Selective Enforcement

[Kyle Mitchell]

The issue of outdoor sales has been brought up at the last couple of council meetings.

Other than Bill Phelan, they really seem to be dragging their feet on it.

The City manager said that they had to cite a store for violation and since then they have been in compliance.

My son used to display and sell many bikes on the sidewalk until he found out that it was illegal (he wasn't fined). He chose to violate the law to participate in the recent sidewalk sale.

Why should businesses have to risk being fined to participate in the downtown sidewalk sales?

On just about any day, you can drive down Main Street and see several businesses illegally displaying items outside.

Who is the person that gets to decide which businesses will be allowed to do it and not?

Why do we even have such poorly written laws that are enforced on some and not others?

Why not get on correcting the problem?

[dog]

Oct 9, 2013 7:10:11 GMT -6 Kyle Mitchell said:

The City manager said that they had to cite a store for violation and since then they have been in compliance.

He chose to violate the law to participate in the recent sidewalk sale.

Why should businesses have to risk being fined to participate in the downtown sidewalk sales?
.

Which store was that?

Am I understanding you correctly? It is illegal, and a business will fined for having stuff for sale on a sidewalk during sidewalk sale days?

[Kyle Mitchell]

He didn't name which store was fined.

Unless you have a special use permit for outdoor sales, the sidewalk sale is illegal and businesses could get fined for participating.

[dumdave]

It is so counter productive to downtown to make businesses get a permit for SIDEWALK SALE DAYS.
There should be MORE Sidewalk Sale Days, not constraints.

[1greatgrama]

Usually I just read and keep quiet but this post really got me thinking so here goes...I can remember as a little girl always going downtown with my mom to the "sidewalk sales" it was a big event and it was also nice to see so many people on Main St. No one worried whether or not the merchandise was on the sidewalks or not after all sidewalk sales are just that, right? I don't recall any accidents or people getting hit by a car if they had to step into the street to get around a crowd of shoppers. Sometimes it seems like the city officials think us Streatorites are brainless people who can't even cross a street. I have to wonder where all this "Permit" money goes? I think some of our town leaders need to chill a bit and maybe more people would want to "Shop Streator" and what better way to attract shoppers than a big sale?

[chevypower]

The General Dollar, Rashids, The Dollar store and many others all have sidewalk sales, so good question myelf.