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Outdoor Patios, Parklets and Street Vending Permits

Public Spaces

​Public spaces are an important part of downtown Lethbridge because they provide people with opportunities to come together. They create a social space for everyone to connect.

The City of Lethbridge is committed to enhancing the public spaces in downtown Lethbridge with several upcoming and ongoing initiatives.

Outdoor Patios, Parklets and Street Vending

Local businesses can look at different ways to convert streets and sidewalks owned by the City of Lethbridge into a use that serves people rather than vehicles. This supports local business, beautifies the streets, creates walkable destinations and makes the city more welcoming and people-friendly.

While focused on the downtown, outdoor patios, parklets, and street vending are supported in other areas of the City please enquire for details.  

Outdoor Patios, Parklets, and Street Vending Handbook will identify safety and operational requirements, as well as provide general conditions and clear direction to individuals who would like to understand this process from the perspective of either the business wanting to use the Right of Way adjacent to their business (Applicant), other businesses or citizens.

Permits are required for the following:

Mobile Vending Guidelines & Permit Application Requirements

A Mobile Vending Permit (Permit) is required in order for the sale of food, beverage or merchandise from a mobile vehicle, including carts, to take place within City of Lethbridge (City) owned Right of Way (ROW). The Permit process supports the development of the mobile vending industry, as well as existing brick-and mortar businesses as they expand to include mobile operations.

The intent is to encourage the expanded use of public spaces and to further enhance the vitality of the street while maintaining pedestrian/vehicular flow and public safety, and to be considerate of potential impacts to permanent businesses and residential neighbourhoods.

  • For the placement of food and/or merchandise for sale in the ROW adjacent to a business, refer to the Street Vending Guidelines.
  • For the establishment of outdoor patios in the ROW, refer to the Outdoor Patio Guidelines.

This guideline will outline the Permit process and identify standard safety and operational requirements, as well as provide general conditions, clarity, and direction to individuals who would like to understand this process from the perspective of the Permit applicant (Applicant), a business, or a citizen.

These Permits support the City in monitoring and coordinating activities within the ROW in order to:

  • Allow mobile vending to take place in a non-disruptive manner, and prevent conflicts between permanent businesses providing similar services.
  • Prevent conflicts between activities.
  • Protect and maintain public infrastructure.
  • Minimize disruption to businesses, residents and road users (i.e. motorists, cyclists and pedestrians).
  • Maintain safety for all users.

 

There are two Permit types available for mobile vending:

A Mobile Food Vending Permit allows a vendor to prepare and/or sell food and beverages from a mobile food truck or cart within the ROW, including while parked in a legal parking space.

A Mobile Street Vending Permit allows a vendor to sell or distribute merchandise from a mobile vehicle or cart within the ROW, including while parked in a legal parking space.

 

Permit applications shall be made to the City of Lethbridge Infrastructure Services Department by calling 311 (403-320-3111 if outside of Lethbridge) and ask to speak to Traffic Technologist or Parking Coordinator.

The Applicant may be required to meet with the Traffic Technologist or Parking Coordinator prior to a Permit being issued to ensure that a Permit is required. Discussion points will include:

  • Permit conditions and requirements.
  • Locations of City owned parcels (e.g. City Hall) including parks (e.g. Galt Gardens).
  • Identification of privately owned parcels.
  • ROW limits, boundaries and restrictions.

If the Applicant chooses to proceed with the Permit application, they shall submit valid copies of their:

  • City of Lethbridge Business License.
  • Alberta Health Services (AHS) Food Handling Permit (food vending only).
  • General commercial liability insurance with the City of Lethbridge listed as an “Additional Insured”, with a minimum of $2,000,000 coverage.

Mobile Vending Permits are issued every calendar year with the minimum permit duration being 4 months, calculated at $2.00 per day. Payment is due upon the issuance of the Permit in person at City Hall located at 910 - 4 Avenue South, on the main floor.

  1. It is the Applicant’s responsibility to ensure that their Permit is valid prior to vending.
  2. The Permit does not give exclusive rights to any location.
  3. Mobile food vending is not permitted:
    1. In Festival Square (located on 6 Street South in the Downtown), except when operating as part of a Special Event and approval has been obtained to do so.
    2. On arterial roadways (refer to attached restricted roadways map).
    3. On Regional Trails or pathways
  4. The Permit does not grant permission for parking on or vending from private property. (This must be obtained from the property owner).
  5. Food trucks and mobile vending vehicles or carts are not permitted within City parks unless authorization is obtained. Phone 311 (403-320-3111 if outside of Lethbridge) and ask to speak with the Parks Manager for more information. If permission is granted a Mobile Vending Permit will still be required.

  1. The Applicant must:
    1. Maintain a minimum clearance of 1.8m (6’) of sidewalk for pedestrian movement.
    2. Comply with all requirements set out by the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) (see the attached Fact Sheet for Food Truck Safety).
  2. A valid copy (including renewals) of the Applicant’s AHS Food Handling Permit must be submitted to the City and on site at all times.

  1. The Applicant must:
    1. Provide a garbage container on or near the vehicle or cart.
    2. Maintain a clean vending site.
    3. Comply with any regulatory requirements, including the Traffic Safety Act.
    4. Comply with relevant City Bylaws, including the Noise Bylaw.
    5. Comply with on-street parking controls. For paid and/or time-limited parking spaces, the hourly parking rate must be paid and the maximum parking duration adhered to.
  2. Food trucks may vend for a maximum of 15 minutes adjacent to one residential location, and/or 30 minutes on one residential block face.
  3. At the request of local schools, mobile food vending is not permitted within 50 meters (164 feet) of an elementary, junior, middle or high school during school days between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The distance is measured from the nearest point of the mobile food vendor’s truck or cart to the nearest point of the parcel of land on which the school is located.
  4. In consideration of permanent restaurants (as defined in the Land Use Bylaw) or businesses:
    1. Mobile food vending, except when approved as part of a Special Event, is not permitted within 50 meters (164 feet) of a restaurant that is open and operating (unless written permission has been obtained from the restaurant operator) measured from the nearest point of the mobile food vendor to the nearest:
      1. Public entrance to the restaurant, or
      2. Public entrance of the building in which the restaurant is located
    2. Mobile street vending, except when approved as part of a Special Event, is not permitted within 50 meters (164 feet) of a permanent business selling similar goods/merchandise (i.e. clothes, shoes, flowers, etc.) that is open and operating (unless written permission has been obtained from the permanent business operator) measured from the nearest point of the mobile street vendor to the nearest:
      1. Public entrance of the permanent business, or
      2. Public entrance of the building in which the permanent business is located
  5. In support of Special Events, mobile vendors, except when approved as part of the Special Event, are not permitted within a 1-block radius of the parcel of land on which the Special Event is being held. To inquire about providing mobile vending as part of a Special Event, contact the event organizer directly.

Vendors operating without a valid Permit or in contradiction to any of the permit conditions or requirements outlined in these guidelines, or specific to their Permit, may be subject to a fine as per the Streets Bylaw.

 

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