The Madison Vending Oversight Committee met Wednesday night to discuss the possibility of prohibiting late-night food vending on Frances Street.
Some Frances Street property owners have expressed concern about the area's growing popularity and say it is too congested and rowdy late in the evening.
Rebecca Anderson, owner of the Eleanor Apartments at 405 N. Frances St., said routine late-night crowds on the block jeopardize her tenants' safety.
They come home and there's these lines of people that are lined up out in front of their apartment,"" Anderson said. ""So they can't get into their building without going through this massive amount of people that have been drinking.""
VOC member Rosemary Lee said that residents should expect activity near their residences when choosing to live downtown.
""I think that all of us that live downtown have made the choice to do so, and we're going to be inconvenienced one way or another,"" she said. ""That's part of living in an urban area with a 40,000-student campus.""
Bill Knobeloch, Madison's parking operations manager, said the area is overused and that parking and traffic issues make the block chaotic for motorists as well as pedestrians.
Knobeloch suggested on behalf of the Madison Parking Utility that vendors be forced to relocate to Library Mall or other designated places for food-cart vending.
""My recommendation is that the Frances Street corridor be taken out of the late-night vending areas, and that we improve the Library Mall lighting and that vendors be encouraged to go there,"" Knobeloch said.
Juan Hernandez, weekend operator of the Papi's Hot Dog cart, said Library Mall is not frequented enough by the late-night crowd and moving there would be bad for business.
""If you move us, we're going to lose a lot of profit,"" he said.
Lee also said moving vendors to Library Mall is an unfair solution.
""I don't buy that Library Mall is a good place for the late-night vendors,"" Lee said. ""Because if it was hot, don't you think [vendors] would already be there?""
The VOC did not vote on the issue but agreed that resolving it is a high priority.
