Fight Against Sidewalk Vendors in Mission Beach Goes to a Whole New Level

SAN DIEGO - Community leaders in Mission Beach are now asking a state panel to step in and stop the growing number of sidewalk vendors in the area.

Members of the Mission Beach Town Council and Mission Beach Precise Planning Board sent a letter to the California Coastal Commission Monday asking for a cease and desist order to stop vendors from operating along the Mission Beach Boardwalk. The two groups claim the vendors are violating the Coast Act and local ordinances, saying they block the public’s physical and visual access to the beach.

The municipal code also bans retail and commercial use of public parking lots, grassy areas, picnic tables and recreation areas of the beach.

This comes a week after the city started issuing permits for sidewalk vendors and pushcarts under a new ordinance, but those rules don't apply to beach communities because of the need for approval from the Coastal Commission.