Vending and consumer groups have been trying to make the proposed ordiance less restrictive. After months of debate and the urging of a government official, University officials, vendors and consumers are finally ready to sit down at the bargaining table and hammer out a unified proposal to regulate vending on and around campus. The conflict between the three parties began last May when the University submitted its first proposal to Philadelphia Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell. The fight intensified in late November, when the University gave her an updated proposal. Yesterday, the University City Vendors Alliance and the Penn Consumers Alliance sent their revised versions of the University's November proposal to Blackwell. The revisions offered by each group seek to make the ordinance less restrictive. The next step is for all three groups to compromise and create one unified proposal, something each of the groups said it is prepared to do, according to Blackwell. "The only way to do this is a public process," she said. "We have to maintain an open dialogue [among all involved groups]." Blackwell will introduce the legislation to City Council after the three groups finalize a single proposal. Council returns for its first session of the next legislative period January 27. All three parties agree that vending should be prohibited in front of existing or future retail locations, in residential areas and where safety is a factor, such as the area around the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. But despite the parties' general agreement on these issues, wide gaps still exist on many key issues in the legislation. In the most marked difference between the proposals, the University's version eliminates vending on most of Locust, Walnut, Chestnut and Sansom streets, restricting it to the western side of 38th Street, Spruce Street between 36th and 38th streets, 40th Street between Spruce and Locust streets, 33rd Street near the Palestra and Market Street between 34th and 40th streets. The UCVA's revisions would eliminate many of these restrictions, while the PCA version wants to move vending sites closer to campus. UCVA spokesperson Scott Goldstein said reaching agreement on the issue of where vendors will be allowed to operate may present the largest difficulty to the party. "It's crucial not to take away public land without providing desirable alternatives on Penn's campus," Goldstein explained. Fifth-year Engineering graduate student Jason Eisner, a member of PCA, echoed Goldstein's sentiments. "With the exception of the negotiations over locations, I think it will not be difficult to reach a compromise," Eisner said. The University's proposal also bans the use of a power generator within 100 feet of a building containing classroom, office, or housing space. The vendors and consumers' plans, however, would allow the use of generators provided they do not exceed a certain decibel level. In addition, Penn's version of the ordinance establishes a University City Vending Advisory Board which would review vending regulations and recommend applicants for certain locations. The board would be made up of nine members -- seven of whom are affiliated with the vending business, the retail business or the University, and two who are not directly connected to the issue -- serving one-year terms. The University's proposal allows Penn administrators to select most of the board's members. But the PCA calls for them to be elected by their separate constituencies, such as undergraduate and graduate students and faculty members. In a promise separate from the proposed legislation, the University agreed to build five fresh air food plazas on and around campus to house 45 vendors. The plazas would be built in five areas: behind the Van Pelt Library on Walnut Street, between Gimbel Gymnasium and the adjacent parking garage on the 3700 block of Walnut Street, on the eastern side of 40th Street between Locust and Walnut streets, at the corner of 34th and Spruce streets and next to Bennett Hall at 34th and Walnut streets. The revisions offered by the PCA seek to ensure the construction of the plazas by placing the proposal into the legislation. Although Penn Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs Carol Scheman said she expects that the negotiation process will be difficult, she stressed that the issues "very possibly can be worked out" and that the parties already agree on most major issues. Goldstein, who operates a vegetarian food truck at 36th and Walnut streets, agreed, noting that he is confident that the parties will be able to reach a final compromise.
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