to the chagrin of people who live here in that traditionally, the Coast has been given over to swimming, snorkeling for the residents and other people visiting the area. Now, we’ve got to the tourists being assaulted by street vendors, parking their wares. Like what I talked about the seals, it was t shirts, supporting seals and, and fun things like that. That was gone beyond just coming into the trinkets and with some cases, food. Yeah, that’s a big discussion point.

Michael Mazaika 1:50  

It’s way beyond the seals. I mean, I was down there. Just the other morning, walking along the promenade, right next to the coast. And I’m gonna be there. Yes, there are beads and, and shells. And of course, T shirts, um, in almost anything imaginable. And I was also at La Jolla Shores last week and they have they have pushcarts on the sand. So, you’re there trying to enjoy the day. And here comes somebody with a pushcart peddling something right out there on the sand Hotman. What kind of a of a license does one need? And how much do they pay for that?

Ron Jones 2:38  

Well, the there’s no licensing, but the food carts on the stand. That’s the catch candles are quite popular with the people on the beach, because those food right there, but they’re not being regulated. And just some people, that’s not what they want us to use. It’s counter to their well, freedom of access, I should think and permitting would be protective. And that’s something that I think would be of great concern.

Michael Mazaika 3:10  

My concern. My concern, frankly, is they appear to be totally nonregulated. They are so frankly, you know, that, that what you’re purchasing the food that you’re buying from them is safe. And we have a lot of people coming here from all over the world. And I’d hate to see them exposed to less than 100% safe conditions, at least on the food.

Ron Jones 3:38  

Oh, good points. Absolutely. And that that is number one. Number two, again, we’ve got restaurants who are looking forward to seeing those same people come into their establishments who pay taxes, pay rent, and permitting and all the other things that businesses need to be successful. And what’s being circumvented are these vendors on the beach and also on the sidewalks it does not just relate to restaurants over talking about people who have merchandise in their stores are going through the same process of businesses and vendors pop up attempt and throw up a couple of tables and they got what they got. And what is now in the worse and this has been going on for far too long. But it’s coming to at least some kind of conclusion. Not to my mind satisfactory one. But looks like they’re going to be licensing what city hall is calling entrepreneurial refugees and people have watch and need and this is a way for them to make a few bucks. However, what we’re seeing is these vendors have been supported by, well, in essence, corporations for investors, it gets pretty muddy. But what they’re looking to do is have these vendors pay $38 for a license, and then they’re okay to be on the beach. Or there’s nobody $8

Michael Mazaika 5:15  

For what period of time wrong is this year, and annual $38. But they’re selling merchandise. That’s the same as or equivalent to merchandise that’s being sold by actual stores, brick and mortar stores in La Jolla. No more pay paying a whole lot more.

Ron Jones 5:40  

Absolutely right 

Ron Jones 5:42  

Yep. Yep. And this is the this is the big issue. And it’s been before the city council. This is the city-wide decision, the city council, that the different districts that there is regulation. However, when it gets to the coast, like lawyer and other Beach City staff here, who are having the same issues, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, their Boardwalk is getting very crowded with the pop up tends to the merchants out there, versus the vendors crowding out the pedestrians, people who are bikes and roller skates and skateboards, but it’s been traditional for the beach. And now they’re being edged to the standard because of the popups. Pardon me. And that’s just not right. It’s not right for that. But getting back to the regulation, and the passage of the vendors, permitting process. And allowance as to locations is going before not City Council. But the final decision is being taken attended to the Coastal Commission. And whatever they say goes regarding the coastal areas inland as pretty much except that there’s no real desire to be inland because the actions on the beaches, but the vendors, so we’ve got investments, there are many wars going on. And we’re out the tool because of the Coastal Commission. And they’re pending. They haven’t made a decision yet. So, what was supposed to be on June 1, the regulations of laws going into effect, which by most people’s thought was vanishing and getting rid of them. But now they’re still with us. And looks like they’ll be with us to start on as well, because that was the Coastal Commission getting busy anytime too soon, which is a shame.

Michael Mazaika 7:46  

Well, you mentioned no Coastal Commission. Now I’m quite familiar with the La Jolla Coastal Commission. Is there a coastal commission for Mission Beach and Pacific Beach? High resolution beach?

Ron Jones 8:00  

No, there’s no separate Coastal Commission for any of those areas. In coastal California, the California Coastal Commission, yeah. And they’ve got the power. Nothing can be done without there’s still many fronts. Still seals being another one, which is another conversation for another time. The sea lions and the harbor seals who’ve taken over this, the sands of the rocks here in La Jolla, which is wonderful for the people coming to visit. It’s just fun, be up close and personal nature as they are. But it’s been a real pain to people who want to use the beaches as they had been for decades until the arrival of the seagulls. But the vendors, God bless them. They they’re trying to make a buck. But it’s off the backs of the virgins employ. Yeah, that’s the crime.

Michael Mazaika 9:02  

I know La Jolla has a Merchants Association. To the street vendors pay anything to the Merchants Association

Ron Jones 9:14  

numbers association itself is it’s a business improvement district a bit so they call it there are 18 the city of San Diego. We have ours here in the higher and the Merchants Association is an organization that controls still to kind of there. They’re supposed to be promoting businesses within a particular parameter, in this case, Pearl Street, Fe, prospect and Ivanhoe and then within that parameter, and perimeter is 50 or 1500 businesses. And this is the job of the Merchants Association to promote that group. Anybody outside that limit It is not of they’re not necessarily another interest, but to certainly not the responsibility. So

Michael Mazaika 10:10  

you’re saying that the boardwalk or promenade then that lines the coast, and La Jolla is not within the business district?

Ron Jones 10:22  

They are not. And this has been a problem with the purchase within that business district. These are the people but the main the main thrust of us of our village center such as it’s called, and you have

Michael Mazaika 10:39  

to there yet, does the Merchants Association have any opportunity to make input to the Coastal Commission?

Ron Jones 10:49  

No, they can make references that maybe hope but to actions to their being there because of the impact to the merchants within the big merchant’s purview. So that’s like anybody has the right to make a statement as far as our right to as citizens to complain or command Nope, can’t do it. Think about it. Coastal Commission has a full the full run, but there’s one. Oh, well. Oh, well.

Michael Mazaika 11:31  

Another. Another case. So, in effect taxation with no representation.

Ron Jones 11:38  

Well said. You’re quite right. That is the thing is lots of La Jolla at this time. And there you have our first entry into discussions about lawyer behind the curtain. Lawyer insiders think you Mike be stated 

Michael Mazaika 11:56  

You’re quite welcome Ron

Ron Jones 12:00  

See you next time.