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Home My WebLink About11/03/2025 13.D. Fair Play Coalition letter re unlicensed vendors r:- `y ^� ljlt ii! s . BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDA STATEMENT Item No. 13.D. For Meeting of: November 3, 2025 ITEM TITLE: Fair Play Coalition letter re unlicensed vendors SUBMITTED BY: Vicki Baker, City Manager SUMMARY EXPLANATION: ITEM BUDGETED: STRATEGIC PRIORITY 24-25: RECOMMENDATION: ATTACHMENTS: Fair Play Coalition City of Yakima.pdf 135 15100 SE 38TH STREET BELLEVUE,WASHINGTON 98006 FAIR PLAY COALITION October 29, 2025 City Manager Vicki Baker 129 N 2nd Street Yakima, WA 98901 vicki.baker@yakimawa.gov (509) 575-6000 Re: We have identified 5 unlicensed "pop-up"street taco stands operating illegally in the city of Yakima every night from 7 p.m.to 2 a.m. Dear City Manager Baker, As Chair of the Washington State Restaurant Fair Play Coalition, I am writing to bring to your attention a growing public- health and business-compliance crisis affecting the city of Yakima. Each night from approximately 7 p.m.to 2 a.m., 5 unlicensed and non-permitted "pop-up"taco stands operate openly in the city.Although these stands appear under various names, evidence indicates they are part of a coordinated, multi-state operation also active in other parts of Washington and beyond. Why Enforcement Is Urgently Needed 1. Public Health Risks: These hot-food operations have no County Health Department permits, are not inspected, and lack basic sanitation. They present a clear risk of food borne illness to the public. 2. Worker Exploitation: Employees operate without access to restrooms, break periods, or safety protections, suggesting probable labor exploitation. 3. Illegal Operation: None of these stands maintain a business license, fire permit, or insurance, despite routinely using propane tanks and open flames on public and private property. 4. Unfair Competition: Law-abiding restaurant owners are being undercut by these illegal street taco operators, who avoid paying sales tax, B&O tax, L&I premiums, payroll taxes, or any regulatory fees. This undermines small businesses that follow the law and support the local tax base. Here are 5 known locations where illegal "pop-up"taco stands operating in the city of Yakima: 332 S 1st St Yakima, WA 98901 12 N Fair Ave Yakima, WA 98901 Parking lot 1411 S 1st St Yakima, WA 98901 1324 S 1st St Yakima, WA 98901 703 W Nob Hill Blvd Yakima, WA 98902 We have repeatedly contacted Yakima County Health Department, but they say they lack the resources to address these non-permitted "pop-up"taco stands operating illegally in Yakima County. As city manager, we are asking you to act to shut down these illegal hot food street vendors in the city. These non- permitted taco stands present a very serious health risk to the greater Yakima county community.Additionally, they are not following any of the laws required for a food vendor and this creates a great inequity with those restaurants and food trucks that are abiding by all the laws required to operate a food business. Page 1 of<136 15100 SE 38TH STREET BELLEVUE,WASHINGTON 98006 FAIR PLAY COALITION Individuals and Entities Involved One of the principal individuals behind these illegal "pop up"taco stands appears to be Rocio Gascon of Whittier, California, reportedly linked to more than 50 unlicensed taco stands across Washington State. Public-Health & Business-Fairness Risks Unlicensed food operations evade inspection and sanitation standards, increasing the likelihood of contamination and illness. Economically, they distort fair competition by exploiting workers, evading taxes, and operating without legitimate overhead costs—harming responsible restaurant owners and eroding public trust in local governance. Locations and Supply Chain Our coalition has identified several food-preparation hubs believed to be supplying the unlicensed "pop up"taco stands operating illegally in the city of Yakima. From these hubs, prepared food is distributed to nightly street vendors operating without business licenses, health permits, or fire authorization. Sales occur primarily in cash or via peer-to-peer payment apps (Zelle, etc.), facilitating tax evasion at all levels. Applicable Authority Under RCW 36.32.120 and related county statutes, the city manager is responsible for ensuring that health laws and ordinances are faithfully enforced. We respectfully urge you to direct appropriate enforcement actions by the Yakima Police and Fire departments, the Yakima County Public Health inspectors, and local city partners to shutdown these unlawful operations. Requested Action On behalf of the Washington State Restaurant Fair Play Coalition, we respectfully request that you: 1. Direct immediate enforcement of applicable city health codes to halt illegal hot-food street vendors. 2. Coordinate with local law enforcement,the State Department of Health,the Department of Revenue, and the Department of Labor& Industries to identify and shut down unlicensed operations. Key Requirements for Street Food Vendors operating in the city of Yakima Municipal Code (YMC 5.57 - Mobile Food Vendors) are as follows: -Must obtain a Yakima business license before operating. -License must be displayed visibly on the vehicle, cart, or stand. -Must have health department approval for any food service. -Must identify an approved commissary kitchen for food prep and cleaning. -Must provide a written narrative describing storage, setup, signage, and compliance procedures. Page 2 of<137 15100 SE 38TH STREET BELLEVUE,WASHINGTON 98006 FAIR PLAY COALITION These 5 illegal "pop up"taco stands in the city of Yakima are "invisible"to city and county officials because they do not have any of the requirements outlined in the city, county or state code. They operate nightly with no health permit, no valid permit from the city of Yakima and no business license, They have never registered with Department of Revenue or L&I and are they are not collecting sales tax at their non-permitted taco stands. If these illegal "pop up"taco stands are not shut down,the city of Yakima could face a very serious food borne outbreak that sickens unsuspecting consumers. Closing Non permitted "Pop up"taco stands are operating nightly in the city of Yakima and they not following any of the laws or codes required for street food vendors in accordance with city, county or state codes for hot food street vendors. These unregulated operations represent an organized, large-scale public-health and business-integrity threat. We welcome the opportunity to meet with you or your staff to present our evidence and discuss solutions. Please treat this correspondence as a formal demand. The Washington State Restaurant Fair Play Coalition requires a detailed written response within five (5) days of receipt, specifying all enforcement actions, regulatory steps, and inter-agency coordination undertaken by the City of Yakima in response to this public health crisis. Absent a timely and substantive reply,we will proceed with legal remedies and administrative filings available under Washington State law. Sincerely, Josiah Gaytan Chairperson, Washington State Restaurant Fair Play Coalition cc: Mayor of Yakima,Patricia Byers Assistant Mayor,Matt Brown City Clerk,Rosalinda Ibarra Council Member,Leo Roy Council Member,Danny Herrera Council Member, Janice Deccio Council Member,Rick Glenn Council Member, Reedy Berg City of Yakima Chief of Police,Shawn Boyle City of Yakima Fire Chief,Aaron Markham Yakima County Health Department Director,Andre Fresco Secretary of Health for the State of Washington,Dennis Worsham Washington Hospitality Association Regional Representative Central Washington,Raul Almeida Latino Community Fund,Ana Ruiz Kennedy City of Yakima—Communications&Public Affairs Director:Randy Beehler Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce,Kristi Foster,President/CEO KIMA TV(CBS—Yakima) KNDO/KNDU(NBC Right Now) KUNW-CD(Univision Yakima) Yakima Herald-Republic Yakima Times NewsTalk KIT 1280(radio) Radio KDNA(91.9 FM,Granger/Yakima Valley) Andrea McCoy—Blogger at"The Salt&Stone" Page 3 of;138