In the past, making changes to the 42.15 Venice Beach boardwalk vending ordinance meant lengthy meetings, public comment periods and City Attorney / Council District involvement to make even the simplest change. No more! Now, thanks to paragraph A item 15 in the 42.15 approved ordinance - now if clarifications or changes need to be refined or updated the board simply needs to amend the program rules. The ordinance states that:
Persons using the 205 Designated Spaces are subject to, and shall comply with, the following restrictions and the Program Rules adopted by the Board:
And further states…
15. Program Rules. Rules adopted by the Board pursuant to its Charter authority and made applicable to use of the public space on and adjacent to the Boardwalk. The Program Rules will be adopted at a duly noticed public hearing at which the public is provided an opportunity to comment, as required by the Ralph M. Brown Act, at least ten (10) days prior to implementation. The Program Rules, as may be amended from time-to-time by the Board, shall be available for inspection and copying at the Police Substation or at the Recreation Office.
So, now instead of the entire ordinance being re-written and approved when a modification is needed - the new ordinance was written so that the ordinance is pursuant to the “program rules” which can be changed and amended at any time. So, as the ever-begrudged and litigious have hurled law suits at the city over every little item - the past has taught the city that by having the ordinance be linked to the “program rules”, and having the “program rules” be something that can easily be amended without jumping through ridiculous bureaucratic hoops - now they can effectively manage the ordinance details when everyone tries to skirt the system… as they do.
We have been told that full training on the new ordinance for Rec and Parks and LAPD will happen in January with an expectation of enforcement being implemented near the end of the month. Get your crocheted rasta caps while they last! As mentioned in an earlier post, when doing a count one Saturday, of the 205 spaces that were occupied, 176 vendors were engaging in activity that will no longer be permitted, while only 9 were operating within the latitude of the new ordinance. It is going to be mighty empty out there…
So no more jewelry, right? What about the horribly photoshopped Marilyn Monroe posters and the butter man?
What a waste of time and money spent on this crap. For what, a bunch of bums on the boardwalk skirting the law. These bums call themselves artisans, my ass, more like con artists. This crap is never going to stop until the elected officials are voted out of district 11. And replaced with a governing body who will enforce the law and throw those bums off the boardwalk. Until then, if you want a safe place to bring your family, your going to have to visit Newport Beach. One thing is for sure Newport Beach knows how to handle these bums.