City ordinance sets stringent regulations for street vending

Anyone who wants to be a street vendor in downtown McMinnville will have to possess $1 million worth of insurance, be fingerprinted, and have at least two Warren County property owners vouch for their character, according to a city ordinance now under consideration.

The ordinance already has one critic, Alderman Rick Barnes.

?It?s cheaper and easier to get a permit to carry a firearm in Tennessee than it is to sell hot dogs downtown,? said Barnes. ?I think this is ridiculous. It?s overboard. If they don?t want street vendors downtown, they should just say no vendors downtown instead of this.?

Other cities with historic downtown districts have prohibited street vending completely, according to Alderman Jimmy Haley.

The proposed city ordinance establishes a number of restrictions which essentially makes it too difficult and costly to operate a street vending business on Main Street. Among other requirements for a street vending license are:

? A statement by a reputable physician of the city, dated not more than 10 days prior to submission of the application, certifying the applicant to be free of infectious, contagious or communicable disease.

? A statement as to whether the applicant has been convicted of any crime, misdemeanor or violation of any municipal ordinance.

? A $1,000 bond payment for the city to keep on file.

Most local residents aren?t concerned with street vendors in general, but ?The Hot Dog Man? Brian Curran in particular. That was also a question of Alderman Donald Hillis.

?If The Hot Dog Man wants to go downtown and sell, can he?? asked Hillis. ?That?s what I?ve been asked. If he can, sell him a permit and get him back downtown. Let?s do something.?

Barnes also says he has fielded a number of questions about The Hot Dog Man.

?The one issue I?ve heard more about than anything else since I?ve been on the board is The Hot Dog Man,? said Barnes. ?If the people want him downtown, it?s their city. Let him downtown.?

But according to the proposed city ordinance, The Hot Dog Man wouldn?t be allowed on his familiar Court Square corner because his cart is classified as a motorized vehicle since it has to be towed downtown by a motorized vehicle. According to the proposed ordinance, only vendors who push their carts downtown will be allowed to sell on Main Street.

Wendy Curran, Brian?s wife, said she is very thankful for everyone?s efforts to get her husband back downtown, but they are saddened to learn the proposed ordinance prohibits their cart from Court Square.

?Brian has been very patient through this process,? said Wendy. ?He has tried to give them their respect, but this new ordinance won?t allow Brian on the square. He?ll have to stay in the back parking area. Locals will know we are there, but what about the tourists? We have enjoyed meeting tourists and talking about how wonderful the county is, but without a sign, they won?t know we are there.

?Being in the back parking lot just won?t work for us. We are saddened by this. I feel like they are trying to get rid of us, but I just don?t know why,? Wendy added.

With this being the first time city board members have seen the ordinance, a vote was postponed until the next meeting to give each member time to review the ordinance thoroughly. The next meeting of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen is scheduled for April 25 at 7 p.m.