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Pittsburgh City Council

Vendors may be appearing on city sidewalks again.

Written by Amy Whipple

City council is a step closer to allowing vendors and peddlers to sell their wares on Pittsburgh’s sidewalks.

After a two-week hold, Council resumed discussion of new policies around sidewalk vendors.

Two council members amended the legislation to codify their constituents’ concerns. At Council Member Anthony Coghill of Beechview’s request, vendors cannot use diagonal or perpendicular parking spaces. Vendors must also now be 150 feet away from competing brick and mortar establishments.

Council Member Theresa Kail-Smith of Westwood requested a vending ban on Grandview and Virginia avenues which would include the side streets from Wyoming to Shaler. The sidewalks of Grandview Avenue are often nearly impassable because of the crowds of people taking in the view.

Council Member Khari Mosley of Point Breeze North said he would like to connect permitted vendors in East Liberty informally with Catapult’s retail residency program to help fill the neighborhood’s empty storefronts.

Planning director Andrew Dash clarified that the legislation permits vending in parks. Approving specific vending locations, however, will require an additional public process. This could include areas around sports fields and pools that do not have an existing concession stand. Licenses, which cost $135 a year, will also require approval from the Public Art and Civic Design Commission.

InformUp’s readers have mixed feelings about park use. Of 126 respondents to the Oct. 31 survey:

  • 22% prefer vendors only be allowed in specific parks locations
  • 29% would like guidelines-based approaches (e.g., near park entrances, minimum distance from playgrounds)
  • 28% a hybrid of the two.

No vendors in parks and no restrictions for parks accounted for 13% and 7% of respondents, respectively.

Council scheduled the final vote on the issue for next week.

Connections to this story

Elected officials:
Anthony CoghillKhari Mosley
Topics:
Economic Development
Governments:
Pittsburgh City Council
Public meetings:
City Council · November 10, 2025
Sources:
Ordinance 2025-2149 — amending the Pittsburgh Code, Title Nine: Zoning Code, Article V: Use Regulations, Chapter 911: Primary Uses and…Ordinance 2025-2150 — amending and supplementing the City Code at Title Seven, Business Licensing, Article III, Sales Businesses, Chapter…

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