Local businesses suffering from illegal street food vendors

Is the OC health care agency giving these vendors permits and clearance? If so, that's ridiculous.

I suggest that the City of MV conduct an ongoing inspection of each illegal vendor location to confirm that all CITY laws are being complied with. ADA, license inspections, etc. Make it a regular course of business, and perhaps they will move due to the inconvenience and constant regulation inspections.

Please shut them down. Forget about Gavin Newsom. Let him defend his policies out here on the streets of Mission Viejo. We will all come out and stand against him. This is overreach. The state can't enforce that here at this level. Let them try.

Why are the police not ticketing or shutting down these unlicensed businesses? Also people from the licensing department could patrol the areas where these unlicensed businesses have setup operations.

I am sorry but if this is so upsetting and you are worried about these vendors selling food then do not support them and then you will not get sick or your family will not be harmed! We allow the vendors selling Trump flags and all the hate you read flying in their booths and kids can read them (oh yes free speech I understand) but this is an illegal vendor also! I

These guys are not easy to take down. Take one down, two pop up. I constantly see them on corner of el toro and Trabuco and even a one man operation in apartment complexes. Yea let the police cite them, but it’s gonna take time. We need health regulations for existing businesses but people reporting all the time helps a long way.

I called the city and complained and was given the runaround. It was not professional. I am a resident of MV. I guess i do not matter as much as a business owner.
Anyway, now, finally the city acknowledged the issue.
Unfortunately, the police will not interfere because they are not committing a crime. The city will not interfere in anyway.
The only people that can enforce any control is the OC health department. I called them. They are simply outnumbered.

I agree with Kelli above. Shut one curb business down, shut them all down, including the political booths. I'd much rather see a couple of guys making a few bucks selling sausages and fajitas than being exposed to the hate and negativity at every trump booth. Just sayin...

This is crazy, people go into debt to open a legal business to have someone with a cart open right in front of there store, when does political correctness stop. Like everyone else that is hurting in this economy, food prices aren’t high enough without people come in to undercut you.
As for Trump flags they are legal permitted carts that don’t breed hate they breed freedom just because your beliefs are different from mine. Yes, it is still freedom of speech as much as your side doesn’t want that.

Shutdown all illegal vendors, not just food vendors. If we're going to claim street vendors are affecting local businesses that are required to pay rent and get inspections, this should apply to ALL vendors, including popups for political parties or anything else. Please apply the standard universally, not just against groups of people you might disagree with.

I 100% agree!! These vendors, from a conversation I personally had with a vendor selling fruit near a school, he said they are dropped off by the owners who are in Los Angeles and he said they get paid $9 per hour or less and from what he understands these people may have ties with cartels! They go all over Southern California and is a very very ludicrous illegal business. We should not be patronizing these vendors because we’re taking from the mouth of the employees of business who have worked very hard to have q legitimate business. Plus you have no idea what kind of meat you’re eating for all you know it could be dog meat!

I plan on stopping when I see one and ask to see their license and then report it. Most I have seen do not leave a 4-foot area for ADA on the sidewalk either...another reportable offense. We get to report, report, report as these are health issues and get the name and number of who you speak to. Just in case a food born illness breaks out....just saying.

Please shutdown all these illegal vendors.

Community leaders need to look at what is driving the increase in street vendors. I know many restaurants in my community can't survive crazy rent increases.

Or is it poor people setting up business? Was the acceptance of food trucks our gateway to street vendors?

To me, street vendors and restaurants cater to different needs. If I planned to go to a restaurant,
I'd be very unlikely to change plans if I see a vendor outside of the restaurant. Standing in the street eating tacos, burgers, or kebabs is very different from table service.

I have noticed that streets and sidewalks are greasy and there's trash left behind at street vendor sites.

All this talk about street tacos is making me hungry. Hope there isn’t a long line!!!

Shut them down. I agree, they are unsanitary and take away from businesses that have to pass health codes and pay taxes to stay in business, and employ people to make a living. We do not need them here.
And for those who say the Trump stands are offensive, a flag is offensive? Free speech is not offensive. Just because it doesn't align with what you want, doesn't make it offensive. Did you feel the same when the Biden stands popped up? Cry me a river.

I looked into selling my bespoke handcrafted jewelry at the Holiday Boutique this holiday season but now that I know all of these facts I’m excited to invite my fellow citizens to get a jump on presents and buy from my booth. I’m considering setting up a booth on Alicia, right there at the freeway exit but I’m worried that potential clients may get discouraged by the F word on the flags of my soon to be vendor neighbor. If I had known that just any rando person, maybe even someone who doesn’t even live in our city, could set up a booth and even sell offensive propaganda then I would have started years ago. Look for my sign, Fawk University, I’m even having a flag made to advertise my exclusive collection. I’ll see you there!

I have friends in Laguna Niguel that have told me the Sheriff's dept immediately shuts down street vendors.

When I reviewed the MV Muni Code, Title 5, Business Regulations, I did not find any regulations on sidewalk vendors. If the City does not have Operational Standards, then how can the City enforce a law that does not exist?

What can the City do? Create a special business permit; regulate size of cart; regulate hours of operation; ban operation of generators.

There are other options that the City can offer to protect our brick and mortar businesses.

I agree with everyone expressing their opinion. We all have the right to freedom of speech! I love it. Let's keep it that way.! Don't give up our beautiful country away just because you don't like a person's personality or looks. Get informed as much as you can. Don't make important decision based on popularity or emotions, I truly think our country is at risk. Street vendors are trying to make a living, don't pay taxes and take advantage of the situation. However, the streets were not intended to be used as a flee market or portable restaurants and it should definitely be regulated. We need law in order for all.

What about the people who sell political shirts, vulgar flags, hats etc on our streets? its disgusting. Can we have them off our streets as well?

It's concerning to hear how illegal food vendors are affecting local businesses and public health. These unregulated vendors not only undermine established businesses but also pose serious risks to safety and sanitation. Supporting lawful businesses and reporting violations can help protect our community and ensure a safer, healthier environment.