Less than three weeks after Columbus’ mayor limited mobile food vendors’ hours in the Short North, Columbus City Council has voted to end the restrictions.
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther issued the executive order imposing the restrictions on May 19, after two consecutive weekends of gun violence that left at least 10 people injured and one person dead.
"We believe that this set of unprecedented acts are required to meet the moment," Ginther said at the time.
But according to the city council, that moment is over. Members voted Monday to rescind the midnight curfew and to let mobile food vendors in the Short North once again operate until 2:30 a.m. starting this weekend.
“It is time now to repeal this executive order to allow these small businesses to thrive once again,” Council member Emmanuel Remy said. “Food carts are not the cause of violence in the Short North. It’s that simple.”
The ordinance approved by the council said that since Ginter’s executive order, “the City conducted enhanced safety operations in the Short North, including increasing law enforcement presence, limiting parking, relieving pedestrian congestion, and other actions to prevent violence in the neighborhood, …and these enhanced safety operations have resulted in a decrease in the threats to public health and safety such as to necessitate the immediate repeal of Ordinance 1595-2023."
Food vendors heavily criticized the executive order that forced them to close ahead of one of their busiest times of day after nearby bars close.
Ginther also asked but did not require Short North bars and restaurants to close at midnight. Some complied, but most kept their normal hours.
