The streets of Orange County just might become a bustling night market destination under newly proposed state legislation.
From Bay Area Assemblymember Matt Haney, the proposal would create a specific yearlong state permit for organizers of open-air vendors, such as farmers and night markets. Haney said he hopes the legislation will revitalize the economy impacted by COVID-19.
And in Orange County, the idea is to bolster the sales from vendors hit hard during the pandemic.
“There’s no constituency in California calling for more red tape and paperwork for farmers markets,” said Haney. “Hopefully, this legislation will inspire other communities across California to explore opening up their own night markets.”
Orange County is already home to several big-name night markets, including the Little Saigon Night Market in Westminster’s Asian Garden Mall and 626 Night Market in Costa Mesa, the largest Asia-inspired night market in the U.S. Smaller, local open-air markets take place monthly and weekly as well.
Since the state Department of Health does not permit open-air markets, they fall under the jurisdiction of local Environmental Health departments.
In Orange County, night markets — along with county fairs, city festivals and similar public events — fall under the definition of a “community event,” said Darwin Cheng, the assistant director of the county’s Environmental Health Division.
For a community event, including night markets, the organizer needs a health permit from the county’s Environmental Health Division, Cheng said.
If a single event goes on for more than 25 consecutive or nonconsecutive days in a 90-day period, organizers must reapply for the temporary permit, which costs $184.
Kathy Buchoz, one of the organizers of Little Saigon’s annual night market and a director at the Westminster Chamber of Commerce, said Haney’s legislation “sounds wonderful.”
“Obviously, it’s to support having these open-air…
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