Library Mall could become a magnet for late-night food patrons seeking to satisfy their cravings under changes to Madison's vending ordinances being drafted by the Vending Oversight Committee.
The VOC began shaping revisions to the late-night vending ordinance Wednesday to combat problematic vending in the downtown area, which is often marred by drunken patrons and, at times, noncompliant vendors.
Vending in the 400 block of North Frances Street is a particular hotbed for trouble, according to Madison Police Department officer Carrie Hemming. For vendors, competition to get a parking spot on the pedestrian-heavy street is intense, which often leads to parking problems.
In September, the Common Council suspended the vending license of Jin's Chicken & Fish operator Jeff Okafo after he amassed 29 parking violations. The number of intoxicated patrons in the area also poses safety problems.
It is simply a high density area '¦ wherever you have drunk people gathering, you will have problems,"" Hemming said.
Under the changes, late-night vending in the 400 block of North Frances Street would moved onto the pedestrian area of the cul-de-sac next to State Street Brats and limited to assigned sites for small carts. Vending hours on Library Mall would be altered to accommodate more late-night sites, including spaces for large carts, which would be assigned by a ratings system.
The committee expressed concern over striking a fair balance between maintaining safety in the area while still providing vendors with ample business opportunities. However, some members felt the patrons would remain loyal to the carts and migrate to Library Mall.
""When [the vendors] moved from Langdon to Frances Street, [customers] followed,"" said VOC member Tori Pettaway about the result of a ban on vending in residential areas made in the late 1990s.
The changes will now be drafted and formally introduced to the VOC by the end of February. VOC members Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, and Ald. Thuy Pham-Remmele, District 20, plan to present the revised ordinance to the Common Council for adoption at its March 3 meeting so the changes can be implemented by the start of the new vending season April 15.
