Vendors, U. debate ordinance at town mtg.

Vendors, students and community members voice concerns, express frustration during forum and Stephanie Cooperman After an emotionally charged town meeting Tuesday night, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell decided to introduce a modified version of a controversial vending ordinance at yesterday's City Council meeting. City Council members must still approve the ordinance for it to become law. Blackwell -- along with University Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs Carol Scheman and Scott Goldstein of the University City Vendors Alliance -- addressed community concerns about the ordinance in the auditorium of Lea Elementary School at 47th and Spruce streets. After brief presentations by Goldstein and Scheman on the proposed changes to the ordinance -- which would limit and reorganize street and sidewalk vending around campus -- students and community members expressed frustration with the University's alleged unwillingness to consider their input. Goldstein explained that the new version of the ordinance -- which he called a "win-win situation" -- will consolidate vending in three primary areas on campus -- along 34th Street between Hill field and Chestnut, across from the food court at 3401 Walnut Street, where there is currently a wall, and in the northern section of the triangular parking lot at 34th and Spruce Streets. The vending areas would be presented as what Goldstein called "a year-round food festival," complete with seating, tables, lights and available space for all the displaced vendors. Three weeks ago, University officials called a meeting to inform local vendors of the ordinance -- which they wanted Blackwell to present at the City Council meeting the following morning. But protest from local vendors, students and community members delayed action on the legislation. Scheman emphasized that University administrators want to do away with vendors on Walnut Street between 34th and 38th before construction begins on the new Sansom Commons upscale retail district. She added that the ordinance -- the first measure taken by the University to control vending in the area -- will provide easier access to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania's entrance, increased security and a reliable business environment for vendors. But many students and community members said their opinions were not considered and asked Blackwell to postpone introducing the legislation until the fall, when more student opinion could be gathered. Undergraduate Assembly chairperson and College junior Noah Bilenker said he could have told Scheman and the vendors "what the students wanted right away." "I'd like to think the University has a partnership with the undergraduates," he said. "We tell them what the undergraduates want and they, in turn, will listen to us and act with the students' interest in mind." And College junior Jared Danziger, the undergraduate representative to the University committee on vending, said he was "appalled by the way the University violated its own procedures in developing these plans." He added that he "can't be sympathetic with the vendors who have now been essentially bought off by the University." But Scheman said she held numerous meetings for elected student representatives, and added that it was their responsibility to relay information to their constituents. Other students were concerned about the motives behind the University's "quick action." "There is no reason to ban vendors from 35th to 38th except that the people who will pay rent in the Sansom Commons don't want to look at them," graduate student Matt Rubin said. Some vendors worried that the proposed ordinance would limit competition and reduce a business based largely on location and convenience, but Scheman said these fears were unfounded. "If the University was serious about these kiosks, they would have built them in the 18 months they were talking about [the ordinance]," pretzel stand owner and former state senator Milton Streets said. "If you think the University is going to follow through with all this, then you are pursuing a course contrary to knowledge."