Explanation
The purpose of this ordinance is to repeal Ordinance 1595-2023, ordaining Executive Order 2023-01 of the Mayor, which limited the hours of operations for mobile food vending during a period of enhanced safety operations in the Short North.
Title
To repeal ordinance 1595-2023, pertaining to Executive Order 2023-01 of the Mayor prohibiting mobile food vending operations in the Short North after 11:59 pm on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings; and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, Chapter 573 of the Columbus City Codes, as recently amended by Ordinance No. 1730-2023, establishes regulations and licensing requirements for mobile food vending operations within the City; and
WHEREAS, Chapter 573 establishes and defines Congestions Zones as a geographic area that has a combination of public right of way parking limitations, meter restrictions, vehicular traffic patterns, pedestrian density, and mobility issues, such that unrestricted access for mobile food vending constitutes a threat to public health and safety and authorizes the Director of Public Safety to create, designate, alter, or eliminate Congestion Zones; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Chapter 573, areas in the Short North neighborhood, as defined by the Victorian Village Commission and the Italian Village Commission, have been designated as a Congestion Zone; and
WHEREAS, it had been observed that the presence of mobile food vending operations within the Short North had increased motor vehicle and pedestrian congestion and caused large gatherings of people, most especially in the hours after 11:59 pm on weekends, increasing the potential threat to public health and safety; and
WHEREAS, the Short North neighborhood experienced actual incidents of violence including a fatal shooting on May 14, 2023 and two separate shooting incidents eight days prior, resulting in 10 people wounded and 11 firearms recovered; and
WHEREAS, on May 19, 2023, the Mayor, through Executive Order 2023-01...
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